Coal tar soap anyone?

Since being diagnosed with a skin condition a few years ago I have been told to not use soap at all. I used to love the smell of a nice soap in the shower. I cannot use anything with soap in it. I miss it so much.

We're using a French one made with olive oil which we bought in Marseilles. This is what it says about it
Why is Marseille soap so good?
That percentage of oil has many benefits, such as its mildness, which unlike industrial soaps does not irritate the skin. Moreover, it is recommended by dermatologists for certain skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis. Finally, it can be used as a disinfectant for small wounds.
You don't have to go to Marseille to get it though, they sell it on Amazon!

JamesandJon33

Does anyone remember the coal tar burners, used for heavy colds and coughs?

Yes ! My DS is asthmatic and often had broncial asthma as a young child in the 80’s I remember burning these and the lovely smell. I’m told they were actually not such a good thing but it certainly cleared his chest .

Bought a stock of it last time visiting The Devils Porridge Museum (near Gretna). Place famous for production of cordite for WW1. Coal tar was used by workers, mainly women. He soal was good for safely removing any of the explosive dust. Just love the smell, have a few bars in a basket in my bathroom and even though wrapped still give out a locely smell.

We swear a good old bar of this soap got us through the pandemic winter getting Covid....thoroughly washed hands with this felt clean as a whistle.
Whether that is true, who knows but I still love the soap after gardening or a mucky job .

Wrights coal tar and Izal toilet paper remind me of my aunts tiny bathroom in the 50’s. Not sure which product overpowered the other but who cares as I loved the smell of her bathroom.

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 quite agree pinkhousegirl David Lebovitz, fab American cook living jn Paris tells us how and why to choose the real sort

www.davidlebovitz.com/french-soap-savon-de-marseille/

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 absolutely love that smell.. when I used to stay in southern France they used it to wash clothes. The smell takes me straight back to the sunshine and mountains..
I use Faith in Nature soaps.. very pure,, but I'm now tempted to buy both Savon de Marseille and coal tar just for the memories

When I read that it isn't coal tar now I looked it up. The ingredient list includes a lot of palm products which I'm trying to avoid (although it's getting increasingly difficult). Seeing some on here have stopped using shower gel (because of the plastic) I thought it was about time we did to. We never had shower gel when we were children so I'm sure the 2 of us can get used to not having it again.
The ingredients from Wrights website:
Sodium Palmate, Aqua, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Cocamide DEA, Parfum, Glycerin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Palm Kernel Acid, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium Etidronate,Tetrasodium EDTA, Amyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Eugenol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, CI 15510, CI 21100

There is a really good app called Yuka. It reads the barcode of toiletries and lists the ingredients. It gives a rating, advises if the item is good or bad according to the chemical makeup and then offers better alternatives.
It’s amazing that many of the well known and expensive brands are full of nasty chemicals! For skin care Nutragena products come out very well.

Is the wirghts coal tar soap the original one from the fifties as I bought some but definitely not the same look or smell which I miss greatly, brings back such memories as a child.

I was prescribed this medicated shampoo containing coal tar by my dermatologist. Excellent product.

Simple soap was a default plain un scented shampoo, these days it’s not worth the space on the sink, the quality is awful & for some reason it is ‘shaped’.

Bah!

As Karmalady & NotMySpaghetti say Wright’s ‘coal tar’ soap’s active ingredient is tea tree with a scent reminiscent of coal tar - maybe it was always scented this way?

I use simple shower cream or gel as others irritated my skin. Also simple bubble bath.
Son can't use any shower gels only imperial leather soap which doesn't bring him out in a rash.
If you have a sweat rash using talk or cornflour can help. If it's v bad try caneston thrush cream. Mum's gp prescribed this for a sweat rash under her breasts and it cleared it up.
Hand-wash liquids with antibacterial in it drys my skin badly so I use ones without. Germs don't need it anyway as any Hand-wash will remove them

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

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

Sorry, but that gave me the giggles!

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

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 😂

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

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

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...

Without going squashy.

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.

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