What's the Deal With "Pure Soap"

[Offerocker]

For whoever cares about this subject. I just got the word back from Proctor and Gamble that their Ivory soap, in bar form, is the last product they have that is real soap.

"Ivory Snow" (their product in flake form) used to be soap, but it is now a detergent.

All Ivory products, except their Ivory soap bar, are detergents.

David

Thanks, David. Very interesting - last of a dying breed.
I miss the smell of the 'old' hard-milled Palmolive bar.
Those soaps didn't leave a messy soap dish!
Someone previously stated that their bar soap didn't leave 'soap scum' - I've NOT found that to be the case, in fact it's pretty bad.
I guess I'll stick w/the Kirk's.

[Vader]

I concur with Snoozin'. In fact, it may have been one of my early posts about Seventh Generation to which he is referring.

I use the SG dish washing soap to clean my humidifier resevoire and mask parts daily. It has none of the additives to which the CPAP manufacturers object and does a great job for minimal cost.

I just saw this item at my local supermarket, and I must say I was impressed.
Next time I need soap (I'm currently using Dr. Bronners Magic Soap) I'm going to buy it. It's actually quite a bargain!

[ailsaek]

All we have in the house for real soap is Dr. Bronner's peppermint. Would that be OK, despite the scent? I think everything else we have would be worse. We do have baby shampoo, but I prefer the scent of peppermint to that of baby shampoo, if I am going to risk having to breathe fragrance all night.

[GoofyUT]

Ole Doc B's wortks like a CHARM!!! I've used it consistently since I began, and I remain on my original Swift pillows which look exactly as they did when I first used them.

Plus, I ALWAYS enjoy reading the label (with a magnifying glass, of course).

Cheers!

[tater pie]

My DME told me to use plain baby shampoo (no conditioners or anything in it) and I've used it for two years and had no problem with breakdown of materials or residue or losing the seal. It leaves a nice smell too (if you like the scent of baby shampoo).

[birdshell]

For what it is worth, Johnson & Johnson used to make an unscented baby shampoo. I do not know if it is still available; because of my sensitivity to fragrances in products it was recommended by my dermatologist.

It was a part of a sensitive skin baby product line.

If one is truly looking for a fragrance-free product, be sure to read the label. Often the 'unscented' products contain a masking fragrance.

[droyal]

Offerocker

You are welcome.

Wow, I remember that Palmolive bar soap! That was some time ago.

Best,
David

[redring]

I make pure soap. Actually most "soaps" you buy in the store are not even soap. They are detergents and fillers. I am not sure what they are suposeing pure soap is but i have real soap from scratch with no additives at all. Lets see, olive oil watter and lye thats all. So, maybe somthing like that?

[datasmom]

I, too, have made real soap in the past.... the thing that would concern me about using real soap would be the glycerin. "Real soap" or homemade soap, made from fats (either animal or vegetable, lard, tallow, or olive oil, etc) contains glycerin. "Store bought" soap usually does not as the manufacturers remove it and use it to make... lotions... because the "store bought" dries out your skin. (so they get your money two ways, the soap and then the lotion to counteract the damage their soap does to your skin.) Homemade soap, as in the bar kind, would be like using moisturizer on your face each night, it would have the potential to cause a mask not to seal correctly in time.

I use Burt's Bee's Baby soap for my skin these days as I'm too lazy to make my own soap any more but I don't think I'd want to use it on my mask because of the glycerin. Homemade "real soap" would mean using more vinegar to remove the naturally occuring film that glycerin leaves and I find vinegar to irritate my skin. Another thing to consider is that some "natural" soaps use essential oils as fragrances and essential oils damage plastic. That's why all my oils for my soapmaking came in glass bottles.

Personally, I use Palmolive. I like the way it smells and it doesn't break out my sensitive skin. I like "all natural" products but my mask is plastic and, in my experience, plastic and natural products don't always get along.

(Btw, natural soap is made from lye & fat. When you put the two together and you see how violently they react and just how bad the chemical reaction burns your eyes & nose, you kinda wonder if "all natural" is such a good thing after all.... ha! Thank goodness that in the aging of the soap, all that smell goes away and it, eventually, turns into something really nice. )

Lorrie

[sleepnbear]

Agree with ny nurse, J & J baby shampoo is pure soap ( as not to aggravate
delicate skin, also try neutragena soap in the pump ( it's what I use ) It's
easy to find and a little dab will do ya.

[NyNurse33]

My friend who happens to also be a RT that works for a DMEs (don't hold that against her), says that she tells her clients not to wash their masks everyday, just to buy some baby wipes and wipe it every morning. I bought some minus the moisturizer and lotion, so far so good. One of the most important thing I have learned through this whole trial and error therapy, is that it is crucial to wash your face very well before you put on your mask. I alternate between noxema and neutrogena salicylic acid acne wash to cut down on the facial oils. I do it every morning too. I just miss being able to put on some oil of olay or other moisturizer every night. Oh well, wrinkles or stop breathing @ night, hmmmm.....