Soap is not always healthy! It dries out your skin and it can sometimes bring on the early symptoms of skin conditions such as eczema. It’s something that is not always thought of in our everyday lives because soap is often connected to killing bacteria and that’s surely a good thing. However, soaps can harm the skin by lifting the natural oils from the surface and allowing bacteria to enter. Unless you have very lubricated skin, you will want to hear about the alternatives to soap that you can start using now.
Bath clay
Clay is a great alternative to soap because it has a few things going for it that soap does not. Firstly, it is smooth and doesn’t need to be lathered up like soap. Clay is also able to kill bacteria and yet, not lift the oils off your skin. Clay is used in many beauty spas around the world for these very reasons. You can mix it with pure water, or perhaps herbal water. You may also find that a more vigorous cleansing with clay is achieved by mixing it with apple cider vinegar and or Greek yogurt. It’s also been linked to retaining more water in your skin because of its thicker nature that is like an ointment.
Seaweed solution
Soaps as we know them, are pretty much giant solid balls of chemicals. However, seaweed soap is a brilliant alternative. Made from Japanese Wakame seaweed, this soap is made out of shea butter, coconut oil, distilled water, olive oil and a touch of green mica. The key to this soap is, it’s not filled with chemicals and uses traditional ingredients that have stood the test of time. This is a vegan non-milk-based soap which might be something of importance to you depending on your values and or diet. It is also filled with vitamins, particularly vitamin B, which boosts energy levels and brain activity.
Full fat yogurt!?
Dairy products are great for skincare because they are able to wipe away dead skin cells as well as the abundance of natural oils. What yogurt does is nourish the skin, particularly with vitamin C, making the skin tougher. There is also protein and vitamin E in yogurt, giving your skin dexterity, hydration and strength to flex, stretch and bend. Full fat yogurt can also be mixed with things such as seeds to act as a scrub. You can also mix yogurt with sugar to have the same effect.
Cleansing oils
Essential oils have become a normal part of our lives, but they’re not just for luxury. They can be used, sparingly, every day while you shower. Just a couple or a few drops will be fine as it’s very concentrated. Essential oils like lavender, coconut, olives and peppermint, act as deep cleansing agents which rejuvenate the pores and aid the skin in healing.
Soaps can be swapped for something else and you can still remain clean and smelling great. These are just some of the alternatives, can you find any others?
The Bitter Lemon 