RAISING THE BAR
…OF SOAP!

If you are one of those people who are often tempted to buy the cheapest soap off the shelf then this feature is for you. How can you spend a ton of money on expensive creams while using the same type of soap for years? Remember that your skin is between 15 to 20 percent of your total weight and its health is the result of your daily beauty regimen. It is, therefore, time to take care your of body’s largest organ with love and find for it the perfect soap.

Gamila Secret organic bar, also called the Magic Soap is Madonna´s choice.  The recipe of this famous product made in Galilee includes 80 percent of olive oil, Shea butter and avocado oil.

BEAUTY OF THE BAR

Pear and Pink Magnolia Triple Milled Soap by Crabtree & Evelyn is a vegetable-based soap formulated without mineral oil, parabens, phthalates or propylene glycol.

Moms and grandmothers aren´t old fashioned rather well-informed when they defend the bars. The only advantage in liquid presentations is that they are generally more hygienic for families, as the distributor system prevents direct contact with the dose that you will use. But a traditional bar has very powerful washing agents, hence providing a unique feeling of cleanliness. Be selfish and keep your own personal soap. To be extra careful buy a plastic box and keep the soap covered. No other cosmetic approaches you as intimately as the soap with which you wash up: it glides over the skin and purifies your body and it’s important for it to be pure and clean. Remember that the best tools to wash your face and body with are your hands. Sponges and loofahs stay moist for a long time and are real nests of microbes.

TIME TO TURN VEGETARIAN

Do you dream of smooth, rosy and radiant skin? If you do then you should take this seriously and become super picky when buying soap. And step one is to be sure that it does not contain animal fat; this is a good time to turn vegetarian! Don’t panic: animal fat is not dangerous at all but it forms an oily film over the skin and clogs the pores. Not all mass-produced soaps are bad, but you must know that their soap base is grease and laboratories obtain low-cost fat from cattle (most of the time cows). How to detect it? Read the labels. Soap manufactured from animal fat is called ‘sodium tallowate.’ If you really care about your skin, invest a little more and be sure that the ingredients are of plant origin.

Clarins Savon Doux is a certified organic bar for the face and body. It contains 99 percent natural ingredients and leaves the skin feeling fresh and delicately scented with its aromatic essences.

DON’T TRUST THE FLUFF

I know that television ads sell us a good soap by showing off a lot of foam and your biggest disappointment is shower time without a bubble party. But let me tell you that in most Pakistani homes the water is hard and contains dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium that reduce the foaming of natural formulations. If your soap foams in a crazy way it is a clear indication that it´s a bomb of artificial additives!

YOUR SOAP CAN HYDRATE YOUR SKIN

The Body Shop Olive Soap is not tested on animals, has a moisturizing formula, which contains organic olive oil produced by their Italian Community Trade partner, which leaves skin clean and soft.

Is your body thirsty? It probably is. And remember that if you go too far with a harsh detergent soap, your cleaning regime will probably remove essential natural oils that provide immunity and protection to your skin. Please, choose a 100 percent vegetable glycerin bar. It is a small investment but allows you to skip the body cream. Glycerin used to be a classic ingredient in soaps but most soap companies have removed it from their formulation because it dramatically increases the costs. You certainly know them, because those soaps used to be a bit transparent and were sold as popular gifts. As they had a lower pH than others, they helped the skin retain its natural humidity and were hygroscopic; they helped moisturize the skin by attracting water from the air.

The Rolls-Royce of the cleaners is the Aleppo Syrian soap, which is made according to a method developed forty centuries ago. In copper pots, the soap makers cook water, soda, olive and laurel oil together. The dough is cut into pieces and dried for nine months in the open air, which gives it its remarkable longevity and a unique dry and rough appearance. It is hypoallergenic and works for the face, body and hair and also treats acne, eczema or psoriasis. If you haven’t scheduled a trip to Syria, go to a natural products store and ask for olive oil soap. It is a must!

STAY CLOSE TO NATURE

If your skin is allergic or sensitive be sure that the soap’s aroma comes from natural ingredients. Just keep in mind that soap with essential oils, suitable for aromatherapy, has a higher price. In this case the scent provides a true moment of pleasure in the shower, indeed as it does have certain therapeutic properties. Otherwise, the cheapest soaps employ petroleum-based synthetic compounds to add scent. If you want to maintain your skin balance go for products marked ‘without perfume’ or ‘fragrance free’ to indicate that no fragrance has been added. A product labelled ‘unscented’ might actually mask its presence.

Bioderma Atoderm Pain is a purifying fragrance-free bar for the face and body. It restores natural lipids and is perfect for severe and recurrent cutaneous dryness and reactive and irritated zones.