# Soap or not soap, that is the question ?



## Relle (Oct 12, 2019)

Makes you wonder what the person standing next to you does. On a hot day you know who's got deodorant on or not. I know I feel yuck, until I have my shower WITH soap. Have a read ......

https://www.manrepeller.com/2019/10/giving-up-soap.html


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## shunt2011 (Oct 12, 2019)

Interest read for sure. Thanks for sharing!  I think I’ll continue to use my soap. Don’t think I’d be willing to even try to get through that transitional time to see if it’s true.  Definitely a interesting read and thought.


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## Cellador (Oct 12, 2019)

I saw a similar article about dog skin care. It basically said that the stinky dog smell was due to people washing their dogs too often, stripping their pets' skin of it's natural ability to regulate oil production & smell. But...my dog loves to roll in God-knows -what, so I still bathe her every couple of weeks.


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## Obsidian (Oct 12, 2019)

Thats a hard pass for me. I know people who don't use deodorant or shampoo their hair. 

They don't think they smell but they do.


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## Mistrael (Oct 18, 2019)

I'm amused and horrified. I have a teenage boy, 2 pre-teen girls, 2 dogs, a husband who works an assembly line, and a very sensitive nose. Nope nope nope!!


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## cmzaha (Oct 18, 2019)

Obsidian said:


> Thats a hard pass for me. I know people who don't use deodorant or shampoo their hair.
> 
> They don't think they smell but they do.


After being a cosmetologist for over 30 yrs I will verify hair stinks when not shampooed regulary. Especially when warm water hits it. Grossssssss


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## Arimara (Oct 18, 2019)

Yeah... That would not work for me at all. I can honestly say that since I do not have to shave but every two weeks, that leaves twice a month for shaving cream to be used. That seems a "bit" nasty so this plan is a no. While I can go two weeks without washing my hair (that's pushing it), I'll stick to the once a week-ish schedule I have.


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## Amonik (Oct 19, 2019)

I don’t soap most of my body, only the stinky bits (pits, crotch, feet). I don’t understand the uproar over Taylor Swift not soaping her _legs_. Does anyone do that?

ETA: and of course I wash my hands with soap about a million times a day, because I am a nurse and a mother


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## lsg (Oct 19, 2019)

I'll stick with using soap and regular showers.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Oct 19, 2019)

Amonik said:


> I don’t soap most of my body, only the stinky bits (pits, crotch, feet).



same here except my face gets washed also.  I can not go without washing my hair at least every other day--if my hair isn't clean I feel dirty.  I wonder how long the pioneers went with out washing anything  EWWWW??


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## Nanette (Oct 19, 2019)

Oh I would miss my soapy shower.........and Ive heard more than once the folks who dont think they stink..but really do.


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## Dawni (Oct 20, 2019)

Marilyn Norgart said:


> same here except my face gets washed also


I have a cousin who doesn't soap his face too.. As in no lye based nor syndets. Works for him. I can't. I need to soap lol

Speaking of stink... I notice I do when the soap is scented with FOs. Go figure. One reason most of my soap is unscented, and if I do it's the minimum, even if it is with EOs.

I don't think I can imagine no soap at all.


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## IrishLass (Oct 21, 2019)

I take a full body shower once about every 2nd or 3rd or 4th day (it depends on my activities), where my hair gets a shampoo & conditioning and all my body parts and limbs get a full wash with my handmade bar soap, except for my face, that is, which gets washed with my homemade emulsified oil cleanser. My hair can go for days without being washed, but absolute furthest I can go without washing it is 4 days. If I don't wash it by then, it gets too noticeably oily and I can smell it. Ick!

Certain of my body parts cannot go more than a day without being washed, so on the days in between a full shower, I do what I call an FP&C, where I only wash my *f*ace, *p*its and *c*rotch (my face with my emulsified oil cleanser and my pits and crotch with my soap).

After showering or doing an FP&C, I always apply my homemade deodorant to my pits.



			
				Dawni said:
			
		

> I have a cousin who doesn't soap his face too.. As in no lye based nor syndets. Works for him. I can't. I need to soap lol




If I go without wearing my mineral sunscreeen and waterproof makeup over that, I can get away with using just plain water and a terry-cloth on my face. As a matter of fact, plain water and a terry-cloth was all I used on my face for years until I took to wearing mineral sunscreen and waterproof makeup about a year and a half ago, and it actually worked quite well for me. Unfortunately, plain water and a cloth just aren't able to completely remove all the sunscreen and makeup off my face.




