Chagrin Valley • All Products • Gels/Soaps

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*TOP REVIEWER* seramadis on 2/19/2013 4:28:00 PM more reviews by seramadis

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I really really really really love these soaps and shampoo bars! Did I mention I really love these? Their only problem is that the shipping costs for outside the US are really really steep, is that how much they really have to pay USPS? I still buy these soaps even though shipping is so expensive, but making the shipping so prohibitively high means that I don't and can't buy from them as often as I could wish, which means that they get less business from me than they would have if their shipping rates had been more reasonable.

Having said that, I still love love love these soaps and will always buy them. I got lots of shampoo bars but then I realized it would take me MONTHS to try them all out, because I only wash hair twice a week. Here are the ones I've tried so far:

Neem and Tea Tree Oil: I got this for my son and it worked wonders, when he was using this soap he didn't have any acne, and he usually has some pimples all the time. Now I am trying out some other soaps on him to see if they are equally effective.
Goat Milk: I LOVE the rich, creamy lather of this one!
Seabuckthorn and Tea Tree Oil: I'm currently trying this one out on my son, he seems to have less pimples than he normally does, but his face doesn't seem to be quite as clear as it was on the Neem soap.
Adzuki Complexion soap: I quite liked this one, but I wouldn't use it as an exfoliant. It makes a very nice complexion soap, but didn't stand out for me.
Chocolate Almond: My kids love chocolate, so this soap is for them. It was a great hit with them, so I plan on getting the full size and also trying out the other chocolate soap that they have.
Bananas and Cream: This was a nice complexion soap, but like the Adzuki Bean soap, it didn't stand out. But I love ALL their soaps.
Coconut Shea and Honey Butter soaps: These both lather up very nicely.
Babassu Marshmallow shampoo: I really really liked this one, it gave me soft, shiny, voluminous hair.
Herb Garden shampoo: I only tried this one once so far but I wasn't too impressed, it didn't give me any shine at all. But I'm due for another hair wash in a couple of days and I will try this shampoo again.
Café Moreno: My son uses this since he has dark hair. It did seem to make his hair look nice, but it's hard to tell because his hair is very short.

I used to get bored washing hair and now I actually look forward every week to hair washing day, so I can try out a new shampoo bar!

For those of you who just threw your soaps into the garbage as soon as you got them, for whatever reason, do take into account that these are all natural soaps without any sorts of chemicals, but with essential oils, which may smell strong. If you prefer soft chemical smells, I wouldn't recommend these soaps. It is like an orange, the real orange smells much more tangy than a soft, artificial, orange air freshener.

If you found that you got a rash or reaction with one of their soaps, that also does not mean that there is something wrong with ALL the soaps. You might be sensitive to one specific ingredient in just one soap. Take into account that each soap has different ingredients. You wouldn't stop eating ALL fruits just because you got an allergic reaction to, say, strawberries, would you?

Castile soap is especially harsh on the skin. I live in Spain and here a LOT of people swear by their all natural, homemade Castile soap (Castile soap originated in Spain, after all). It is easy to get all natural, homemade Castile soap here, but nonetheless I prefer to go to the bother and expense of ordering Ida's soaps all the way from the US. Why? Because even though Castile soap is all natural, I find that it doesn't lather up very much and is quite drying.

Anyways, I am trying to wean my kids off of chemicals, and I find these soaps to be the BEST way to do it. I have tried many things, the all natural Castile soaps available here, of course, as well as all natural olive oil liquid soaps, also available in shops here. I've also tried some soaps from the health food stores. But nothing compares to Ida's soaps.

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nomihappy on 11/24/2012 11:41:00 AM more reviews by nomihappy

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I've been eying these soaps for a while; if you're like me, PLACE YOUR ORDER BY THE 27TH (of Nov) to take advantage of their cyber weekend sale 10% off

promo code: CYBERCVS

details are on their site -> News

I'll give a proper review after I've tested them out, but hope this is helpful for those who have been waiting for that little "push" to try these out!

