But, no. I'm tending to necessitudes, like mailing off a wedding present. Dumb store didn't even have the imagination to wrap it festively, so I'm doing that too. After a trip to the festive store.If you've even read this far, here's what the old dude on the beach and I have to tell you.
Don't Use Soap. (When you shower; it's fine for your greasy dishes.)
Oh, and of course you can use some soap "here and there" for freshness, yome sane? Your armpits, hm?
But for the rest of your body, just get wet and scrub with a washcloth. It takes off the schmutz and the dead skin and the graffiti and bedbugs. (Eek! Kidding.)
(Do people still have washcloths? You could use a loofah mitt. But be advised, it'll need to be laundered every couple of showers.)
For your face, use a special face scrubber pad from the store if you want, but no soap. The residual makeup and whatever else you put on your skin will wash away, along with the day's pollutants.
Seriously. Your skin will feel dewy, not chemically and dry.
I've been doing this for a few weeks now, and I'm happy.
Nobody recoils in horror.
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19 comments:
Were you at the DeYoung yesterday, dressed in a red print dress?
Zoomie: Did I have a beard? Was it a muumuu? Then, yes.
I like to occasionally use an exfoliant scrub on the face. For removing dirt on my face I'm partial to witch hazel. As for the rest? Been doing that for years. Soap dries your skin.
Kailyn: I love witch hazel; haven't used it in years. Thanks for the reminder.
How cool are you to be soap free. I'm actually *seeing* a change in my skin.
xx
I don't use soap either, except on my hands and face. Face because of makeup and hormones, and hands because, uh, well, durr. I cook a lot. And I wouldn't eat anything that someone made without washing their hands first.
My body is grateful to be soap-free, though, and nobody has ever called me smelly, even when I've asked them honestly. Not even after a marathon in Texas humidity. And I only use hippie "Tom's of Maine" deodorant because I don't need to be sticking aluminum on my person every day.
Again, no smelliness. And don't think I haven't asked those closest to me to be honest.
Some people ARE stinky, though. "Natural human scent" can be RANK AS F*CK and must be dealt with appropriately. I'm sure we all know someone with B.O. who just smells bad at the slightest exertion (like being awake). Is there even a nice way to tell them that they need soap and deodorant every day? I struggle with this question and a very close friend of mine who doesn't "believe" in deodorant.
I use tea tree oil castile soap on my face and homemade soap that I made from my leftover breast milk on my body. I'm not even joking! It's superfatted - very moisturizing. I added ylang ylang essential oil to it.
I haven't used bar soap in ages, but I do use shower gel. I'm assuming you are suggesting shower gel is out too. Hmmm. I'll have to think about this one...
Cookiecrumb, I didn't see a beard but the dress was muu-muu-like. I just caught a glimpse of a woman who looked a lot like you - your double?
Spitey: Hands, yes indeedy. All day long, necessitating hand lotion. Sigh.
But cool of you not to use shower soap.
Your stinky friends? Maybe not deodorant. Maybe washing. Washing gets that stank off; lasts at least a day.
Heather: Oh. I got nothing. No breast milk. I'm a hag. You kill me. Not in a D&D way.
Denise: Yes, shower gel is detergent. Plus, you are throwing away all those plastic bottles.
Give it a fair and square try, one week. xx
Zoomie: Well, if she didn't have a beard, it wasn't me. Not this week. :)
I have washcloths, lots of em!
I use oil (non mineral) to get the goop off my face, castile soap for hands, nice lemon soap just like you say :) and washcloths.
I hope I don't grow a beard, or a dog!
But I compost, walk almost everywhere, and almost always tote my own grocery bag to the market. I don't even own a car.
Okay, I'll think about it while I finish this nasty little bottle of Burt's Bees. No sense in throwing it away.
O, and also, I regularly have a bit of a rubdown with a big block of pink salt. NOT when I've got kitten scratches tho, oouchies.
Mouse: I was afraid I was out of date, with my washcloths. Scrubby, love.
I must be the last person on earth to eschew soap in the shower. See, I'm up to date!
Denise: I suspect your carbon footprint is negative. As I was saying to Ms. Mouse, there are cultural motifs that locate us in a social era. I have never used shower gel (though I have a bottle of some lovely lily of the valley that I've had for... OK... 20 years). Bar soap is my generation. My mom's too, but her generation wears panties over the navel, ugh. Anyway, you sometimes have to step back and look. (Not at the panties, ugh.)
Mouse: Salt rub? Scary, and of course, I'm intrigued.
Diluted Dishwashing liquid works great for cleaning eyeglasses - but don't dry them with paper towels (wood fibers will scratch), use soft cotton.
Cookie a huge block of pink salt that you use like a bar of soap, it's not terribly scrubby, tis very good for those with skin 'issues'. (I'm bar-soap gen too, I know shower gel exists but ... no thank you.)
Here you go! http://www.innovapacific.com/pinksalt.htm
Cranky has put on a couple of pounds but he does have a nice tan.
Heather is hardcore... I love it, however, I got none of she has. How about soap in hair? I got olive oil and lye soap. I figure I would eat olive oil, so I could put it on my skin. Hmm, no soap... hmm...
What??No soap is the new black?
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