Choosing the Soap for You

With zero waste trending, bar soap is back in our showers and tubs. Has its low environmental footprint won you over? If not, the following information may convince you to leave liquid soaps behind once and for all and adopt a hand and body bar soap!

• Bar soap lasts longer than liquid formulas because you use less of the product, especially to wash your hands.
• From manufacturing to end of life, bar soap generates 25% less CO2 and is three times less expensive than liquid soaps. So why go without?
• Bar soap has little or no packaging

Bath soap, body soap, natural soap, bar soap: do you ever feel overwhelmed with so many soap choices on the shelf? Are all bar soaps really better for your skin? Get out your pen and paper to take some notes!

The different types of soap

There aren’t a million ways to make soap. In fact, there are only three! Manufacturers mix a fat (vegetable oil) with an alkaline agent (soda, potash, ash). This combination produces a chemical reaction, called saponification, that creates soap (a washing agent or surfactant) and glycerin (moisturizing agent).

During hot saponification, the basic ingredients are heated and mixed for several hours. Olive and bay laurel oils are preferred for the purest products like Aleppo and Marseille soaps. However, these natural soap ingredients are often replaced by palm or coconut oil, which is cheaper and more heat resistant. Keep in mind that several washes are necessary to remove the excess soda from these products, and this eliminates the glycerin naturally created during the process. Another disadvantage of the hot process is that the high temperatures alter the properties of the oils.

Aleppo and Marseille soaps. However, these natural soap ingredients are often replaced by palm or coconut oil, which is cheaper and more heat resistant. Keep in mind that several washes are necessary to remove the excess soda from these products, and this eliminates the glycerin naturally created during the process. Another disadvantage of the hot process is that the high temperatures alter the properties of the oils.

Cold saponification allows soap makers to work at room temperature, which preserves the benefits of the vegetable oils and butters, retaining vitamins, fatty acids and other antioxidants. However, some natural ingredients, like coconut oil, beeswax, cocoa or shea butter, must be warmed up before being worked into the mixture. The manufacturing process of these natural soaps is long, but the end products conserve all the naturally produced glycerin in the soap, which is gentler and considered to be better quality.

To make conventional or classic industrial soaps, manufacturers use a ready-made palm oil or animal fat paste. During the saponification process, the natural glycerin is removed and replaced by a small amount of natural or synthetic glycerin. It’s important to note that some surfactants are irritating and can cause allergic reactions.

Marseille soap

A natural soap used since antiquity, traditional Marseille soap is made of at least 72% olive oil mixed with water and soda. That's it! No perfume, no colouring and no chemical additives. This totally natural soap is biodegradable, gentle and nourishing for your skin, and it's ideal for degreasing and sanitizing your hands after heavy-duty work.

Aleppo soap

Traditional Aleppo soap originated in Syria, where it has been used for over 2,000 years! It is a natural, high-quality surgras soap that is made from a base of olive and bay laurel oils, water and soda. But be careful! Since it contains little or no glycerin, it can really dry out the skin.

Black soap

A natural mixture of oil and crushed black olives, black soap is rich in vitamin E and a great moisturizer and exfoliator. Don’t confuse it with the liquid black soap used as a household cleaner though!

Donkey milk soap

Legend has it that Cleopatra bathed in donkey milk for its nourishing and restorative effects. Today, many people swear by its softening and anti-wrinkle properties. Just make sure you choose a quality soap, made from fresh milk obtained through animal-friendly practices. The formula should also contain enough milk to confer its benefits.

Surgras soap

Enriched with oils and fatty butter, surgras soap leaves a light film on the skin that eliminates any feeling of tightness after use. Preferably opt for a handmade soap using the cold saponification surgras process. The surgras in this soap comes either from the formula (a portion of the ingredients are kept in oil form) or from the addition of oils and butter after saponification.

A soap for every skin!

Using the wrong soap can damage your skin. To choose the best bar soap for you, you’ll need to take your skin's characteristics into consideration..

Normal skin

• Marseille soap is a good everyday choice for normal skin. Look for “100% plant-based” on the label, a guarantee of the soap’s quality. After each use, apply moisturizer to prevent your skin from tightening.
• Aleppo soap moisturizes and softens the skin, in addition to serving as an antiseptic. You shouldn’t use it daily though, unless it contains 2 to 5% bay leaf oil.
• For face care, opt for a surgras soap.

Sensitive skin

• Cold-saponified soap is ideal for your skin’s particularities. The high amount of glycerin it contains softens the skin. If the product is labeled “surgras,” it's even better!
• Shower gel is still the best option for irritated or sick with disorders (eczema, psoriasis, shingles) because it’s gentle on the epidermis. If you’re looking for an organic body soap, make sure there are no petroleum derivatives listed among the ingredients.
• Soap-free cleanser (dermatological bar) is recommended for intolerant or atypical skin. Its synthetic surfactants are designed to match the skin's pH and it contains few additives. Ask your family pharmacist for more information!
• Donkey milk soap is perfect for sensitive skin, like that of young children. However, its milk concentration varies from one product to another, so read the label carefully when picking a product.
• For a gentle body scrub, black soap is a great option since it's both moisturizing and exfoliating. A perfect addition to your beauty routine!

Oily or acne-prone skin

• Soap-free cleansers and surgras soaps are the best for cleansing oily skin. The less the soap scours, the less your skin will be irritated and so the less sebum it will produce.
• Aleppo soap is also a good choice. Opt for products containing 35 to 80% bay laurel oil.

Pharmacy services

Take the time to peruse the vast selection of soaps in your local pharmacy.For personalized suggestions, ask your beauty consultant.