Giving up soap

Do you have soft water where you live? I think my bath would be pretty scummy if I didn't use anything, but I never use soap on my face and as little water as possible. We do use chemilcals on our bodies with gay abandon don't we? Something which could warrant closer scrutiny.
I wonder why people seem to be avoiding me?

I think my water is soft - there are several thermal spas around in my neck of the Alps. My kettle gets very little scale, so that is a good sign. The water in the streams higher up the mountains is delicious.

I au paired in the Jura many many years ago and the water in our chalet came straight out of a stream which ran down the field at the back of the house. I thought it delicious too - I preferred not to think of how many cows had waded across it or worse!

Ah, but my streams are way up above the grazing areas - there might be a bit of Ibex pee!

I only use a small blob of shampoo for my hair too, every third day. I find it's enough. I only use unperfumed soap for hand washing and body "hot spots" (as school health education teachers call them nowadays). We do have soft water here, but I didn't use much more soap or shampoo when we lived in a hard water area. You use less water if you use less soap too, because you don't need so much rinsing, so it seems to be doubly advantageous environmentally. Better for my dry skin too, I've found.

Urine was an essential ingredient of laundry work before modern detergents.

I really couldn't go round with no anti-perspirant on.........

I use shampoo, conditioner and shower gel every day. I use hot oil treatment and intensive conditioning once a week, as well as serious exfoliation of the face part. I use all sorts of lotions and potions that I can kid myself make me look good and, while I believe it (ish), I shall continue to deceive myself.

I think things might be different for those who were beautiful in the first place and are just fading gently. Those of us who were plain or downright ugly are still struggling.

50 years ago, when I was 16, a professional make up artist advised me to never put soap, hot water or creams on my face. With the exception of one or two disasterous experiments (broke out in spots) I have faithfully followed this advice and am pleased to report that my skin is fine, tho' very wrinkly now. I seldom wear makeup (doesn't seem to make much difference) and have also saved a fortune on face masks, creams, cleansers, astringents and what have you. My only expenditure on 'beauty' products is for shampoo, conditioner and shower gel but I use so little that they last for months and I have trained DDs to give me my favourites for Birthdays and CH*****.

I am convined that the whole 'products' industry is designed to undermine women's self confidence which then needs to be rebooted with an expensive product - in short - it is one big con!

I have eczema so I use a wheat based cleanser and an emollient cream. We always buy organic and we have to nurture our septic tank!

absent If I may say so, you look very well on your 'regime'.
I do hope that no-one interprets that as either obsequious toadying or evidence of 'ganging up'

I have never sweated very much and I just bathe and change all my clothes every day - I don't think I am ever smelly! I have always been lucky with my skin and now , of course, I have a permanent slight tan which goes quite well with my white hair.

We can always ignore them if they do, jane

I expect that remark counts as something wicked as well [tease emoticon]

When I had skin problems a few years ago, after trying all sorts of potions and lotions I decided to go 'cold turkey' and used nothing but water in my morning shower. I waited for my hair to get horrid, it didn't. In fact my scalp was healthier than it had been for years. I kept quizzing OH but he assured me that I never smelt unwashed.

I just used soap for washing my hands (Dove, which seems to be ok). I still sometimes get a rash when I use the stuff they have in public toilets so try to stick to hand gel cleaner when out and about.

Within a few weeks of this regime, my skin completely cleared up. I do now occasionally use a facial scrub, and use a moisturiser most days. I think most of the lotions and potions they sell rely on marketing hype and the average females constant search for self improvement. Teenage GDs spend the most amazing amount of time using all our hot water and anointing themselves!

Now, bags, don't go getting me into trouble again! This is a non-contentious thread!

Absent - I like the idea of fading gently!

I use a gentle shower gel and shampoo - no conditioner unless I'm at the hairdressers - and always, always, always anti perspirant! My mother who was a dancer dinned it into me and I wouldn't dream of being without - just in case I got wiffy! I shower every day and exercise once or twice a week and can't stand the smell of BO - the London underground on a crowded train!!!!!!!!

I certainly agree that many totally unnecessary products are sold to gullible women - now apparently you need to use beauty cream in your armpit! The worst offenders are those that imply that the vagina is in some way unclean and needs some sort of douche.

I've been guilty of buying all those mostly useless products but now I stick to basics but I do still anti-perspirant although I think I sweat much less now than when I was younger, have never used a douche I always thought it was a bit daft .

I dont use soap on my face, I wash with water after trying all sort to deal with my menopausal spots as nothing worked I went back to basics and touch wood its seems fine, I have only had the occasional outbreak. I use shower gel and shampoo everyday, but only condition my hair when at the hairdressers. But I do use a tinted moisturiser.

greatnan this article about the amount of faecal matter on people's hands, might make you change your mind about soap, at least for handwashing

Until my late teens I washed my face only with water. When I went to university, I saw that all my friends used soap whereupon, I started to do the same and I'm sure that it was no coincidence that I then developed the most awful acne which needed some very radical treatment to get rid of it. Those aren't wrinkles you see on my cheeks - they're acne scars.

Jane - I do wash my hands thoroughly if I visit a public toilet and I have soap at home. I think I have a very strong system as I have visited many tropical countries in pursuit of coral and never fallen prey to the dreaded 'Delhi belly'. Must be down to my upbringing - my mother had a cavalier approach to hygiene.
I avoid any open foodstuffs when I can and would never eat peanuts in a bar or use the salad bar at a restaurant unless I am the first person in the queue. I am not fanatical - just sensible.

Those large open bowls of olives/soft fruit in supermarkets with spoons to serve yourself, make my stomach churn.