How does your skin FEEL?

[Guest]

I've been making soap for 3 months now. I am my own guinea pig, as well as family and freinds.

My skin has gone through so many transitions in three months. Originally and for the past 45 years, I was KNOWN for not bathing regularly (not ashamed to say and all my ex-husbands and boyfr's know it already ) My skin was painfully dry after a bath, so I would "wash up", but could only stand to submerge my skin in a total bath or shower only every other day...at the most I could go two whole days.

A year ago I stopped using all commerical soap and started using LUSH products...and finally for the FIRST time in my life I could shower daily with out pain and itching. But I still had to slather on the heaviest lotion. Three months ago I started exclusively using my own soap creations. I can actually bathe TWICE in one day! I only have to lotion my face, elbows and below my knees.

The new found entry into civilized society has come with a price. I keep obsessively trying "new" batches, the exact moment they are alledgely safe to use, hp in 3 days and cp in 30...could I be causing lil micro lye burns to my skin?

My palms are so smooth and clean, as are my feet...am I just getting used to being really clean?

Lastly, my back, I had heat rash every year as a child, because (IMO) my mom used to "scrub my back"...as an adult, I was pretty casual about washing my back, no heat rash. Now that I am "testing" my own soaps and wanting a full experience, I am back to amking sure my back is "scrubbed"...lo and behold....heat rash at age 45.

So I know this might be TMI, but by the end of the day I actually "feel dirty" and look forward to another bath or shower...prior to last year...that was a felling I rarely if ever felt.

Has using handmade soap changed things drastically about your skin?

 

[Guest]

second question-have you made batches you weren't satisfied with and yet others "love it"?

 

[Galavanting Gifts]

ROFL you crack me up. I used to HATE showers and baths (traumatic experience as a kid). Now I can't wait to have my showers so I can test out my soaps lol.
Once a month (around THAT time) I would break out in pimples but when I started using two particular batches of GM soap (1 had Lard in it the other didn't) NOOOO pimples, in fact my skin was beautiful, I love them.

As for my soaps I wasn't happy with, it seems what I deem as a miserable failure in some batches they turn out to be my most popular, people love them :roll: so now I like failed batches hehe.

 

[Guest]

ROFL you crack me up. I used to HATE showers and baths (traumatic experience as a kid). Now I can't wait to have my showers so I can test out my soaps lol.
Once a month (around THAT time) I would break out in pimples but when I started using two particular batches of GM soap (1 had Lard in it the other didn't) NOOOO pimples, in fact my skin was beautiful, I love them.

As for my soaps I wasn't happy with, it seems what I deem as a miserable failure in some batches they turn out to be my most popular, people love them :roll: so now I like failed batches hehe.

I wanted to share at least one of the jokes my first husband used to make about me and baths, he used to say that I bathed once a week whether I needed it or not. :?

 

[gekko62]

YES!!!! My skin is the same way! I gave up tallow soap years ago,but realised that commercial veg soaps weren't any more skin friendly. I'd be itchy,my skin was dry,scaly even in parts. I used handmade whenever I could find it,but supply always petered out in the end

When I FINALLY took the plunge & started making my own...Wow!! Don't even need the body lotion (bit of a shame,I have some I reallyreally luv)
And I wash my hands,wash my haaands..lol.... one of my 1st batches I added glycerine(waaay too much it turns out) but it makes my hands feel so silky soft.(stead of sandpaper!)

Haven't ventured to using on my face yet,still with the aqueous cream & qv. Bit wary there.

But if anyone knows of a surefire gentle face soap??? Any excuse to give the ole soap pot a workout! hahaha

Lisa

 

[Val]

Everyone seems to say that 100% OO is good face soap.

Val

 

[Milla]

I've been able to tone down on the lotion I use, which makes me so happy. No more itching skin/tight feeling. My husband loves my homemade soaps. In fact his face hasn't had a pimple yet (maybe 1). His favorite is my oatmeal and honey soap with OMH fragrance. That's my dad's favorite too. DH even switched to the shampoo bar I bought from Dreamseeds (Wild Mane). Wow, that is one great bar. He prefers CP soap because HP looks like "brains", but after it's in the shower it doesn't matter. He's not a fan of castile type soaps, but I'm sure he will be next winter.

 

[gekko62]

I haven't done a 100% OO soap yet. Praps its time

 

[TessC]

My current favorite face soap is a buttermilk/honey/carrot bastile I made, really mild and it doesn't leave my skin feeling tight. It's 80% OO, 8% shea butter, 6% grapeseed oil, and 6% castor. I used a mix of buttermilk and pureed carrots for all of the liquid after letting it sit in the fridge overnight, the buttermilk was briiiight orange, lol.


