June 9, 2011
How to choose soap, how many times a day to wash, and even what temperature to choose water for washing - says a dermatologist.
The skin is involved in thermoregulation, respiration, metabolic processes, and protects the body from various external influences. This is the biggest
by area and mass, an organ of the human body. Andrey Lvov, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the State Scientific Center for Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology of Russia, tells how to properly cleanse the skin.
Types of laundry soap
A unique feature of soap is that it has retained the same composition for 200 years. But at the same time, the ratio of components in the product may change, which is why there are different types of soap in stores. Namely:
- product with 72% fat content - classic laundry soap, made in accordance with GOST;
- soap with 70% fat content;
- soap with 65% fat content.
The less cleaning the laundry soap has undergone, the darker the color; the shade can vary from dull yellow to dark brown.
Laundry soap can differ not only in the ratio of fatty acids.
Attention! There are different forms of this useful product - soap is sold not only in bars, but also in liquid, powder or ointment form.
So which one is better?
First, let's determine what is included in the product. The ingredients here are quite simple: sodium or potassium salt plus fatty acids. That's all. Because when we add various dyes and fragrances, we get toilet soap.
According to standards, soap comes in three types: 65%, 70%, 72%. Percentages indicate the ratio of fat to the total mass of the product. Directly on the bar itself there is a large imprint indicating the number, so it is almost impossible to make a mistake in choosing the right soap.
There are two methods of soap making
With the first method of cooking products, which is called direct, 65% soap is obtained. To do this, all components are mixed until a viscous substance is obtained, and then the cooled product is cut into bars. In this case, the product will be of sufficient quality, but its fat content will be low.
The second method is called indirect. The adhesive substance is treated with a saline solution, resulting in the appearance of a soap core and a lower layer - soap lye. Then the product will have 72%.
Thus, we conclude that for cosmetic purposes it is more advisable to use a product with a large amount of fatty acids, because they are good at eliminating bacteria and microbes. This is 72% soap. When choosing a bar, pay attention to its density. A fairly hard and uniform piece will foam better.
Chemical composition of laundry soap
The useful product consists exclusively of natural ingredients. Includes:
- natural fats - beef, fish, lamb or pork fat, which have previously undergone a bleaching and deodorizing procedure;
- sodium;
- lauric and palmitic acids, thanks to which the soap produces rich foam;
- alkali;
- White clay;
- water.
Sometimes the composition of a useful product may also include rosin; it does not cause harm, but increases the shelf life of the soap.
What are the benefits of laundry soap?
Real laundry soap looks inconspicuous and may not have a very pleasant smell. But it has a lot of useful properties, namely:
- disinfects inflammations, wounds, cuts and insect and animal bites;
- effectively fights ulcers and fungus;
- promotes rapid healing of burns;
- helps with runny nose and chronic sinusitis;
- relieves swelling of the legs and alleviates the symptoms of varicose veins;
- has a beneficial effect on the condition of curls and helps get rid of dandruff;
- actively used in gynecology for the treatment of thrush and some inflammatory diseases.
It is necessary to mention the benefits of laundry soap for facial skin. With an oily type of epidermis and a tendency to develop acne, a hygienic product often helps better than expensive lotions and tonics.
How to deal with acne
Since soap has antiseptic properties, it can be safely used to fight acne. They appear because the follicle is clogged with fat. The product in question comes to the rescue because it flushes clogged areas. There is no need to steam and then squeeze out the pimple.
The negative effect of soap on the skin is that it can dry out certain areas of the face. Therefore, you should wash your face properly and avoid getting significant amounts of foam on it. The best method of treatment is to apply foam to points, that is, to those areas of the face that are affected by inflammation.
To remove acne, you can wash off the soap with a swab soaked in calcium chloride. There is another way to fight acne: apply a mixture of laundry soap onto the pimple and leave it overnight.
The following recommendations must also be followed:
- wash with cool water;
- treat hormonal disorders;
- follow a diet, excluding fatty, sweet and fried foods from the diet;
- do not drink alcohol;
- quit smoking;
- apply moisturizer to the skin.
In these cases, the fight against skin inflammation will be more effective. If you do not eliminate the cause of acne, the condition of your facial skin will not improve even after using soap.
The use of laundry soap in folk medicine
The antibacterial properties of laundry soap are widely used in home medical recipes. Using a natural remedy, you can cope with a wide range of diseases or alleviate their progression.
Treatment of sinusitis
For sinusitis, a home remedy made using alkaline brown soap and other ingredients is of great benefit. They do it like this:
- healthy soap, milk, natural honey and alcohol are mixed in equal quantities;
- add onions chopped in a blender to the mixture in the same proportion;
- Place in a water bath for 20 minutes and heat, stirring constantly.