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*TOP REVIEWER* girlndocs on 5/17/2012 5:38:00 PM more reviews by girlndocs

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Other, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

Die hard CV customer here. This company produces, without a doubt, the finest soap you can buy. It doesn't have fancy sparkles or scents (and I do go to other companies if I want those things) but the attention to quality in the ingredients and resulting product is simply second to none. It's really obvious that Ida and her family have a passion for soapmaking, and they've elevated it to an art.


CV's complexion bars and Honey Butter are the only soaps I use to clean my face, which is sensitive and prone to being overly dry after washing. My husband uses only Honey Butter because of his eczema, which the Honey Butter doesn't irritate.


I have found CV shampoo bars to be excellent for my fine, oily, fragile hair. Whether they do all the amazing things claimed I can't say, but they clean my hair thoroughly and gently, leaving it shiny and soft. I actually find that the complexion bars are excellent shampoos that don't weigh down my hair -- the Carrot complexion bar is one of my favorites. I did not have any adjustment period when I started using the shampoo bars, I just made sure to lather my hair well and never was greasy. I feel that vinegar rinses are overhyped and not good for everyone; I have soft water, so soap rinses clean from my hair very well, and when I used a vinegar rinse my hair was left flat and lank. If you think you're hair's not getting clean enough, ditch the vinegar before you give up on the shampoo bars.


The soaps are bigger than practically any other handmade soaps I've seen, and they last a long time. I use a third or a half of a bar at a time to reduce loss from incidental wetting, and keep them out of the water as much as possible. They last for weeks and weeks, so even though the price per bar may seem steep, it's a good value.


Many of the bars have strong hippie-herbal scents. Attention to the ingredient list can help avoid this if you prefer lighter-scented products. Many of the bars have no added scent at all, and others have citrus-orange or lavender floral scents. Peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree or neem are very strong and take over a scent blend almost completely. Olive Babassu, Carrot Complexion, Honey Butter, Nettle and Grapeseed Shea are some very lightly scented or unscented bars, and Chamomile Citrus has a fresh citrus scent without herbals.

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SmallTiki on 5/14/2012 5:58:00 PM more reviews by SmallTiki

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I first began trying shampoo bars, soaps, and body butters from Chagrin Valley a couple of years ago during a particularly dry autumn. I ultimately ended up not being fond of shampoo bars in general (although I used up all of theirs as regular body soaps and liked them) but LOVE their other products for washing and other skincare purposes. Formerly had very dry, sometimes itchy skin on my arms and legs which no "sensitive" type body wash or soap my derm recommended helped at all. Putting on lotions and creams afterward was little or no use. I tried quite a large assortment of products and strategies for this problem I'd had since being a teen, with varying results and most of them not too good. I really didn't want to be on and off steroid creams or medications all the time, it was expensive and unpleasant. Consistent use of Chagrin Valley soaps greatly helped this condition for me, and applying their butters after bathing sealed in moisture and made me much more comfortable. Their Aloe, Coconut Cream, Honey Butter, and Calendula soaps are all wonderful. Their body balms and butters are supremely comforting to skin, a pretty good value, and all smell great to me. I'd recommend giving some of their stuff a try for anyone who thinks they may be too sensitive for the commercial detergents in regular soap products (which I now think was probably a large part of the issue for me), anyone who wants to go more natural with their skincare, and definitely for those living in drier climates.

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crankykiki on 3/17/2012 2:27:00 AM more reviews by crankykiki

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Brown, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I bought tons of samples and decided to go shampoo free (regular shampoo that is). My husband also did it and his favorite is the Babasu and Marshmallow. His hair doesn't get greasy by the end of the day and he doesn't get dry spots on his scalp anymore. I like their shampoo bars also because it makes my hair quite fluffy. Normally the word fluffy would not make me want to use a product, but I really liked the Coconut Milk shampoo bar. By the way, I didn't have to go through any weird hair period after switching from regular shampoo - in fact my hair was much better.

On the other hand, I had to rate the soap as only a 3 because everything I tried for the face wasn't good at all. I have acne (at 40 still) and wanted to try a natural product. I finally just went back on tretinoin and am using Cetaphil Restoraderm which was recommended by my derm. I would say their soap for the body is so-so. Much better than what I have used in the past, but I just started using Restoraderm body wash on my face and body and like it A LOT.

