Discover the Story Behind Dr. Bronner’s Legendary Peppermint Soap

Celebrating 75 Years of Extraordinary Magic and the Tingly Scent That Captivates Senses

July 12, 2023

LONDON, UK – This year, Dr. Bronner’s is celebrating 75 years of creating magic soap; the family-owned maker of the top-selling natural brand of soap is now distributed in more than 40 countries around the world. The first ever scent, created by the founder Emanuel Bronner in 1948 is the cult favourite peppermint! It has always been Dr. Bronner’s number one best-selling scent!

“There wouldn’t be a Dr. Bronner’s today without our peppermint soap, and there wouldn’t be peppermint soap if it wasn’t for our partners in India making the organic peppermint oil that goes into it,” explained Michael Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner’s.

Reflecting on this remarkable journey and why the peppermint scent is so special, the Regenerative Organic Certified peppermint essential oil used in the Dr. Bronner’s peppermint-scented products is grown and harvested using regenerative organic agricultural practices by Dr. Bronner’s supplier, Pavitramenthe, located in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, where community projects are supported through the relationship. Mint oils are Dr. Bronner’s most used essential oil; their cooling properties are what make the peppermint Magic Soaps and All-One Toothpastes so refreshing, and they give the peppermint soap its famous tingle!

“My grandfather always seemed to have the smell of peppermint radiating from his pores. He started making peppermint soap in small batches at home and he really wanted to make something that was more than a soap, but also a sensory experience. My grandfather put his philosophy on the bottle of soap and what this generation is doing is taking that message off the bottle and applying it wherever we can,” Bronner continued.

Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Range

    • All-One Magic Soap (from £9.69 for 240ml)
    • All-One Peppermint Pure-Castile Bar Soap (£6.39 for 140g)
    • 4 in 1 Peppermint Organic Pump Soap (from £13.99 for 355ml)
    • Peppermint Organic Body Lotion (£13.49 for 236ml)
    • All-One Peppermint Toothpaste (£8.69 for 105ml)
    • Peppermint Organic Lip Balm (£3.99 for 4g)
    • Organic Peppermint Hand Hygiene Spray (£5.49 for 60ml)

The Benefits of Peppermint
Peppermint has been used for centuries for its cooling and soothing properties, with an important place in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and has many benefits for the skin. The unique aroma of peppermint is also known to energise and revive, as well as helping to relieve congestion and headaches.

The Famous tingle!  Peppermint is cooling and soothing, giving a refreshing effect on the skin. As well as the ‘tingle’ it can help soothe skin irritations, itching, and inflammation. The menthol in peppermint oil provides a cooling sensation that can offer relief to hot, irritated skin.

Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Properties: Peppermint oil has natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which can help blemish and acne-prone skin. By reducing the presence of bacteria, peppermint oil can potentially prevent and control breakouts.

Oil Balancing: Peppermint oil has astringent properties that can help regulate oil production in the skin. It can be beneficial for people with oily or combination skin types as it may help reduce excessive oiliness and promote a more balanced complexion.

Skin Cleansing: The cleansing properties of peppermint oil make it a popular ingredient in skincare products. It can help remove dirt, excess oil, and impurities from the skin, leaving it feeling clean and refreshed.

Journey to Pavitramenthe
India is one of the leading producers of mint oil in the world, with a rich history in mint cultivation. It can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, which existed around 3000 BCE, and the production of mint oil dates back several centuries.

Dr. Bronner’s began purchasing organic mint oil India’s Uttar Pradesh state, in 2003. After working with other suppliers, it began, in 2015, its relationship with Pavitramenthe in Bareilly, around 250 miles east of Delhi. Both share a vision of regenerative and fair farming in rural India and of using it for development.  In its soaps, Dr. Bronner’s uses a blend of oils from two mint species, peppermint (mentha piperita) and corn mint (mentha arvensis); this blend perfectly balances the ‘menthol punch’ of the mentha arvensis and the more aromatic flavour of the mentha piperita. Both species are now grown by some 2000 smallholder farmers. Their small fields, typically less than two acres, are farmed in rotation, growing two or three different crops every year.

After the harvest, Pavitramenthe distils the leaves and purifies the mint oil at its processing facility. All farmers have been converting their farms to regenerative organic practices and the entire project has been regenerative organic certified since 2020.

Regenerative Organic Agriculture
One of the key challenges for farmers in the region is the deterioration in the quality of the soil due to industrial agricultural practices. Unfortunately, after decades of intensive cultivation that previously included the use of chemical fertilisers and frequent ploughing, the soil had been depleted of nutrients (notably organic matter), which reduces the fertility of the soil.

