Friday, June 23, 2017

Why Handmade Soap Is So Much Better For Your Skin


The first time I remember using homemade soap is when I was a little girl. For Christmas, a  friend of mine named Susie gave me a small ball of brown soap. She had wrapped it herself.  It looked like someone had carefully pressed it together, like a ball of dough. Susie's family was always making things that I had never heard of, like apple butter. They had a lot of girls in that family, and their own swimming  pool. I loved spending time over there. It was exciting and fun. We got to play our record albums and dance in the living room.  I made up  a Jazz dance for us to the song Jesus Is Just All Right With Me. I thought it was a funny combination: rock and roll and a song about Jesus. Susie's sister reclined in the easy chair and watched us. She told us that she thought it was good. I felt elated. Susie and I repeated the dance about ten times, while  her cool, teenage sister lounged,  nodded, and sang along. 

I still remember being fascinated by that soap, and the fact that they had made it themselves. Looking back on it, it was probably hot processed.  I think they made their own ice cream, too, which really impressed me. I used that ball of soap at home in our bathroom sink, to wash my hands. I liked it. It felt different than the soaps that my parents bought at the store. It was kind of slimy, and  it turned tan after a few uses. I wondered what it would be like to make my own soap. I somehow knew at the time that it was better quality, even though I was only thirteen. It just felt different. The desire to make soap was planted in my mind, like a seed.


Before embarking on my soap making journey, I did a few years of  reading and research. Everyone raved about how much better handmade soap is for your skin. I found that my skin responded positively, as well. After shaving,  I didn't have flaky, scaly,  dry skin on my legs anymore. In the warm weather, I didn't even need to use lotion. If I washed with my own soap, my whole  body felt and looked like it had been moisturized. I was very impressed.

Store bought soap, or body bars, don't contain any  natural glycerine. It's removed and sold to cosmetics companies for use in  lotion. That's why if you wash your face with a bar of soap from the grocery store, it feels so tight and dry afterward. You're using detergent, and it is harsh with chemicals.


I use my goat's milk soap and olive oil soaps on my face now. I just love how silky they make the skin feel. It's entirely different than that pulled sensation I got from using Dial, Ivory, and Dove. My father told me that after he started using the soaps that I made for him, all of the little scabs he had on his face disappeared. He was amazed. He had been having those tiny liver spots removed at the dermatologist for years. He was excited to show his doctor  the difference.

It's interesting how just simple ingredients are so much healthier and more nourishing. I look forward to using my soaps every morning and evening. It never becomes old. I still find it so exciting. It's like a secret discovery. Do you still get excited to use homemade soaps?   

2 comments:

  1. such a lovely, evocative post...yes I still make soap and it's readily received by family and friends xx

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  2. Really? Thank you Sue. So glad to hear that you are still making soap. I bet your friends and family appreciate it.

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