"Non-toxic" is not a regulated term, so it means whatever the seller wants. Here is what is verifiably in our soap, what is not, and which certifications were checked by someone other than us.
Worth knowing before you compare products: “non-toxic” is not a regulated term in the United States. No agency defines it for cosmetics or cleaning products, and no one has to prove anything before printing it. Any company can put it on any bottle.
So rather than repeat the phrase, here is what is actually in ours, what is not, and which of those claims someone outside this company checked.
Water, an organic blend of coconut, olive, castor, argan, jojoba, hemp, sweet almond, apricot kernel and prickly pear oils, potassium hydroxide, and USP vegetable glycerin. That is the complete list.
The potassium hydroxide is the one that worries people, and it should not. It is the alkali that turns oil into soap. Every true liquid soap ever made requires one. It reacts with the oils and is entirely consumed in that reaction. Our label states that none remains after saponifying the oils into soap and glycerin. It appears on the ingredient list because regulations require inputs to be declared, not because it is in the bottle you use. A soap made without it would not be soap.
That last one has a practical consequence rather than a marketing one: the concentrate keeps three years from opening, but anything you dilute with water should be used within two to three weeks, because water introduces microorganisms and nothing in the formula holds them back.
This is the part that separates a marketing word from a verifiable fact. Each of these was assessed by an outside body, not by us:
When you are comparing products, those are the lines worth checking, because someone had to substantiate them. “Natural,” “clean” and “non-toxic” on their own are not verifiable by anyone.
The soap is biodegradable. This soap goes down a drain in volume: laundry, cleaning, dishes. That matters more than it does for something used by the teaspoon.
Gentle formulation and no restrictions are different things. This soap is for external use only. Keep it out of eyes. Patch test if your skin reacts easily, dilute it properly for the use you have in mind, and ask a professional before using any soap on a baby with a skin condition or on an animal with one.
It is also a cleaner, not a disinfectant. It lifts dirt and grease. Nothing here claims it kills anything, and if you need sanitizing, this is the wrong product.
Nine plant oils, water, glycerin, and an alkali that is gone by the time it reaches you. Five third-party certifications. No fragrance, dyes, detergents, foaming agents or preservatives. Whether that meets your definition of non-toxic is your call. But every part of it is checkable, which is more than the phrase itself offers.
Pure-Castile Soap, 64 fl oz → | Full FAQ →
Yohan & Alex
Co-founders, Whole Naturals
For external use only. Keep out of reach of children. Discontinue use if irritation, redness or discomfort occurs.
