Very dry and sensitive skin: need moisterizer reccomendation

[sgtiger]

In the shower this morning, my shins were itchy and a bit painful. I looked down to see that my shins are all scratched up, but I didn't remember scraping them anywhere. On closer inspection they look like shaving nicks, but they run perpendicular to the direction I shave. Also with my legs being mostly covered up this time of year, and an ocean and a continent or two separating the man and I; I haven't been shaving on a regular basis.:o

Anyhoo, I've been using Cetaphil cream to moisturize my legs but appently it's not enough. I do have some L'Occitane ultra rich cream, which is shea butter based, but it doesn't absorb very quickly and feels goopy for a long time after I apply. The good thing about it is that despite being very rich, it doesn't irritate my skin or make me break out. Should I be using some sort of light oil, like sesame, from the health food store? Or is there something else that y'all can recommend for someone with sensitive skin?

Thanks in advance,

Soo

[Biciclista]

my ayurvedic lady says use sesame oil!
(smells good too)

ps don't shave for a while!!!

[ny biker]

I have very sensitive skin but it's not as dry as what you're describing. I use Complex 15 for most of me. It's hard to find at drug stores but you can get it on drugstore.com.

For my hands I use Aveeno, since it seems to last through a day of washing my hands better than the Complex 15.

If my legs were really bad, I would try putting Aquafor on them. It's kind of greasy (similar to Vaseline in consistency) but if you don't use too much and rub it in well, I think it would be okay. It's made by Eucerin and easy to find at drug stores.

[shootingstar]

I hope the sesame oil works or other stuff here for you stiger.

Please ask the pharmacist what they would recommend for over the counter lotions also. (Not the pharmacy technician). A pharmacist has considerable knowledge on over the counter ointments and drugs to remain licensed.

Since I live in Vancouver now, I don't have the severe dry skin problem because our winters are not as cold. But when I lived in Ontario I did have perpetual problem of very dry, scaly leg skin. Skin condition is called icthomyosis --fish-scale. The skin surface becomes harder and shiny. It would show up on dark tights when I removed my slacks, hose, etc. My dermatologist recommended Uremol, which is an over the counter, but expensive lotion. I switched to Keri.

I currently use Keri lotion for legs, arms only. I don't need it elsewhere.
For any moisturizer, must be applied immediately after drying self out of shower.
_________________________________________

From someone with 2 sister-pharmacists and 2-cousin-pharmacists.

[KnottedYet]

Pure shea butter for the very dry stuff ($12 for a tiny jar)
Pure olive oil for medium dry stuff ($6 for a quart)
Pure grape seed oil for the fine (like face) or not-so-dry stuff ($4 for a little 4 oz bottle)

My legs get super dry, too. A blob of shea butter melted between my hands and then rubbed on my lower legs is blissful and lasts for hours. It absorbs surprisingly quickly.

[GLC1968]

You could also help the problem from the inside (assuming you don't have oily skin somewhere else on your body like your face) by taking flax oil and/or fish oil caps. Three to four caps a day (two in am, two in pm) will make a huge difference if you have dry skin.

This is how I survived my stint on Accutane when my skin became unbearably dry. I've also been encouraging my husband to take them twice a day in the winter since then because he's got very dry skin and it really helps him.

[bmccasland]

Lotions that contain lanolin. Lubriderm comes to mind. Put a bit of lavender and rosemary essential oils in it - one has antibiotic properties and the other increaseses blood circulation, both smell nice.

Vasoline Intensive Care doesn't do diddly for my dry skin.

the 365 Lotion from WF is pretty nice, and I add lavender oil to it.

Seems one of my quilt magazines recently did a comparison on lotions, let me see if I can find it... I'll be back....

[deeaimond]

I'm a huge fan of shea butter, but my supply is running out.

Gold Bond ultimate is really good. I have very sensitive skin, and I really dislike lotions coz they're slimy. I use the shea butter gold bond. it's a little more expensive than regular lotions, but its available at the drugstore and still cheaper than pure shea butter.

[hoffsquared]

I like Udderly Smooth for my legs and hands. Seems to do the trick.