			
				Nanette said:
			
		

> and Ive heard more than once the folks who dont think they stink..but really do



I, too, know people who don't think they stink, but they really do. I've even noticed it with myself when we've gone on a camping trip away from washing facilities. I really can't smell how bad I stink until I get home and take a shower. lol I guess my nose just gets used to the stink when I've been living with it for a number of days (and amongst others who smell just as stinky as me), and I can't really tell how bad it is until it gets cleaned off. lol


IrishLass


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## Microchick (Oct 21, 2019)

My showers are my alone time when I can sing as loud and off-key as I like without having to divert my eyes from dirty looks.  Plus I get to pat myself on the back for creating such a luxurious and artistic bar of soap.
Soap makes my face hurt like h-ll so I now use micellar water (luv it!).



Microchick said:


> My showers are my alone time when I can sing as loud and off-key as I like without having to divert my eyes from dirty looks.  Plus I get to pat myself on the back for creating such a luxurious and artistic bar of soap.
> Soap makes my face hurt like h-ll so I now use micellar water (luv it!).


(I have facial excema)


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## dixiedragon (Oct 21, 2019)

Cellador said:


> I saw a similar article about dog skin care. It basically said that the stinky dog smell was due to people washing their dogs too often, stripping their pets' skin of it's natural ability to regulate oil production & smell. But...my dog loves to roll in God-knows -what, so I still bathe her every couple of weeks.



IMO that's true. I think it's totally bizarre the number of people who wash their dogs on a weekly or monthly basis. It's one thing if they roll in something - that's a necessary bath! I'm on a dog group for a particular toy breed, and a significant percentage of these people are nuts. I can't you how many times I've read, "My dog has itchy, dry skin. She chews and has hotspots. I bathe her every week - what should I do?" The most popular answer btw is to switch to luxury dog food brand. My answer is to stop bathing the dog. My dog gets about 3 baths a year. She always gets a pre-Christmas bath so she is soft and fluffy and white on Christmas day. And she gets an end of summer bath after swimming in the lake all summer. And maybe a late-spring bath to get off the winter coat she's shedding. That's it.


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## amd (Oct 21, 2019)

Because of my uber dry skin (I've mentioned this before, no?) in the winter I shower every third day if I can manage it. It really depends on what's going on with my hair if I shower on the second day or wait till the third. I simply can't shower every day in the winter. Most days I do a "whores bath + feet" and call it good with a full shower every few days. I avoid manual labor like the plague, so I really don't have a lot that gets stinky during the winter. My skin would strangle me to death if I showered daily. Honestly, I probably shouldn't even shower every day in the summer, but, well, you try living in a house with no A/C during a hot Midwest summer and see how that works for you.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Oct 21, 2019)

amd said:


> "whores bath + feet"



hahahaha OMG I have never heard that saying before, for funny


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## Steve85569 (Oct 21, 2019)

Soap.
Daily.
I can't smell my own breathe but that doesn't mean I don't brush my teeth before someone tells me I need to. Same is true for the shower routine.


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## cmzaha (Oct 22, 2019)

I cannot wear makeup anymore due to allergies and have not for years so only use water on my face since my face hates all forms of soap. When I did wear makeup, eye and face I used vaseline to remove it and just wiped it off well followed by a warm rinse. I have always been fortunate to not have big breakout issues on my face and no wrinkles. Yeah, for genetics. I also wear no sunscreen and use no lotion.


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## shunt2011 (Oct 22, 2019)

I too usually shower every other day for the most part. Weekends may be a bit longer.  My body doesn't like everyday and my hair works perfectly this way.  I do wash my face every night as I wear make-up to work. I use my salt bars or micellar facial wipes.


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## Dahila (Oct 22, 2019)

Cellador said:


> I saw a similar article about dog skin care. It basically said that the stinky dog smell was due to people washing their dogs too often, stripping their pets' skin of it's natural ability to regulate oil production & smell. But...my dog loves to roll in God-knows -what, so I still bathe her every couple of weeks.


