Green Daily

Shameful admission time: when I stay at friends' houses I sometimes use their shower supplies.

I know that this is repulsive, but I just can't help it. There I am in the shower, my bar of Dove at hand, and I find myself staring at someone else's exciting array of soaps, shampoos, and pomades. Can I be blamed for trying just a little bit here and there? To my credit, I usually inform my hosts of my strange predilection; usually, they don't mind. Also, I'm more than happy to share my stuff. If I had a dollar for every person that I turned on to Proraso shaving supplies...well, I'd have a couple of dollars.

At any rate, my wife and I were staying with her friend Jorie a few years back and I discovered a strange soap in her shower. It smelled good, so I gave it a shot. It was amazing! Infused with peppermint, it left me cool, tingling, and eager for more. Noting that the label was missing, I asked Jorie about the mystery soap. She got a faraway look in her eye as she waxed poetic about the wonders of Dr. Bronner's.

At the time, Dr. Bronner's was only available in health food shops and country stores, so it was a few months before I got hold of a bottle. However, in the ensuing years, I've always kept a steady supply at hand. Over time, I've learned about it's organic street cred, it's commitment to sustainability and the insane ramblings of its creator, which appear on every label. I've also discovered that, in addition to its effectiveness at cleaning my body, it also keeps the floors looking nice, is a decent surface cleaner, and even works in a pinch as a pet shampoo. Recently, I discovered that, in addition to the numerous uses that the Bronner's advocate for their product, there is another vital one: it really helps keep you cool in the summer.

My wife and I are now entering our second consecutive summer without air conditioning. We're following all the obvious techniques, like ensuring cross-ventilation and using a lot of fans, but the heat still has a tendency to get on top of us. I've discovered, however, that taking a short, cool shower with Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap has managed to keep me feeling much cooler. While I know that the soap isn't actually doing anything to lower my body temperature, it still is leaving me feeling fresh and frigid. If you find yourself melting this summer, you might want to drag out your Dr. Bronner's and give it a shot!