True soap bars are very different from those so-called cleansing bars and shower gels you know from the grocery store isles. Once I discovered how amazing true artisan soap can be, it completely changed my shower time ritual. Last year, I was fortunate enough to attend a soap-making workshop with the soap master behind Meow Meow Tweet at the W.E.L.L. Summit, and I learned so much about the process and what makes handmade soap such a different experience from the likes of Dove or Irish Spring bars.
The soaps available at Integrity Botanicals are made with beautiful botanical fats and other natural ingredients our skin loves. They are non-toxic and don’t rely on harsh surfactants to strip cleanse the skin. As I’ve become more and more soap crazy over the last year or two, I’ve learned how beneficial soaps are for different skin conditions. There’s a soap for every skin type, and I’d like to explore a few favorites with you.
With a name like Soapwalla (so clever!), you’d better believe that this Brooklyn based brand is making some fine soap. Blemish-prone and oily to combination skin types will love the Soapwalla Activated Charcoal & Petitgrain Cleansing Bar. This soap can be used on the face or body, and it gently purifies the skin without drying you out in the least (thanks glycerin!). This is important because stripping the skin can aggravate acne and leave skin vulnerable to more breakouts. Activated bamboo charcoal, petitgrain and tea tree essential oils are the key ingredients that detoxify, absorb excess oil, and inhibit bacteria growth. Bye-bye blackheads and blemishes. If love to sweat it out at the gym but you’re prone to breakouts on your chest or shoulders, you’ll love the Activated Charcoal & Petitgrain Soap for keeping that area blemish-free. The citrusy herbal scent is bright and happy, too.
The Kahina Moroccan Rose Beldi Soap is a great fit for all skin types but the most dry. This is a seriously unique soap, too. You might remember the Eucalyptus Beldi Soap that Kahina launched last year. Now available in a traditional Moroccan Rose fragrance, the new Beldi Soap is a real treat. This is a gel-like soap made from two ingredients—saponified olive oil and rose flower oil—and it’s a Moroccan tradition. The pliable soap comes in a tub, and you just pinch a little piece off—I use about a gumball-sized amount for my whole body—and suds up. Using a scrubbing mitt takes this soap to the next level in terms of its skin softening abilities, and it can also be used like a body mask if you let it sit on your skin and work its magic for 5-10 minutes.
If you have dry and sensitive skin, I’m excited to introduce you to the soap of your dreams, Osmia Organics Oh So Soap. The artistry behind Osmia’s soap bars is pretty incredible, which is one reason why I keep them on hand for gifts. Put an Osmia soap in every stocking this Christmas and you’ll become everyone’s favorite Santa. The reason the Oh So Soap is perfect for fussy skin is that it’s mostly made from olive oil and mango butter and it doesn’t contain any essential oils. It also has skin-softening organic buttermilk powder. The Oh So Soap is low lathering and oh so creamy and moisturizing—the perfect soap for cold and dry winter weather. If eczema or psoriasis are an issue, the Oh So Soap will gently cleanse and heal all at once. This is the perfect soap for delicate baby skin, too.
Ready to add one of these luscious soaps to your routine? Be sure to check out my tips on how to care for soap bars so you don’t waste a bit of these beauties.