[Blueberry]

Has anybody tried bulk ordering shea butter from a soap supply place? Somewhere like Snowdrift Farm (no connection, never ordered from them). Doesn't look like you have to be a re-seller to order. Just an idea:)

Otherwise - it's hard. Shea works best for me. But I still have dry spots on my finger tips.

[SadieKate]

Yeah, it's a veterinary cream but it's fabulous for hands and feet. I use it intensively for flyfishing trips and my hands will be in better shape than when I started the trip. Think about it - a week of wet hands in the wind and cold. There's isn't much more challenging conditions (unless you add freezing temperatures also and even then it works).

http://www.horsemansdream.com/products/vetcream.html


I swear by the stuff and have converted many a flyfishing guide who gets cracked hands.

[badger]

Has anybody tried bulk ordering shea butter from a soap supply place? Somewhere like Snowdrift Farm (no connection, never ordered from them). Doesn't look like you have to be a re-seller to order. Just an idea:)

Otherwise - it's hard. Shea works best for me. But I still have dry spots on my finger tips.

I bought on two separate occasions pure, unrefined, fair-trade shea butter online. One from ebay (it was actually a mix of eastern and western shea butter, very nice), and another from a direct wholesaler in England. I've been very happy with both products, and MUCH cheaper than buying retail. I got half a pound for $20 for the ebay one, and a smaller quantity, but one that's lasted me more than a year from the second supplier for about $10. Let me see if I can send you a link http://www.sliceofnature.com/.

I've been using shea butter around the sensitive skin around my eyes for over 10 years now, and I swear that's my secret to not looking my age.

I also use jojoba oil and coconut oil. I try to avoid prepared lotions, but for the really cold days where my hands feel like they're sandpaper, I use Uremol20. I find urea to moisturize like nothing else, but if you're overly sensitive, it might burn for a bit.

[deeaimond]

I've been using shea butter around the sensitive skin around my eyes for over 10 years now, and I swear that's my secret to not looking my age.

I also use jojoba oil and coconut oil. I try to avoid prepared lotions, but for the really cold days where my hands feel like they're sandpaper, I use Uremol20. I find urea to moisturize like nothing else, but if you're overly sensitive, it might burn for a bit.

wow. i never thought of that, but i don't have wrinkles ard my eyes yet so...

yup i have thought of buying shea butter in bulk online, but then i've only ever used the pure unrefined stuff that bf's mother gets in ghana. I think i will scout around online, but then i think i will also need to find a supplier who'll ship to Singapore. thats gonna be the expensive part. But bf's going back to ghana in jan, so maybe i'll ask him to get me some and post it to me... I'm more worried about the source, coz sometimes they're chemically treated, then it changes the quality of the shea butter. I will check out the source that you linked :D

I also use jojoba oil as a night moisturiser! its the only thing i've tried that doesnt break me out hugely.

my skin has been super dry since i got here (new york) so i use the clinique moisture surge, topped with jojoba oil. my face skin does not hurt anymore. :D

[KnottedYet]

Has anybody tried bulk ordering shea butter from a soap supply place? Somewhere like Snowdrift Farm (no connection, never ordered from them). Doesn't look like you have to be a re-seller to order. Just an idea:)

Otherwise - it's hard. Shea works best for me. But I still have dry spots on my finger tips.

I get my shea butter from Alaffia: http://www.alaffia.com/
It's a local company that gets their shea butter from the owner's home village/region. They do a lot to support folks there, including shipping a container of bikes there every year.

[zoom-zoom]

Another thing to consider is running a big humidifier in your home. We have one that can spit out 6-7 gallons of water/day when it's really cold and our heat is running a lot. It makes such a difference in my skin.

[snapdragen]

Jojoba oil is supposed to be very good; I've never tried it. I have very dry skin too, I use Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture on my arms and legs, Aveeno for sensitive skin on my face. The Badger Balm people make some body butters that work well, although they can feel a bit greasy. I use Badger's Cuticle Balm on my nails and cuticles.

For hands I have a couple of different ones -- Philosophy Handmade ($$$ and it no longer comes in the big jar :( ) and Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula.

I have mild psoriasis on my elbows, when it acts up I slather on Gold Bond Ultimate Healing.

