Handwashing with proper soap (bars not pump bottles!) - A dying trend?

G

Goatywoaty

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Hi everyone

What do we think about this rise of plastic pump bottled soap, rather than proper bars of soap? There is a big rise towards being environmentally friendly yet people still insist on buying these rubbish pump bottles now, a real shame in my eyes. Doesn't last as long, more expensive, worse for the environment (the bottles have to be re-cycled, heavier to transport etc).

How many of you guys prefer proper bars of soap? I do, and I have bars of carbolic next to the bathroom sink and the kitchen sink, but my Mrs insists on her pump soaps no matter how much I object haha! Just wondered what you guys like. I might be on my own here, but I was thinking that because we are into grooming and shaving that we might look for the products best for our skin.

Seems like commercially produced bars of soap will become history if it carries on the way it is going. Many have stopped producing them. Commercial manufacturers that have carried on have changed the ingredients too, tallow isn't used so it turns to mush easily and doesn't last very long (not a hard soap), no glycerin so its not proper soap - but a 'cleansing bar'. I'm referring to Imperial Leather soap in the UK with those comments, it used to be made in the UK, but now UK Cussons don't bother with it, they just produce plastic bottles of handwash. The bars of soap they now produce aren't anything like the old stuff, it's made in Thailand with palm oil and a smaller bar size too. Another issue with these cleansing bars and pump washes is that they have Sodium Laureth Sulphate in to produce good foam/lather, which the old soap bars didn't have. This is more drying to skin....

I'm 31 but I feel like an old man wanting to stay in the past lol. Seems like a lot of things used to be better, now everything is made as cheaply as possible and for convenience.

Thoughts?
 
Goatywoaty said:
Hi everyone

What do we think about this rise of plastic pump bottled soap, rather than proper bars of soap? There is a big rise towards being environmentally friendly yet people still insist on buying these rubbish pump bottles now, a real shame in my eyes. Doesn't last as long, more expensive, worse for the environment (the bottles have to be re-cycled, heavier to transport etc).

How many of you guys prefer proper bars of soap? I do, and I have bars of carbolic next to the bathroom sink and the kitchen sink, but my Mrs insists on her pump soaps no matter how much I object haha! Just wondered what you guys like. I might be on my own here, but I was thinking that because we are into grooming and shaving that we might look for the products best for our skin.

Seems like commercially produced bars of soap will become history if it carries on the way it is going. Many have stopped producing them. Commercial manufacturers that have carried on have changed the ingredients too, tallow isn't used so it turns to mush easily and doesn't last very long (not a hard soap), no glycerin so its not proper soap - but a 'cleansing bar'. I'm referring to Imperial Leather soap in the UK with those comments, it used to be made in the UK, but now UK Cussons don't bother with it, they just produce plastic bottles of handwash. The bars of soap they now produce aren't anything like the old stuff, it's made in Thailand with palm oil and a smaller bar size too. Another issue with these cleansing bars and pump washes is that they have Sodium Laureth Sulphate in to produce good foam/lather, which the old soap bars didn't have. This is more drying to skin....

I'm 31 but I feel like an old man wanting to stay in the past lol. Seems like a lot of things used to be better, now everything is made as cheaply as possible and for convenience.

Thoughts?
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I love bar's of soap and never use those liquid soaps. The best soap I've found so far is from Valobra and it's their Glycerlanolina soap, it not only contains tallow but also glycerin and lanolin amongst other nice stuff. It produces a wonderful thick creamy lather and afterwards my skin feels soft and supple. I buy mine from Connaught Shaving.
I have a bit of a thing about soap so I have tried many and alot have been very good indeed including MWF wool fat bath soap, again this contains tallow and lanolin and also La Toja soap which contains tallow and smells great but if you wanted to try possibly the best soap ever try the Valobra Glycerlanolina soap, they also produce other soap's without the glycerin and lanolin but all contain tallow. :) P.
Edit: if you like Sandlewood you must try Mysore Sandlewood soap, it's wonderful. P.
 
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It's all about making money. A mixture of cheap tensides with some nice looking colorants and some low cost perfume ingredients can be produced much easier and way cheaper than a classic bar of high quality soap. And such a bottle of tensid mixture doesn't last as long as a soap bar. That's it. Nothing more to say about it.
 
