Still proving a way to save cost?

I happened to be in Sprouts (a grocery store) on Sunday and they had an end cap of reduced items. It was near the health department, so the things were mostly "all natural" items. There were organic candles in recyclable containers, essential oils and Pacha Soap Co. bath bombs and soap. 

The things weren't on a deep discount (they were $3.24 instead of $6.99), but there was enough of an assortment that I decided to pick up two soaps to try, since the chai one went off pretty well. I didn't want to try the bath bombs as I am not one to take a bath (I shower). 

I bought stuff on sale. So be it; don't judge.

The two I picked up were the Balsam and Pine Bar Soap and the Peppermint Twist Bar Soap. They are both seasonal items, which I think is the reason Sprouts put them on sale - possible to have people buy them as gifts for others since Christmas is this weekend. I could be wrong. 

Then again, there were people sniffing the bath bombs... 

One of the nice things was that the Dirty Hippy Bar was on this end cap, and unfortunately it was not on sale. I did get to smell it, and it actually smells like a dirty hippy (patchouli and cloves). I probably would have bought it if it was part of the clearanced items (oh, way to relive stuff from my youth...). 

Since this store is selling other bars at full price, getting the two at half off is a good thing, I suppose, as it allows me the opportunity to try out others in case I want to order it from the Pacha website or on Amazon... seeing how both places are selling it as normal ($6.99 a bar or $34.95 for a box of 5).  

As the Chai didn't have a barcode when I bought it at Detwiler's, the peppermint and balsam ones did. They have the ingredient list on them, which is great because you at least know what you're buying. It's nice to not have to guess what's in it, or use your phone to look it up online. 

For those who don't want to squint on the soap labels:

For the Balsam & Pine Bar Soap, the website states the key ingredients are:

Sustainably Sourced Palm Oil Harvested by small farmers using organic, ethical growing practices

Unrefined Ghanaian Shea Butter Rich in fatty acids that soften skin

While the rest of the ingredients are:

Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil^, Water, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide**, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Fragrance (Plant-Based), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Abies Balsamea (Fir) Needle Oil, Iron Oxide, Ultramarine, Titanium Dioxide, Beta Carotene, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) 

 ^Sustainable **Turns Oils into Soap

The Peppermint Twist key ingredients are:

Unrefined Ghanaian Shea Butter Rich in fatty acids that soften skin

Peppermint Essential Oil Natural antiseptic with cooling properties

Farm Fresh Goat’s Milk Naturally packed with lactic acid, which gently exfoliates the skin without irritation

And the main listing is:

Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil^, Water, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide**, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Fragrance (Plant-Based), Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Goat's Milk, Mentha Arvensis (Cornmint) Leaf Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide, Mica 

 ^Sustainable **Turns Oils into Soap

The funny thing is, Sprouts also sells the box of "Pacha Peaces", which is essentially a sample box of various scents (seven 1oz bars instead of five 4 oz bars). I would have thought "peaces" (or pieces depending on how you look at it) was going to be chips and dings since the bars aren't totally wrapped and aren't all created equal. 

Conversely, the Pacha site calls "Salvaged Suds" the oopsies.

Per the website:

Each bar of soap is hand poured by our skilled team of artisans...but we're only human! Occasionally, we have bars where the scent or color may not be right on the nose, or the bar has a ding or a dent, but the bars lather just the same.

Again, it's a matter of how you see it. 

Side by side, the two bars I got aren't straight but they are also not completely narrow. They do look like various pieces hot glued together, however. 

Given the fact I already finished the Chai bar and I take a shower once a day, I wanted to be able to start one of these new ones to see how it goes. 

The Christmas tree looking one (Balsam) really does smell like a pine forest as I'm lathering up. Unlike the last bar, there are no scrubbies on this, so it doesn't feel like I'm using a loofah to exfoliate / clean anywhere. It's smooth going on my body and smooth coming off my body. Although I don't find I'm smelling like I've taken a hike in the woods of New England, I don't feel dirty either. I feel clean with no after scent (it stays in the shower with the drain water). 

Which is a good thing, because sometimes the sniff is so strong, you get dizzy or nauseated after a while. I was sneezing my head off one day after I used something completely different - I could smell the fragrance on me for a couple hours and it wasn't a good feel since I didn't expect it to linger that long. 

It's like the time I ordered the three pack of Native deodorant and one of the three had everyone hating the strength of the stench (Cactus Flower and Poppy). You never know. 

I plan on starting the peppermint one when I finish the tree, so I'll make sure to give a review on that. 

Until then, keep it fresh.

Cheers;