What do you use to apply soap/ shower gel?

[hollyhope]

A body puff is difficult to rinse and doesn't seem hygienic, a flannel doesn't lather up, and using hands seems to waste the product.
I know it's a basic question, but what's the best way to apply for everyday?
I've heard of those kontjac sponges: are they any good?
Prefer something a bit exfoliative.

Flannel and bar soap on my body. Works best for a quick strip wash at the sink too.

Bar soap and a flannel got rid of the KP on my arms when nothing else ever has

@lazylinguist

Interesting. I've actually never used a bar of soap as I thought it would dry my already very dry skin out

I think this is a bit of a common misconception actually. If you are used to using a very moisturising shower gel it might feel a bit odd using bar soap at first, because it doesn't leave that film on your skin, but I don't actually find bar soap any more drying than shower gel.

I have Sahara level dry skin. I used to use shower gel and had to use body butter everyday or my skin got so dry it itched. I changed to bar soap (savon de Marseille, if anyone is interested) and haven't used body lotion since. My skin is perfectly happy without it.

I use exfoliating gloves and bar soap. I have really dry skin and psoriasis which has massively improved since I've stopped using shower gel

And it's cheaper and better for the environment as well! I haven't tried Savon de Marseille, @DidgeDoolittle , but I keep meaning to. My favourite is Nesti Dante.

A sponge. I don't think hands are as effective.

Puff. Always a Soap & Glory puff.

People think lather = more clean.

It's not the case.

Hands and soap are plenty - it's the way soap works as a detergent that makes the difference. Lather is just extra noise - it doesn't actually get you cleaner, it just adds drama.

I feel cleaner using soap and hands than I used to when I used a puff and shower gel.

I'm surprised anyone can use soap it literally burns my skin if I use it.
Don't people find it terrible and painful for their skin?

@Kiehl

I'm surprised anyone can use soap it literally burns my skin if I use it. Don't people find it terrible and painful for their skin?

I think it depends on the soap. I can't use things like Shield, Palmolive etc. Use a soap that's more gentle and I'm ok.

Flannel and bar soap here too. Fresh flannel every day.

I use Dove, and it doesn't dry out or irritate my skin at all.

No, soap is great on my skin. I can even use it on my face. Considering that pretty much everyone used soap until shower gel was invented in about the 1970s, it would be a bit surprising if it burned most people's skin!

Sorry if TMI
Put shower gel on hands rub into pubic hair to clean it, then reapply it creates a super lather to use all over the body.
Then rinse off.

I use a shower puff and machine wash it regularly - after a while they sort of explode/unravel in the washing machine though

I'm envious of all you soap users. So much better for the environment.

I really perserved with soap for environmental reasons but (regardless of what it did to my skin) I found it left the basin, bath and shower really scummy and harder to clean and also cause blockages in the plug holes sometimes. Apparently the answer was to use more expensive soap which is £5 a bar, but that wasn't budget friendly for me so weve gone back to liquid soap and shower gel

Shower gels contain foaming agents, which make lather so you think you’re getting cleaner, but they don’t actually have any detergent properties themselves.

I use soap and hands - puffs are made of plastic, of which we have quite enough already in landfill and in the sea.

Bar soap plus fresh flannel every day. Really soft water so it lathers just with hands anyway.

My skin's much happier since I changed, and most excitingly the horrible dry cracked skin on my heels is much better.

A baby sponge.

+Simple soap.

Intrigues by the popularity of bar soap and keen to give it a try as prefer to use less plastic. I don’t think I’ve used one since Imperial Leather/Pears/that coal tar stuff in my childhood. Is it just as effective in hard water areas? (Our water is hardcore- we have to descale the kettle very regularly).

Keen to hear recommendations for soap suitable for dry, sensitive skin (and hard water area). TIA!

People with dry skin often like olive oil soap and savon de Marseille, from what I've read. There have been whole threads devoted to bar soap use on MN! If you have hard water it might be worth trying handmade soap. It's less hard. I can't use it in my soft water area - I tried buying some beautiful handmade bars as a treat and they disintegrated and went all sloppy!

This soap thread ran to over 800 posts!