These things are like those breath freshener "leaves" that hit the market a few years back--a filmy, paper-thin rectangle. Instead of breath freshener, they're dried soaps. When you introduce water to the mix, they turn into regular soap. Sea to Summit makes a whole assortment of these--shampoo, body wash, laundry soap, shaving soap and the multipurpose Wilderness Wash.
I've seen these in stores for a while and was doubtful about how well they would work, but they do actually work as advertised. I've used the shampoo a few times and, with a bit of water, the leaves readily dissolve into a regular feeling shampoo. The pocket-sized container holds 50 leaves--in the case of shampoo, this would be enough to get the average guy through a month of hair washing, probably more. Two leaves gives me a decent amount of shampoo, though one would do the job in a pinch.
Of course, you want to be careful with the container of soap leaves--get the whole thing wet and there goes your soap.
A container weighs in at a scant half an ounce, so it's not like a little container is going to weigh you down. Good addition to a toiletry/dopp kit, especially where weight was a prime concern (and it usually is!) or for easier carry on for an airplane.
A container weighs in at a scant half an ounce, so it's not like a little container is going to weigh you down. Good addition to a toiletry/dopp kit, especially where weight was a prime concern (and it usually is!) or for easier carry on for an airplane.
Dr. Bronner's has a definite hippy magic tonic vibe to it, but it's good stuff nonetheless. Organic multi-use soap with refreshing peppermint tingles mixed in for good measure. The 100% vegetable oil castile formulation makes it concentrated without being harsh.
For hair and body washing, a small amount goes a long way--when using Dr. Bronner's I probably use 1/4 to 1/3 of the soap that I would normally use. A drop or two can be used for brushing your teeth - it's all vegetable oil, coconut oil, and so on - it works, but be prepared for a mild soapy taste. It can also be used, diluted, for general purpose cleaning and clothes washing - Dr. Bronner's website has more information on the specifics.
A little 2 ounce travel sized bottle goes a surprisingly long way, making Dr. Bronner's a good choice for a multipurpose soap. And the tingly peppermint is a nice addition after a long day. It's sold in a variety of sizes - the 2 ounce is good for a travel kit and airline friendly if needs be - but there's larger sizes available as well. If you don't like peppermint, Bronner's is available in variety of other natural-y formulations - eucalyptus, almond, lavender and others.
This stuff was used by NASA astronauts on space shuttle flights, and it works pretty well for washing up when a shower or even a hobo bath isn't possible--camping, backpacking, long road trips and so on. It's a very runny/watery soap that requires no other water and no rinsing afterwards. For the shampoo, you put it in your hair, lather up like normal and then towel off. The suds/lather just kind of disappear.
I haven't used the body wash--prefer to use Hooahs or baby wipes in a "no shower" situation--but have used the shampoo a half dozen or so times, and it works. The end result is not on-par with a shower, but a definite improvement over going without. Much reduced greasy/gross feeling and a definite refresher.
It doesn't come in a travel-sized bottle, so you'll want to re-pack into something smaller.
Make Your Own
One basic skill that everyone should know of is traditional soap making from fat and wood ashes. Here's a post from a ways back with good information on the process.
Make Your Own
One basic skill that everyone should know of is traditional soap making from fat and wood ashes. Here's a post from a ways back with good information on the process.