[sgtiger]

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! :D:cool:

There's so many great suggestions. I'll have to try them and see what combination works best for me. Although, I'm having a forehead smacking moment about the pure shea butter because I used to use it on my hands when I used to do some not very nice things to them.

While I'm used to having some dry, scaly patches this time of year; it's never been anywhere near this bad before. I have been making changes in my diet in the last month and I suspect that may be part of the problem, so the suggestions about dealing with it from the inside out are appreciated too.

[shootingstar]

I have been making changes in my diet in the last month and I suspect that may be part of the problem, so the suggestions about dealing with it from the inside out are appreciated too.

Should be interesting to see responses on diet to this query. Not that I plan to do anything on diet side since we live in better climate (for my skin) now.

[kelownagirl]

I use Aveeno everything. Got rid of all my dry skin as well as excema. (sp?)


In the shower this morning, my shins were itchy and a bit painful. I looked down to see that my shins are all scratched up, but I didn't remember scraping them anywhere. On closer inspection they look like shaving nicks, but they run perpendicular to the direction I shave. Also with my legs being mostly covered up this time of year, and an ocean and a continent or two separating the man and I; I haven't been shaving on a regular basis.:o

Anyhoo, I've been using Cetaphil cream to moisturize my legs but appently it's not enough. I do have some L'Occitane ultra rich cream, which is shea butter based, but it doesn't absorb very quickly and feels goopy for a long time after I apply. The good thing about it is that despite being very rich, it doesn't irritate my skin or make me break out. Should I be using some sort of light oil, like sesame, from the health food store? Or is there something else that y'all can recommend for someone with sensitive skin?

Thanks in advance,

Soo

[Tuckervill]

I get psoriasis-like patches on my legs in the winter. I hate applying lotion because I then have to wait for it to soak in (depending on the type), so I just don't use it. I'm not a creams and potions kind of girl anyway.

What I do use is Aveeno Shower & Bath Oil. I keep the bottle in the shower and slather on a quarter-sized amount before I step out of the shower. That covers my whole body, though I concentrate it in the parts that really need it. The water then sheets off of me and by the time I get into the bedroom, I'm ready to dress.

My hands can get terribly cracked and painful in winter (I've got two cuts on the back of my right hand from my left thumbnail right now!). For that I use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream. Soaks right in.

Karen

[badger]

wow. i never thought of that, but i don't have wrinkles ard my eyes yet so...


neither do I! best time to start using is BEFORE you get wrinkles. That's the whole idea of prevention. I started when I was 25, and 13 years later I'm proud to say I don't look my age.

[NbyNW]

+1 on Aveeno lotion and the shower & bath oil

Lubriderm and Eucerin are also good, but I have found the Eucerin to be a bit oilier.

I've been trying out Bag Balm for my chapped hands -- it has the consistency of vaseline when you're rubbing it on, but it absorbs into the skin really nicely and leaves a very thin waxy (not greasy) coat on the skin -- I guess that's the lanolin working.

[snowroo]

It's really important to cream within a minute of coming out of the shower. You might even consider a dollop of olive oil in a bath soak. Makes for a messy tub but it works well.

+1 on the humidifier

if your skin has split, you may be suseptible to bacteria getting in there which makes your skin hard to heal. Make sure you wash your hands BEFORE dipping them into a tub of cream. Alternatively, use a clean popsicle stick to get it out.

Don't use overly hot water when you bathe.

M

[VeloVT]

Plain old Nivea cream (the kind that comes in a tub, not a bottle) is great for very dry body skin. The key is to put it on every day right after you shower.

I've used small amounts of aquaphor on, of all place, my eyelids, before -- when I've restarted Retin-A after some time off and my skin goes crazy flaky for a few weeks.

[Jolt]

As a couple of people have already mentioned, olive oil is good. It soaks in fairly quickly, and the other good things about it are that it's natural and not expensive. Put it on after your shower. Jojoba oil is good for the face (just don't put too much on)--it is said to be very similar to the natural oils in our skin. The Badger Balms, Burt's Bees etc. are also very good but they do feel pretty greasy. However, they can be put on hands/feet before bed and gloves/socks put on; then in the morning the hands and/or feet will feel really good.