Dogs are different story.  the optimal time of bath is the most twice a year.   look at the wolves they do not bath ,  no skin problems
I still will use soap and deo, can not imagine to go anywhere taking stink with me,  What about woman jewels,  Do we wash it or not?   I do not believe in no soap
I have one customer who does not wash her hair more than once in two months,  She got my syndet.  Hair hair is awful no shine, no body even the hair is good ; thick
My routine is shower every two days; if possible,  On summertime of course every day but twice a day my jewels and once a day armpits,  Hands probably 40 times a day,  Some washing hands obsession which serves me well .  I had not flue for the last 15 years,  with my COPD it would be difficult to survive,   So washing the hands is probably why i avoid flu


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## Dawni (Oct 22, 2019)

Dahila said:


> What about woman jewels,  Do we wash it or not?


I have to find that article I read once, a long time ago, that recommends not washing em with anything other than plain water, and only if it's necessary. Something about ph, which is why there are such things as ph balanced feminine washes now.

I was horrified to say the least. I use whatever soap I'm using on the rest of my body.... So far no one has complained


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## Dahila (Oct 22, 2019)

Dawni said:


> I have to find that article I read once, a long time ago, that recommends not washing em with anything other than plain water, and only if it's necessary. Something about ph, which is why there are such things as ph balanced feminine washes now.
> 
> I was horrified to say the least. I use whatever soap I'm using on the rest of my body.... So far no one has complained


I am the same, without soap I would feel dirty and stinky )


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## linne1gi (Oct 23, 2019)

I am the most showeriest person here (not a real word!). I shower as soon as I get up.  I usually exercise every morning (yoga or aerobics) so I shower when I get home.  And I always shower before bed.  Hair wash sometimes every day, sometimes I can go 2 days.  I live in South Florida so it's always pretty hot and humid which dictates frequent showers.  Sometimes just walking outside to my car I can work up a good sweat! The whole reason I got into soaping was because my skin was so dry, I was going through a bottle of lotion a week (go figure).  I seldom use lotion anymore, I superfat my soap so that it is lovely on my skin.


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## Dahila (Oct 23, 2019)

linne1gi said:


> I am the most showeriest person here (not a real word!). I shower as soon as I get up.  I usually exercise every morning (yoga or aerobics) so I shower when I get home.  And I always shower before bed.  Hair wash sometimes every day, sometimes I can go 2 days.  I live in South Florida so it's always pretty hot and humid which dictates frequent showers.  Sometimes just walking outside to my car I can work up a good sweat! The whole reason I got into soaping was because my skin was so dry, I was going through a bottle of lotion a week (go figure).  I seldom use lotion anymore, I superfat my soap so that it is lovely on my skin.


on humid hot summer I do the same , showering a few times a day


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## IrishLass (Oct 23, 2019)

Dahila said:


> What about woman jewels,  Do we wash it or not?



Instead of 'FP&C', I think I shall from now on refer to the washing I do on my off-shower days as an 'FP&J'. 'Jewels' sounds much more lady-like and polite than crotch. lol My jewels get washed with soap once a day.   


IrishLass


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## linne1gi (Oct 23, 2019)

That's funny.  In nursing school (40 years ago), we sometimes gave a TPA bath instead of a full wash.  (Tits, pits and ass).


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## Dahila (Oct 23, 2019)

jewels what about under the breast ladies,  it is important to take care of it especially when we have double d


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## linne1gi (Oct 23, 2019)

Dahila said:


> jewels what about under the breast ladies,  it is important to take care of it especially when we have double d


Actually the breasts are specifically mentioned in my TPA bath mentioned above.


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## Dawni (Oct 24, 2019)

Dahila said:


> jewels what about under the breast ladies,  it is important to take care of it especially when we have double d


Double Ds and underwire for support + tropical climate.. Makes for frequent showers lol

Our collection of acronyms are getting interesting lol

I wash my hair maybe twice a week, unless I went out into the pollution, or I did something dirty and/or sweaty here at home. More than that and both my hair n scalp feel weird.

Body showers though.. Twice most days, sometimes thrice. I figure if I'm gonna get wet (TPA or FP&J) anyway, might as well do everything.. Because there's no way I'm not gonna make a mess if I don't stand the full me under the shower head lol


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## linne1gi (Oct 24, 2019)

Daw I! I agree, no point in just doing a half-a$$ed job!


