Remember the days when everyone had a bar of soap by the bathroom sink? Popular brands were Imperial Leather and Pears. Even carbolic soap was loved by many.
But now most of the bars of soap have disappeared, having been replaced with liquids. Jump into the shower and you reach for the shower gel with no bar soap insight. But changes are afoot. Bars of natural soap are very much back in vogue, mainly because people are realising that using bar soap is the way forward. We’re not talking the mass-produced budget supermarket brands but quality soaps made from premium ingredients such as shea butter and olive oil.
Let’s examine a few of the reasons why:
- Detergents in disguise – because they are packaged so attractively, we forget that most of the liquid soaps and body washes are actually detergents. The bubbles are produced by chemical petroleum by-products called surfactants. They dry out the skin and generally disrupt the natural balance e. The skin’s protective barrier is destroyed and people can end up with things like eczema, particularly on the hands which are washed many times a day.
- Your skin suffers – a good soap will contain moisturising agents such as glycerine. This is known as a humectant and it helps retain moisture. The cheaper soaps contain detergent instead or have the glycerine content removed to create a lotion as in the liquid soaps that are so popular.
- Preservative-free – bar soaps do not need to have preservatives added to keep them fresh. On the other hand, all liquid-type soaps such as hand washes and shower gels containing water have preservatives added. Whilst they may not all be harmful to you, why take the risk? They are also not good for sea life.
- Long-lasting – by allowing your bar soap to dry between uses, it will last between 4 – 6 weeks. Compare this to liquid soaps and shower gels that you have to replace weekly and you will see why bar soap helps you save money too.
- Forget the plastic – bar soap does not need a plastic wrapping. Liquid soaps all come contained within a plastic bottle. By not buying plastic, you are going one step better than recycling as you are actually refusing. Using bar soap means that you are not paying for expensive rubbish that will be thrown away.
If you look at the old soap adverts from back in the day, you will see that the quality bars were extremely popular. Liquid soap pushed them out of the market because of its pretty plastic packaging and ease of use. But when you buy liquid, you are paying for a great deal of water whereas correctly cured bar soap has very little water left in it.
Our mums and grandmothers were wise when they purchased bar soaps for their families. You can place a bar by the washbasin to wash hands as well as using in the shower. Shampoo bars will last for up to 80 hair washes, outlasting your current shampoo. They also contain good moisturising ingredients such as castor oil so will not strip your hair and leave it dry.
With bar soap having so much going for it, make today the time that you switch. It’s definitely the way of the future.
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