[mtbdarby]

Good timing on this. My hands are starting to crack. I've been using shea butter but without good results. Just got the humidifier going though! Has anyone heard of Egyptian Magic? I was looking online last night and found this all natural product (olive oil). Sounds good but a little pricey.....

[pll]

+1 on humidifiers in the home. I have two running all day long during the winter. And get a humidity gauge, so you get a sense of how low/high the humidity is at your place. Ideally, the humidity would be 40-50%. Getting close to 40% is very tough in the winter. Your skin and nose, and even your plants and furniture will be happier with a humidifier in the house! I have two of this type (http://www.amazon.com/336-500-3-Speed-Tabletop-Evaporative-Humidifier/dp/B0000D8EK1/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1260654016&sr=1-10).


Another thing to consider is running a big humidifier in your home. We have one that can spit out 6-7 gallons of water/day when it's really cold and our heat is running a lot. It makes such a difference in my skin.

[shootingstar]

Don't use overly hot water when you bathe.

M

THis is true to prevent drying out one's skin. I like my showers a little more than just lukewarm/warm.

[OakLeaf]

And make sure you're drinking plenty of water and getting lots of healthy fats in your diet.

[rocknrollgirl]

You could also help the problem from the inside (assuming you don't have oily skin somewhere else on your body like your face) by taking flax oil and/or fish oil caps. Three to four caps a day (two in am, two in pm) will make a huge difference if you have dry skin.

This is how I survived my stint on Accutane when my skin became unbearably dry. I've also been encouraging my husband to take them twice a day in the winter since then because he's got very dry skin and it really helps him.

What dosage on the fish oil to help with dry skin?

[badger]

I dug this thread up because in another forum that I go to, there was a thread on washing without soap. Yes, without soap.

I stopped washing my nether regions with soap some time ago. And once upon a time in university, this girl on the next floor up never washed her face with soap, just with water and she had great skin. Unfortunately that experiment went bust after a few days when I started breaking out like there was no tomorrow.

So I'm not completely blown away by the concept of no soap.

I stopped using soap on my legs and arms last week (do we really need soap on our legs and arms? especially in the winter??) I've also stopped using moisturizer on my legs, and guess what? My legs are not flakey like they would if I soaped and didn't moisturize. I still feel the need to soap my armpits, though...

I doubt I'll ever go without shampoo, though. Some people (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-394226/Could-survive-shampoo.html) are able to, but I have a feeling I'll be very greasy and miserable.

[shootingstar]

Probably alot less soap needed on legs and arms

Depending where I cycle in shorts season, it interesting that leg skin can have a fine layer of dust, sand when one goes for a few hrs. and rack up mileage on paved roads. Hence, I would need soap to remove the grit properly..

Really do need on soap on face and shampoo in hair even at this point in life. These areas probably have 40% less oil than when I was a teen.

oh well. At least my hair has a natural gleam. I rarely use hair conditioners at my age still. Useless. When I do, it feels heavy and dead.

I do not have the problem of dried out hair yet...and I wash my hair daily. Still. But then my hair has not been chemically treated with any colouring agents nor perm solutions.

[ny biker]

I use soap on the sweaty parts. For my face I use Cetaphil at night and just rinse with water in the morning.

I only use soap on arms and legs if I have to wash off sunscreen, grease, etc. or if I'm washing out a cut.

I still need moisturizer in the winter.

[sarahspins]

I dug this thread up because in another forum that I go to, there was a thread on washing without soap. Yes, without soap.

Honestly, knowing what goes into commercial 'soap' (or rather, that they take out all of the good stuff in it - like glycerin) this doesn't surprise me at all.. I have been making my own soap for 3 years now because I'm allergic to so much stuff, and I can't imagine using anything else at this point... but I do tend to only lather up areas that need it - but more to spare my soap, not my skin :)

I superfat my soap and I rarely use any kind of lotion.. because I just don't need it.

I've tried the no shampoo thing in the past, due to my severe allergy to SLS's, and it just doesn't work for my hair at all, not to mention my skin was taking one heck of a beating from the vinegar rinse, as much as I tried to keep it off me. I went through trying a lot of different brands of SLS-free shampoos, and finally settled on Jason Pure and Natural as my preferred one... no SLS and no perfumes (many other SLS free shampoos, like Burt's bees and such, are heavily scented, and I also react badly to a lot of EO's, so that's an automatic "no way" for me).

