What Do You Look for in a Soap?

I have a confession.

I cannot use scented soap on my face or body.

I also do not like any 'weird' ingredients in my soap unless I am exfoliating.

I started making my own soap because it seemed that everything was irritating my 'red head' Irish skin.

Now, I am a soap and water girl from way back. I do not use commercial cleansers - ever. And guess what? The same people who preach "no soap" are amazed when they see my skin. :)))

Most women are aware of the soap vs skin cleanser debate. So many people tell you to not use soap on your face. 

Handcrafted soap is different. 

Handcrafted soap retains the natural glycerin which is typically siphoned off by the big commercial brands and sold as a by-product. Big companies then dump chemicals into the soap batter to create lots of bubbles. Then comes the artificial fragrance, colors, preservatives and who knows what else?

It is the lack of glycerin, the combination of drying oils (yes, some oils can be drying if the recipe is not well-proportioned) and the chemicals that make your skin feel like sandpaper. This starts the cycle of wash and then slather moisturizers (which can also have lots of junk that your skin does not like or need).

Skin is the largest organ of your body and will absorb anything you put on it. Be careful.

I realize that I am in the minority, but I do not select a soap based on scent, unless it is for hand-washing. Oddly, my first inclination is to still pick up soap bars and smell them.

I love to appreciate olfactory delights! Also, I am a bit of a fragrance snob (as in commercial toiletries). I despise "badly" scented perfumes, colognes and oils. Ick. I get headaches and nausea from inferior scents.

I am not opposed to good fragrance oils, although my preference is for essential oils. Most of the time, my soap blends both with good results.

So - I get my post-wash fragrance fix in fragrance oils or sprays that I create myself and I leave my personal soap unscented. I also love to mix a current favorite scent with raw coconut oil or raw shea butter and use that as a scented body lotion or cream.

This leads me to ask the question - What Do You Look for in a Soap?

My personal  favorite is an unscented, creamy, high performance soap. High performance for me means that the soap should cleanse, but not irritate my skin. My skin should feel lightly moisturized, never stripped or tight.

I like "Butter Cream" or "Vata" from my own line. "Butter Cream" is a coconut cream and raw, organic cocoa butter base with palm and castor oils. Clients tell me that it will remove eye makeup! "Vata" is stuffed with good-for-you ingredients like jojoba, avocado, almond, apricot kernel oils and raw, organic shea butter. So soothing for skin on the dry side!

There are many soap artisans who make luscious soap that is unscented and coddling. Why don't you try a bar or two?

My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla. But those indulgent calories had better come in the form of an extremely high quality product - no fake anything - thank you very much.

This mandate goes for my soap too.

In Love, Truth and Beauty.....