DH and I disagree about Soap 😳

[anotherdaytosmile]

DH has put a fresh bar of soap out today, his trusty Imperial Leather. He thinks it’s a classy soap based on his childhood perspective in the late 1970s. I think it’s one step up from carbolic. I want Jo Malone soap 😢

AIBU - imperial leather is pure luxury
AINBU - what next, waxy toilet paper?

Snap, I stock pile every time I go to France (and I go about 5 times a year 🤣)

Ugh, never heard of anyone doing that! Now that is grim, and weird, even if someone has their own personal bar of soap. Surprised they haven't ended up with a nasty reaction tbh.

Radical idea: why don't you have TWO soaps on the go, then everyone's happy?

All types of bar soap dry out my skin massively and make me really sore. So I refuse to have the stuff in the house and in the shower I use a cherry scented shower gel from Superdrug. Cheap but not as drying on the skin.

I think Jo Malone has become too over exposed and is becoming like Baylis & Harding.

I like handmade soaps from the Farmers Market. There is this Turkish woman who makes and sells Kekikli Sabun, which is a soap made with Thyme that is so addictive. I love the woody smell. She also makes a Bergamot & Laurel soap that is also interesting.

Otherwise, I think Imperial Leather is unassuming and fully functional.

100% agree - i buy the best Italian handmade soap (but affordable in t k maxx!) it smells so amazing and my skin just seems to prefer it. I can't see the point of cheap soap.

Imperial leather was nice back in the day. Haven’t had any recently, but nice memories of it in my childhood home.

Jo malone is overpriced.

on the other hand, you could get 2 soap dishes and have both.

Not all soaps are equal but these are both essentially the same base of palm oil.

Some French soaps are too, but not all.

Oliva soap, made in Crete but widely available in U.K. health food type shops (and H&B) is olive oil and sea salt, is much less drying.

Your soap OP is (ethically) better than DH in at least it is (more) sustainability sourced, imperial leather sourcing is dubious.

Jo Malone has added shea butter as an ingredient so slightly more moisturising than imperial leather plus you are paying premium for the brand and your choice of perfume.

No reason why each person can’t have their own choice of soap?!

This. At least you wont get hairs all over your soap.
Run imperial leather through the YUKA app. I'll bet its full of poisonous muck.

shower gels/creams/oils or body washes are actually better for dry skin as they don’t strip oils. Soap is better for deep cleaning oily skin. I do use soap occasionally but only if it’s a brand that contains a high proportion of Shea butter, such as L’Occitane or the Royal Botanic Gardens ones which are also lovely.

Someone gave me a Verbena soap bar from there and while it smelt nice, it was hard, lime yellow and plasticy and didn't lather easily. Eventually it cracked into two.

I had a great 100% Olive Oil bar of soap that I picked up in a run of the mill supermarket in Athens for 0.60 euros - that was soft and left your skin feeling thoroughly moisturised. If I visit again, will definitely be buying and bring back more.

If you want to spend an obscene amount of money on a soap just because it’s a designer name then go ahead.

Perhaps he doesn’t want to contribute to this madness and I don’t blame him. You have your overpriced crap soap and he can have his.

Soap is what gets you properly clean. Hand wash and shower gels are far less effective. I always use soap (proper not dove etc) on under arms, feet etc. imperial leather is fine.

Maybe that’s what it is with me. Bar soap also brings me out in severe dermatitis too, so maybe it’s because my skin is naturally too dry.

Are you the Imperial Leather CEO, by chance 😒

I love the smell of bar soap but it makes my skin really dry and tight plus trying to clean the soap scum off the basin/shower drives me nuts (hard water area so I assume that's why).

So

1. What soap doesn't leave your skin feeling dry and tight?

1. How do you keep the basin/shower/bath clear of soap scum?

I only use bar soap on the areas that need that bit more cleaning and then a moisturing wash on the dry pairs (legs, arms etc. doesn’t seem to affect the grubby parts the same

Why do you get to decide which soap your Husband uses, you are not his Mummy. You use what you like and do him the same.

He uses Dercos shampoo and Vanicream conditioner and then Dr Bronner soap on the body. He finds it doesn't make him itch. They are both available on Amazon. The coal tar was a bit harsh.

Actually bar soap is massively “in” again thanks to ShowerTok on tiktok 😆 All the teenage girls are into scent layering and double cleansing etc and insist on using both bat soap and shower gel. According to the hygiene hobbyists on social media, soap gets you actually clean and shower gel is just for the smell and/or the moisturizing properties, if it’s the right one.

"bat soap" now that's one I've not tried! 😁

Op - thanks for the thread. I do love a chat about soap! I think, looking at the Jo Malone soap ingredients you are mainly paying for the perfume and lovely packaging but if that makes you happy go for it!

It really isn’t true that shower gel doesn’t get you “properly clean”. Just rampant hygiene paranoia.

Who knew I was down wit the kids. I had no idea and this was just an assumption if come to on my own 😆

I've always used imperial leather. It cuts through all grime and leaves my skin clean and smelling lovely. I use olay on my body and face. The old stuff is the best.

Is that a thing? I like the sound of that and am guessing it makes everything smell nice? Does it keep moths away too?