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## dixiedragon (Oct 24, 2019)

amd said:


> Because of my uber dry skin (I've mentioned this before, no?) in the winter I shower every third day if I can manage it. It really depends on what's going on with my hair if I shower on the second day or wait till the third. I simply can't shower every day in the winter. Most days I do a "whores bath + feet" and call it good with a full shower every few days. I avoid manual labor like the plague, so I really don't have a lot that gets stinky during the winter. My skin would strangle me to death if I showered daily. Honestly, I probably shouldn't even shower every day in the summer, but, well, you try living in a house with no A/C during a hot Midwest summer and see how that works for you.



You're the only person besides my mom who uses/knows that expression. Apparently most people say "spit bath" which also sounds sort of yucky, but is better than whore bath. 

Can't believe SMF is letting us use that word.


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## TheGecko (Oct 24, 2019)

We grew up fairly poor...at one point we lived in a house with no indoor plumbing and so picked up the habit of only bathing once a week since water had to be drawn from the well, heated on the stove, poured into a tin tub that Dad brought in from the pack porch.  Clothes washing was done on Saturdays...we had a old winger washer and line dried.  So 'school clothes' were taken off when we got home and carefully hung up and we put on 'play clothes'.  During the summer, we took 'spit' baths before bed...Mom didn't want us getting the sheets all dirty.

I think it was when I was getting the youngest two ready for bed, having just bathed them and put them into clean jammies, that I realized just how wasteful I had become.  Bathing every day, clean jammies and towels every day, clean clothes every day (undies and socks are different).  So I started by bathing every other day, wearing jammies for a week, changing out towels every three days, checking clothing for dirt and rehanging if good.  

I'm in my late 50s now and am not nearly as active as I used to be and work in an office.  I shower once a week and 'wash up' in the middle.  When I get home from work, I change out of my 'work clothes' and put on my jammies.  I do four loads of laundry every two weeks.  I use cold water to wash clothes except for 'whites'; I hang my bras up to dry.  I quit buying 'antibacterial' soaps several years ago.

My electric bill is lower, my water bill is lower, I'm not spending as much on shampoo, conditioner, laundry soap, Bounce sheets, etc.  Our skin and hair isn't as dry.  Our clothes are lasting longer and hubby, who used to get sick twice a year, hasn't gotten sick in three years.   My way isn't for everyone or every circumstance.


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## linne1gi (Oct 24, 2019)

TheGecko said:


> We grew up fairly poor...at one point we lived in a house with no indoor plumbing and so picked up the habit of only bathing once a week since water had to be drawn from the well, heated on the stove, poured into a tin tub that Dad brought in from the pack porch.  Clothes washing was done on Saturdays...we had a old winger washer and line dried.  So 'school clothes' were taken off when we got home and carefully hung up and we put on 'play clothes'.  During the summer, we took 'spit' baths before bed...Mom didn't want us getting the sheets all dirty.
> 
> I think it was when I was getting the youngest two ready for bed, having just bathed them and put them into clean jammies, that I realized just how wasteful I had become.  Bathing every day, clean jammies and towels every day, clean clothes every day (undies and socks are different).  So I started by bathing every other day, wearing jammies for a week, changing out towels every three days, checking clothing for dirt and rehanging if good.
> 
> ...


Definitely not, but if it works for you. I am an RN. I specialize in GI Nursing. So I help out with colonoscopies and upper endoscopes. I ditch my clothes and shower immediately on arriving home. I’m sure you understand. I also exercise frequently. Plus I live in Florida.   Showers are just a thing for me.


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## Quilter99755 (Oct 24, 2019)

Gecko.  We lived in Alaska for 31 years...20 of which we did not have commercial electricity or running water.  We did the wash tub bit for the first winter there and then hubby built a sauna with a shower base.  Lordy, was that ever heaven.  In between our weekly showers we did the spit baths almost daily but I could only go about 3 days without a hair wash before my scalp felt bruised...mostly it was every other day, depending on how much water was available(we hauled it about 20 miles once or twice a week.) I stopped wearing make-up at that time since it was more of a chore to get it off, so a daily rinse on my face was the most I did.  Of course, we doused ourselves in the summer with eau de Alaska (you'd call it mosquito repellent) and it was noticeable how the mosquitos hovered after a sauna/showers  

When we were able to afford to drill a well and get commercial power, I thought I died and went to heaven with showers every day and more in the summer if we were active. However my skin decided that it was going to look like someone had opened a box of confetti over me with all my flaking skin. I spent a lot of time trying out different soaps and ended up with a shower every other day which sort of took care of the problem.

