We are exposed to soap commercials and celebrities who recommend it on a day to day basis. The style of these commercials has always stayed the same for decades. Same goes for the mind set of people who trust a soap because some celebrity recommends it. We cannot imagine a day that goes without using soaps. It has merged into our lifestyle. But many of us have many questions about soaps. In this article, we will look into what will be the best soap for your use.
The soap we use on a regular basis for washing ourselves is called Toilet soap. It has a pleasant smell. Before purchasing a soap, we look into its brand, smell, expiry dates and many other things. But we all miss one minute detail. It is called TMF (Total Fatty Matter). It determines the quality of a soap. You will find this indicated in the soap packaging. If the TMF is above 80 it is the first quality soap. If its value is in-between 60 and 80 percentage, then it belongs to second quality. But, they are equally usable for bathing as well. Soaps with no mentioning of TMF is not suitable for bathing.
Soaps are manufactured through a process called saponification. This process involves sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. In addition to it coconut oil, palm oil, olive oils are used by soap manufacturers.
There are two types of soaps. Toilet soap and Bathing bar. Toilet soap has three grades. 1,2, and 3. Grade 1 toilet soaps have TMF above 76 percent. Grade 2 soap will have TMF between 70 to 76 percentage. And Grade Three soaps will have TMF less than 70 percent.
If the Bathing bar has TMF less than 60 percent. It is not advisable to use Bathing bars to wash.
There are many varieties of soaps like glycerin soap, beauty soap, Ayurvedic soap and much more. No matter what soap you purchase, always make a note of the TMF value. Apart from these, there are separate soaps for different skin conditions. For example.
- Soaps with peroxide are used for people with pimples.
- Soaps with oats, honey, milk are suited for people with dry skin and eczema.
- Antibiotic soaps are for yeast infections.
- Anti-bacterial soaps are for those with bacterial infections.
- There are many types of soaps.
Soaps with glycolic acid have the capacity to increase complexion. There are moisturizer soaps available for a highly dry skin.
Baby soaps are only for Babies
Babies skin are soft and tender, so we use baby soaps for their skins. But many people use baby soaps thinking that their skin surface is similar to a baby. Baby soaps are not suitable for adults. Sebum oil present over the skin surface of adults is rich in fat content. To flush it out, they would soaps that are stronger than baby soaps or face wash.
What is the recommended frequency of Soap usage
At the most, you can use toilet soaps for two times a day. Using soaps more often will lead to dryness in skin. So to maintain the moisture content, our skin will look to produce more oil. For this reason, people with pimples should not over use soaps. If needed we can just wash our face in clean water without soap.
Soaps with Turmeric and Sandal are not enough
Many people think using turmeric and sandal soaps are enough to get out in the hot sun. But using these soaps will make your skin more sensitive to sun light and heat. As it increases the chances of sun tan, always use a sunscreen before going out.
You don’t need Soaps to clean your private parts
Some people use a lot of soap on their private parts, thinking it will make them more hygienic. But in reality, your private parts should not be cleaned with soaps. It is enough to wash it off with water.
Can we use same Soap for both face and body?
Skin surface on the face and rest of the body is not necessarily the same. For many people, facial skin will be oily while the rest of the body’s skin will be dry. Dry skin surface would need moisturizing soap, or use a normal soap and apply moisturizer afterward.
When should we avoid using soap?
Soaps can be avoided if there is any skin condition, skin damage, and injuries. In those times we can replace soaps with soap free cleansers.