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suchagirliegirl on 3/15/2012 10:44:00 PM more reviews by suchagirliegirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I think CV soaps are great. I would suggest buying several samples and let your skin decide which is best. I have dry, sensitive skin and the only soap I could use was Dove unscented and after years of use , it started to irritate my skin as well. I switched to St Ives Oatmeal & Shea which was okay but then I decided I wanted to switch over to natural products. My faves are Aloe. Aloe, Aloe and Goat Milk Honey Oatmeal. Both leave my dry skin moisturized and super soft! My least fave is the Castille bc it dried my skin out. My hubby has extremely dry skin and eczema and all of them help but the honey butter is best for him. My 2 yo cant use either of them and his skin is sensitive and he has eczema, The Neem and tea tree is good for my acne prone skin but DO NOT get it in your eyes! It will burn so bad you will want to take your eyeballs out and rinse them off! The Rhassoul is good as a weekly mask but I can't use it more than that. Overall I love the soaps and I will continue to use them.

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TruffulaTree on 3/9/2012 4:32:00 PM more reviews by TruffulaTree

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I am kind of obsessed with Chagrin Valley soaps. I've been using them now for about six months, and I don't think I'll be able to go back to commercial soaps now (though I usually keep some Ivory around for hand-washing unmentionables in the shower). I initially wanted to try the shampoo bars because I moved from Georgia to Missouri and my scalp had broken out in itchy patches. Nice way to start a new job - constantly scratching my head! I tried the Extra Honey Beer and the Butter Bar Conditioner bars first, which did calm my scalp but which I had to give up because they were just too moisturizing for my fine, limp hair (probably would be great for people with thick or dry hair). I emailed CV and asked what I was doing wrong and they recommended some lighter shampoos such as the Sunflower and Soapnuts and Chamomile Citrus. Both of these work really well for me - after washing with them, my hair is very shiny and doesn't get limp by the end of the day (yeah, I know I probably shouldn't wash my hair every day but it just looks abominable if I don't). Chamomile Citrus also smells lovely in the morning, like fresh oranges. I've tried Mud and Clay but ended up using it on my face because I just couldn't get up much lather on my hair (husband loved it though). Herb Garden makes my hair really really shiny but is just a teensy bit too moisturizing, so I only use it when my hair feels a bit dry. Ayurvedic Herb does nothing for my hair, and actually makes it kind of stringy and fly away. I quite like using it on my face though. Nettle is another good one for me, and seems to give me more volume, although it doesn't give me the shine of the Sunflower and Soapnuts or the Chamomile Citrus. I usually lather up with the shampoo bar on my hair - it doesn't take much, since I don't have much hair, rinse, then follow with an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse - about 1 tablespoon of ACV in an 8 ounce glass of water. I think put a tiny dollop of conditioner on my ends - I've tried skipping this step, but for whatever reason, my ends seem to stick out in all directions if I do. I do sometimes skip the ACV - my hair seems to like it best when I only do it about four times a week.

As for the soaps, my absolute favorite is the Loofah Adzuki Bean - it's a gorgeous body soap and exfoliator and I also use it on my face instead of a scrub. (If you're going to do this, be very gentle with it, it does have ground loofah in it, after all). It's creamy, soothing, and gives just the right amount of exfoliation, and the smell, well, it's intoxicating. Herbal Mist is another lovely creamy soap with a smell quite similar to the Loofah Adzuki, but with a slight hint of mint. Rhassoul Clay and Yoghurt is amazing - perfect for people like me with oily skin. Smells awesome and really makes my face look and feel good. I have a wee bit of trouble getting it to lather in my hard water, but I don't mind putting a bit of extra muscle into it. Seabuckthorn and Tea Tree is really nice too - very moisturizing and soothing, especially when I had a reaction to an Origins scrub a while back. Lavender Coconut Cream and Shea is a really creamy and moisturizing soap, but I found the scent a bit one note - am kind of a sucker for those complex scents Ida puts together. In general, my skin seems to love soaps with lots of sunflower oil in them, and doesn't seem to like anything with too much mint.

I have the Seabuckthorn Salve too - I often put it on my face before bed, and my skin feels really soft and kinda plumped in the morning. I actually really like the smell of Seabuckthorn, but it is quite unusual. It will also temporarily stain your pillowcase and night clothes, but it should come out in the wash.