Then the remedy is cooled to a warm temperature, small cotton swabs are moistened in the resulting solution and briefly inserted into both nostrils. This useful procedure should be carried out three times a day, and the total treatment should take no more than 3 weeks; using soap for too long can cause harm.
From thrush
The healing properties of laundry soap help get rid of a delicate female disease - candidiasis. To eliminate thrush, you can use soap in several ways.
- Washing. A bar of soap is rubbed on a fine grater and diluted in warm water until foam is obtained, and then a hygienic procedure is carried out. It is important to ensure that the foam gets not only on the external genitalia, but also inside the body. It will not cause harm, and the benefit will be maximum.
- Sitz baths. In this case, shavings from a grated bar of useful soap are diluted in a deep basin. After this, you need to sit in the basin and not get up until the water has completely cooled down - in 15-20 minutes the beneficial properties of the soap will have time to have a healing effect.
We recommend reading: Salt baths: benefits and harms, how to do them
Advice! It is recommended not to wash and take baths every day, but once every couple of days or less often. Laundry soap can dry out mucous membranes and cause irritation, which can cause harm.
For bedsores
The properties of laundry soap for the skin can even help in the fight against bedsores in seriously ill patients. The antibacterial and drying effect of soap is beneficial because it reduces subcutaneous swelling and helps strengthen the skin.
Although natural brown soap cannot serve as an independent anti-bedsore remedy, it works well as a preventive measure for ulcerative lesions. It is recommended to prepare the following paste - mix 150 g of grated soap with cologne to obtain a viscous ointment.
The healing composition should be lubricated in areas subject to the greatest pressure. The paste can also be used to treat shallow wounds and cracks; it will not cause harm, but will speed up tissue healing.
For calluses and corns
Healthy soap with a high content of fatty acids helps to quickly soften calluses and corns and prevent possible inflammation. You need to add a large spoonful of soap shavings and a small spoonful of soda to a basin of hot water, and then keep your feet in this solution for about half an hour.
We recommend reading: Baking soda: beneficial properties, uses, how to take
When calluses and corns soften, they can be carefully treated with pumice and then lubricated with a nourishing cream.
For varicose veins
If varicose veins of the legs are advanced, you must consult a doctor and follow the recommended treatment, otherwise harm may occur. However, with mild varicose veins and with a predisposition to it, the properties of brown soap will have a good auxiliary effect.
To strengthen the blood vessels in your legs, you need to lie on your back every day, raise your legs vertically, leaning them against the wall, and stay in this position for about 10 minutes. Then you should wash your hands with natural brown soap until a thick foam is obtained and massage your legs from the ankles to the thighs. The valuable substances present in the soap will penetrate deep into the skin and have a beneficial effect on the tissues and walls of blood vessels.
For fungal infection
Laundry soap is one of the best folk remedies that help against fungus. It is very simple to use; you need to regularly lather the affected nails or skin areas with a hygiene product. Soap foam should be left on the body for about 10 minutes, then it will need to be rinsed thoroughly and additionally treat the skin or nails with iodine.
For insect bites
The disinfecting properties of soap are beneficial for bites of flies and horseflies. Itchy areas should be wiped with soapy water several times a day; the product will relieve swelling and inflammation.
Washing wounds
Laundry soap perfectly disinfects fabrics. It is recommended to thoroughly wash wounds, cuts and abrasions with soap and water, although the damaged area will sting slightly, this procedure will not cause harm. The properties of soap eliminate bacteria that have entered the wound, prevent the development of inflammation and promote rapid tissue healing.
Is soap harmful?
Cleansing your face with this product is harmful. It is associated with a large amount of alkali. This substance has a negative effect on the skin if used in large quantities. Alkali is especially harmful to hair: it causes increased fragility.
Acid helps neutralize alkali . After washing, you can rinse your face and hair with a weak solution of citric acid. This will make your facial skin soft and your hair manageable and silky.
Using alkaline soap too often is very harmful. And if you wash your face with it several times a day, then due to excessive dryness, the skin will begin to produce an increased amount of oil. This will make her have even more acne.
When using this hygiene product, you must remember that it is not able to eliminate the cause of acne and redness of the skin. In order to get rid of this problem, you need to contact a cosmetologist. He will prescribe a comprehensive treatment for acne. It should include the use of special cosmetics and diet.
Laundry soap is a highly effective hygienic product. It is beneficial when used correctly. Washing with alkalis too often leads to the exact opposite effect; the skin will become dry and wrinkled. If after washing your face turns red or becomes covered in a rash, you should consult a doctor.
Next
Facial careHydrogen peroxide for facial skin
Laundry soap in home cosmetology
The product is often used for beauty care. For example, it is very useful to wash with laundry soap; of course, this should not be done every day, but from time to time. The hygiene product regulates oily skin and hair, fights wrinkles and other defects, and eliminates irritation.
