Good, cheap soap? Yardley. Mysore Sandal.
Good, inexpensive bar soap?
- Thread starter kehern
- Start date
Kirk's Castile Soap is what I've been using for several years. It's about $1.25 a bar around here. Here's the link:
http://www.kirksnatural.com/
Tremendous lather, even with some significant water hardness. With softer water, unbelievable lather. Very natural. I have dry skin in the winter, but with Kirk's it's much diminished. Scent is excellent, unassuming, very mild. This is real soap, in the chemical sense.
I recommend this soap without reservation to everyone on the board. This is one of my favorite products, actually. I intended to make a special post about it, but since this is the thread, it's appropriate.
I use a "pouf" and lather up with this. Without a pouf or wash cloth, one can still get a great bath/shower. Buy a single bar, and try it out. It's cheap! If you're like me, it will be the benchmark for bar soap performance. As I said, the scent is subtle, but smells "clean". I am sure many here will appreciate it.
http://www.kirksnatural.com/
Tremendous lather, even with some significant water hardness. With softer water, unbelievable lather. Very natural. I have dry skin in the winter, but with Kirk's it's much diminished. Scent is excellent, unassuming, very mild. This is real soap, in the chemical sense.
I recommend this soap without reservation to everyone on the board. This is one of my favorite products, actually. I intended to make a special post about it, but since this is the thread, it's appropriate.
I use a "pouf" and lather up with this. Without a pouf or wash cloth, one can still get a great bath/shower. Buy a single bar, and try it out. It's cheap! If you're like me, it will be the benchmark for bar soap performance. As I said, the scent is subtle, but smells "clean". I am sure many here will appreciate it.
I don't get the difference in terms, but I do know that Dial, Irish Spring, and harsh soap are like acid on my skin, while triple milled French soaps from Trader Joes smells great without that acid like (detergent) feeling. And Anthony's Logistics is great. The good stuff lasts, and at $3 a bar at Trader Joes, they are a bargain. I just picked up Lemon and Green Tea, and they smell great.
Soap, chemically speaking, is the salt of a fatty acid. Everyone who's ever had chemistry should know that acids react with bases to produce salts. Fatty acids, while not necessarily corrosive as we think of battery acid, are still acids. So, when fatty acids (palm oil, olive oil, lard, tallow, etc.) are mixed with bases (lye), the resulting substance is soap, the salt of a fatty acid mixed with a base.
Many people are sensitive to non-soap surfactants. Some people are sensitive to soaps as well. But one thing to keep in mind is that soap is something one can make in his own home. Most non-soap surfactants (detergents) are difficult to make at home. My test for most things I consume or to which I expose myself is, "Can I make this at home?"
Many people are sensitive to non-soap surfactants. Some people are sensitive to soaps as well. But one thing to keep in mind is that soap is something one can make in his own home. Most non-soap surfactants (detergents) are difficult to make at home. My test for most things I consume or to which I expose myself is, "Can I make this at home?"
I use Kirk's. It's a great soap, and it's cheap. It is coconut based though, and this can sometimes aggravate severely dry skin (as well as eczema and dermatitis). I also like to use Sallye Ander soaps (www.sallyeander.com). They have a variety of natural handmade soaps, and I've found that their Milk and Mint soap is very moisturizing (it also smells just like freshly picked spearmint). They are more expensive ($6.95 for 4 oz bar), but it lasts a surprisingly long time. Just leave their shave soaps alone (horrible).
I'm getting great results from the Palmolive soap that you can get for 3 for $1 at a number of dollar stores.
Cheap and soaps don't combine well for me. I think Musgo is about as Cheap as I'd go for good results and that comes to about $4 a bar shipped.
Another vote for Yardley oatmeal soap, $1 a bar right now at the Dollar General stores.
Dove.
I use the one for sensitive skin. Someone suggested the cucumber version. You might like it, but the scent was so overwhelming that I literally felt sick. I threw away an entire $10 package of six bars.
I use the one for sensitive skin. Someone suggested the cucumber version. You might like it, but the scent was so overwhelming that I literally felt sick. I threw away an entire $10 package of six bars.
I would consider reading the informative 1979 article "ALL THAT LATHERS IS NOT SOAP" by Harold Hopkins.
Much of what we think is soap is labeled "bath bar" or "beauty bar" because they cannot be legally labeled "soap" since they contain a synthetic detergent product. Soap (according to the article) is defined by the FDA as a "product in which most of the nonvolatile matter consists of an alkali salt of fatty acids and whose detergent properties are due to these alkali-fatty acid compounds."
Read it yourself here:
http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/ProductInformation/ucm115449.htm
BTW, Yardley's from USA lists sodium tallowate first and is a "naturally moisturizing bar" and is not labeled soap. Hmm.
Much of what we think is soap is labeled "bath bar" or "beauty bar" because they cannot be legally labeled "soap" since they contain a synthetic detergent product. Soap (according to the article) is defined by the FDA as a "product in which most of the nonvolatile matter consists of an alkali salt of fatty acids and whose detergent properties are due to these alkali-fatty acid compounds."
Read it yourself here:
http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/ProductInformation/ucm115449.htm
BTW, Yardley's from USA lists sodium tallowate first and is a "naturally moisturizing bar" and is not labeled soap. Hmm.
I like the action of the Palmolive but the sharp peppery scent is a little off-putting to me.
I tend to go with Yardley's from dollar store or sometimes Big Lots. The Dial Basic is good too.
Always have a bottle of Dr. Bronner's around as well.
I tend to go with Yardley's from dollar store or sometimes Big Lots. The Dial Basic is good too.
Always have a bottle of Dr. Bronner's around as well.
I have used several of Saintcharlesshave bath soaps which are excellent. I also pick up
soaps. They are excellent and expensive but you can find giant bars at TJ Maxx for $4. Lavender is my favorite.
I use Yardley, Pears, and the "organic" rounds from Whole Foods.
Since the weather is getting colder and I have sensitive skin I bought a bar last week for a tryout.
Very mild and lathers ok.
Cost is around $2.
Very mild and lathers ok.
Cost is around $2.
This post sums up my experience with Kirk's, too. Love the stuff.
Dove always works best for me, but I get bored of the sent after a while. I buy the goats milk and oatmeal soap from Soap Works. I just bought a bar of their hemp soap yesterday. Trying it out tomorrow.
Soap works are only a few bucks a bar.
Soap works are only a few bucks a bar.
