As a mom who tries to be sustainable, I love local products that are 100% natural and even more when I have the option to buy refills in bulk. Imagine throwing away ONE PLASTIC BOTTLE each time we finish a beauty product and how much waste that produces?
So I want to tell you about my favorite Local Castille Soap Brand called Esscentials Manila. I wrote about them before because they are hands down the best and most convenient Christmas Gifts that you can get your friends.
More Sustainable Refillable Bottles
Not only are they beautifully packaged and lovingly handmade with essential oils, but I love telling the recipients of my gifts that once they finish the bottle, they don’t need to throw it away because they can easily order different sized refills – from 500ml to gallons like below.
Usually, a gallon this big lasts my whole household for 1 year. We use it on 4 sinks:
- master’s bathroom
- DiploBaby’s bathroom which is also our guest bathroom
- Kitchen
- Maid’s bathroom.
I always order the same essentials oil-based scent called Calming Green Tea, because it’s smells so good and clean. You can also get other products with the same scent, like their room spray (below), etc.
Personalized Bottles
For gifts or giveaways, you can DIY like I did (above) with a Dymo Labeler or even better, you can have them totally personalized with their names in your chosen fonts!
Only Essential Oil Scents, Please!
I make it a point to order only Essential Oils based products from Esscentials Manila because they have other scents that use chemical Fragrances which I avoid because we don’t really know what nasties can hide in “fragrance” or “parfum.” Brands and Companies do not have to reveal the exact composition of “fragrance” or “parfum” because these are considered “trade secrets.”
I love working with Esscentials Manila’s Tina Palacios because she is so considerate of this and tells me which products are all-natural, and essential oil-based!
I’m confident that the handsoap the whole family uses, including my 4yo toddler is made with gentle natural ingredients.
Why Castile Soap?
Castile soap is a non-toxic, biodegradable soap usually made from olive oil, hemp, avocado or coconut oil.
- No Nasties! Almost all soaps, shampoos and bubble baths use toxic sulfates that are drying to the skin to get more bubbles and give the users the impression that it’s really cleaning our skin when it’s actually drying it out.
- Perfect for my sensitive skin. I have super dry skin, skin asthma and I’m mildly allergic to almost everything. Since castile soap is from safe, simple plant oils, it is considered safe for even the most sensitive skin – even babies or oily acne-prone skin!
- Doesn’t dry or irritate the skin. It’s made with plant oils like olive oil or coconut oil, which are rich in healthy fats called monounsaturated fatty acids. This helps replenish the water level within the epidermis, resulting in supple, glowing skin.
- Naturally hydrating. Creating castile soap produces glycerin, which most synthetic soaps remove, which is a shame considering glycerin absorbs water from the surrounding air, moisturizing your skin naturally
- Doesn’t clog pores. Usually made from olive oil, castile soap lets our skin breathe and encourages shedding of dead skin cells. While synthetic soaps may irritate and block pores.
- Rich in Antioxidants. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants like vitamins A and E and offers natural protection from free radicals. Regular use can help protect against skin cell degeneration and may delay aging or the appearance of wrinkles.
- Soothes eczema, psoriasis, etc. Nutrient-rich olive oil also contains oleocanthal, a highly anti-inflammatory compound. Its anti-inflammatory action has been compared to that of Ibuprofen. As such, castile soap can help reduce inflammation – the origin of many of our irritating skin conditions.
(source: What is Castile Soap?)
How I use Esscentials Manila Gentle Liquid Castile Soap
They say Castille soaps don’t lather as much, but I don’t agree because how I use it creates an amazing luxurious nasty-free lather!
The best way, in my experience, is to mix
- 1/3 or 1/2 liquid castile soap to
- 2/3 or 1/2 water
in a Muji Foaming pump bottle (see above left clear bottle). I find that this is not only economical but also creates a luxurious experience when we are washing our hands. It’s also easy for DiploBaby to do!
- Pump foam directly to dry hands (no need to wet hands!)
- Rub together, in between fingers and rub fingernails onto the palm.
- Rinse with water.
Easy peasy right?
When you are a parent to a newborn or toddler we are perpetually washing our Little One’s and our own hands! Am I right?! It’s SO drying. But I don’t have to worry about this with Castile Soap!
Other uses of Castile Soap
- Dishwashing soap
- Fruit and veggie wash
- Window cleaner
- Laundry detergent
- Toilet cleaner
- Pet shampoo
- Makeup brush cleaner
- Menstrual cup cleaner
- Plant spray for ants and other insects
- Shaving cream
- And so much more. See 22 Uses of Castile Soap for instructions!
Handy Travel/School Set
The small set on the left above is an amazing gift or giveaway for school-age kids because many schools here don’t have soap and bottles can be personalized with kids names so they don’t lose it at school (see below). This set contains:
- Bug Off All-natural Insect Repellant
- Calming Green Tea Gentle Liquid Soap (this is castile soap & non-drying)
- Lavender Fields All-natural Hand Sanitizer OR you could also use instead MY LITTLE SECRET odor away spray (above right) to prevent embarrassing smells in the school lavatory! We have this odor remover in all our bathrooms at home too!
When you gift it, you can simply place a ribbon around it or just attach a cute tag like I did below (right top corner). I love telling parents that they can order refills for the bottles so no need to throw away when it’s done! All these little steps I take is me trying to be #BuhayZeroWaste – imperfectly of course!
I loved this set so much that it was one of the freebies during my Declutter Your Mind and Space Workshop I held in my home, together with other local brands that I love!
It is also my constant companion when I travel because it really declutters my packing – less big heavy bottles to bring!
If you are looking for a Castile Soap Bar that you can easily travel with and place in your hand-carry, this is the best IMO.
Annual Sale up to 50% Off
The great news is the Annual Sale of Esscentials Manila and Travel Essentials is coming up soon! Save the dates on your calendar, enjoy the super amazing deals and order those beautiful, mindful Christmas Gifts!
They have it every year during Thanksgiving season and the deals are so amazing together with my favorite local brand for personalized organizers that I usually finish all my Christmas Shopping during their sale. Be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook to get notified on their next annual sale.
Up next: What’s on my sink? Or our bathroom sink essentials and why.
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