Diary Library

ode for the soap

February 21, 2020 by Settayah No Comments
When I was little all we had for hands and body washing  was reduced to water and soap. No fancy bottles, scented colours or specialised beauty products of any kind. The oval gently scented white soaps in our apartment in the city, and the big uneven evil-smelling knobs of homemade soap in our grandparents’ village house.

I still remember the big black cauldron my grandmother used for soap making. She melted several ingredients among which I only remember the lard, for it released unbearable smell, and the caustic soda. She then boiled, strained and moulded the mixture, and left to dry. A knob of soap would last for ages, being used for laundry, body, hair, even dishes. A chunk of soap in the wood-heated bathroom and on the outdoor kitchen sink, and grated soap for the enamel laundry basin.

odes for the soap

When modern-day cosmetics reached our part of the world (at the beginning of the 90s), the enthusiasm was therefore huge. Everything smelled so good! The foam, the smoothness, the attractive people whipping glossy hair and showering with style in the zillion commercials – we got sucked into this fantasy world and for a while it all seemed lovely. Then slowly but steadily information started to mount, warning about the hazards of this or that chemical ingredient. Investigating my 25+ body in the mirror, I could see and feel for myself that something doesn’t add up. Instead of shiny mane, I had hair dull and dry and awfully curl-less. My skin didn’t look fresh and firm at all but was ageing with disturbing tempo.

Here is what our supermarket soaps and shampoos used to contain (non-exhaustive list):

  • Potassium Sorbate (E202) – preservative, toxin
  • Isopropyl Palmitate – palm oil-based, causes acne, blackheads, skin issues, toxin
  • Cereareth-20, Cetearil – toxin, allergen
  • Cetyl Alcohol – toxic chemical
  • Benzyl Alcohol – allergen, toxin
  • Sodium Hydroxide – toxic chemical
  • Phenoxyethanol – toxic chemical, preservative
  • Limonene – fragrance, allergies, immune system toxicity 
  • Linalool – allergen, toxin, compromises the immune system, may decrease GABA
  • Benozoic acid – pesticide
  • Sodium Hydroxy Methylglycinate – formaldehyde releaser
  • Parafinum liquidum, Mineral Oil – immune system toxicant and respiratory allergen
Then it turned out hair quality is the least of my problems. Intolerances started to plague me, later followed by hormonal issues and other imbalances. We had always used good quality cosmetics with pure ingredients but as it obviously wasn’t enough, we ditched commercial cosmetics altogether and left on the shelves only 100% natural products. Just about then we discovered the organic shampoo and conditioner bars, and we all got addicted. Just like in my grandparent’s house once upon a time, there are only soap bars in our bathrooms, only healthier and with aroma much more bearable.

soap

Here are some of the ingredients our cosmetics contain now (non-exhaustive list):

  • Tasmanian Beer, Tasmanian Seaweed
  • Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Mango Oil, Jojoba Oil
  • Soap Nuts
  • Leatherwood Beeswax, Leatherwood Honey
  • Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter
  • Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid,
  • Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Even though we thought buying organic body lotions, laundry powder, dishwasher liquid and cleaning products will be ineffective and expensive, it proved to be exactly the opposite. It’s cheaper, it is nature-friendly, it helped us find amazing shops and alternatives, and I finally got my curls back.

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