In order to help farmers rebuild their soils and make it more productive and resilient, Dr. Bronner’s initiated a comprehensive “soil regeneration” project in 2017. The practice of Regenerative Organic Agriculture mimics nature; farming in nature’s image by using no external chemical inputs, no synthetic fertilisers, no pesticides, creating a self-regenerating system. Pavitramenthe’s mint oil production is Fair for Life certified and Dr. Bronner’s is the largest personal care company certified under the USDA’s National Organic Program. The company is pursuing Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) for as many ingredients in its supply chain as possible.

Five core practices used to help reverse soil deterioration and bring back the carbon that’s been lost to the atmosphere are:

      1. COMPOST: The production and application of compost, increasing the biomass content in the depleted soils, building soil fertility, increases its water holding capacity, fostering microbial life, and facilitating sequestration of atmospheric carbon.
      2. MULCHES: Using crop residues that are left on the fields to protect the soil and retain moisture.
      3. CONSERVATION TILLAGE: Regular heavy tilling, like ploughing, destroys soil structure, disturbs microbial populations and sends carbon into the atmosphere. Thus, a shift to conservation tillage practices, that do not go as deep and are not as destructive.
      4. COVER CROPS – These are grown to protect the soil in-between crops and to add biomass to the field.
      5. ROTATIONAL CROPS – Rotational nitrogen fixers – beans, lentils, peas – bring nitrogen back into the soil.

Social Projects: Breaking the Taboo – Menstrual Hygiene In India
As part of the partnership with Pavitramenthe, Dr. Bronner’s has been working with the community on special projects, funded by the Fair Trade premium from the sale of mint oil. Projects are selected by a local committee, to ensure that they make real social change, such as: funding medical camps, the construction of home toilets, the distribution of water coolers for drinking waters, subsidising compost production and more.

A very important focus for the Dr. Bronner’s Special Operations Team is representing the women and children of the area, finding out their challenges and supporting their health and wellbeing. Menstrual health is still a taboo in India, with those menstruating often prevented from taking part in many aspects of daily life (such as being in the kitchen or attending temple).  The lack of availability of proper sanitary care, due to both the cost and the shame associated with menstruating, makes women use materials with poor absorbency, such as straw, which can lead to infections. It also gets in the way of leaving the house or simply feeling comfortable. For example, it is estimated that 20% of girls stop going to school once their periods start.

So, how is Dr. Bronner’s helping? By investing in Relief Pads, reusable pads that are manufactured in India. These are distributed to women through schools and farming communities, and this is supported with an education programme to help lift the stigma and taboo around menstruation. These pads are revolutionary for many women; high quality fabric that is both absorbent and anti-microbial, they reduce the risk of infections and give women more personal freedom. They are washable and very economical. The initial programme has been hugely successful, and the work continues!

Stockists: www.drbronner.co.uk, Superdrug Marketplace, Whole Foods, Holland & Barrett, Planet Organic, Ocado and many more.

Notes to editors
Celebrity fans include: Bella Hadid, Meghan Markle (Duchess of Sussex), Lady Gaga, Natalie Portman, Eva Mendes, Kate Hudson, Drew Barrymore, Bobbi Brown, St. Vincent, Sandra Bullock, Paloma Faith, Kristen Bell, Lucy Liu, and many more.

About Dr. Bronner’s
Founded in the U.S. in 1948, Dr. Bronner’s is the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America and a leading brand worldwide. The company is an independent, family-owned business based in California, committed to honoring the vision of founder Emanuel Bronner by making socially and environmentally responsible personal care and food products of the highest quality, and by dedicating profits to help make a better world. Dr. Bronner’s commitment to social justice, environmental sustainability, and progressive business practices is part of the company’s mission to put into practice the “All-One” philosophy printed on the company’s iconic soap labels. The company caps executive salaries at 5 times its lowest paid fully vested position and donates all profits not needed for business development. Dr. Bronner’s generated approximately $169 million in revenue in 2022 and gave an estimated $8.5 million to fund charity and activism. In 2022, a bottle or bar of Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile soap was sold, on average, every 0.95 seconds. 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the company. For more information about Dr. Bronner’s, please visit: https://drbronner.com.

About Healthy Sales Group
Healthy Sales Group has been helping companies develop successful brands for the past 25 years in the natural health environment. Working with many of the key brands in the sector, Healthy Sales Group has seen its activities develop significantly, not only in the health food, fine food and beauty trade, but also into mainstream grocery, where it has established links with all the major multiple retailers in the UK. For more information about Dr. Bronner’s exclusive distribution partner in the UK, please visit: https://www.healthysales.co.uk.