As the Saying Goes: Wisdom on Soap, Cleanliness, and Sustainable Living

Lately I've been collecting sayings. I love how they express basic truths in a nutshell and offer sound, wise advice.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

Since this is a blog for our soap and natural products company, the obvious saying that comes to mind is “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” 

You might think it's from the Bible or Poor Richard's Almanack, but the saying has ancient roots. The first written account is from 1791 by John Wesley, founder of Methodism. His sermon was less about physical hygiene than about having a pure heart, spirit, and upstanding moral values. 

What was in Poor Richard’s was: "Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.” Interestingly, this was before people learned about germs in the mid-1800s.  Think of how much harder it must have been to keep clean before there was hot and cold running water and washing machines. These days, roughly 50% to 66% of Americans shower once or multiple times a day. 

Oeconomy is a word from Poor Richard’s that I had to look up. It's pronounced just like economy, but back in the 1700s, it was not about governments and business and all that; it was about keeping a household. A neat, clean, and organized household makes a home, sweet home.

Why You Should Always Read the Ingredients

This is more important than ever. You wouldn't find this saying in Poor Richard’s.

Back then, most people grew their own food and made their own soap. 

Today, companies put preservatives, colorants, and synthetic fragrances in all sorts of food and cosmetic products. Dating back to the Egyptians, cosmetics have contained many additives that turned out to be toxic—arsenic, asbestos, lead, and mercury, to name a few.

One would think our government would protect its citizens and our environment from harm. But the FDA must prove an ingredient is harmful before it can ban it.

Synthetic fragrances can contain hundreds of chemicals that need only be listed as “fragrance” on ingredient lists.  

For nearly 20 years, Noxema made Continuous Clean Microbead Cleanser, which contained bits of microplastics, until federal environmental laws were passed ten years ago. 

Thank goodness for the non-profit Environmental Working Group for “spotlighting harmful industry standards, speaking out against outdated government legislation, and empowering consumers with breakthrough education and research.”

We love showing off our ingredients. 

Our Planet, Our Future

“Our Planet, Our Future” was the title of a joint statement from 126 Nobel laureates delivered to the G7 summit in 2021. 

In 1969, R. Buckminster Fuller wrote Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, a plea for us to appreciate our unique planet. 

We have to stop polluting our water and our air. Is it better to have brighter whites than to preserve a vibrant world for our children? It’s a sad fact that about 900 million plastic laundry jugs are thrown away every year in the United States.

Now a word from our sponsor: Burano Laundry Soap.

Waste Not, Want Not

This saying is hundreds of years old, solidified in 1721 into the popular proverb "Willful waste makes woeful want.” Today, we say “Reuse, renew and recycle.” At Herbaria, we try our darndest to keep this “commandment.” 

No Wood Without Bark

This is a famous quote from Poor Richard’s. We admit we use plastic bottles and jars for some of our products. All are made of number one plastic (PET), the most readily recyclable. We take pride in the fact that our soaps, shampoos, and conditioner bars are wrapped simply with paper. Our soaps are biodegradable as well.  

Stop and Smell the Roses

This saying's origins are unclear, but it probably comes from modern times, when we all seem to be in a rush. Come by our shop in St. Louis sometime and get a whiff of about 60 different scents to appreciate. And not just roses— almond, bergamot, basil, lemongrass, spearmint, vetiver, bay rum, rosemary, patchouli, and lavender, just to mention a few. An olfactory feast! 

De Gustibus Non Est Disputandum

That's Latin for “In matters of taste, there can be no disputes.” The modern version is "Don't yuck my yum." Some people like licorice, some don’t. It’s your choice—citrus, floral, herbal, woody, minty, spice, or if you prefer, unscented. 

A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

That's the way most people remember the saying, but the original is even better. “A penny saved is two cents clear.” This means you had to pay to earn the penny in the first place. You had to drive to work. You had to pay taxes. So, a penny saved is more than a penny earned.

We offer our customers ways to save and to keep your oeconmy running smoothly. 

Save $1 a bar (100 pennies) when you take advantage of our “buy six get one free offer.” Online, you'll save $1 a bar plus get free shipping when you order 12 and pay for just 10. That’s a lot of math. Here’s the best explanation of our free bar offer.  

Man's Best Friend

The first recording of this saying was by Frederick the Great of Prussia. Poor Richard says “if you lay down with dogs, you'll rise up with fleas.” I say, “If you lay down with dogs, you'll rise up with glee.” Especially if you use Soapy’s Choice Dog Shampoo. 

Please Don't Squeeze the Charmin

This isn't a saying, just advertising. Here's another. “Dove is 1/4 cleansing cream.” The famous ad man, David Ogilvy, asked Lever Brothers what was in Dove.  He could understand about three-quarters of the ingredients. When he asked about the other 25%, they told him he didn't need to know. So he called it cleansing cream. The point is, don’t believe the hype.  

I Count My Blessings: Handmade Soap from The Hill in St. Louis

This profound quotation is from my mother. I do count my blessings every day. I'm glad to be part of Herbaria. 

Proud to make quality all-natural products to help people live healthy lives.

Proud to be in hundreds of bathrooms all over the world.

Proud to have a vegan business, grounded in non-violence.

Proud to have welcomed so many customers from our website, selling at fairs, specialty stores, and people from near and far to our shop on The Hill in St. Louis. Thank you!