Our skin is our biggest organ, so protecting it from harsh chemicals and damage should be a big priority.
In modern society, bathing is a basic need. The need for cleanliness is not often over looked and sometimes done more than needed. I'm sure you, the reader, have used body gels and bars but did you know that using soaps can actually damage your skin?
Despite what the soap and body wash industry want you to believe, excess washing can strip your skin of oils and dry you out. This causes itching and other nasty problems no one wants to deal with. While soap may wash away the dirt and grime, most soaps also take your skin’s natural oil barrier with it as well.
The natural fatty acids that protect the skin from infection and keeps your skin moisturized naturally, are called the acid mantle barrier. When this is damaged by using body wash, you can end up with dry, irritated, itchy and sometimes acne prone skin. The reason why soap can damage this barrier is because of pH differences in your acid mantle and your soap.
Soap also kills essential bacteria. Just like bacteria in our gut helps digest food, bacteria on our skin helps keep our skin in good health.
My story:
I used to suffer from eczema as a child which was no fun, and thankfully I had a great doctor who gave me the right stuff to treat it. After wet raps and other creams, it was less of a burden and I began to heal. My skin still suffered from dryness but it was nowhere near as bad.
My legs and arms still were dry, so using oils and creams was something I had to do everyday. I hated it being the lazy person I am, and knew that it wasn't a cure, but a cover up. If I stopped using creams, the dryness would come back.
In my younger days, I never washed my face and it never got dry like the other areas of my body. Neither did my back, or any other region I couldn't reach or care enough wash. It took me years to put two and two together and come to the conclusion that if my face, back and bottom was supple and smooth, that potentially the rest of me could be too!
I gave up soap and scrubbing about 3 years ago, and since that day my skin has never felt or looked better. My skin started producing it's own oil! I finally feel nice to touch, I don't have to use creams and I don't smell, just showering alone makes me feel fresh and clean.
Thankfully I now have smooth, soft skin and I owe it all to not using soaps.
So the conclusion?
Leave the soap out of your shopping cart, and try going body wash free for a month, what's the worst that can happen? If you do suffer from dry skin, I urge you to try this. Not only will you save some money, but your skin will naturally be hydrated without creams and oils.