Virginia Soaps and Scents - A Review

Products: Handmade All-Natural Soap Bars
Handmade All-Natural Shampoo Bar
Kit to make your own Laundry Detergent

Prices: Soap - $4.50 / 4.5 oz bar (3/$12, 10/$35, Buy 4/Get 1 free)
Shampoo Bar - $5.50 / 5.5 oz bar (2/$10)
Laundry Kit - $4.95 (6/$25)

Owners: Roy & Richelle Spargur

Where to Buy: Virginia Soaps and Scents

Brief Overview:
The Spargurs are a homeschool family with 9 children, residing in Virginia. A history lesson in soap-making turned into a family business and passion. The bars are hand cut, so no two are alike. They are made of natural oils - no chemicals. So not only do they look and smell nice, they are also good for you...real soap, unlike the chemicals and detergents in mass produced "soaps".

In-Depth Look:
I was excited to receive my box of samples from Virginia Soaps and Scents. When we opened it, everything smelled so nice and looked so pretty. I received three sample sizes of the soap bars, a sample of the shampoo bar and a laundry detergent kit.

First, the soap bars. These bars are so pretty and imprinted with a nice little logo of "VSS". They look fancy, like something that you would find at a hotel or bed & breakfast. The company does actually sell the smaller bed&breakfast size bars as well. I received a Fresh Orange, a Coconut Lemongrass and a Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey bar. The Oatmeal was my favorite. The Orange was runner-up. I liked the fact that the bars were all natural, that I didn't have to worry about what we were putting on our skin. I felt as if I was doing something "good" for my family. I liked the fragrances, mild and fresh and clean smelling. They don't lather as well as the bars that I am accustomed to. As soon as my hands hit the water, the soap washes right off. So I simply made a greater effort to wet my hands and then lather up well BEFORE putting my hands back under the water. The results of bathing and hand washing were at least as good as my regular bars. I suffer from extremely dry hands in the winter. So, I found the Oatmeal, Milk & Honey bar to be a nice moisturizer for them. This benefit, in addition to the pleasant scent, made this one my favorite.

Next, the shampoo bar. I had never used a shampoo bar before. I had never even heard of one until very recently. I was eager to try it out of curiosity. Well, again, I felt like it was a good thing. That I was only putting "good" stuff into my hair and on my scalp. I have very thick hair, so I washed in sections...lathering up layers at a time. The bar lathers very nicely. I had no trouble getting a nice lather on my head, by rubbing the bar directly into my hair. The first day I liked it a lot. I felt my hair was much more manageable. After a few days of use, my hair began to feel "heavy" and felt "different" when I would run my fingers through it. So I decided that, with my hair type, it would be best to only use on occassion to strip my hair of all of the impurities. I have read that there is an adjustment period to get used to this deep-clean feeling. And that many have had success by using a vinegar rinse after shampooing. But I would rather use my regular shampoo on a daily basis, using the shampoo bar once a week for a deep cleaning. I also tried this as a shaving bar. I LOVED it! It glided on nice and smooth and protected my legs as I shaved. The razor glided easily. I was disappointed when the bar ran out.

Last, the laundry detergent kit. I was actually very excited to try this out. It is mild, with no harsh chemicals. Plus, it is easy and inexpensive to make. But despite suggestions that it is perfectly safe to use in HE machines, my husband and I are hesitant to try it...as our warranty clearly states that it is voided if we use anything other than HE detergent. So, alas, I haven't made it or tried it yet. But I want to. Maybe I can bring it with me when we visit relatives and try it out in their machines when I wash our laundry loads. :)

Virginia Soaps and Scents offers quite an impressive list of products:
Soaps
Gourmet Soaps
Christmas Soaps
All-in-One Bars
Shampoo Bars
Shaving Bars
Laundry Soap
Linen Spray
Lip Balm
Pet Shampoo

What I Like:
I love that this is a fellow homeschooling family. I love the idea of helping out another homeschooling family with my purchases. I like that the ingredients are all natural, no harsh chemicals or "unknowns". The products are pretty and smell nice.

What I Don't Like:
I didn't like the shampoo bar for daily use. I didn't like the strange feeling my hair had. But I would use it as a weekly cleaner and LOVED it as a shaving bar. I think it could get a bit expensive to buy bath products online, especially with shipping. But the company does offer discounts for buying in bulk, which would help.


To read more reviews of this product, click here.

Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge to review, as part of the TOS Crew. The above is just my opinion. Please remember that opinions may, and do, vary.