This is a general article on soap but it does raise an interesting discussion about soap ingredients. http://www.wellsphere.com/general-medicine-article/whatever-happened-to-soap/1136834
That's interesting, and it's gotten me wanting to read up and learn about the history of soap. I try to strike a good balance between keeping it simple and finding something that has the proper ingredients to fight those problems it mentioned of soap scum and causing dryness of the skin. Before this whole wet shaving/grooming obsession descended over me, my method was to go to the dollar store, hit the soap aisle, and look at the prices on the rack. The largest amount of soap for the lowest price overall, that's how I decided. As a result, my skin was always terribly dry and felt awful when I got out of the shower. Now I use better quality soaps (sometimes $6 a bar--ouch), which have a minimum of ingredients but still is moisturizing and smells great. Everybody wins (except my bank account).
When I first saw the title, I thought it was a title to an old soap opera, "Whatever Happened to Soap?" Tune in tomorrow for the next thrilling episode of, "Whatever Happened to Soap?"
Great posting there gary good reading, i like to learn something new most days if possible. (Ishould start reading soap ingredients)
There is one error in the article though, when it says that Palmolive was an "all-oil" soap made without the use of an alkali...all soap has to be made with an alkali (lye), otherwise it's just...oil!
Correct. It is a chemical impossibility to make soap without one. ut, since i don't want to handle one at home, I just make my own from all-natural Melt & Pour bases.
Checked, I didn't know this either. There are natural occurring soaps! One is: "There are a number of plants that are high in saponin, or the component that makes them good cleansers. Many grow in California or in arid areas, but there is one that grows throughout the U.S. and can be grown in most climates. The plant I'm referring to is Bouncing Bet, otherwise known as soapwort or Saponaria officinalis. It's a very pretty, perennial plant and is worth planting for it's beauty as well as to have on hand, just in case. Plus, the flowers smell like cloves, if that's something that appeals to you. Once established, the plant can be invasive, so you'll want to keep an eye on it. Basically, you harvest soapwort in the late summer to fall to be used fresh or dried for later "soapmaking". "
When I began wet shaving, I begin also reviewing my grooming habits. I made the switch back to using bar soap, at first it was the mass produced bar soap. Then I begin using a more natural bar soap. I am glad I made the change.
My skin gets so dry in the wintertime that I use soap with glycerin in it. Otherwise my skin will itch and flake. I have to order it. It's my understanding that soap makers originally had it in soaps but have since removed it.
The commonly found "name brand" mass produced soaps leave gunk behind on your skin, as well as drying it out. Definitely not good if you have acne, as I found out many moons ago. Kirk's Hardwater Castile soap used to be quite good, but they seemed to have changed the formulation when the moved production to the US. Savon de Marseille olive oil soap is also good and moisturizing. It even makes a decent shave soap!
Wavyleaf soap plant is another one that grows in California. It is a native, and so not invasive. They are easy to spot as the wavy leaves are quite distinct.
