Here's a compelling reason to opt for palm oil-free bar soap over body wash? Keep reading!
Ever wonder why body washes are so frequently named after drink specials? Margarita. Mimosa. Pink champagne. Sure, they’re fruity and fun, and thus appealing to consumers. But it’s also a tad ironic, given that body washes are often full of alcohol—and not in a good way.
As anyone who has ever partied a bit too hard knows, alcohol can cause dehydration. Why, then, do so many manufacturers put alcohol in their soaps? Alcohol is effective for degreasing skin and removing acne-causing oil. But it’s only a temporary fix. You might wash with it and feel oil-free. But for some people, the harshness of the alcohol backfires. It causes their skin to produce more oil to compensate for what the alcohol strips away.
Moreover, alcohol can cause dryness and irritation. What do you do with dry skin? You put lotion on it. We’re not saying that there is some vast conspiracy among soap makers to dry you out with soap so that you’ll buy the lotion too. But doesn’t it remind you of Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock and his constant efforts to achieve “vertical integration?”
Some alcohol in skin care products is necessary as a preservative. On some labels, you might see something like benzyl alcohol. That is used to prevent spoilage. The types of alcohol to avoid in body washes include:
- isopropyl alcohol
- SD alcohol 40
- ethyl alcohol
Astringents like isopropyl alcohol are great for preventing infections in minor cuts and abrasions, but why would you treat your whole body like a skinned knee?
As every college freshman knows, there are only two ways to avoid a hangover. One is to drink a lot of water (or binge on pizza), and the other is to abstain from drinking altogether.
Choosing a natural palm oil free bar soap that contains no alcohol is a great way to avoid the post-shower hangover without abstaining from the invigorating fragrance, bubbles or clean feeling you expect from the products you use in your shower.
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