It makes sense. I use no scents, either in soaps or aftershave, cologne, etc., and my wife always tells me I have no body odor. She says I have a "me" smell which she likes very much, even after several days kayaking and camping without benefit of soap, just rinsing off in the local water. Gotta love a woman like that.

Don't do it Emily! I do agree that no one really needs excessive amounts of perfumes, lotions and soaps with harsh fragrance and additives. However, I think a little soap and deodorant is a necessity. I don't use shampoo anymore. I've been washing my tresses with organic conditioners and handmade soaps purchased at my farmer's market.

I think Sean is a little deluded. Once you've incorporated certain habits, like not using any soaps at all, your olfactory nerves adjust and YOU don't notice your own odor anymore. However, take it from someone who works for an international organization that hosts international guests annually, other people can still smell you. I also had a friend who decided to forgo deodorant and started using lemon. Guess what? It didn't work. I could still smell her odor. So please do yourself and others a favor and use soap. I have a sedentary job and have my own office so I don't need to slather on the deodorant or perfumed lotions. Still, I would never spend 3 hours in the gym and just rinse off with water and then go hang out in close quarters with someone else.

I've used mehandi bar shampoos and soaps(zero chemicals) for over a year now and my skin and hair have been thanking me for it profusely :) The Zizyphus Spina Christi and Juniper Shampoo Bar works better than any clarifying shampoo I've ever used -- without the super harsh chemicals. I also really like the amla soap.

http://www.mehandi.com/shop/shampoo/index.html

While youre at it -- try swapping those nasty antiperspirant chemical deodorants for mineral crystal deodorant. instead of masking the smell of sweat it naturally neutralizes the bacteria that causes the problem to begin with. The only downside to using crystals is that because its not an antiperspirant, you still run the risk of the wet spot under the armpit of your clothes if you sweat a lot.

it sounds interesting, but I'd rather stick to my goat's milk soap for body and my vinegar rinse for hair. who has a month (or more) to be stinky??

I recommend you check out Chagrin Valley Soap [www.chargrinvalleysoap.com], their products are phenomenal; and I swear my hair has tripled in thickness since switching to their shampoo bars. I know that the next batch is currently curing and not available, but if you can try the honey beer soap…do it. They also post all their ingredients on their website and sell everything in sample sizes (roughly $2 for a 2oz bar…I find they last anywhere from 2-weeks to 2-months depending on the type), so you can try different recipes to discover what works best for you.

As to message of the post, I think that most people today have forgotten what a human smells like. We call things “stinky” because we expect them to smell a certain way and sometimes they don’t. I’ve known plenty of people who don’t use soaps or deodorants on a regular basis (if ever), and they smell just fine. Rarely do they actually cross into the territory of B.O, and if you tell them they’re starting to smell a bit ripe they’ll correct it.

I personally prefer the smell of B.O. to the vast majority of perfumes on the market; at least the B.O. doesn’t give me a headache in addition to making me hold my nose.

It varies greatly according to your body chemistry.

Some people have very little natural odor. Add in the fact that most of us don't have jobs that involve sweating, and yes, many people can get away without soap.

My husband, weirdly, is one of these people. Never needs deodorant, never gets smelly clothes. But this actually makes sense, when you consider that he is of Asian descent, and they tend to have less apocrine sweat glands than Europeans or Africans.

I, on the other hand, am a Euro-mutt descendant who needs soap. And if it's warm, deodorant. Before you think I've just been brainwashed into thinking I need these things, consider that I was raised as a hippy kid on a farm in the middle of the woods, and my "shower" for several summers was swimming in the pond. I know what it's like to go without, and to live with.

So basically, my point is, no one can say "nobody needs soap!" Some people do. Some people don't. Feel free to try soapless if you want, but don't be convinced it would work for everyone.

@jonnifer - vinegar rinse & goat's milk soap? More details please. Like: what kind of water do you have? What kind of skin/hair?

Soap is one thing, but I've gone without shampoo for about 6 months now! The power of baking soda is amazing! I was my hair with a mix of about a tablespoon of baking soda mixed with a cup of water and then a vinegar rinse! It took a few weeks for my hair to adjust but I've gotten more compliments on my hair now than I did when I was using shampoo and conditioner.

As for other things like deodorant - you'd be surprised at the amount of recipes that call for you to make your own just using coconut oil, baking soda, and cornstarch!

I can't remember the last time I spent any money on toiletries!

what about washing your hands after using the bathroom? Soap is the most eco-friendly germ killer there it...

I washed my hair with Dr Bronners once--it was so clean I could barely get a comb through it--I am looking for something all natural that won't make me miserable when it comes to combing or brushing.

I don't use soap unless I'm exceptionally dirty, like after a week of camping or hours of physical labor. But that's only every once and a while. I haven't used soap in well over a decade. I just don't need it. However that is not the case with my husband. It's all on a very individual basis.

It's true. Soap isn't necessary.
I have somewhat sensitive skin (can't use stuff like Tide on clothing, only sensitive skin soap) and since I stopped using soap, my skin has been soft and comfortable, no excema.
Since I have curly hair, I haven't used conditioners in years.
As to the soap-in-the-bathroom question, that's a no brainer. Of course you wash your hands with soap before food prep / after using the 'facilities.' For me, that's unrelated to the first.
Think about it: why are you sanitizing your skin? Your skin needs some bacterias in order to give you immunity and keep you healthy.

@ricestein - I use the same method for washing my hair as Kayden319 described - baking soda w/a vinegar rinse. My hair is stick straight and full (but not overly thick). I used to have to wash daily to prevent it from looking oily. It took about a week to get used to the baking soda/vinegar and now I only have to do it every couple days.
As for the goat's milk soap - I use Indigo Wild's Zum Bar. It's been incredibly gentle on my skin. I follow it up with body oil (jojoba, almond, witchhazel, etc). My acne has pretty much disappeared (after dealing with it for 15 years and being forced to use ProActive) since dropping all lotions, harsh cleansers, etc.
Our water is just regular tap water - though I know in our city, they add chlorine. We are hoping to get a whole-house water filtration system when we move in a few months.

I don't use soap or shampoo and I haven't for almost two years now. I still take regular showers but just use water on my body. I "wash" my hair with baking soda and apple cidar vinegar (it's called "no-poo") and my hair is clean and easy to manage.

I stopped using soap on my face before going totally soap-free and my skin stopped breaking out like it used to. It's amazing how great my skin is now that I am not stripping it of its natural oils! I just scrub with a cloth and water and that's it. Much better!

I used to have incredibly oily hair but after a few months of using no-poo, my hair has adjusted and is not nearly as oily as it used to be. I can now go four or five days between the bs and ACV "washing" whereas when I used shampoo, I HAD to wash my hair *at least* once a day.

I think I could go for no soap on most of my body, but what about your crotch (front and rear)? And your face? Do you use a cleanser on your face?

I recommend you check out skywater Soap [www.chargrinvalleysoap.com], their products are brilliant and all natural no addatives . They also post all their ingredients on their website skywatersoap on etsy three 2oz bars for about $5.00…

i'm really curious about no-soap facewashing. i assume that people in the no-soap camp are also in the no-makeup camp? i don't think i can give up soap because i don't think i can give up eyeliner.

@missjulia, Try using soap only at night. I have sensitive and oily skin, and after the usual merry-go-round of remedies, water & spf moisturizer in the morning and witch hazel & aloe at night (and an occasional aspirin/witch hazel mask) have been working wonders.