Alright, sorry to write a novel, but I really do love these soaps. I'm currently deciding which soaps to get next - I'm mulling over the Marshmallow and Lemongrass, the Sweet Basil, the Aloe, the Neem, the Scarborough Fair, and the Dead Sea Spa soaps. For my hair, I'd really like to try the Rosemary Lavender and the Summer Sunshine bars.

I love the feeling I get when I use CV products - they're just so natural and creamy and lovely. Can't say enough good about them except that if you don't like products that smell herbal and earthy, these probably aren't for you. They also have real essential oils in them, so if you're sensitive to any of them, avoid the soaps that contain them. Chagrin Valley is awesome about telling you exactly what's in their products, so you'll never be surprised. Trying samples is a good idea.

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Bunnylayke on 2/29/2012 8:47:00 AM more reviews by Bunnylayke

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

It takes some time to find the bars that are right for you, but once you do, you will love them. Each bar is SO different, so it's good to get a lot of samples to find the ones you like. Experiment with the shampoo bars using acidic rinses and/or different conditioners. It's worth the trial and error until you find the right one(s), because these cleansers are so gentle and they smell amazing, and they're just fun to try!
The body bars don't leave a filmy feeling on the skin the way a lot of other bar soaps do.

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sienna2125 on 1/13/2012 11:42:00 PM more reviews by sienna2125

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark, Warm   Hair: Brown, Relaxed, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

HG! I have sensitive, combo, acne-prone skin. I tried the neem & tea tree oil soap. I love it! This is great! I can use it for body & face (so my shower time is a little shorter). I'm trying to go more natural w/ my skincare regime but I still want a soap that will cut through the exercise sweat & leave me moisturized but clean feeling. The neem & tea tree oil does that. Neem & tea tree oil are anti-bacterial. So I feel like I'm using a soap w/ traditional cleaning properties. The anti-bacterial properties are great for acne. The oils provide the right amount of moisturization so my skin does not feel itchy, dry, & tight or coated. There's no rebound oiliness.

Plus this is cheaper than other products I've tried for my problem skin & it works. The amount is generous. However I do think the shipping cost is too high. Shipping is $6 & the soap is around $8 for around .5 lbs

The soap smells medicinal. I admit the smell is bad but you eventually get used to it while showing. But the smell does not linger. The smell disappears as soon as you rinse & does not reemerge if you sweat or exercise later in the day. The smell will wake you up in the morning & help clear your sinuses.

The pros override the cons so I recommend this.

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Tshank777 on 12/29/2011 10:54:00 PM more reviews by Tshank777

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I used to use and try all of Lush shampoo Bars till I found these Shampoo bars from ida at Chagrin Valley, I have to say my hair finally adjusted them after a month and I am one happy customer! The Bars i love so Far are Herb Garden which seems to be moisturizing for my hair lathers nice and creamy and also rinses well. I also like ayurvedic, and i have also tried Cafe moreno which is ok, i have just received my latest order which is Nettle ,Tea Tree and neem , Butter Bar which i am sooo excited about . and I got another Herb Garden since I really Love it . i also love her eye and face mousse great for under eye bags circles and fine lines. i have also been using her Seabuckthorn soap which i also love, Gotta say I Love her shipping it is always fast and I will continue to give her my business because she is awesome.

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stormbk on 12/2/2011 5:34:00 PM more reviews by stormbk

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I have been searching for superior quality, inexpensive, natural, chemical free body soap/ shampoo and facial cleansers. Chagrin Valley has been a godsend. I recently tried Aloe, Aloe body soap which is amazing. I don't even need moisturizer. I am currently using Extra Honey Beer shampoo bar for my hair which I love. My hair is so shiny and looks healthier than ever. Sometimes, I use a 50/50 water/vinegar rinse after I shampoo my hair. For my face I am using the Rhasoul/Yogurt complexion bar and it really cleans my face well and does not dry out my face. I have combination/acne prone skin. I bought a bunch of other samples but yet to try them. I can't wait! I encourage everyone to try these amazing products!