I don't use conditioner though... I hate the way it weighs down my hair.

[badger]

that's great you make your own soap - you know exactly what does into it! I would love to make my own soap as well. I certainly have enough stuff to go into them! (like jojoba, shea, coconut, and cocoa).

I try to use only stuff that you can ingest and not have any ill effects. Especially on your lips - the stuff some of those conventional lip balms have is frightening, and you're eating them!

[GLC1968]

I only use soap on the stinky parts and occasionally on my body if I am particularly dirty (like after cleaning the chicken coop....ICK!). And I have never used soap on my face...ever.

I also went for two years without using shampoo and my hair was gorgeous (if I do say so myself!). I would 'wash' with conditioner. Even now, I wash with conditioner every day and I only use a non-SLS shampoo once a week (except pool swimming is screwing up that schedule). It worked better on long hair - with my short hair, it looks too 'bed-heady' if I don't lather it at least once a week.

And I have absolutely found that natural home-made soaps are WAY gentler. My husband has extremely dry skin and he loves using it! We both love making it too...so fun!

[shootingstar]

I also went for two years without using shampoo and my hair was gorgeous (if I do say so myself!). I would 'wash' with conditioner. Even now, I wash with conditioner every day and I only use a non-SLS shampoo once a week (except pool swimming is screwing up that schedule). It worked better on long hair - with my short hair, it looks too 'bed-heady' if I don't lather it at least once a week.

And I have absolutely found that natural home-made soaps are WAY gentler. My husband has extremely dry skin and he loves using it! We both love making it too...so fun!

Sounds like everyone's hair is different. But that's great it works for you, GLC. And good to hear about natural home-made soaps.

I consider my hair texture/right amount of natural oils now just right state, the state I wished I had when I was a teen (when I had too much natural oil that led to other problems).

[sarahspins]

I would love to make my own soap as well. I certainly have enough stuff to go into them! (like jojoba, shea, coconut, and cocoa).

You should go for it! Cold process soap is really super easy, and it only has to cure for a month before you can use it (and that month flies by if you put your soap somewhere you can't look at it). A 2lb batch of soap will last me about a year... less if I give a lot away :) I make mine with a relatively simple modified castille (olive oil) recipe, and everything except the lye is available at the supermarket... no exotic stuff required unless you really wanted to use it.

I was afraid to make my own soap at first.. scared of using lye, but it's really safe if you use gloves and eye protection (and have vinegar handy if any does get on your skin - I have yet to have that happen, but am always prepared). It takes about an hour to prep everything and "make" the soap, and it's cut 24 hours later. Then it sits in a box in the closet until my phone calendar tells me it's ready :)

Lye is becoming increasingly hard to find in stores though.. Apparently it's used at some point in the process of making meth, and many retailers have opted to just plain NOT carry it since there are many alternative drain cleaners available now (ask at Home Depot or Lowes and they'll just look at you funny). The only place I've been able to find it local to me is Tractor Supply. It can be ordered on the internet but it involves faxing things for them to be able to ship it - more of a hassle than I've ever wanted to deal with for as little as I use. I am only on my second 2lb container of Lye in 3 years, and I've only used a tiny bit of that second container.


I try to use only stuff that you can ingest and not have any ill effects. Especially on your lips - the stuff some of those conventional lip balms have is frightening, and you're eating them!

I agree.. when you start looking at ingredients it's a lot of "WTF?!".. scary that many people just don't give it any thought at all.

[OakLeaf]

when you start looking at ingredients it's a lot of "WTF?!".. scary that many people just don't give it any thought at all.

They don't give it any thought because the manufacturers as well as their own doctors repeat over and over that you can't absorb anything through your skin... at the same time they're manufacturing or prescribing medication patches for you.

Dr. Bronner's on the stinky parts, Pangaea and Better Botanicals on the face, Kiss My Face Whenever on the hair, pure shea butter on the hands for me...