Is it possible to wash your hair with laundry soap?
Laundry soap for hair is beneficial - it perfectly cleanses the strands and skin at the roots, but does not cause harm. Once a month, rinsing your hair with this product is highly recommended for oily and normal hair types. But if you have dry hair, it is better to avoid using the product, as with frequent dyeing, in which case the properties of the soap can be harmful.
Important! You need to lather your hair not with a bar of laundry soap, but with a liquid foam solution, then the effect on the skin and hair will be gentle and beneficial.
Laundry soap for hair loss
Washing your hair with laundry soap is useful in order to strengthen weakened curls. The following nutritional composition brings a good effect:
- 10 ml of soap solution is mixed with the same amount of castor oil and jojoba oil;
- add 3 egg yolks and 20 ml of cognac;
- mix and distribute throughout the hair at the roots.
In order for the properties of the mask to bring maximum benefit, you need to wrap your head with film and a thick towel overnight. In the morning, you will need to rinse your hair with lukewarm water; for complete cleansing, you can use a fresh solution with added soap.
For weak and dry hair, laundry soap with glycerin will be beneficial - the product will additionally soften the curls and scalp. True, it is better not to use it too often - it will cause harm.
Laundry soap for dandruff
The antifungal properties of brown soap help in getting rid of dandruff. A small piece of the beneficial product should be grated, then diluted in water, whipped until foamy and immediately applied to the hair, paying special attention to the roots.
You need to keep the product for about half an hour, then wash off the soap foam.
Advice! For greater benefits, it is recommended to add a little lemon juice to the rinse water.
Is it possible to wash your face with laundry soap?
The product dries out the skin greatly, so if you have sensitive epidermis, it is better to avoid direct use to avoid harm. But washing with laundry soap will be beneficial for oily skin and a tendency to pimples and blackheads; in this case, the product will quickly improve the condition of the epidermis.
Laundry soap for acne
The hygienic product helps to quickly get rid of acne on the face. Using soap is very simple - you need to lather a small bar thoroughly in your hands to get a rich foam. Then it is applied tightly to the pimples.
The foam is kept for about 10 minutes, then washed off, and it is recommended to repeat the procedure three times a week. The disinfecting beneficial properties of soap eliminate foci of inflammation, regulate the oiliness of the epidermis and help, in principle, solve the problem of pimples and blackheads.
Prevention of wrinkles
The drying and tightening properties of this useful product help prevent the appearance of fine wrinkles. Effective scrubs are prepared at home based on brown soap; for example, you can mix a soap solution with an equal amount of sea salt and carefully treat your face and body with this mixture.
Also, this mask helps a lot to prevent wrinkles:
- semi-liquid soap solution is mixed with 20 g of pressed yeast;
- the mixture is brought to homogeneity;
- spread over the face for 20 minutes.
The mask will not only have a tightening effect, but will also make the skin more elastic and soft.
Reviews
The benefits and effects of this product are confirmed by positive reviews.
Elena, 37 years old
It always seemed to me that modern chemistry is praised undeservedly. If everyone switched to natural products, brands would simply suffer losses. Personally, I don’t use tonics and gels, but use exclusively laundry soap for washing. To protect my skin from drying out, I treat it with honey and regularly make masks with cucumber.
Olga, 28 years old
As soon as I started using this product, I was pleased with the result. But I washed my face too often, 3 times a week, so my face very soon began to itch terribly. I simply reduced the intensity of the procedures.
Valeria 23 years old
I tried a lot of creams and masks. Some were drying, others caused peeling. And then a friend with perfect skin shared her secret with me. It turned out that everything is simple. I have been using only laundry soap for three weeks now. She said no to creams! The skin is even, smooth, even the pores are narrowed.
Sveta, 30 years old
Previously, there were many small pimples on my face. And I got them out with this remedy! I've been using it for a month now, and I don't have a single pimple on my face. This is much better and cheaper than expensive cosmetics, which are often completely ineffective!
Inna, 27 years old
At first I used tar, but it didn’t suit me. Now I buy household goods and I’m just delighted! The oiliness of my skin has really decreased.
How to use laundry soap at home
Brown bars of natural soap are often used for household purposes - for washing and cleaning. The benefit of laundry soap with 72 percent fat content is that the alkaline product copes with complex stains even better than expensive chemicals.
For washing and disinfection
This natural product effectively removes greasy and dried stains on clothes, as well as traces of sweat on light-colored items. Before normal washing, you just need to properly soap the problem areas on the clothes and leave for half an hour, and then wash in the usual way.
The properties of laundry soap are used during cleaning to disinfect surfaces and eliminate unpleasant odors. With a sponge dipped in a healthy soap solution, you can wipe the inside of the refrigerator, kitchen cabinets and any other places with old dirt. The product will not only clean surfaces well, but also eliminate all germs, and also return furniture and household appliances to their original color.
