Does anyone use soap instead of shower gel?

[shimmerondown]

I've seen it recommended loads on here but I have a question...

I tried using just a soap bar and I feel loads cleaner, squeaky clean and fresher for longer

However, it really does seem to dry out the skin? I don't know how to describe it, but basically it's fine when cleaning with it but when you rinse it under water, the skin has this tight feeling?

I don't mean dry skin when dry if that makes sense.

What soaps do people use that don't have this as any soap I've ever tried does this?

Cyril's soap shed. Organic soap made of goats milk.

I started using it after chemo when everything else brought me out in a rash. I've been using it ever since, it's not drying at all.

There are plenty of natural, moisturizing soaps out there.

Shower gels are just chemicals with artificial dyes. Ugh. Wouldn't want one near me.

Not to mention the plastic waste. I can buy nice bars of soaps at the market, in minimal paper packaging, or sometimes no packaging at all at artisanal markets, and not be creating umpteen more empty plastic bottles to kill dolphins and whales every year.

I use Pears, it is a little drying so I use a shower oil afterwards. I feel so much cleaner with soap.

Yes, soap cleans much better. These are gorgeous Goat milk soap
Also Gruum Gruum soap
I also like pure olive oil soap, or glycerin soap with aloe vera when I can get it - usually abroad.
A lot of MNers have said that real soap is much better than shower gel for preventing armpit whiff, so I know it’s not just me!

I'd use more plastic from all the extra body lotion I'd need from using soap all the time.

Thanks so much, can anyone advise what easy to get hold of soaps are real soap?

TK Maxx do loads of soaps in fancy packaging (paper, with a little lady bird on!). Are they no good?

I feel like only certain soaps make my skin feel tight like that... usually Nivea. I use the dove bar soaps, but I also follow up with a shower gel too.

I wouldn't feel 'clean' if I just used shower gel, I use that more for the smell and soap for cleanliness.

Soap is made of chemicals too, and not all shower gels have artificial dyes.

I hated soap so much as a kid that I avoided having a wash where possible!

Yes, i dont feel clean if i don't use soap.

I love soap, for both face and body. I like the feeling afterwards. And you would put some cream/lotion etc afterwards, right? So, the feeling is all that matter for me, gels just don't make me feel as good as using soap.

I use Friendly soap or Faith in Nature soap for everything, sometimes even hair.

Yes, and in a rather knit your own lentils manner, we make our own cold process soap with a blend of pure oils and then just essential oil for scent. Not drying at all and one batch lasts for ages

Dove ‘soap’ is excellent for cleaning my leather settees. Rub the bar on a damp microfibre cloth and then rub cloth on the leather. No need to rinse off. Cleans and gives a lovely sheen.

Oooh. Can you point in the direction of how to do this?

They're lovely! I use them or marseilles soap. If it says soap, savon etc. then it is soap. I think it's only the dove bars that look like soap but aren't.

Yes,soap and no shower gel. We use Dove. Moisturise afterwards as normal

I don't feel clean unless I use soap. Shower gel makes me feel slimy. I prefer to use Shield, found in all the big supermarkets.

Yes, I use Pears because I like the smell, but I'm also a sucker for French soaps and the boxes of Italian ones from TK Maxx. Very likely to buy expensive artisan handmade soaps for £££ at farmers' markets 😁

I have soft water though, so they last for ages. I just feel cleaner with soap. Although I have gone back to shampoo after trying shampoo bars and finding my hair just loses its shine.

My husband only uses bar soap never shower gel even if he has a bath he doesn't use bath foam ..just soap

Yes, I recently switched to Dove soap bars as I was going through so much shower gel. It's great, lasts forever and doesn't dry my skin out.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads The Soap Kitchen have a good starter kit, www.thesoapkitchen.co.uk/cold-process-soap-kit-starter and loads of advice. The only equipment you need is an immersion blender ideally, though you can mix by hand and usual things like gloves and jugs. My ds had a friend whose mum teaches soap making and he was desperate to learn from her, then he's made it ever since

How does everyone store their soap between showers? I much prefer soap to reduce plastic but I hate slimy soap. I tried a few soap dishes that ‘stick to any surface’ but nothing works on our tiles. Do you take it out of the shower each time?

Simple. Get rid of water in the soap dish after use.

I use a plastic soap dish with a lid. It does the trick.

The goat milk soap I linked is definitely real soap. So is pure olive oil soap which you can sometimes get from health food shops. Castile soap is really good and you can find various types on Amazon.
Basically if it is labelled soap it has to be soap. Anything called a body bar, cleansing bar or beauty bar isn’t soap unless it is also labelled as soap.