Review & Giveaway: Bartlett Soap Company

This time last year, I decided to try to take on a “No ‘Poo” challenge.  After a couple of months shampooing my hair with the baking soda and water paste solely, I decided to go back to using shampoo.  Late last year, I started using Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (Lavender Hemp) and though I enjoyed the scent, it left my hair feeling greasy even though my hair was styling just fine. I thought maybe it was because of our well water.  I decided to stick it out because after all, I had a lot more to use until the bottle was empty!  I was perfectly content in keeping up with using Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap until afriend of mine told me about a local woman who makes her own soap, lotion and shampoo. 

I looked at the Bartlett Soap Company’s website and loved the scents listed.  At the time, we were trying to save some money so I didn’t place the order right away.  It wasn’t until several weeks later that I emailed Jennifer to ask her some questions and placed my first order.

Jennifer, the owner of Bartlett Soap Company, is the nicest person you will ever meet: helpful, accommodating and an inspiration.  Jennifer started Bartlett Soap Company in her home October 2013 and was so successful she opened up a storefront in January because she spent most of her days delivering soaps locally!  As soon as I received my order, I found out exactly why her soaps, lotions and shampoo bars were doing so well in Tennessee.  The product is amazing!

About the product:

 Each bar is organically made using plant based oils like coconut, palm, avocado, olive, caster and shea giving the bars the rich soothing and cleansing properties needed to give your skin the pleasurable experience of fluffy lather, moisturizing, and the smoothing qualities that it deserves.

As soon as I opened the mailbox, the scent of the soaps came pummeling out.  It smelled soooo goooood!  I am sure the mail lady loved delivering this package! I used the shampoo bar a few days later and was pleasantly surprised at how clean my hair felt after just one use!  The greasy feeling from Dr. Bronner’s Soap was gone instantly and the light scent the soap left on my hair was very pleasant to get a whiff of throughout the day.  My hair styled no different than ever.  I was impressed from the very first time I used the shampoo!

My first order with Bartlett Soap Company
(Left to Right) Lotion Stick, Mens All-In-One and 3 Shampoo Bars
The sliver on top is the shampoo bar I have been using since the beginning of January!
They last a long time!!

The soap is the same way.  I purchased the men’s all-in-one soap to use as shampoo, soap and shaving…for myself!  I like masculine scents and this all-in-one definitely has a pleasant aroma.  The lotion stick is really thick and lasts a long time!  I use it as chapstick as well as on a dry patch I get behind my knees in the winter and it works wonderfully.

Now to the fun part: the giveaway!

I am so impressed with Jennifer and her product that I wanted to let everyone know about my new favorite soap and shampoo as well as give away one of her shampoo bars to one lucky follower.

Please note that her shampoo bars sell FAST!  I have been waiting for several weeks for more to be available, and they are available this very moment - but only 5 are left!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Winner to be chosen March 23rd at 12:00AM EST and announced on FB and Twitter shortly thereafter.

Good luck!!

DISCLAIMER:  I was in no way compensated for this review or giveaway.  All opinions are my own.

Midgilist

It is a little known secret that at work, my nickname is Midge.  It is an inside joke because I had a vendor call me from another country and ask for “Midgin.”  Lucky for me, it was one of the sales reps that took the call and the nickname has stuck ever since. (Please note the sarcasm.)

My coworkers think I am absolutely crazy for all of the things we do in our family.  I have been told by a friend that he is creating a new term for people like me and it is called Midgilists.  What kind of person is a Midgilist?  Someone who goes above and beyond to find ways to do everyday tasks for little or no money.  He is pretty much telling me that I’m cheaper than cheap.

