handcrafted soap

[gcal]

Dry skin is the problem. Olive oil soap is the solution. I love richly scented handmade artisan soaps made with olive oil. I thought I'd find shops offering them every 20 feet in the tourist and artsy areas we often frequent. No such luck. I have had to resort to buying commercial products which aren't nearly decadent feeling to use. Next time we are back home near our favorite Florida tourist trap, I am going to stock up.

 

[Queen]

I hear you, I live and breathe this soap: http://www.justsoap.com/ It feels so good, and it doesn't tear up my allergis-to-everything-under-the-sun skin. Good soap is a slice of heaven.

 

[gcal]

I hear you, I live and breathe this soap: http://www.justsoap.com/  It feels so good, and it doesn't tear up my allergis-to-everything-under-the-sun skin. Good soap is a slice of heaven.

I will give this a try.

 

[Diesel4Life]

Ever hear of Kirk's Natural Castile Soap? Very inexpensive all natural ingredients and is even available in a fragrance free version, they have been making it since 1893. For reference; http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kirk-s-Original-Coco-Castile-Bar-Soap-4-oz-3-count/22257750 I have been using it for years, and also have used it to address sensitive and other skins issues with family and friends.

And also multi useful as well;
Washing your hair.
Shaving.
Washing clothes.
Washing dishes.
And yes even brushing your teeth.
And many others as well.

 

[kayell]

If your area has any, try some middle-eastern groceries. I've found full olive oil soap at fantastically good prices. Usually unscented (light olive oil scent), sometimes with lavender.

Re: Kirk's Natural Castile Soap - great stuff, but it's pretty drying because of the pure coconut oil content. Coconut oil makes for great sudsing and cleaning but horrid moisturizing.

Good quality artisan soap doesn't last terribly long. I'd recommend no more than 6 months supply tops on pure olive oil soap under travel conditions, quite likely less in the SW. You might consider making your own if it's hard to find locally - it's not hard, just exacting in measuring and following safety procedures. IMO http://www.millersoap.com/ has the best information to learn to make soap.

 

[Diesel4Life]

kayell,

Never heard anyone say that before about Kirks natural coconut soap being drying, I've been using it for years, family friends women men. Never heard anyone mention that. Do you have hard water in your area?

 

[kayell]

kayell,

Never heard anyone say that before about Kirks natural coconut soap being drying, I've been using it for years, family friends women men. Never heard anyone mention that. Do you have hard water in your area?

I used it for years too and it worked wonderfully when I had oily skin. As I've gotten older, less drying oil bases are much easier on my skin. I'm assuming this is also so for the OP from what was written.

Where I live now has hard water, and where I used to live had soft water. Coconut oil helps suds, so at least some added coconut oil soap in hard water areas is desirable. Pure olive oil soaps in hard water areas can get kind of gooey and don't suds well. Soapers usually make blends of various oils for particular uses and the water in their area. When I lived in a soft water area and made soaps for relatives with hard water I had to increase the coconut oil percentage or the soaps would be disappointing. 

If you're interested in more details, go here: http://www.millersoap.com/soapdesign.html#Properties This lists the properties of different fatty acids and below that is a table with the percentage of fatty acids in many different oils. Coconut oil is especially high in lauric and myristic acids - both very good for cleansing and lathering. Olive oil is high in oleic acid which is great for conditioning aka moisturizing. Typically my bars were high in olive oil with coconut oil secondary, and superfatted with either almond oil or cocoa butter.

Another possibility - I don't remember Kirk's having glycerin in it, although I might have simply forgotten. If it is a recent add, glycerin would help with the drying problem. The other possibility is that Kirk's soap compared to many detergent bars (almost all commercial "soaps" are actually detergent) would be easier on the skin.

 

[Queen]

I used Kirks for years but a few years after menopause it started causing burning and irritation in my nether regions. I understand our skin thins and dries as we age so I'm guessing that was the issue.

 

[Diesel4Life]

Kayell,

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply with such a thorough explanation as to why you have changed to another primary oil based soap, and yes Kirks includes the glycerin in their soap. Great topic and thread of discussion. Over the years I have dabbled from time to time making soaps, often with local goat milk I have access to at times. Great fun but so many interest and so little time.

 

[Diesel4Life]

Queen,

Yes it is a fact that as we age we do experience a loss of colllagen and elastin, so I think your guess is spot on.