Artisan Soap and Skin Care by Seattle Hill Soap Co

Is Antibacterial Soap Really Necessary?

2011-05-20T00:40:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a new website, http://www.fightgermsnow.com. The site’s primary focus is to alleviate concern about the safety and effectiveness of antibacterial soaps. While I’m unimpressed with the new Fight Germs Now web site, I’d like to scream from the rooftops, “Antibacterial soaps aren’t necessary!”

Antibacterial soap manufacturers want consumers to believe what this site is selling…antibacterial soaps kill more germs than regular soaps. Yet both the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) and the CDC (Center for Disease Control) have made statements that hand washing with regular soap is just as effective at removing germs as antibacterial soaps.

According to WebMD, “…An FDA advisory panel considered the question of the effectiveness of antibacterial products in the fall of 2005; the panel overwhelmingly concluded that there was no evidence proving that antibacterial soaps were more effective than regular soaps for preventing infection.”

If you want to make sure you’re getting your hands clean, read the CDC’s basic hand washing techniques. These techniques will get your hands squeaky clean with regular soap and water. In fact, these same techniques need to be practiced even when you are using antibacterial soaps. So my question is…why do we need another product with another chemical that really doesn’t deliver? Save your money, a good old fashioned hand washing works just fine.

Skin Benefits of Comfrey

2010-02-26T18:20:00.000-08:00

I’m always searching for great herbs to color our soap and skin care products with. Recently I’ve discovered a plant that not only provides a beautiful green color but also provides wonderful skin benefits. Today, I’m going to tell you a little bit about comfrey.

Comfrey is a plant that isn’t given much attention, most likely due to the potential for liver toxicity if ingested. It is frequently used as a fertilizer/compost tea and mulch because of its intense nitrogen content. As an herbal remedy, it has wonderful benefits for the skin.

One of the main components in comfrey leaf is allantoin, a compound that is used to hasten skin regeneration. Comfrey leaf is also known for healing bruises and scrapes quite effectively. Studies in Europe show it’s effective in treating eczema, dermatitis, and viral skin infections. For skin applications, it’s best used as a poultice or infused into liquid to be used as topical treatment only.

My newest creation containing comfrey is a gardener’s soap that has a gentle exfoliant and scented with a peppermint rosemary fragrance. I thought it a refreshing way to end a day of gardening.

Why Soap?

2009-10-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

Soap..one of the most frequently used products in our daily lives yet few stop to think what is in that soap we use on our skin. Frequently, commercial soaps are not as safe as they pretend to be. Many commercial soaps, though cheap and plentiful, also come with a wide variety of chemicals that can jeopardize both human skin and human health, deprive skin of moisture, and generally are unnecessarily harsh.

So why handmade soap? Real soap naturally and gently cleanses without stripping your skin of it's natural oils. Stripping those oils has not only been found to cause dry, itchy skin but also can leave the skin inefficient in blocking various environmental hazards. Real soap also has natural glycerin, a humectant that attracts moisture to the skin. Handmade soap also effectively kills germs without the use of such harsh ingredients as triclosan.

Soap is also more soothing because of the addition of extra skin nurturing oils at the time it's made. Most importantly soap is absent of the drying detergents, dyes, preservatives, and other chemical additives found most often in the commerical bars you find in stores.

When presented with the overwhelming amount of evidence as to what is really in commercial soap, it is easy to see that natural and handmade alternatives are a better choice. However, few consumers know this, and are putting up with the negative effects of commercial soap without being fully aware of what they are putting on their skin day after day.

In my future posts, I will discuss some of the good, bad and ugly about soaps and other skin care products, as well as, provide simple solutions and recipes for helping you maintain a healthy and happy outer exterior.

Thanks for stopping in and hope to see you soon!