I asked him why he felt this way, and he fired back with about a dozen of the following things I have done over the years.  When I thought about it, I added to his list just to give you an idea what a Midgilist does:

• Raise chickens for eggs
• Raise chickens for meat
• Going no ‘poo
• Researching (and still considering) bamboo as a renewable heat source
• Research solar panels and windmills (and ways to make them ourselves for less!)
• Grow a garden
• Cut our own hair
• I touch up my roots using hydrogen peroxide (for pennies a month)
• Plant perennial fruits, vegetables and herbs
• Crochet some of my own sweaters
• Create a chicken garden to help cut the costs of chicken feed
• Breed mealworms as a food source for our chickens
• Harvest mealworm poop to fertilize the garden areas (a new infatuation of mine)
• Make homemade vanilla
• Brew our own beer/wine
• Can the overabundance of apples
• Make homemade jams
• Freeze vegetables to consume throughout the winter
• Make our own soap
• Convert our vehicle (Kia Rondo) into a mini-camper
• Do our own oil changes and car maintenance
• Home improvements using recycled materials
• Cancelling the satellite and installing an antenna instead (we get over 30 channels now, by the way!)
• Homemade laundry detergent (a new recipe for our HE )
• Homemade dishwasher detergent (another new recipe)

…and the list keeps going on and on.  Until I sat down and thought about all of these things, I completely forgot we do most of them!  We do these tasks on such a regular basis that it is second-nature to us and we don’t feel it is really out of the ordinary.

There are some people who are preppers and others are survivalists…but I’m a Midgilist and I’m OK with that.  I am proud to be thrifty and willing to put some elbow-grease into whatever we do to help save money and become self-sufficient.  There is much more we could do to improve on our Midgilism in the upcoming years.

Until then, may the Midgilists unite!

(I know there are a few of you out there. J)

This post is lined to the Farm Girl Blog Fest.

 

The No 'Poo Experiment: 2 Month Progress Report

I have been practicing the No ‘Poo method for over two months now, and have only used “regular” shampoo once in that time.  When I used regular shampoo, I hated the results.  While rinsing the shampoo out of my hair, my hair felt like straw, not to mention it was a tangled mess when I went to go blow dry my hair!

A few weeks back, I decided I was going to go back to shampoo, even though I didn’t like the results.  My scalp had been itchy and I was getting horrible dandruff for some reason with the No ‘Poo method.  When the time came to wash my hair two days later, I thought about how awful my hair felt when I used shampoo that one time during my experiment.  I could not bring myself to washing my hair with regular shampoo.

I got in the shower and washed my hair with the baking soda mixture I normally use (2 Tbsp baking soda with 2 Tbsp hot water).  When I got out and dried my hair with a blow dryer, I decided to forgo the hairspray. (Yes, I had been using hairspray this entire time – but not nearly as much as I had in the past.)  Low and behold, my scalp didn’t itch!!  Within a week, the dandruff was gone!  I think the hair spray was leaving a residue on my scalp, which made it itchy and created dandruff. 

Now, I just wash my hair, dry it with the dryer and go about my business.

Clean Hair Before No 'Poo Experiment

2 Months Into Experiment: No 'Poo or Spray!

Not much of a difference, eh?

Let me tell you, it is so much more soft and tangle-free since I’ve gone without hairspray.  And somehow, my hair seems fuller than ever!  I am officially ‘Poo and hairspray free and I love it!

No 'Poo Experiment: Week 3

Week 3 has come and gone, and I have had the same results the whole way through.  I will admit, I went 3 days without washing my hair during the work week!  I felt a bit grungy going to work without washing my hair, but I still did it!

Clean Hair (bad lighting)

Clean Hair

Hair after 3 days of no washing: Ick!

 I have decided that I will continue with the No ‘Poo lifestyle.  It hasn’t impacted my routine at all, and I like the way my hair turns out without shampoo!  I used to have to switch between shampoos because one would weigh my hair down if I used it too many times in a row.  With the baking soda, I haven’t had that problem at all.

As a recap, this is what the results have been:

Clean Hair w/ Shampoo

No 'Poo Week 1

No 'Poo Week 2 

No 'Poo Week 3

To read about the results over the last three weeks, you can go to:

• No ‘Poo Experiment
• No ‘Poo Experiment: Week 1
• No ‘Poo Experiment: Week 2

No 'Poo Experiment: Week 2

It has been two weeks, and I’m still going strong with theNo ‘Poo Experiment!  I am thrilled with the results.  I will have to say, nothing is really different about my hair except for the fact that I don’t use chemicals to wash/clean my hair each week!  For the second week into the experiment, I washed my hair only Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and it is doing just fine!

Last week, I mentioned that I needed to do something with my roots.  I have read that peroxide and/or lemon juice sometimes works to lighten hair.

