... I promise I will try to keep it "clean" people!

For the Old Schoolhouse Crew (TOS Crew) reviews this year, we have received some unusual and fun items including DVDs, study materials for the SAT and ACT test, nature magazines, curriculum, computer games, the Study Pod, educational games and historical fiction books.

I have learned that I never really know what might be in my mailbox!

Recently, I opened the mailbox and found a box that smelled really good! When we opened it, we found a sampler package of cute little handcrafted soaps from “Virginia Soaps and Scents”.

Adorable Packaging!

The Spargur family asked us to have our families use these samples and to let you know about them. I can tell you that we have used these free products with great enthusiasm! The scents were mild, relaxing and natural and the soaps lasted. (I still have some left!)

 Here is what we used:

Laundry soap kit (real laundry soap – not detergent)

A Soap Sampler which contained sample sized bars of a Ginger Lime scented Shampoo Bar as well as “Coconut Lemongrass”, “Fresh Orange”, and “Oatmeal, Milk and Honey” scented hand and body bars.

The soaps are all made from natural ingredients! They are gentle and non-drying. The scents were very nice. I used the shampoo bar and I even used the soaps for shaving with great results. I liked the fact that these were handcrafted by this Homeschooling family!

Documentation : My Hair After the First Shampoo Bar I ever Used! 

My favorite though, is the laundry soap.

Once we mixed it all up, it made a ½ gallon from our sample kit and it was really easy. If you have always wanted to try making your own laundry soap, you should get the kit and see how fun it is! It really wasn’t as time consuming as I thought it would be. Once the laundry soap had turned into a nice gel, we used it for every load. It was quite an event to see the liquid turn into a gel (I know- we don't get out much-lol!).

I used it on our whites, on damp musty towels, and on jeans with red clay stains from the yard. But the ultimate test was the kittens!  We were fostering some 3 week old kittens temporarily and so I used it to wash load after load of their bedding and boy did it freshen and clean it perfectly! 

 The Ultimate Laundry Test...

Boys and Kittens!

I consider the laundry soap they sell a great value at only $4.95 (plus shipping) for a kit that will make 2 gallons. Tide costs a lot more, has a lot of stuff in it we don't need and doesn't really get my clothes any cleaner. We only had to use ½ cup on each load of laundry we did. I thought that I might need more on the larger loads, but the ½ C. did just as well on the large loads as on the medium ones!

The soaps are also a good value. Natural, non-drying and long lasting- plus they smell delicious! You can get them here http://www.va-soaps.com/vss_004.htm

(Prices for the Regular sized 4.5 oz bars are $ 4.50 each or 3 for $12.00 and they even offer sample sets so you can try all the scents 12, 1.5 oz bars for $18.00)

They have lots of other natural, personal care items that are also made with the same care and attention as the samples that we received.

Some of their items would make wonderful gifts as well! (hint, hint!)

Find them here : http://www.va-soaps.com/vss_013.htm

 PS - I am still using the shampoo bar- I do have to use my conditioner with this because I have that frizzy wavy hair, but I just blow dried it for the picture above and didn't style it at all. I got a couple of compliments on my hair and no one even knew I had changed anything at all :)

 Glamour Girl -Out for now!

Merit K