Soap instead of shower gel

[Firstaidnovice]

Just wanted to say that based on a thread I read on here probably a few months ago, I swapped my shower gel for soap (I think the original thread was about deodorant, as OP felt a bit whiffy not long after showering, but lots of people recommended switching shower gel for soap instead).
Anyway, the difference is remarkable! I went to a stupidly hot soft play with DS at the weekend, where I had to follow him round the bloody playframe for an hour, (which is a whole other thread!), and still felt pretty fresh that evening, which I never would have been before. Same for the mornings, I usually wake up feeling a bit stinky because I seem to get very hot overnight, but no more! I'm just using Simple soap bars, two for £1. Amazing!

Any particular black African soap?

Shea moisture Organic African Black Soap Bar with Shea Butter, 8oz. Sorry can’t insert the amazon link for some reason.

I have also seen the Dudu-Osun brand recommended.

I've just bought a nesti dante cypress soap. It smells wonderful, so fresh! It was buy one get one half price at Holland and Barrett!

My MIL asked me last night what I wanted for Christmas. I've asked for some luxury bar soaps 😊

I was one of the earlier posters who recommended black African soap.
I use the Dudo-Osun brand, and get it delivered from Amazon each month.
The whole house smells beautiful when it's used, and the freshness you feel after a shower has to be believed.
You can smell it on your skin for hours, and even on the bus/train or in close proximity with others, you can smell it, and feel so clean.
It is great for dry skin, and I use it on my face too, as does DD21. I will always have one in my bathroom.

I was also one of the posters who suggested bio powder. The difference when washing PE kits, sweaty socks, underwear and armpit areas of tops was amazing. My washing is so fresh, and no more old sweat smells when clothing warms up when wearing.

Delicious as these soaps sound, I'm not keen on smelling of soap all day, so I'm sticking to fairly lightly fragranced bars

Oh and Holland and Barrett were cheaper than Amazon, £3.60 for a bar then 50% off the second bar

I've just discovered a wonderful soap by Marseilles soaps called Lait D'annese which smells pure and cleans so gently. Apparently it's donkey milk (or asses milk) soap!

Just dashing on here to say that I’ve just used my lavender Nesti Dante for the first time, and I’m in soap heaven! Feel so clean, and both the bathroom and my skin smell lovely. Thanks Mnetters!

For those asking about soap dishes, I'm actually finding that my shower caddy thing which is the basic metal grill type, is proving excellent. I thought it would get scummy but actually the soap seems to dry out so quickly that it doesn't happen.

I did however buy a suction tilted one from ebay which I'm still waiting patiently to arrive. I think I put a picture upthread. I hate hate hate those rubber ones with octopus suckers. We had them growing up and they get manky not to mention having to riiiiiiip the soap off them each time.

Soap is taking over my life. Walked past Body Shop and bought some in their sale today, then Lush and converted my DS to try a peppermint one along with a lemon one for me and finally Holland and Barratt. Don’t think I will need any more for a while now.

Re washing powder it's actually been life changing for me! I used to despair of my washing smelling fusty and my DS 18 having permanently smelly under arms in all his clothes. No longer! I walk in the house and can immediately smell my clean washing on the airer, and even though go my son is bringing clothes home from uni that have been sat in his wash basket for a week or two, they smell great after a wash in bio, even the problem pits!! Marvellous !!

We are having a Cidal soap week, last week it was Pears. Like the sound of that dudu soap, I think I pass an African shop on the way home so will have a look in there.

Sorry Orangeplastic, only just seen your question! Yes, the magnetic soap holder comes with a disk you push into the top of the bar of soap. This is the one we have, but this Zack one looks good too.

Thanks for the suggestions of jasmine soap, I am so(ap) relieved.

The only thing I find with bio washing powder is that both chaps have sensitive skin. Bio upsets them. So we use Surcare which seems to be ok, most non bios don’t work for us either. Anyone else got this problem?

Now I regret not buying those beautiful soap bars I saw everywhere when on holiday in Lisbon.

Has anyone tried Korres soap?

Orlanda yes. Everyone here has sensitive skin so I have to stick with the non-bio that we know they're all ok with. If I try anything else they all start itching and then eczema breaks out.
My dd tries soap for a bit but it really dried her skin out so she's gone back to the shower gel she knows is ok for her skin.

I've used dove soap for as long as I can remember but didn't realise until reading this thread that it's not really soap but a beauty bar. I can't believe I hadn't notice that before. I've always used it cos it's so easily available everywhere.

Anyway today walking past a stall in town there was a 'french handmade soap' stall so I picked a few smelling ones and I'll be all sorts of soaps from now on!

Been using soap again in the shower daily for about 3 weeks now and have been varying the BA I use every couple of days or so-I have 3 on the go at the moment!- to try to find the smell I like.

However having noticed I feel clean on my body and less slimy after the shower my legs are drying out terribly which has meant I have had to resort to putting on a body moisturiser on them. I don't particularly soap them daily but rather just let the shop rinse down to them mostly and wash the, off so they are not getting washed/scrubbed in the same way my arms are but are now flakey and dry.

AllBuggiedOut Thank you - well worth thinking about when I get fed up with my very cheap soap tray.

I just tried my homemade soap yesterday - I made it with avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil and argon oil, scented with a Jo Malone bath oil. It's so nice on my skin - very silky.

Since moving from gel to soap 6 weeks ago my persistent thrush has gone plus my fango stays fresh as a daisy all day. Anyone else noticed this?

I got some cidal a couple of days ago and am very impressed so far.

MrsHarrison I've found that my nether are fresh all day long too, as are my feet. It's a fantastic feeling and I can't believe the answer was so simple!

Soap fans! Help!

I’ve used Dove bar for years but upon the discovery via this thread that it is not actually a soap, we are venturing into Proper Soap territory.

I’m baffled though at how little it lasts! We can make a dove bar last 3 weeks. We got through a Waitrose soap bar in 3 days.

Is this a soap thing or a type of soap thing?!

It's a type of soap thing. A large L'Occitane bar lasts me months. Also, buying in advance and keeping in a drawer for weeks/months allows the soap to harden and it then lasts longer, as well as bonus of making drawer contents smell lovely.

Has anyone noticed yucky drains with soap? I clear out my shower's drain bit every week or so to remove all the hair. This time I found the drain trap lift-out bit full of black mould. I changed over to a bar of soap in the shower a few weeks ago.