Okay, Whole Foods has teamed up with EO Essentials to make a liquid, organic essential oil fragrant soap. They use coconut oils, rather than the mix used in Dr B's.

Dr B's is now conscientously using fair trade practice oils.

Now, Dr B's costs double what WF/EO costs. I have to justify every little penny that I spend at WF, b/c my husband really believes that WF is a predatory pricing place. So I can get things that I can demonstrate are less expensive, or simply not available elsewhere...This means my soap- WF house brand, coconut milk, yeast for popcorn, hulled barley, and tablespoons of spice. Oh, and now, facial sunblock, that comes out of my "allowance."

So, can you tell me if the WF/EO soap is better, worse, different? I use about a 15 dollar bottle of Dr B's every six months, b/c I use it on just about everything.

I guess, also, is EO evil in some way that I haven't been informed of? Like, they use live kittens as Qtips,and then throw them away? Can I buy it with a clear conscience? I am answering to both the global conscience, and my husband's wallet, here.

ari

I know this is an old thread but I figured I'd letchya know what we do. Hubby and I use Dr. B in the shower and we use white vinegar to clean the house. Baking soda and lemon juice on the tough stuff. It's extremely cheap, and even more cheap if you buy it all in bulk!!

Well, the essential oils in the Whole Foods/EO rose geranium were responsibly sourced, if that is any help. I don't have a bottle in front of me and can't determine whether or not the coconut oil used is organic. Dr. B's is using organic oils, which is important to me. As far as I can tell, EO is a really responsible company, so I would say go for it if it makes a difference to your wallet.

I agree about WF and predatory pricing. I don't shop there, and I'm unhappy about the planned Wild Oats/WF merger and hope it gets blocked. I rarely shop Wild Oats or Henry's, but it was nice to know I had a choice to avoid WF.

Hi, thank you for answering. I had been putting off buying a bottle of anything, until I heard from here. I mean, I like what Dr B's is doing, but right now I can't really explain paying more for something without a really, really, really good reason. And then, sometimes, not even then.

I use it in a spray bottle, one or two squirts of soap in a giant bottle. If times are good, I add Now EO-lavendar and tea tree. If they are not so , then just soap.

Right now I'm finishing off a bottle of handwashing dish detergent. I got excited and bought something other than lemon flavor. It doesn't smell right to me. I thought I was being picky, but now it's in a spray bottle, you can really smell the chemical notes, rather than the soap and oil. It does not make one happy, as the true soap spray does. I think, if possible, I'll switch to a all- natural dish detergent. I know for every natural purchase, there's the " It's only a dollar more!" but add that up over the fifty to 90 products I purchase each big shopping trip- that's a lot of one dollars.

What is Wild Oats like? WF is the hometown store here. It's less expensive than Wheatsville, which is the local food co-op. I haven't been in Wheatsville for,like, ten years.

I really sort of detest that good food is considered an expensive luxury. But, OTOH, I am glad that WF created a market that Wall Street respects, and other grocers can model. Our local grocery store is now carrying some organic produce, and some local produce. They had not done that before.

ari