For dish washing
The properties of laundry soap are often used in everyday life for washing dishes - a natural product allows you to save on the purchase of chemicals. The easiest way is to dilute half a glass of soap shavings in 250 ml of water, stir until completely homogeneous and use as a regular dishwashing gel.
You can add other ingredients to the solution - a few large spoons of baking soda and a drop of lemon essential oil. This home remedy will bring even more benefits when washing plates and cups, and will also delight you with a pleasant citrus smell.
What is it used for?
Initially, laundry soap was used for washing by women in the Soviet Union, when there were not as many cosmetic products as there are now. I had to look for available means at hand to maintain the beauty and health of the skin.
Nowadays, those who want to replace chemicals with natural ingredients have begun to pay attention to this product. In addition to fans of safe care, this soap is used by women who have inflammation on their skin. A pimple by its nature is a skin plug. This product eliminates all fats, promotes normal functioning of the sebaceous glands, which reduces the likelihood of acne.
Although laundry soap does not contain dangerous additives, it must be used carefully and without fanaticism. The alkali present in it not only removes dirt and grease well, but also breaks the protective layer of the skin. And this inevitably leads to overdrying.
Is it possible to wash a dog or cat with laundry soap?
Natural alkaline soap can be used to care for pets. The product removes oil well from the fur of dogs and cats, and also helps rid pets of fleas.
However, you cannot use the product constantly - it will cause harm to the animals. Since soap has strong drying properties, its regular use can disrupt subcutaneous fat metabolism in a cat or dog. In turn, this will only worsen the condition of the coat. It is recommended to use soap no more than once every couple of months.
Tar for facial beauty
As an option, tar soap can be used; it looks like laundry soap. The positive effect of birch tar on the skin has been proven by clinical studies. Natural tar has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
Regular use of this soap can:
- get rid of acne on the face;
- destroy psoriatic plaques;
- soothe the skin;
- reduce itching;
- even out the color.
It should be used in moderation; frequent washing will only cause harm.
Homemade laundry soap recipe
Despite the fact that laundry soap is inexpensive, you can not buy it, but make it at home with your own hands. Soap cooking occurs without direct use of the stove. To prepare, you will need several ingredients - 1 liter of vegetable oil or melted fat, about 400 g of lukewarm water and 150 g of sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda.
- Pour water into a large saucepan and stir soda in it; meanwhile, heat the oil in a separate container.
- Carefully add a soda solution to the heated oil.
- The resulting mass is thoroughly mixed for 40 minutes, it is advisable to do this alternately with a wooden spatula and a mechanical mixer.
When the soap acquires the consistency of thick sour cream, it can be poured into prepared molds, cover them with lids and put the product in a dry place for 3-4 days. After this period, the soap is opened and cut into bars of the required size, and then put away for another 3 weeks so that it matures properly.
Attention! Since alkaline agents are used in the process of preparing a healthy product, you must use gloves, safety glasses and a respirator when preparing soap, otherwise you can cause harm to your health. It is advisable to open the windows in the room for ventilation.
How to use soap
You can wash it up to three times a week. With more frequent use, it dries out the skin very much, and the effect will be exactly the opposite. Some experts advise using only foam to minimize the possible negative effects of cosmetic procedures. If a person has dry skin, then you should wash your face even less often.
It is recommended to rinse off the foam first with warm water and then with cold water. This will close the pores, which will prevent blackheads on the face. It is recommended to apply foam to the face only where there is inflammation, this will help to quickly remove it.
Harm of laundry soap and contraindications
The beneficial properties of laundry soap are not the same for everyone. In some cases, its use should be abandoned. Namely, it is not recommended to use the product:
- if your skin is too dry and sensitive;
- for brittle hair that is often dyed;
- in case of individual allergy to the product.
Even with a normal or oily type of epidermis, alkaline natural soap cannot be used too often - this will cause harm because it will disrupt the normal fat balance. To care for your hair and skin, you should only use thick soap suds; you should not rub your face or curls with a whole bar of soap.
How to choose and store laundry soap
It’s not difficult to choose healthy laundry soap in the store. You can recognize a natural product not only by the price tag with the name of the product, but also by its appearance.
- Usually the product is sold in transparent packaging, and a marking is embossed directly on the surface of the soap indicating the percentage of fatty acids - 72%, 70% or 65%. The most valuable is considered to be soap with 72% fat content.
- You need to look at the color of the product - if the bars are dark, this means that the soap was hardly cleaned during the production process. Such a product will bring the greatest benefit in the household and in treatment.
An opened bar of lye soap can retain its beneficial properties for a year if stored away from sunlight at room temperature. With further use, the soap will begin to crack and dry out; it will not cause any harm after the expiration date, but it will also lose most of its benefits.
