When is Soap NOT Soap

Many of us went to the grocery store and bought bath soap, face soap and soap with special ingredients like cold cream or soap that was "pure". We believed what we read and that this soap or that soap was good for our skin or a certain skin condition. What we didn't know was that much of what we thought we knew was hype.

When I started down the path to soapmaking, it was an eye opener to discover that many of the commercial soaps were actually detergent. The reason that they were considered detergent was that many commercial soap makers remove the glycerin from the soap and sell it to lotion makers. It is definitely a profitable business for them. So how does this affect you? Without glycerin, soap is not soap, it is detergent. So that is why your skin sometimes feel like it is "crazing and cracking" after you wash your face with commercial soap. It also is why you need to slather your body with lotion after a shower.

Recently, on one of the soap groups, a woman named Laura gave us an explanation of what was in a very popular "soap" that you can buy at the grocery and discount stores. Here is the discussion which started with a question:

Q: I've noticed some commerical soaps leave a film on my skin, some feel slippery and some feel as if its left some sort of film on my skin (no slip at all). I like the way X baby soap (liquid) or (a commercial soap with cold cream) feels (like nothing really). Now that I'm starting to make my own soap Iwould like to know what may cause the soaps to feel that way.

A from Laura: "I just did a speech on this so I can help you out. I compared a commercial soap with cold cream to handmade soaps. (sorry, no clue on the baby soap, never used it and knowing what I know now about commercial soaps, I'm sorry I did) I was very, very, very limited on time so this is incredibly brief.Here's part of my speech that addresses how commercial soap works on your skin. I began my listing ingredients in the commercial soap and told the audience that we were looking for ingredients that were good for your skin. Then, I said in an "ah-ha" type of moment that I found one...Water!
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Here are the ingredients: Sodium Lauroyl (can be an irritant, foamer), Isethionate (synthetic detergent), Stearic Acid (hardener).Sodium Tallowate (beef fat), Lauric Acid (slightly irritating to mucous membranes), Sodium Isethionate (detergent), Water, Sodium Stearate (chemical from Stearic Acid and salt), Cocamidoproply Betain (surfactant ), Sodium Cocoate (result of lye and coconut oil), Fragrance, Sodium Chloride (salt), Tetrasodium Etidronate (water softener), Trisodium Etidronate(water softener), Titanium Dioxide (whitener)

Problems caused by commercial soap - Squeaky clean skin is something I'm sure you've all noticed. But it's not actually squeaky clean, it's stripped skin.To quote Dermstore in their Top 10 Skin Myths, 'The ingredients used to make commercial soap into a hard bar are usually too harsh. The cleansing agents, particularly the ones often combined with antibacterial compounds and formulated as deodorant soaps, are generally too drying and irritating for most skin types. While it may feel squeaky clean, the reality is that you've stripped essential oils and moisture off the surface of your skin. When you strip the oils off of your skin, this affects the pH balance of your skin and leaves it vulnerable to allergens and skin issues such as eczema and dermatitis. Skin is the largest organ on your body and when it hurts, you hurt. Oftentimes skin issues cannot be resolved. Interestingly enough, many people with skin problems have found relief using handmade soap.' Something to think about."

Now handcrafted soap, whether from Sunflower Hill or others, has all the beneficial glycerin and other qualities so that your skin feels wonderful when you use it. It doesn't strip the essential oils and moisture from your skin but instead, since glycerin is a humectant which means it absorbs moisture from the air, actually continues to work to attract moisture to your skin.

Please consider this discussion as you way what personal care products are right for you.