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Coal tar soap anyone?

(91 Posts)
Whethertomorrow Sun 21-Jul-24 11:21:48

Does anyone else use coal tar soap, the proper one made by wrights?

I’m having a lot of skin issues at the moment (spider bite) and then a sweat rash inside my elbow from too much crocheting.

Usually I use loads of different creams to heal these sort of things and shower with different shower gels. But I treated myself to a bar of old fashioned coal tar soap and it worked a treat. It’s not too drying and smells wonderful.

I’m just wondering if there’s any actual detergent in shower gels or is it all perfume and emollients.

Is there anything you would recommend?

karmalady Mon 22-Jul-24 06:15:43

Coal tar is potentially carcinogenic. A good quality neem soap and/or moisturiser is recommended

Greyduster Mon 22-Jul-24 06:51:12

I use it but only for my hands. It was the only soap DH would use in the bath or shower. He hated liquid soap.

NotSpaghetti Mon 22-Jul-24 06:53:27

Wrights Traditional Soap is no longer a coal tar soap - it's a tea tree soap now. As karmalady says, coal tar is a carcinogen and although still available for treating, say, psoriasis, it's not a good idea to use it every day.

Casdon Mon 22-Jul-24 07:04:07

It reminds me of the outside toilets at junior school, cold water and coal tar soap, I hated it. I use the Sanctuary salt scrub bar now instead of traditional soap, it’s not drying, lasts ages and I love the smell.

JamesandJon33 Mon 22-Jul-24 11:09:26

Casdon I have just been on the Sanctuary website; they do not seem to have a salt scrub bar. Pots of salt scrub but no bar. Am I looking for the right thing ?

Casdon Mon 22-Jul-24 13:24:52

Oh no, you’re right JamesandJon33 I’ve just checked and it’s been discontinued. I had two bars for Christmas, this is my last unopened one. That’s really upset me, it’s brilliant, and I’ve been using it for at least 10 years.

Esmay Mon 22-Jul-24 15:04:02

The best bath product which I've used is by Tulipan Negra - a Spanish company .
A friend stocks it . I could buy it on line of needs be .
I can shampoo my hair and use it on my body without getting any dryness nor irritation .
My skin is really touchy .
It hates the sun or being hot and many skin products aggravate it .

mae13 Mon 22-Jul-24 16:05:46

Yes, definitely. It's the smell that does it - wonderful! It's a truly clean smell.

Pammie1 Mon 22-Jul-24 16:08:36

I love the smell of coal tar soap - it makes the bathroom smell clean too.

handbaghoarder Tue 23-Jul-24 11:40:38

Always have a bar of Wrights in the shower room. Love the “clean” smell.

sandye Tue 23-Jul-24 11:41:20

for a sweat rash I use Sudocrem or 1% Canesten. I worked in a pharmacy and that is what we recommended and they are very good. Soap wise coal tar is good or tea tree.

PamQS Tue 23-Jul-24 11:41:37

We always had coal tar soap, I think it was for its disinfectant qualities. I was always falling over and scraping my knees!

I can’t use shower gels any more as my skin reacts badly. I have to use stuff from the chemists for washing dry skin.

Grandmama Tue 23-Jul-24 11:43:55

Discontinued using it years ago then more recently my late DH insisted on it for the kitchen. New bars seemed to smell throughout the house!!

lovesreading Tue 23-Jul-24 11:49:53

We buy the bar and the liquid soap as well. The bathroom always smells wonderful.

Pinkhousegirl Tue 23-Jul-24 11:59:35

I would recommend Savon de Marseille, made from the third pressing of olives. Lasts for months, smells wonderful and doesn’t dry your skin. Mild enough for babies as well.

Delila Tue 23-Jul-24 12:01:50

The NHS advice is not to use coal tar products bought from shops and pharmacies on face, genital areas, or broken or infected skin.

Delila Tue 23-Jul-24 12:03:17

Pinkhousegirl

I would recommend Savon de Marseille, made from the third pressing of olives. Lasts for months, smells wonderful and doesn’t dry your skin. Mild enough for babies as well.

I always use this too and find it very gentle, smells lovely, and lasts for ages.

Delila Tue 23-Jul-24 12:04:34

Without going squashy.

beachalleygirl Tue 23-Jul-24 12:04:45

J52

When DS was young had an unidentifiable rash on his back the doctor prescribed coal tar shampoo used as a body wash, it worked to take the irritation away.
DH’s Dermatologist advises Sanex as a shower gel.

Many dermatologists advice against using Sanex... apparently, can cause sensitivity...

TonysBride Tue 23-Jul-24 12:04:58

I only use Coal Tar shampoo (I get it on prescription) because of my psoriasis and it really works. It's amazing. I'm like you too Whethertomorrow I love the smell of it too. I don't use soap anywhere on my face though - no matter the kind - and haven't since I was about 14. Nice to see someone else who loves the smell of Coal Tar too though

Nannyof4mummyof2 Tue 23-Jul-24 12:09:55

I recently bought a pair of little scrubby sacks with a pull toggle where you can put your bar of soap inside it's much easier than holding a slippery bar

VenusDeVillendorf Tue 23-Jul-24 12:12:56

There’s something comforting about the medicated smell of coal tar soap and shampoo isn’t there?

I mean objectively it’s not a pleasant smell like the smell of flowers or meadows or the sea, but it’s soothing nonetheless less.
It’s sort of a “there, there” from a kindly Matron 😂

brittaniagirl Tue 23-Jul-24 12:18:31

Pears as soap free and very gentle, can also get it as shower gel and face wash from superdrug

ExaltedWombat Tue 23-Jul-24 12:28:41

"...a sweat rash inside my elbow from too much crocheting."

Sorry, but that gave me the giggles!

sunglow12 Tue 23-Jul-24 12:30:40

O have always liked coal tar soap but it is now tea tree oil which is the active ingredient now a days I think you will find as coal tar is found to be a bit carcinogenic