[Crankin]

Ah, well, I'm probably one of those people.
I use Cetaphil on my face, too. A wise dermatologist recommended it to me almost 25 years ago, when I started getting acne after after the birth of son #2.
I use Ivory soap on the rest of my body; come to think of it, I don't use soap on most parts, just the armpits, and "sweaty" parts. I do sweat profusely. But it's not a conscious decision, it's just the way I wash.
The thought of not using shampoo seems creepy to me. I can go a day without shampooing, if I wet my hair and use product, but after that, it's not nice. My head itches, too. My hair is already source of irritation to me, which is why it's short. In fact, I grew it longer last year and cut it in the fall. I still have side bangs that look great, but require a flat iron. After a ski or ride, it's gross. So, next hair cut, back to the pixie. I've used Bumble and Bumble products for about ten years and I am happy with them.
OK, back on topic. It's great if you have the time to make your own soap, but I am getting a picture of a woman stirring a pot in colonial times. I seriously do not worry about this kind of stuff too much. My skin does get dry in the winter; I use Cetaphil lotion, along with a few other things, but it seems to be related (I know) to wearing wool. Even the merino seems to bother me. Guess I'm just a princess, but I've tested this out in the last week and as soon as I ditch the wool, the itchiness goes away.

[tulip]

I have not yet made soap, but it does not seem complicated. No more so than baking a cake. I like the idea of having a year's supply of soap that I made. I might give it a try because I like trying new things as self-sufficient as I can (which is not very). GLC1968, do you ever make soap with goats milk? I love goat's milk soap--its so gentle and creamy.

I use Weleda these days. I use the Sea Buckthorn body oil on my face and all over. It's wonderful. I also use coconut oil (the kind you get in a health food store). It keeps my skin moisturized until the next time I take a shower.

I have to shampoo my hair every day or it gets nasty. That's just me, though. I've heard of people who wash their hair once a week or less, but not me.

[sundial]

My hands turn to fine grit sandpaper in the winter. I've tried Gold Bond, Vaseline, Neutrogena, Oil of Olay, DermaSoft, and nothing seemed to help. I even tried an old school remedy of rubbing Preparation H gel on my hands and wearing gloves.

Then I saw this (http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/35085.aspx?feature=rec_prod-57315-35085&ev3=recommended_products) in the Duluth Trading catalogue.

I ordered it and I am more than pleased with it. It dries to a very fine film and it's like wearing an invisible glove so it keeps moisture in. It is not greasy.

As for body lotion, Mr Sundial the pharmacist recommends Sarna (http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Itch-Relief/Original-Anti-Itch-Lotion/ID=prod1204&navCount=1&navAction=push-product?V=G&ec=frgl_614713&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku301204) lotion to his customers who have dry, itchy skin. He also likes the Sesame oil lotion (http://www.neutrogena.com/econsumer/ntg/productdetail.browse?segment=women&catId=5&subCatId=15&productId=77&target=/products/body/body-lotion.jsp) from Neutrogena.

I want to add too that you might be very surprised about the laundry detergent buildup in your laundry. That could definitely add to your woes. This winter I started using 21 Mule Team Borax and white vinegar and my laundry is much softer and cleaner. I no longer have residual soap. A nice benefit of using vinegar in your laundry is that it cuts down on static. :)

The humidifier also made a big difference.

[NoNo]

I make my own soap! I don't do cold process, I just don't have enough room to feel safe having lye around. I've been selling it and I'm getting a lot of people with sensitive skin wanting to try it. So far, no complaints. So many things can give you dry skin, from how much water you drink to how dry the air is, and soap alone won't fix that, but it could help it from getting worse. For me, no matter how "gentle" of a soap I bought, I'd always come out of the shower with tight skin, itching, and with hives all over my chest. Since making my own, I haven't had that problem. Plus you have total control over what goes into it. I've also found that I can't use orange oil on my face, so I can avoid putting that into my soap. If you compare the price of buying supplies to make your own natural soap to buying the same amount of natural soap in the store, making your own is totally the way to go.

[GLC1968]

Sounds like everyone's hair is different. But that's great it works for you, GLC.

Yes, I should mention that I have very, very thick, curly hair, so not using shampoo is possible. Curly hair is naturally dry even though my scalp was oily...so it wasn't until I stopped trying to dry out my scalp that it 'normalized'. My face skin is that way too, once I stopped drying it out, the oil production reduced greatly. But if you have naturally thin or straight hair, you probably can't get away with NO shampoo for very long.