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krjcmc on 7/8/2011 7:01:00 AM more reviews by krjcmc

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I bought some samples and a few full size items. I have mixed feelings about the items I purchased. What is really off putting to me is the same heavily HERBAL smell in absolutely every product. Everything smells the same. Kind of an antiseptic/herbal/medicinal smell. It's not completely unpleasant, but not what I want to smell like all the time, and the smell lingers. And I wish that every single product did not smell like that, but they all do.

I did try their deodorant, and I am pretty happy with it so far. It seems to work pretty well. I do feel a little sweaty by the end of the day, but the product seems to control odor well. I also got one of the salves - not sure how that is working since I need to give it more time.
I have to say I don't really care for any of the soaps and shampoo samples I tried, mainly because of the medicinal smell that they all seem to carry. The soaps do lather well and seem to moisturize my skin, but my skin almost feels "coated" after using them. I am still unsure of how I feel about shampoo bars. They do give my hair lots more wave and body, but I definitely get that "wax coated" feeling on my hair too, which I don't like.
I really wanted to "love" these products - but unless they end up wowing me on what they do for my hair and skin, I won't be repurchasing since that herbal smell is really too much. I also bought samples of the facial and body scrubs (which carry the same smell as everything else - especially the body scrub where it's unpleasantly strong) - and to look at the jar it appears you are getting a pretty good sized sample, but I quickly realized that they are double walled jars so you are actually only getting product about half to a third of the size of the jar and much less than what you'd expect based on how the jar looks.

Edit - after trying some of the products for longer, I can say the shea rose clay soap does NOT have the strong herbal smell that most of the other products I tried do. It doesn't really smell like roses either. It doesn't have a strong scent at all. I like clay soaps, and this one is no exception. I'd repurchase it.
The honey butter lip balm is very moisturizing. Not terribly long lasting though.
And after trying the deodorant for a while - I can say that it does work. I exercise and have a job where I'm up running around and it lasts through all of that. It does have kind of a weird metallic-y smell to it, but I am *super* scent picky, so that may be just me. I don't love applying deodorant with my fingers though. And the little tin it comes in can be hard to pry open sometimes.
Sadly, the calendula ointment didnt do much for me at all. Sort of a greasy ointment and I used it on some rashes/skin cracks etc and it didn't seem to help much.
Sorry for the long review- hope it helps.

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heavengirl1390 on 6/6/2011 12:41:00 AM more reviews by heavengirl1390

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Other    

UPDATE: 11/14/2012
It's been about a year and a half since I last wrote this review. I've stopped using Chagrin Valley because I recently moved to a hard water location and washing my hair with the bar took longer. I would get funky build up and sticky residue. Rinses work but... I could never get use to using the vinegar, store-bought, or citric acid rinses. The smell, process, or price of the rinses REALLY bothered me. I would love Chagrin Valley if I lived in an area with moderated to soft water locations.

*~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~*

As a whole, I love Chagrin Valley! I've tried several homemade soap companies and I always find myself going back to Chagrin Valley. The customer service is awesome. The package is splendid. The smell overall is FANTASTIC! Your mailbox will smell like flowers! Every single bar is different. It has it's own characteristics so it difficult to judge this company by review ONE bar. Down further, I have critique every bar I've ever used by Chagrin Valley. Bear with me. :)



For reference, I have extremely oily and acne prone facial skin. My body on the other hand is extreme dry and sensitive. My asian hair is SUPER OILY and dense and course 1c (according to the Long Hair Community).


My favorite are: Grapeseed Shea, Carrot Honey, Honey Beer, Honey Egg Beer Shampoo, and Cucumber Lime.


***Carrot and Honey Complexion:
One of my other favorites. Extremely gently. Great for my oily skin. Smell is earthy sweet goodness. Feels amazing on my skin. It cleanses and moisturizes well. I've noticed my face's redness has gone down. This soap gets me excited to wash my face! :P

***Chamomile & Calendula:
Honestly, I didn't find this soap special at all. I found the smell unbearable. It smelled like nasty moldy grass.