That said, I oil cleanse about 6 days a week, don't use soap on my face every day, which works well for my skin. I know the OCM doesn't work for everyone but so far (knock on wood) my skin has loved it. The oil blend I'm using is (roughly, I didn't measure precisely) 70% OO, 10% avocado oil, 10% grapeseed, 5% castor, and 5% macadamia oil, with about 3 drops each of lavender and rosemary EOs. The beauty of it is that I use a drop or two of the same oil blend as a moisturizer after cleaning, I love multitaskers.

 

[Val]

I haven't done a 100% OO soap yet. Praps its time

I suggest using a water discount if you do. maybe 35%

Val

 

[Guest]

I have noticed a tremendous difference , in winter here ( think 30 below) my skin was so dry /itchy/flaky/ . I could only bathe every second day . I would go through lotion by the gallon and still feel dry and itchy. Now I don't need to use lotion , my skin feels normal and clean , I can soak in a bath every day and I love the skin I am in. :wink:

I have a few soaps that don't work very well for my skin , but my hubby loves them.My favorite is a luxury bar that is a fantastic shampoo bar as well.That has helped my hair considerably . I have long curly ( think poodle) dry , wild hair that felt like steel wool. It feels great and no conditioner needed using my own soap.Yeah!!

Kitn

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[xyxoxy]

My mom tells a story of bathing me and my brother in the sink when we were both very young. My Dad had just started selling Amway products to help make ends meet. My mom tried one of their soaps on us and my brother and I started screaming almost immediately and both broke out in red blotches. She had to throw away the soap.

I'm not sure if that was the cause or a symptom but until I was in my mid 20's it was normal for me to be bright red getting out of every shower. I didn't avoid showering as it wasn't really PAINFUL... just itchy. But there was no pleasure in it and I have to say I had lots of strange looks and comments from my significant others.

I eventually stopped using certain commercial soaps... though at the time knew nothing about making my own. Slowly I found some soaps that allowed me to actually ENJOY a shower... GO FIGURE!!

Now that I've been making my soaps I can't imagine going back to commercial.

 

[Guest]

* These sensory stimulants mean I'm being transported into a different mind frame within just a few minutes - so unbelievable helpful I only wish I'd started making soap years ago!

I definately feel ya...how many sweet smelling days I missed...

 

[AshleyR]

I have noticed a major difference!

I have never had a really serious problem with dry skin (I mostly have really oily skin), but - my legs did get disgustingly dry and scaly in the winter. They got so dry that they would crack and sting. I wouldn't shave them all winter ( ) and would slather them in lotion every night but it never really helped.

This past winter was my first winter using my own soap and I may have put lotion on my legs 2 or 3 times. This is a huge improvement.

On the rest of my body, I mostly notice how soft my skin is compared to before. Again, I didn't have an issue with dry skin other than on my legs, but the rest of my body just FEELS so much smoother and softer. It's awesome!

 

[Guest]

My mom tells a story of bathing me and my brother in the sink when we were both very young. My Dad had just started selling Amway products to help make ends meet. My mom tried one of their soaps on us and my brother and I started screaming almost immediately and both broke out in red blotches. She had to throw away the soap...
quote]

I was a "Mr. Bubbles" bubble bath victim for many years.
My little brother even made up a song abt it...cause we'd be so dry and ashy

"wit the ash-i-lee bear" (the bubble face on the box looked like a bear)
"wit the ash-i-lee bear"
"ashy, ashy ash!"
"ashy bubbles, ashy bubbles"

we used to love singing that song...and hated the long "soaks" in Mr. Bubbles

 

[gekko62]

That said, I oil cleanse about 6 days a week, don't use soap on my face every day, which works well for my skin. .

Hi Tess

How do you do this?? I'm thinking damp face,then wipe off?
I do use a gorgeous oil blend for moisturising morning n nite..soaks right in.No OO in it tho,too heavy for a leave on for me

Lisa

 

[jarvan]

My skin feels great! I don't know if it's a byproduct of personal brainwashing or the emoilient properties in my soap that don't exist in store bars. I would like to believe my soap nourishes my skin instead of stripping the oils off.

 

[craftykelly]

I could NEVER EVER use commercial soap, my skin would dry up and feel tight and be itchy...until...I started using my own soap I would also have terrible shaving rash on my legs and would have to resort to using shower gel but would still get little red dots and pain.

But now I don't! Gotta love handmade!

 

[Ganiggle]

I haven't used my own soap yet (my first batch is in the molds now!) but I have been using CP soap that i purchase online for the last 6 years. my skin used to get really itchy after a shower with commercial "body wash" or bars of soap and I would often break out in hives from it.

As soon as I started buying hand made soap, all those problems disappeared. I have never used lotion, because I hate the way it feels on my skin, but after using the handmade soap I absolutely LOVE the way my skin feels. It is silky soft all the time!

I would never ever go back to store bought soap ever again. A few months ago I stopped using shampoo as well. I now use baking soda and then rinse with apple cider vinegar, and my hair has never felt cleaner or healthier.

My experiences have convinced me that most commercial personal hygiene products do more harm than good!