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All about Organic Soaps

assorted bar soaps

There are no soaps as totally organic. Each soap consists of chemicals for the process of saponification. But as per US FDA, soaps are products, that are made using oils and fats, and are saponified using lye. All other commercial soaps come under bathing bars, but people around the world refer to bathing bars using soap only.

This means, technically all soaps are kind of organic in parts or have some natural ingredients. Let's understand a bit more about the same.

Organic soaps are soap products that are formulated with little or no artificial ingredients. Depending on any regulations regarding the branding of products within a given country, a soap product that is composed of at least 70% natural ingredients may be marketed as organic soap.

Where to buy organic soaps? 

These soaps are available in the same forms as any commercial soap product. Organic bar soap is one of the more popular options, as the product is ideal for bathing. thewiki Cosmoline also have their own brand of organic soaps made up of oils like;

  • Coconut Oil
  • Almond Oil
  • Olive Oil
  • Shea Butter etc

These soaps come in a wide variety of variants like;

  • Chandan Soap
  • Charcoal Soap
  • Fruity Soap

You can purchase the same online using their website. These soaps are really good at locking the moisturization.

Why is Organic Soap better? or What are its benefits?

There are several benefits of using organic soaps:

  • For people dealing with allergies associated with various additives found in commercial soaps, organic soap may be the ideal solution.
  • Assuming there is no adverse reaction to any of the organic components in the organic soap product, regular use of the soaps may help to prevent skin irritation and any other side effects caused by the allergies. 
  • Organic soaps can also be used for giving a bath to newborn babies (but we should first check if those are safe and from popular brands). This reduces the drying effect of commercial soaps, as those have chemicals that dry the skin, but not in the case of organic soaps, which are made up of oils, which lock the moisture and keep baby skin soft and rashes free.
  • Some organic soaps are also used for washing clothes and utensils and are mostly famous in villages. These soaps are made up of fats etc, which helps in keeping the hand soft and doesn't cause dryness.
  • Organic soaps are much softer and smoother on the skin, very suitable for those who have sensitive or soft skin. Most people love using organic soaps that moisturize the skin and keep their hands soft. If you are someone who follows a skin care routine, you must switch to organic soaps as they are more gentle on the skin.
  • Organic soaps are environmentally safe. As we have already discussed above that there are negligible amounts of chemicals or pesticides, therefore they become way more biodegradable as compared to their synthetic counterparts. They are easily disposable in nature which is a plus to environmental safety.
  • Organic soaps are generally made by crafters in the local community or local market that helps in the circulation of money locally. This business supports multiple farmer families too. Any consumer can access the product directly at a local store or a farm market. They thus act as a support for the family.
  • Organic soaps tend to have healing properties for skin conditions such as acne, rashes, eczema, and sunburn as they possess natural ingredients like essential oils, aloe vera, coconut oil, peppermint, turmeric, honey, etc. But you should check with your doctor first before treating something yourself.
  • Antioxidants protect your skin by limiting the production of free radicals, which can damage skin cells. They leave your skin looking younger and fresh. So, if you use organic soaps they can help you slow down the skin's ageing process and help in rejuvenating the skin.
  • Antibacterial soaps have added preservatives that increase the shelf life of the soaps, however, they are harsh and may cause irritation on the skin. 

Organic Soap vs Natural Soap

With so many terms used in the cosmetic industry, sometimes it can be hard to differentiate between what you think you are buying versus what you are actually getting. "Natural" & "Organic" are often thrown around to tout the property of many beauty products - soaps especially - but the two terms mean very different things. 

Organic is a term that can be used for soaps, which are made up of organic materials, oils, fats, and have a very little percentage of chemicals in them. But when we talk about natural, it is a vague term, because, we cannot have a purely natural soap or cosmetic. There will be some chemical in any cosmetic production especially soap making.

Organic Soaps are also certified as per government standards and require licensing. So, you can actually go for organic products.

Are Organic Soaps Edible?

There are several things that internet users search for, and the above question is something that is also asked by one of the internet users. To give a simple answer,

No ... A Big No ...

No soap should be eaten. These are used to clean ourselves and not eat. Although organic soaps are made up of things that might be edible, the way the saponification process works make it absolutely no for eating.

As we have already discussed, organic soaps also consist of a little number of chemicals, therefore, it is not edible at all. Also, there are several other things that go into organic soaps, fragrances, colors, some kind of active, etc, which are an absolute no for eating activity.

Can organic soaps be made without lye?

Yes, organic soaps can be made without lye also, but that doesn't mean we will get a soap that is purely organic or natural. We will have to substitute something in place of lye like an ingredient to help in foaming, or helping to create an emulsion, etc.

Are organic soaps antibacterial?

It makes sense that a lot of people might want the germ-killing boost of antibacterial soap, but they don't want the synthetic or harsh additives of commercial mainstream "soap". So are there any organic antibacterial soaps out there?

Before we dig into this question, let’s first look at how antibacterial soap works. Antibacterial soap usually contains one or more ingredients designed to kill bacteria and fungi. The most common of these ingredients are triclosan and triclocarban, and some others are benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and/or chloroxylenol. Triclosan is used as a disinfectant at hospitals, where sterilization is really important. Needless to say, triclosan and its cousins are not organic compounds.

I suppose you could make soap out of good old olive oil and shea butter and then throw in some chloroxylenol just for kicks. But that would seem sort of backward, right?

The good news is that most organic soaps already contain natural antibacterial ingredients. What I’m talking about are essential oils. May of the same essential oils we put in soap to make it smell good also kill bacteria and other microorganisms. Let’s take a look at a few essential oils:

Lavender

Lavender is a shrub-like flowering plant in the mint family. Lavender essential oil smells floral and calming and is one of the safest essential oils. Unlike most essential oils, it can be applied undiluted, directly to the skin. Herbalist James Green of The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook carries a small bottle of lavender essential oil to use as a disinfectant when he is out in the field.

Cedar

Cedar essential oil has almost too many benefits to list, helping with arthritis, acne, dry scalp, and yes, it is an antiseptic. Three major components of cedar essential oil are alpha-cedrene, beta-cedrene, and cedrol. While cedar essential oil has the ability to kill microscopic critters, it can also be used to repel insects.

Cinnamon

The cinnamon essential oil may come from the cheaper cassia trees or the more expensive true cinnamon. The antiseptic compounds in cinnamon essential oil are cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid. Besides its disinfecting properties, cinnamon can also be used as an astringent, as an aphrodisiac, or as a pain reliever. 

One question you might be asking at this point is whether organic soap contains enough essential oil to be an effective antibacterial treatment. The short answer is that it doesn’t matter. To date, according to the FDA, antibacterial soap hasn’t been shown to be any more effective than regular old soap. So go ahead and just buy the one that smells the best!

 

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