***Dead Sea Spa:
The lather is very thick and rich. The scent? Different! It's earthy yet has a lemony tang to it. I'm not too crazy about this bar. :(

***Cucumber Lime Soap:
I'm addicted to this scent. Scent reminds me of sweet limeade. Lathers well. Extremely soothing in the shower. Lol, I take extra long showers when I use this soap! Pleasant on the face after sunburn. I also use this soap as a 'leave on' for bug bites.

***Goat Milk Oatmeal Honey:
Not so pleased. I’ve never been a fan of oatmeal in my soaps. Has a natural earthy oats smell. Wayy too harsh and gritty. Made my skin too tight and flaky.

***Honey Butter:
Very very moisturizing. Awesome moisture! Great for bitter winters. Too much moisture for other months. I wasn’t too fond of the smell. Makes shaving worth while! Forget the lotion, with this magic tool, we can save money over the years without lotion!

***Mango Multi Body Butter Serenity Grove:
Smells sooo soothing and good. Great in the shower to seal in moisture! Melts way too fast! I wished it didn't clog my tub.

***Grapeseed Shea:
My favorite multi-purpose soap! Even though, I love sampling the other soaps ,I always find myself lingering back to this! It's perfect for my sensitive oily acne face, hive prone body skin and oily coarse hair! Wonderful in everyway! I use this every night and morning to wash my face.

***Honey Beer:
My second favorite to the Grapeseed Shea. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the gigantic lather, smell and cleansing effects. Moisture is perfect. My second favorite to the Grapeseed Shea. I use this as my shower body soap!

***Honey Beer and Egg Shampoo:
Most VOLUMINOUS and shiny hair shampoo I've ever used. This is a god send! I always use this before a date night to get SMEXY HAIR! I adore the after effects this shampoo had my hair. My hair became lustrous and shiny but I can only use this Honey Beer and Egg Shampoo once a week. I found that if I used this too often I begin to experience horrible tangles and breakage to my ends.

***Olive and Shea:
I found the scent to be bland. The effects are the same as the Honey Butter! :)

***Olive Babassu Shampoo:
Another multi-purpose soap. Super moisturizing. Best unscented soap yet! There are times I find myself not in the mood for any scents. I also use Olive Babassu on super sensitive face skin days. Wonderful to keep in my gym bag in the hot Texas heat. I'm always afraid of the some sort of scent leaking out into my car and my clothes. With Olive Babassu I don't have to worry. :)

***Patchouli Herb:
Smell is unlike anything I've ever used. I didn't like it so much on my body but it did wonders for my dandruff hair. :)

***Citrus Soapnuts and Sunflower Shampoo:
Citrus like shampoo. Perfect clarifying shampoo. I use this 1-2 twice a week for build-up removal from heavy styling products. This is the first clarifier that didn't strip my hair completely.

CONS:
-Because the bars are made of natural oils and lipids, the bars will melt extremely quick in the shower.
-Expensive in comparison to other soaps
-Soap's PH is very alkaline. (despite the website mentioning soap bar to be a neutral, this is because they tested the mixture before add lye)
-Can take a while to get used to. You may need a special formulated rinse



Would I buy from Chagrin Valley again? Depending on the bar... I absolutely would! :)

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EmmaAte on 4/22/2011 1:28:00 AM more reviews by EmmaAte

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I understand why so many people rave about Chagrin Valley products -- they do not disappoint. I used to be completely oblivious to what was in my "sensitive skin" soaps and shampoos. I just trusted the popular brands -- I mean really, if everyone is using it, how could it really be bad, right? Then, a few years ago, I was diagnosed with a little-known, female pain condition called vulvodynia. At first, I was horrified to know that the condition had no real "cure" (and the name contained the word vulva, ugh), but the frustration quickly mobilized me into investigatory-mode in order to find not only a cure, but also a cause. One of the first things I started doing was reading labels on everything I used including soaps & shampoos. What I found was shocking. I've become cynical about our nation's investment in regulating all of the toxins found in commonly used, commonly assumed "safe" products. Who's to say exactly what my body is responding to with pain -- as an American consumer, I was drowning in chemicals! It didn't take long to discover that even so-called "organic", "all-natural", and "handmade" products are often no more wholesome than their commercial counterparts. I'm sure that CV has heard this before but I'll say it anyway -- it was refreshing to have found their site! The Chagrin Valley website is AWESOME because they not only give us the ingredient list for every product, they explain how and why they use those ingredients. I love that I'm not only buying a new soap, I am also learning a great deal of information about different oils and herbs, and how these will affect my body. It's been gratifying to know that I finally found a company that treats their customers so respectfully. I'm thankful to them for being so open, honest, and enthusiastic about sharing their products. I also appreciate their dedication to great service -- I ordered twice on a Friday and got my soaps on the following Wednesday without paying more for shipping than the products!

