Why do you need buy a bar of soap from private soapmakers at a fairly significant price, when you can buy it in the household department of any supermarket at a price 5-10 times cheaper? Good question, sensible. Let's figure it out.
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Our skin is the largest organ of the human body. It removes unwanted substances and toxins, and also absorbs some of the substances falling on its surface. According to various estimates, about 60% of the product is absorbed through the skin and enters the bloodstream.
90% of products on the market are made using identical technology, and this is what is contained in a piece of almost every industrial soap:
- SURFACE-ACTIVE SUBSTANCE, SULFATES
Molecules of synthetic surfactants bind and wash away from the surface of the skin not only dirt, but also sebum, necessary for moisturizing, softening and protecting the human body. It is greatly damages the protective barrier of the skin and enhances its permeability, making our skin open to all those contaminants that exist in a big city, weakening the body's immunity. It cause dryness, irritation and flaking of the skin.
Also, the toxins contained in such hygiene products are absorbed into the muscle tissue, and then into the blood. Being in the body, they may be the cause of damage to tissues, internal organs and cells. Having the ability to accumulate in the liver, heart, kidneys, eyes, and other organs, it can be the cause cell mutations and various diseases. Reacting with other cosmetic components and blood nitrates, they form carcinogens. It is necessary to avoid using of such products in the care of sensitive and problem skin, bathing children, as well as for intimate hygiene.
This is the list of the most popular surfactants and sulfates:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)
Ammonium Laureth Sulfate - (ALES)
Cocomidopropyl Betaine
Please note that if “without SLS” is written on the packaging of a shampoo or other means, it is does not mean that there are no other harmful and dangerous ingredients, for example, ammonium lauryl sulfate. Sulfates are safe in small quantities, but we use all these products regularly.
- MORE SOFT SURFACTANTS
diethanolamine DEA
triethanolamine TEA
Monoethanolamine MEA
cocamide DEA, cocamide MEA
Amines: Triethanolamine and diethanolamine (TEA and DEA) are carcinogens in pure form. In combination with other components, they can form nitrates, especially in combination with sulfates (SLS, SLES). They may be cause irritation, itching, allergies, dermatitis. Diethanolamine can easily be dangerous for the brain, kidneys and liver. May be the reason of dry skin, irritation, itching, allergies, dermatitis, red eyes.
Kevin McCallister does not recommend using products, that contains surfactants
- TRICLOSAN
As for the antibacterial components, the "household antibiotic" triclosan is widespread. Triclosan is banned in the US, the ban is based on the fact that antibacterial manufacturers have not proven its effectiveness and safety for health for several decades. As an antibacterial component, it can kill not only harmful bacteria, but also useful ones. Moreover, there are studies on animals, as a result of which the effect of triclosan was revealed to weaken the contractility of muscles, reduce the quality of sperm and disrupt the production of hormones, including sex hormones.
In addition, the FDA notes that triclosan and triclocarban may contribute to the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. It also causes pathogens to mutate, making them more resistant to antibiotics. Triclosan has a high duration of exposure to the human body and can potentially be dangerous with prolonged use.
Soap from supermarkets is made from waste of food and meat processing industry. And since the focus of production is low cost, the above-mentioned synthetic surfactants are generously added to the produced soap. Also industrial soap contains a little more lye, therefore after its use you can feel of tightness, dryness.
Glycerin contained in natural soap is a natural moisturizer, it absorbs moisture to the skin and gives a softening effect. It is formed during the saponification reaction. In the industrial soap, by salting out, the glycerin which formed as a result of the saponification reaction is removed, this is done so that the soap got its usual hardness. Without this procedure, the solidification of soap would take 30-60 days, it is simply not profitable for the manufacturer, beside, the extracted glycerin is also monetized.
The purpose of the soap manufacturers is to make the soap cheap and make customer satisfied, they need that the soap is firm, keeps its shape and color. The goal of homemade soap is not to make the product cheaper, but its high consumer qualities.
The production technology and ingredients of natural soap will be detail described in my next post.
Thank you for reading. I am a soap-maker and I love my hobby, I hope it will be usefull information when you will be choosing soap for your skin.