I did exactly what the articles said and took a little bit of hair and put it in a little bowl of peroxide.  They said to wait for 15 minutes.  When I went back, the hair was still really dark, so I left it in the peroxide overnight (because I forgot about it).   The next morning, the hair was still dark, so I gave up.  I took it out of the peroxide and went along with my day. 

The next day, I went to throw the piece of hair away and I noticed it seemed lighter.  I held it up to my roots and it was considerably lighter!  Silly me, I didn’t even think about the fact that my hair is dark when it is wet!  When it dried, it was a nice lighter color!!!

So, on Sunday, I rubbed peroxide into my roots and let it dry.  The next morning, my dark roots were gone!!!  YAY!  This will save at least $12/year in coloring for my hair, not to mention there are no chemicals other than the 3% peroxide that can be purchased pretty much from any store.

I have 3 nearly new bottles of shampoo, and I really don’t feel the need to use them.  I may donate them or just give them to someone who wants them.  I don’t foresee myself going back to using shampoo.  There really is no need!  Hubby and I are going on a 9 day vacation in May, and I was thinking about how easy it will be to take a small container of baking soda with us instead of shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, etc.  It is one less thing TSA can stop us for while going through the checkpoints at the airport and I don’t have to worry about it leaking in our luggage (we only do carry-ons).

I am so glad I took the plunge and tried this method!  I will post results for one more week and will make the determination whether or not this is a life-long change for me.  If everything remains the same, I don’t see why it wouldn’t!

No 'Poo Experiment: Week 1

Last week, I wrote about wanting to experience the No ‘Poo Revolution for myself.  I will admit, I was nervous after reading others experiences going No ‘Poo and the complications with super greasy hair while going through the transition the first several weeks.  I am pleased to announce that so far, I have had no problems transitioning from shampoo to baking soda (No ‘Poo). 
These are my results after one week:

Side View

Roots/Scalp

From what I’ve read, others use 1 Tbsp baking soda mixed with ¼ cup warm water.  For me, I used 3 Tbsp baking soda and 2 Tbsp of warm water.

I mix up the water and baking soda to make a runny paste.  I then take my fingers, grab some of the paste and massage it into my scalp.  I get in the shower and do what I need to do, waiting to wash the baking soda out of my hair until the very end (allowing the mixture to take care of any oil in my hair). 

I have read that people use apple cider vinegar on the rest of their hair (not the scalp – it can make it too greasy) as a conditioner, but I haven’t had the need for apple cider vinegar at all.   

Previously, I would wash my hair 5-6 times a week.  With the No ‘Poo method, I have been washing my hair every other day with the baking soda mixture in hopes that I will never have to experience the greasy hair or itchy scalp.  Once I get through the “transition period” of 3-4 weeks, I may wash my hair only twice a week, but that is only if this method continues to work as well as it is right now.

I really cannot tell the difference in my hair using this method versus shampoo.  I don’t feel dirty and my scalp does not itch at all (whereas it does after 2 days using shampoo).  Here’s hoping that the results remain the same into week 2!

Just as an experiment this week, I am going to try using peroxide and/or lemon juice to see if I can highlight my roots without having to dye it.  I will definitely post my findings!

Have you ever gone No ‘Poo?  If so, what was your experience?

If you have never gone No ‘Poo, will you consider it in the future?

The No 'Poo Experiment

Missy over at Graceful Little Honey Bee, posted on her blog several months ago about her journey to go no ‘poo.  I had never heard of anything like it, and wondered what my hair would be like without any hair products.

Admittedly, I {heart} Garnier Fructice shampoo.  I have been using it alongside other brands for the last 10 years not to mention I use hairspray every day.  My intent is to determine whether or not my hair will become healthier and lightweight without all of these products in it.  I have seen in several blog posts that at some point, you may be able to go without washing your hair ever again once your hair get to its “natural state.”  I think this would be great, but I am curious to see if I can get to this point or not.

Clean Hair With Shampoo View From Top
(Yes, I need to touch up my roots!)

Clean Hair Head-On

Ingredients:

• Baking Soda
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Water

The baking soda is supposed to help with the grease whereas the apple cider vinegar is supposed to help nourish the hair.

Here is to a journey over the next couple of weeks to determine what this “No ‘Poo Revolution” is all about.  I will be documenting the good, the bad and the ugly!