All about soap

Funny thing happens when you stand in the soap aisle. You get overwhelmed. And then you go to the boutiques & the department stores & they are filled with $20 bars of soap & $30 bottles of bath gel.

 So really then, do women who bath with $80 bath bars have better skin than someone who rubs on the, oh, say Ivory? (We do hate that smell, by the way). No really. But then again if they can afford $80 bath bars, they probably pay for $200 monthly facials & body scrubs as well.

Ok, ok, we'll get down to the real nitty gritty. The truth is the best body cleansers are pure & simple. Plain works just as well as fancy. Here's the rundown:

1. Deodorant soap These soaps actually contain bacteria-killing chemicals that can dry out your skin. Regular soap will get rid of odors just as well.
2. Anti-bacterial soap The only people who really need this special soap are doctors, elementary school teachers and those with bad back acne. Normal soap (again, Ivory, Dove or any other typical bath bar found just about anywhere) will keep you just as clean and bacteria-free.
3. Shower & bath gels Most bath & shower gels contain sodium laurel sulfate, a chemical that can be drying to your skin. Who knew? Yep. Might as well keep them for your guests only or for special occasions. They are fun to use after all.

Homemade Face Mask for Sensitive Skin

This mask is great for soothing chapped, sunburned or otherwise irritated skin.
Extra tip: This mask works well for other skin types as well. For oily skin, add a couple drops of lemon or lime juice. For dry skin, mix in a couple tablespoons of honey.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup natural yogurt (we like it just-out-of-the-fridge cold)
• ½ cup oatmeal (any type of basic oatmeal works here)

 

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients together.
Apply to the skin for 10-15 minutes.
Wash off mask with a washcloth steamed in the microwave (careful that it's not too hot). 

Two other fun options for oatmeal face masks:
Egg whites. Mix the oatmeal and an egg white. Let the mixture dry on face, then gently wash off with a few splashes of warm water. Follow with a steaming washcloth to the face.
Peptol-Bismol. A friend of mine uses Pepto-Bismol with oatmeal for her masks. She got this tip years ago from a magazine. She suggests the active ingredient (bismuth subsalicylate) in Pepto-Bismol soothes your stomach as well as your face. 

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