GLC1968, do you ever make soap with goats milk? I love goat's milk soap--its so gentle and creamy.


Not yet! We unfortunately didn't get around to learning how to make soap until after we'd stopped milking our goats! And this year, we didn't breed them, so we will be without our own source of milk for a whole year. :( We will be making it eventually, though.

[Owlie]

I too have very thick and curly hair. I only shampoo (with Burt's Bees--anything else makes my scalp itch after two weeks) once a week or a week and a half in winter, if I'm not doing anything that requires me getting dusty or sweaty, or I haven't put products in my hair (I almost never do). I'll rinse it through with conditioner in the meantime, but not very often. Occasionally I'll put almond (my mom always did this for us when my sister and I were growing up) or neat cheap olive oil on the parts away from my scalp.

I have dry skin everywhere except my face, and to complicate matters, I have eczema on my hands. It's made worse by both dryness and by the greasy creams that don't let my skin breath. Delicate balance there, so I'm rotating hand lotions constantly. To make matters worse, the water in my building runs HOT, and I have yet to find a comfortable shower temperature that doesn't dry my skin out without making me feel like I'm taking an ice bath. We also have very hard water, which makes my skin less happy.
I soap my legs after I shave, because if I don't, I end up with angry red spots. I use a moisturizing shower gel for that as well as any sweaty parts and removing grease. My face gets washed in the morning with milder a salicylic acid cleanser, because if I skip it, I turn into a zit. Some kind of body lotion post-shower. Shea or cocoa butter in winter, whatever the heck I want in summer. I'm dreading the after-college experience because winter gets expensive!

[badger]

nono, how do you make soap without lye? not that I know anything about soap making at all. Using lye seems rather harsh, too, but who would ever have thought to use fat to clean grease?

Even if soap making is simple, I'd imagine there's basic science to it that would make one soap better than another. I remember making soap in my grade 11 chemistry class. My partner and I ended up making "Ivory" soap - one that floats. Not sure how, but I remember the teacher commenting that to the class when he saw ours.

Does anyone here ever make soap with clay? or try dudu osan, the African black soap? (I bought one last spring authentically made in Ghana when I bought my shea butter, only I have no idea where I've put it. so bummed!)

[NoNo]

nono, how do you make soap without lye?

You can buy pre-made base and all you have to do is melt it, add your color and scent, and pour it into molds. And there's no month-wait to enjoy your goodies :) The place I order from has laurel/laureth sulfate free bases. I've been using natural colorings like ground spices and cocoa, and use essential oils instead of fragrance for scenting.

Tulip, I'm just finishing up my goat's milk base now. People seem to like it, but not as much as the olive oil base. I actually had a few people kind of scrunch their noses and say "Goat's milk?!" I've yet to make a bar for myself with it. I did like the olive oil, and the honey base wasn't bad. I may try shea butter next time.

Piccies:
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs177.snc3/20449_1323345373898_1538774168_30858877_5663660_n.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs177.snc3/20449_1317853876614_1538774168_30845072_7518573_n.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs197.snc3/20449_1317853956616_1538774168_30845074_5143804_n.jpg

[GLC1968]

Wow, Nono...those are gorgeous!

Our soaps are quite a bit more rustic looking...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43625927@N05/4290396525/

(both have the same oils but the darker one has dried cranberry fiber added for gentle exfolliant)

While lye is exceedingly dangerous and caustic - the soaps made with it using today's formulations are perfectly gentle. If you use the correct lye to oil/fat ratios, you don't need to wait ages to use the soap. It can be used the same day if you don't mind a softer bar. The old methods (of making your own lye and then guessing about fat/lye ratios) was totally different and you would absolutely have to let it age to avoid burning your skin (and sometimes, even then, whole batches had to be tossed out).

And there are LOTS of different oils that give lots of different properties to the finished soap (suds factor, moisturizing, cleansing, hardness, etc).

I think I find it so fascinating because I have always loved chemistry.:o

[sundial]

NoNo, how pretty! I can just see you giving gift soaps to the lucky people on your list. :)

[NoNo]

Nothing wrong with rustic! There's a woman that's been buying from me that doesn't ask for any coloring or scent. Not because she doesn't like them or they irritate her skin, but because she's just showering with it, so what's the point of making it look pretty? I don't argue, it certainly saves me time!

