Beer. If you live in Wisconsin like we do, beer might be one of your favorite things. The state has a rich history of beer making, going back over a century to some of the earliest German immigrants. But did you know that beer's beautiful, fluffy, foamy suds are just as good in the shower as they are at the top of a pint glass?
Now, I can be a bit of a skeptic because I see a lot of snake oil-like claims about soap additives, and research is lacking. I'm always going to include this disclaimer when I write about our soap ingredients because in case you missed it, lots of soap producers will claim their additives (turmeric, goat milk, water collected from a pool in an Elm stump under the last full moon of Autumn) can cure everything from cancer to Republicanism (or Liberalism, depending on how you roll). But I will say this: the experiences of our customers, and our own experiences, cannot be ignored, and there are some good theories that suggest why certain soap additives are beneficial.
Dayspring Farm's goat milk + beer soap has become our most popular line, because our customers have discovered that the combination of beer and goat milk in soap is a match made in heaven. Beer increases lather in soap, which means that even out here at the farm where our water is so hard it practically leaves stalagmites in the tub, we still get fluffy, bubbly lather from our soap.
Beer contains hops. Hops contain amino acids that soften skin and hair (yes, you can use our beer soaps in your hair and here at the farm we do, every day. If you have colored or treated hair, check with your stylist first, but nearly every day a customer tells us how great their hair and scalp feel after using one of our beer soaps as a shampoo bar). I used to tease The Soap Guy (my husband, who has a glorious beard) saying "kissing you is like kissing a shoe brush," because his beard was rough and bristly. Now that he uses beer soap from head to toe, I can't tease him anymore. And those same amino acids leave hair with a glowing shine.
Beer in soap can also contribute to general skin health. Hops contribute tannins, which are anti-inflammatory and soothe irritated skin. Brewers yeast in beer is antibacterial (so is goat milk, by the way), so acne-prone skin often benefits from beer soap use. Low levels of vitamin B are associated with dry skin, dermatitis and overall poor skin health. What is beer rich in? B vitamins.
Combine these potential benefits from our favorite brews with fresh raw goat milk (with its luxurious moisturizing, its antimicrobial properties, beneficial nutrients, and that beautiful caprylic fatty acid), and you might ask "why isn't everyone doing this?" Well, we don't know either, but here at Dayspring Farm we are doing it! We are using high quality local craft beer (we couldn't use just any brew in a Dayspring Farm soap) from Amery Ale Works to bring you all the benefits of beer in your beer and goat milk soap. Try goat milk and beer soap for yourself and let us know what you think.