I’ve experimented with hundreds of skincare products over the years, and the biggest lesson I’ve learned is this: don’t believe everything you read online, especially if it’s about a beauty product. Until you’ve seen for yourself that it works, stay skeptical. When Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Magic Soap popped up on my feed, I’ll admit that I was interested, but knew better than to make assumptions without trying it myself.
I haven’t always been so cautious. The phrase “don’t believe everything you hear online” often goes in one ear and out the other, especially when it comes to whatever the TikTok algorithm shows me that day. I’ve been duped by every facial fade and skincare solution that has popped up on my feed. The dozens of products stockpiled in my medicine cabinet and scattered across my vanity serve as proof that I can’t seem to stop falling for the beauty industry’s marketing strategies. Sure, a few genuinely excellent formulas have made their way from the internet into my regular routine, but most of these so-called “holy grail” products eventually proved themselves to be all talk.
As someone who grew up with the importance of skincare and hygiene ingrained in me, I’ve always prioritized my multistep routine, and after years of trial and error, it’s one I find it hard to stray from. However, a few weeks ago, during one of my nightly social media scrolls, a video showing all the many ways Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Magic Soap can be used found its way into my TikTok algorithm and immediately caught my interest.
Before purchasing a bottle of the much-lauded soap, I contemplated the safety of the product and wondered if I wanted to apply the same product that can be used to clean floors and kill bugs to wash my body. Through researching online and talking to people in my life, I learned that castile soap has been used for household and hygiene purposes since the 11th century. I also discovered that in order to use it safely, I would need to dilute it.
Experimenting with a product that could potentially leave me with skin irritation didn’t quite settle right in my mind, especially as someone who has previously experienced severe allergic reactions and even second-degree burns from not reading the label on skincare products. Still, my curiosity was unstoppable; I just needed to figure out which of its 18 claimed purposes to use it for.
Now, I knew I wasn’t going to add it to my face-cleansing routine or replace my toothpaste with it. As miraculous as this soap is, I’m simply not that hardcore. Instead, I took the advice of TikTok users (particularly the ones who seemed to possess the most common sense) and followed their recommendation of using Dr. Bronner’s as a body wash for a week.
As a creature of habit, I reached for lavender when I went shopping for this story—it’s the scent I always choose if it’s offered, no matter the brand. Instantly, I was impressed by how fresh and welcoming the soap smelled after just one sniff in the Target body wash aisle.
Opens in new windowAs recommended, I diluted the soap to keep things gentle for my skin, though I actually wound up over-diluting it for my first two or three washes to the point where it was impossible to get a good lather. Determined to attain my foamy, bubbly goals, I decided to stop “eyeballing” the dilution and turned to Google to find a recipe for concocting the perfect body wash consistency. (According to the official Dr. Bronner’s website, the recommended dilution for use as a body wash is “one small squirt of soap on a wet washcloth,” which is then applied to wet skin; in my experiment, I found that three drops of soap to about a half-cup of water worked wonderfully.) Once I mastered a ratio that lathered in a way that took on the same soothing feel as my usual body wash, I wondered whether Dr. Bronner’s would become my new go-to.
The soap was gentle and soothing upon each application—something I had not expected from a product that comes with a warning. I enjoyed the sensation of the product penetrating pores deeply for a clean that was both invigorating and nourishing.
Another fun aspect of using Dr. Bronner’s for the week was just how entertaining it was to get in a good read with all the text written across the product’s label. (A dedicated Redditor transcribed the entire text here, for anyone curious.) The brand also squeezed a nice little jump scare in when the product begins to run out, and a man’s image suddenly appears printed on the inside of the bottle. Brilliant, weird, I love it.
As a side note, Dr. Bronner’s has expanded its lineup to include other products, including a variety of Magic Soap formats, such as bar soap, hand wash, and hair rinse. Not everyone feels like diluting their soap, so it makes sense for such a well-liked brand to offer fans an easier route for its most popular uses. While this negates the “18-in-1,” space- and money-conserving aspect of the original, some potential users might place more value on the time-saving convenience.
My verdict on Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Magic Soap: it is an enigma in itself. Do I believe it will be incorporated into my shower routine? Maybe as a body wash, but I’m more excited to try out all its different purposes around the house. If it can make cleaning the kitchen and bathroom easier—well, that might just make me believe in magic.
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