After we retired and moved to Idaho, craft places were more readily available and I started using natural based soaps which got rid of most of the confetti and I could take a daily shower again (summers are in the triple digits here).  Then I started making my own soaps through tutorials and lots of luck!(before discovering SMF site).  But I've never lost the habit of having sets of "work" and "good" clothes and since we are retired the "work" clothes last a long time.  More time to soap and quilt, so that suits me fine.

My one daughter swears that if she drinks a full glass of water in the morning before she starts on coffee, that her body odor is minimal.  If the need for coffee is paramount, then the odor will stick all through the day even after a shower.  

The other daughter was having a nasty issue with infections in her jewelry (love that expression)...the doc finally told her to leave off with washing the area with any type of soap....just plain water.  She hasn't had another in about 12 years....she loves my soap but it never gets put directly in the area of her jewels!  I thought it might be the scent or EO and offered to make unscented, but she won't even try it.

Hubby is still a "shower once a day guy" and loves his Dial soap...okay by me...I just ignore him when he complains about itchy skin.  Lots of different skins and attitudes in this family. I just love it when the girls ask for more of my soap...so I can supply them and make more!


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## TheGecko (Oct 25, 2019)

My husband was using the antibacterial version of Dial in some tropical scent and showered every day, twice on the days he had a gig.  Every year, two to three times a year, he would get really sick.  When Dial quit making the tropical scent, I convinced him to try another soap that wasn't antibacterial and I switched out the liquid soaps in the bathroom and kitchen to non-antibacterial.  That was over four years ago and it's been well over three years since he has gotten sick.  And for me, eliminating antibacterial soaps meant I wasn't going through a large bottle of lotion every month.

We've been using my soap for three months now and I noticed that all of us aren't itching like we used to and the rough, dry section on the underside of my left arm that I used to take an emery board to has disappeared.  And I recently took a bar of my soap in a travel container for the 'ladies' at work because they use antibacterial soap.


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## Quilter99755 (Oct 25, 2019)

TheGecko said:


> My husband was using the antibacterial version of Dial in some tropical scent and showered every day, twice on the days he had a gig.  Every year, two to three times a year, he would get really sick.  When Dial quit making the tropical scent, I convinced him to try another soap that wasn't antibacterial and I switched out the liquid soaps in the bathroom and kitchen to non-antibacterial.  That was over four years ago and it's been well over three years since he has gotten sick.  And for me, eliminating antibacterial soaps meant I wasn't going through a large bottle of lotion every month.
> 
> We've been using my soap for three months now and I noticed that all of us aren't itching like we used to and the rough, dry section on the underside of my left arm that I used to take an emery board to has disappeared.  And I recently took a bar of my soap in a travel container for the 'ladies' at work because they use antibacterial soap.


I think he just uses the old regular Dial Gold which is harder to find these days. No illness but as long as he can find the old junk he won't let go!  I've cut my lotion use more than in half, never use lip balm and no bleeding cuticles. Rarely need to buff my feet as my callouses almost disappeared. I wish Had learned to make soap long ago rather than just a few years ago.  Although that might have been an issue when we moved!  Another shipping crate for the soaping supplies and inventory! LOL


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## Dawni (Oct 25, 2019)

Quilter99755 said:


> the doc finally told her to leave off with washing the area with any type of soap....just plain water.  She hasn't had another in about 12 years....she loves my soap but it never gets put directly in the area of her jewels!


Ohh so that affirms what I read, about only using water down there.

Can I just also say that I'm enjoying reading the snippets about people's lives.. So interesting, so very different from mine, or my parents for example.

Thank you for sharing @TheGecko and @Quilter99755


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## TheGecko (Oct 26, 2019)

Dawni said:


> Ohh so that affirms what I read, about only using water down there.