So far, my favorite soaps: the Aloe, Aloe, Aloe soap, and the Seabuckthorn & Tea Tree Oil soap. The first makes my skin freakishly soft. I say that because I didn't think it possible to go from damp, tight skin post-cleansing to velvety smooth once dry! This is a fantastic shaving soap. The Seakbuckthorn soap has been my facial wash. I've been using it for a little over a week and already my cystic acne-prone skin is looking fantastic. Something I've noted -- just like the shampoos, the soaps take a little longer to wash off your skin than commercial soap. With the Seabuckthorn soap, I've actually not tried so hard to scrub it all off before I go to bed. I think that "residue" is what is making my skin so much healthier -- it keeps nourishing while I sleep.

My sample for the whipped eye and face mousse just came in yesterday so I don't have much to say yet other than it feels really good here in West Texas. I plan to use it under my mineral make-up. I'm also trying the whipped butters -- they smell good enough to eat! They also held up well in the mail even though we were in the double-digits when I received my package. Of the three, the cocoa butter was the only one with noticeable shrinkage and it was minimal.

The shampoo has been a different experience. These don't rinse out as cleanly as a detergent shampoo making the "quick" hair wash something of the past (although it's cool to be forced to love my hair a little longer). So, for the last week I've had waxy, sort of oily-looking hair, even with the vinegar. (CV provides in-depth information about vinegar rinses and why you might need them -- as luck would have it, I live in one of the areas with really hard water.) But, my persistence has paid off -- today I finally achieved awesome hair status! For the first time in YEARS I'm going on 2 days without having to wash my hair because of oil and dandruff. It seems that I have a "normal" scalp after all! I've been using the Neem & Tea Tree Oil Body & Hair Shampoo, and the Ayurvedic bar. I know that a lot of people don't like the smell of tea tree oil but this bar, while very fragrant, doesn't make your hair smell antiseptic like a lot of other tea tree oil products. In fact, like the vinegar rinse, once my hair is dry I don't smell much of anything at all. The only product that hasn't worked for me yet is the Butter Bar Conditioning soap. I used it on Day 3 (hoping to combat the waxy texture) but it made my hair look and feel much worse. I will probably use it only on the ends of my hair as suggested.

I'm not pain-free yet but it feels good to know that I've eliminated more substances that might be helping to make me miserable. Vulvodynia is chronic vulvar pain without an identifiable cause.. In my case, it feels like I'm burning "down there"; sex is impossible. I've discovered that many women have this issue but go undiagnosed for a variety of reasons, including a lack of understanding by their treating physicians. If you, or anyone you know needs more information about vulvodynia you may contact me, or join the National Vulvodynia Association (NVA.org). It's been a blessing to connect with more people who choose not to "suffer" and who are actively trying to find solutions.

20 out of 22 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

uniki on 2/28/2011 9:30:00 PM more reviews by uniki

Age: 44-55   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I found CV on the web a few months ago. I was looking for bar shampoo (no plastic packaging & natural ingredients!) & I'm now in love with their products!

I love love love that you can buy samples - BEST thing ever!!

My favorites are the Chamomile & Citrus and the Lavender Spice.

I didn't like the smell of the Honey Beer & Egg & the Ayurvedic Herb was just ok.

The Butter Bar Conditioner shampoo didn't have much of a smell but it didn't do much for my hair - which is very fine & limp.

Both the sample size & regular size bars are large.

The prices are good and the shipping quick.

They also have several different herbal salves for various skin problems.

I just bought their St. John's Wort with Comfrey & Calendula for injection site reactions (itching & redness) from a medication I'm on.

The itching is much better and the redness is less.

