Why Natural soaps aren't always better
Soap has been around since before Ancient Egypt. Some Babylonian figured out how to break down oils by using a strong alkali like soda ash in a process called saponification. The result? A sudsy mixture of glycerin and fatty acid salts called soap. This process is still, to this day, fundamental to natural soap making.
So, what’s the problem? pH, that is the problem.
Acid mantle and microbiome.
Our skin is the only thing that protects us from the big bad world, but it cannot function well without it’s microbiome. These symbiotic friends of ours have evolved along with us since nature invented skin and are our first and most important line of defense against invading microorganisms. In fact, studies are emerging that suggest that our microbiome isn’t just a part of our immune system, it is MOST of our immune system. This flora has evolved to thrive in an acidic pH (4.5-5.5), a condition that is happily provided by our acid mantle in the form of fatty acids.
The effect of natural soaps on our acid mantle.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS NEXT PART.
The pH scale is logarithmic meaning that as you go in any direction from any point on the scale, the pH changes exponentially. A pH of 5.5 is 10 times more alkaline than a pH of 4.5. A pH of 6.5 is 100 times more alkaline than a pH of 4.5 and on.
Natural soaps are alkaline in nature and can have a pH of around 9 to as high as 12.
When compared to the average healthy pH of skin (5.0), natural soaps are 10,000 - 10,000,000 times more alkaline than our acid mantle!!!!!!!!
I will let that soak in for sec...
Furthermore, natural soaps also saponify our own protective lipids and remove them from our skin leaving our largest organ vulnerable to invading microorganisms and irritants.
It takes 14-48 hours for our acid mantle to reestablish itself after being stripped by an alkaline soap or detergent.
Notice the sharp increase in chances for developing contact dermatitis at the daily and 2x per day lathering? Notice how the curve isn't so steep for the synthetic cleanser.
What does this mean for our microbiome?
Systemic biocide! That’s what it means! While your microbiome is quite resilient and can quickly repopulate your skin, it needs time to do so. In a modern world where we’ve succumbed to some genius marketing that leads us to believe that we must lather up 1 or 2 times per day to be “clean” or “healthy”, and that “natural” is better, a growing number of people are experiencing sometimes serious skin conditions as a result of not allowing this recovery process to take place.
Lathering up with soap 1 or more times per day disrupts the acid mantle and dramatically increases the chances of developing dermatitis due to accumulative irritation and may contribute to atopy. For more info on this I recommend to anyone with skin, reading Dr. Sandy Skotnicki's "Beyond Soap", where this brilliant woman spills ALL the tea!
Marketing materials like these encouraging us to lather up every day have programmed us to think that we are dirty if we don't.
What to do about it?
Grab a synthetic cleanser:
Once again, some lovely chemistry comes to the rescue in the form of synthetic cleansers that remove what they need to without disrupting our barrier function. Look for fragrance-free synthetic cleansers like Cera-ve and if you feel that your barrier is compromised, look for products like illumenase that help to restore biochemical balance to your skin.
Give your skin a break!
We do not need to lather up all over 1 or 2 times per day.
Give your privates and pits some attention with a gentle synthetic cleanser once or twice a day but just give the rest of you a rinse saving the lather for every other day or every 3 days.
This will be different for everyone depending on lifestyle.
Don’t fall for marketing hype:
Buzzwords are misleading and sometimes dangerous. Learn how to identify them.
Ethical considerations:
Let's be clear here. I am not telling everyone to toss out their natural soaps! This would have terrible economic implications for the small businesses that make them. There is nothing wrong with using an alkaline soap once in a while. If your skin can tolerate it, then go for it! Just understand the risks associated with overdoing it.
So, what should your routine look like? Learn about skin-cycling
Your personal routine will be highly individualized, and you may need to talk with an aesthetician or derm that is familiar with your skin, however, a good friend of mine told me that I must include my own personal routine as an example so here it goes.
My personal cleansing routine:
Shower specs:
Between 1 and 8 minutes
Temp: around 101 degrees f
Water: City of Atlanta municipality with a pH of around 6.5-7
Days: 3,5
1-2 min: I shower in the morning where I rinse my hair and body and wash my privates and pits with a foaming synthetic cleanser. I use the same wash to cleanse my oily t-zone only.
2-3 min: In the evening, after gym and sauna, I jump in the shower to rinse off my body, and once again use the foaming synthetic cleanser on my privates and pits. I use whatever shampoo I have nearby and a palm brush to give my scalp a good scrubbing. If it is summertime, I use a BHA wash on my oiliest areas, my face, and sometimes my scalp and if it is winter, I gravitate towards a non-foaming, crème cleanser like Cera-ve hydrating face wash.
Days 2,4,6
1-2 min: Same as days 3 and 5
1-2 min: In the evening, I do the same as days 3 and 5 except I only rinse my hair.
Day 1:
5-8 min: Full-body lather and scrub with an exfoliating bath towel and bristle brush. I also use a Kerastase or Oribe scrub on my scalp. I focus on areas where skin tends to build up and will sometimes incorporate some tools like an ultrasonic or motorized brush cleaning device.
I then, of course, provide my skin with what it needs to restore it’s perfect biochemical balance by using illumenase from head to toe.
As you can see from my routine, I only fully lather my whole body once per week on average even though I use a sauna every day. You might be thinking “ooo I bet he is stinky.” Actually, I have found the opposite to be true. Since I started this routine of rinse, sauna, rinse, sauna, wash etc. I no longer need deodorant, and I work very closely with some very honest people who would call me out for any unpleasant odors in a heartbeat.
To be clear. This is what works for me. You are you, and are not I. Educate yourself, listen to your skin and its needs, and get your own routine! Mkay?
Now please, embark upon the most quality of days!
MBM