Liquid soap all the way it's quicker, cleaner and less 'drying' (if you get the right one). I'd never go back to bar soap for hands or body, the kids prefer it as well. Easier to take camping/travelling.
The only bar soap I have in the house is Pink Carbolic which I use on the laundry where extra cleaning is needed.
I have fond memories of the smell of Wright's Coal Tar and Pears but that's about it.
 
I use liquid soap for hands but a nice quality bar of soap for the shower. There are some great bar soaps to be tried like Crabtree etc. and a variety from TK Max etc.
I remember, as a kid, we used to have a bar of Palmolive soap at the kitchen and bathroom sink which would have all kinds of colours and dodgy looking cracks in it. That has put me off from using bars of soap for hands.
 
Blademonkey said:
I love bar's of soap and never use those liquid soaps. The best soap I've found so far is from Valobra and it's their Glycerlanolina soap, it not only contains tallow but also glycerin and lanolin amongst other nice stuff. It produces a wonderful thick creamy lather and afterwards my skin feels soft and supple. I buy mine from Connaught Shaving.
I have a bit of a thing about soap so I have tried many and alot have been very good indeed including MWF wool fat bath soap, again this contains tallow and lanolin and also La Toja soap which contains tallow and smells great but if you wanted to try possibly the best soap ever try the Valobra Glycerlanolina soap, they also produce other soap's without the glycerin and lanolin but all contain tallow. :) P.
Edit: if you like Sandlewood you must try Mysore Sandlewood soap, it's wonderful. P.
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+1 Mysore Sandlewood
 
Ok I get it might be about money for manufacturers, but why are consumers so stupid then? We buy the stuff, if there were no market for it then it wouldn't sell...

It's literally a second or two faster to use a pump soap, and pump soap isn't cleaner or less drying (if you buy decent proper soap)...
 
Well, the customers were told, that the old soap would not cut it anymore, that the new stuff would be better for the skin, etc.
I went back to bar soap a few months back, because it is just more eco friendly. Buying bar soap with a cardboard box is way better than those plastic bottles.
 
I don't use liquid soap but is it not a good thing that there is a choice between bar soap and liquid soap, those who prefer to use the liquid soap are happy and those who prefer to use bar soaps are also happy.
There is a wide range of bar soaps with prices as low as 20p all the way up to £10+ Per bar, so something to suit everyone's budget and I expect it's the same with liquid soaps.
If there was no choice and I could not buy the bars of soap that I like I would be most unhappy, so choice has got to be good. P.
 
Consumers aren't necessarily stupid just predictable and malleable, we all are that's why so much money goes into research into advertising. We are hardwired to respond in certain ways to certain stimuli.
Seconds faster, tiny bit easier definitely cleaner/less messy especially if you have kids or garden. I've tried all sorts of bar soaps over the years I prefer liquid YMMV.
 
I've got to go away with work for four months and I'm keen to take bars of soap with me so I don't have to get my wife to keep sending me parcels out. What soaps do people recommend to wash body and hair?
Cheers folks
 
Brad.bates said:
I've got to go away with work for four months and I'm keen to take bars of soap with me so I don't have to get my wife to keep sending me parcels out. What soaps do people recommend to wash body and hair?
Cheers folks
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I use soap to wash my hair and I've found that Dalan Olive Oil soap is very good indeed. P.
Edit: also Birch Tar Soap is good for body and hair.
 
Pepperpot said:
Well, the customers were told, that the old soap would not cut it anymore, that the new stuff would be better for the skin, etc.
I went back to bar soap a few months back, because it is just more eco friendly. Buying bar soap with a cardboard box is way better than those plastic bottles.
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Don't forget that as customers we need more blades per razor and general 'convenience'. I'm seeing a lot of parallels here.

I use hard soap all the way, but since the wife and kids all prefer the squirty stuff I never have to actually buy any, I can subsist on what I can pinch from hotel stays (I travel a bit for work).
 
I prefer bar soaps, I have just ordered 35 J&E Atkinsons Golden Cologne Tallow soap from Italy :). Soap doesn't have to cheap with SLS.
 
Brad.bates said:
I've got to go away with work for four months and I'm keen to take bars of soap with me so I don't have to get my wife to keep sending me parcels out. What soaps do people recommend to wash body and hair?
Cheers folks
Click to expand...
Castelbel or Asquith & Somerset from TK Maxx. Yardley Lavender is great for hands and face. Christina May is good too, I love the Pink Grapefruit scented soap.
 
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