SMF

Been using a body wash, but think it has been drying me out. Got a bar of Mitchell's Wool Fat to use, thinking it is close to all natural and the lanolin would be moisturizing.

Saw a Pre de Provence soap, and it also has that big block of Olive Oil Soap. I think an Aleppo soap is the same genre but with laurel oil. Read the ingredients of the American style of Yardley soaps and it has petroleum as an ingredient and some chemicals, almost the same stuff as Irish Springs soap, which I do like. I liked the Yardley and while not overly concerned about its ingredients, was wondering if going away from that and trying to get all natural ingredients might be better. Than again, I know someone who went with an all natural underarm deodarant (Schmitts) to get away from the aluminum in an anti perspirant and then the chemicals in the deodarant, and developed cysts with pus.

Anyone compare a Mitchell's Wool Fat to the marseille style of soap? Use it on the hair and if so, work okay, leave it oily, or what? Are the smaller, rectangular Pre de Provence bars worth it or just get that big old cube of it.

I've used up a couple of bars of soap bought in Aleppo, just before the place went to hell. Highly scented, but just like any other olive oil soap. I've made a batch of olive oil soap, but while it isn't drying, it isn't wildly moisturising either.

I find many soaps are good for washing hair, as long as they aren't too good at removing oils - if it leaves the hair squeaky clean, the scalp will reply with an excess of sebum secretion. We spent a few nights in a rented cottage this summer, and I ended up using Dove soap for washing hair and it worked remarkably well!

Chris

Walmart had Kirk's Castille and I am going to try that. Seems that it is like any of the artisanal soaps. Wonder if the Marseille-style cube is somehow "better" in that it may have more olive oil as a base?

Sam, Kirk's Castille soap feels really nice on the skin, but it actually dries it.

That's my experience, anyway, and I think I saw someone else post that once, as well.

- Murray

PS. My question would be: Is there really such a thing as a moisturizing soap?
My impression is that there is not. Soap dissolves oils and fats, so it just seems that it would be drying, by definition.
I haven't found a soap that is truly moisturizing, so I have looked for soap that dries the least.

I have been using the Neutrogena transparent facial bar in the shower. Though it is used up very quickly, it is very skin-friendly. I also like Cetaphil bath soap.

About twelve years ago I tried the Savon de Marseilles soap and found out it really dried my skin. I think it has a lot of glycerin in it also which my skin did not like. Used it to shampoo as well and it wound up making my hair like straw after a while.

Went back to the Yardley and tried Mitchells, both were wonderful.

Fast forward to the last few years and I've been using what the wife has been using and recommended me to try: Dove unscented.

I really like it and so does my skin. Though I rarely use it to shampoo it does an OK job there too. There's no drying of the skin and no irritation whatsoever. I'm sticking with it until I tire of it.

Chris

I have two Mitchell's. If Kirk soap ends up drying I will use the MWF and Yardley I guess. Can't imagine the Marseille being different than Kirk's

I guess Dr Bronner Castille soap is the same as Kirk?

Anything from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's worth it?

Sam, found at whole foods but currently buying via amzn because WF's stopped selling it....Nubian goat milk and chai. Ingredients: https://postimg.cc/p9GD8Bg2

i rotate between this, mwf vinolia and yardley, although after reading Murray's comment, Im going to buy a bar neutrogena and use it instead of the yardley

clive

Used Kirks this morning. lathered up like crazy. I had read something about someone using the puff buff/loofah and swiping the soap on that and then using that to bathe. It was okay, but really, the soap bar lathered up really well. Slight smell at first, but nothing that lasts. So far okay. I could switch between that and Yardleys I think. Yardleys has a few more chemicals (tetrasodium EDTA, and then that petrolateum) that the Kirks does not have, and I have read that Petrolateum can clog pores but I guess, since it is soap, it rinses away and I am overthinking it.

I used the Kirk's for a while while we were still in Georgia. I liked it, never really noticed that it dried my skin, though. I remember that someone mentioned Kirk's being good for the body, but poor for the face (really old SMF thread).

Up until a few weeks ago I was using MWF bar soap. Very nice - but I can't say I felt more, or less, moisturized. And, of course - quite expensive.

My local CVS offers the Yardley lavender - in a two-pack. So far so good with it.