Thank you Chagrin Valley!!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

neddykapoozle on 1/22/2011 10:42:00 AM more reviews by neddykapoozle

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Chagrin Valley are the only soaps and the only shampoos I will let touch my face or my long, curly hair. The ingredients are wonderful, scents are divine but not synthetic or irritating, customer service is a dream, I cannot speak highly enough of this company and their products.

A quick breakdown of my favorites:

Neem and Tea Tree Oil: great for my acne prone skin. Cleared it right up and I use it ever now and then. The scent is something to get used to, but now I don't even mind it. The neem oil makes is smell very strongly, but the great results are worth the scent.

Grapeseed Shea (now Grapeseed Tomato Complextion): lovely and moisturizing, but with some clay in it. Leaves my face feeling supple and smooth. A good "base line soap" for the face.

Rhassoul Clay and Yogurt Complextion: Food for the face! Such a creamy, dreamy lather on this one. It feels so luxurious and like I've just had a nice clay facial mask on, but infinitely easier to use. I lather up in the shower, let it sit on my face for a few minutes, then rinse off. Really adore this one.

Shea Rose Clay: lovely pink soap that smells of roses and other flowers. Wonderfully moisturizing, but still fine for my normally oily skin. I use this a lot in the winter. More moisturizing than the Grapeseed Tomato Complextion.

Olive Babassu Shampoo: Wonderful rich and moisturizing shampoo for my fragile, long, curly hair. I follow up with a vinegar rinse and my hair is left bouncy and shiny. I use this maybe once a week, the rest of the time I CO wash.

Nettle Shampoo: Not as moisturizing as the olive babassu, but still really nice. I like this in the summer. Smells a little grassy, but I really like the scent. Like crushed plants.

I've adored most all of the body soaps I've tried, but my favorites are the Honey Butter (always have a bar or two of this aging), Peppermint Twist, Goatmilk Honey Oatmeal, Lavender Oatmeal Spice, and Sea Salt and Seaweed.

Overall I really highly recommend this company and their products. The bars are massive and full of wonderful, high quality ingredients. The also sell generous sample bars for testing out what formulas work for you. This isn't a place that just has one base recipe and tinkers with scents; the formulations of every bar is different.

Do yourself a favor and check out this company!

9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Daphn2000 on 12/19/2010 11:38:00 AM more reviews by Daphn2000

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Dark, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Wasnt to impressed. Did not feel clean after I used these soaps. :(

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*TOP REVIEWER* bluestar21 on 10/23/2010 7:23:00 PM more reviews by bluestar21

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I was browsing MUA top picks and was really surprised to see this near the top of the list! But I must agree, these soaps are really nice. I discovered Chargrin Valley when I was looking for alternatives to shampoo. Solid shampoo is a completely different experience, so if you try them, please read up on the concept first. I am using the only solid hair conditioner they sell (Butter bar conditioner) as a shampoo right now and I love it. It's hard to run my fingers through my hair after washing with it, so a dilute apple vinegar mix at the end does the trick (about a capful or two in a big cup, and don't rinse it out). I don't think you can make a bad choice when ordering from CV. The lotion bars are great too! I used mine as an eye cream and on my hands and legs in the winter. I love the all natural ingredients. As for soaps, I recommend Dead Sea Spa. It smells citrus-y and has been great on my face. I look forward to trying even more of their products.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

mignondee on 10/14/2010 1:54:00 PM more reviews by mignondee

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Dude, I love this place! I have not used regular soap or shampoo in over 3 months! I am addicted. They have a wide variety of soap and shampoo bars to choose from and they also have body butter, lip balms, face and eye cream and more! They ship pretty fast and the customer service is great! Check em out.. You won't regret it!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

virallyxXxyours on 7/21/2010 5:37:00 AM more reviews by virallyxXxyours

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I LOVE these soaps. I have naturally thin/fine curly hair that is very, very hard to detangle.

But with the Chagrin Valley soaps my hair is much managable and I no longer use any other products on my hair other than the occasional Hask Placenta treatment and a Honey and ACV hair rinse.

After you get over the inital shock of using shampoo bars your hair should do fine, but I'll warn you when you first use it your hair will have a very nasty crayon waxy feeling, but just give your hair time to adjust.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No