[TrekTheKaty]

We added a mister to our furnace--a built in humidifier. Kicks on with the heat. I also use body oil--slather it on before I get out of the shower (learned that on the weather channel!) Hubby recommends Bag Balm--his fingers used to split open in the winter (just avoid petting the cat until it soaks in).

I also have naturally curly hair and only shampoo once a week--just rinse and condition the rest of the week. I was grossed out at the concept, but desperate to save my curls.

[shootingstar]

I also have naturally curly hair and only shampoo once a week--just rinse and condition the rest of the week. I was grossed out at the concept, but desperate to save my curls.


I'm lost: you mean washing your type of hair more often, means loss of the natural curliness or what?

From a naturally straight hair person. For certain, I will be unable to leave my hair unwashed up to once a wk. My system still produces plenty of hair oil..even in old, frail age I predict I just need that shampoo sudsing several times/wk.

[GLC1968]

I'm lost: you mean washing your type of hair more often, means loss of the natural curliness or what?

From a naturally straight hair person. For certain, I will be unable to leave my hair unwashed up to once a wk. My system still produces plenty of hair oil..even in old, frail age I predict I just need that shampoo sudsing several times/wk.


Curly hair and straight hair have totally different textures and as such, require different things. It's like the difference between how you would treat cashmere fibers or how you might treat silk. Both can be luxurious but both need different care.

Curly hair tends to be dryer - so it will absorb moisture out of the air. This is why curly or frizzy girls get curlier or frizzier in humidity and straight hair girls don't (or get limper, sometimes!). By not washing, we can keep our curls better naturally moisturized so that they remain healthy and don't need to absorb environmental moisture. Plus, curly hair tends to be fragile, so it can't take constant washing, harsh chemicals, rubbing with towels, rough brushing, etc and still remain curly, smooth and healthy looking. It's a pain for sure!

I did notice that while my scalp produced a lot of oils when I washed daily, part of the reason was precisely because I was washing daily and it was trying to compensate for it. When I stopped washing so much, my scalp calmed WAY down and so did the oil production. Similiar to not using harsh cleaners on oily skin to keep oil production lower (another issue I have!).

[badger]

I did notice that while my scalp produced a lot of oils when I washed daily, part of the reason was precisely because I was washing daily and it was trying to compensate for it. When I stopped washing so much, my scalp calmed WAY down and so did the oil production. Similiar to not using harsh cleaners on oily skin to keep oil production lower (another issue I have!).

I thought this as well when I washed my hair daily. About 4 years ago I decided to wash every other day to stop this oil over-production. I have to say that my scalp is still oiler than ever, much to my frustration. In 24 hours my roots are noticeably oily so the second day I usually have to wear my hair in a pony tail.

[shootingstar]

Plus, curly hair tends to be fragile, so it can't take constant washing, harsh chemicals, rubbing with towels, rough brushing, etc and still remain curly, smooth and healthy looking. It's a pain for sure!

Honest, I had no idea about the fragility of some curly hair. See how different life is for straight-haired chicks. :)

I think lots of thick fine straight hair or thick, coarse straight hair tends to be stronger than with thin, fine/straight hair. Some people have straight hair that takes ages to grow any noticeable length. My hair grows fast.

But then, how does one explain when curly-haired gals iron their hair to straighten it? That must be awfully tough on the hair especially if the hair has a strong wave/curl. To me, it looks tougher on the hair compared to using a curling iron for touch-ups daily for just a few min.

I'm not keen to try to reduce washing my hair daily, especially when I've been cycling nearly daily since I've moved to Vancouver. I've tried skipping a day of hair washing..at different times in life. Just hasn't worked. My scalp starts to itch, etc. Then skin near hairline tends to break out.

That is why I don't need hair conditioners at all. I probably voluntarily used hair conditioner less than 8 times in my life. And my hair is healthy ..as assessed by every hair stylist I've had. I don't do manicures, pedicures, facials, body wraps, etc. But the health of my hair & scalp is something I make an effort to look after.