May 17th, 2013

So, what exactly is “soap”? After all, we’ve heard of large corporations try to downplay their effectiveness, saying their “beauty bars”, “body bars” and “bath bars” are far superior. They claim that their formulas are super moisturizing, gentle for your skin and aren’t ‘drying’ like soap.

The official definition of soap is “a substance used for washing and cleansing purposes, usually made by treating a fat with an alkali, as sodium or potassium hydroxide, and consisting chiefly of
the sodium or potassium salts of the acids contained in the fat.” The chemical reaction of these ingredients mixing and forming soap and glycerin itself is called saponification. When this happens correctly, no lye (sodium hydroxide) remains.

Soap’s been made this way for centuries.  There are soaps for the face, body, hair, pets, household purposes- you name it! But are all soaps created equally? No, and neither are they “bad” or excessively drying – if you chose the right kind.

Commercial soaps, like Dove, Dial, Irish Spring, Caress, Lever 2000, or Ivory are available everywhere for very low prices. Some of them were marketed as deodorant soaps, and these could be especially drying to your skin. Soaps like these are better classified as detergents. You know, the stuff you use to wash your clothes and dishes.  They can also include tons of preservatives, cheap synthetic fillers, and fragrances that can flare up allergies and sensitivities in some people.

The alternative? Using handmade soap, or soaps with pure ingredients. Not only are they gentler than those harsh detergent bars, but they are usually much more moisturizing, come in a variety of scents, and last much longer than the average drugstore bar. Below, I’ll briefly discuss 5 reasons why these soaps are just all-around better than the commercial stuff.



GARDEN of  BEAUTYS BLOG~ I love this BLOG!! ~ READ MORE HERE : http://www.gardenofbeauty.net/5-reasons-why-natural-handmade-soaps-are-better-than-commercial/