Honestly, we have allowed advertisers to turn us into germaphobes and vampires.  “Lather. Rinse. Repeat.” Made billions of dollars for shampoo companies...along with conditioners and treatments since we have now stripped all the natural oils out of our hair.  How many blades do you really need to shave? Bottled water?  Washing your hands and covering your cough does more than hand sanitizers.  How many folks have a Vitamin D deficiency because of skin cancer scares?  Not saying that it’s not valid, but with all things in moderation, a little sun worshipping is good for you.

Edited to fix the quote.


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## Quilter99755 (Oct 26, 2019)

A few years back they measured germs on counters and tables citing the biggest culprit was our purses or totes. I figured if I lived in Alaska without running water for 20 years...and for sure I did not sanitize my counters after our once a month trip into town for groceries (it was 125 miles each way)...I wasn't going to be scared by that study.  I always figured we needed to build up our own immune system better to combat the germs naturally, not disinfect every time you moved! We rarely got sick until our kids went to school...then it was non-stop until summer time when we all got healthy again.  A little soap and water goes a long way (except for my daughter's jewelry! LOL)


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## Obsidian (Oct 26, 2019)

I generally have to wash my hair daily due to a skin condition but sometimes I can skip a day.

In the summe, a daily shower is a must and if its really hot, maybe a cool rinse at night.

I soap my whole body but do skip my legs sometimes as they are the driest parts of me.

I do use soap on the jewels but only on the outer bits. I did buy some of that fancy "down there" liquid wash and quite like it. I even use it on my face at times as its very gentle.

My face it oily and dry. Its weird and the dry skin gets trapped in the oil making a dull layer of crud so I have to do a good scrubbing a couple times a week. In between, I just rinse with hot water.


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## TheGecko (Oct 26, 2019)

The overuse of antivirals, antibiotics, and general germaphobia has done more to compromise our immune systems, which in turn has created superbugs on par with some of the great plagues; most of which were caused by a lack of sanitation and soap.  85% of the bacteria on our skin is good bacteria and it, along with the natural oils protect our skin, which is one huge open doorway to the rest of our body, from the bad bacteria.  Even the 15% bad bacteria on our skin protects us from other bad bacteria...kind of a like a guard cat; it may not like you, but you belong to it.  

Yeah, the bottoms of our purses are on par with the kitchen sponge.  The only place I don't set my purse down is a public bathroom.


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## linne1gi (Oct 27, 2019)

Quilter99755 said:


> A few years back they measured germs on counters and tables citing the biggest culprit was our purses or totes. I figured if I lived in Alaska without running water for 20 years...and for sure I did not sanitize my counters after our once a month trip into town for groceries (it was 125 miles each way)...I wasn't going to be scared by that study.  I always figured we needed to build up our own immune system better to combat the germs naturally, not disinfect every time you moved! We rarely got sick until our kids went to school...then it was non-stop until summer time when we all got healthy again.  A little soap and water goes a long way (except for my daughter's jewelry! LOL)


Yikes, 125 miles each way.  You definitely had to have a list! I grew up in Philadelphia - walked to the store. Nowadays my local "Publix" (major supermarket in Florida) is less than 1 mile away.  So, yes, we go frequently!


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## Amonik (Oct 27, 2019)

Dawni said:


> I have to find that article I read once, a long time ago, that recommends not washing em with anything other than plain water, and only if it's necessary. Something about ph, which is why there are such things as ph balanced feminine washes now.
> 
> I was horrified to say the least. I use whatever soap I'm using on the rest of my body.... So far no one has complained



I think it varies a lot how sensitive the vulva and vagina are. For some people, soap is too harsh for the area between the outer labia.


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## KiwiMoose (Oct 27, 2019)

Some of you may remember a book from about 25 years ago called 'Mutant Message Down Under'  - it came out about the same time as 'The Celestine Prophecy' which was more popular at the time.  Anyways, this woman goes on walkabout with the Australian aborigines when she notices this god-awful smell on about the third day.  Turns out it was her - her body detoxing from all the perfumes, deodorants, moisturisers and other fragranced items we use on our bodies everyday.  It wasn't the aborigines who hadn't washed for several weeks who stunk - it was her.
Not saying I would go without, mind - but I do think we are becoming germ phobic so much these days and I'm not sure that's a good thing.


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