Soap for your skin

You must know the nature of your skin, and then the type of soap
suitable for it, writes Banalata Bipani

LET us concede that the most important constituent of our fashion is the way we have to maintain the health of our skin, especially when it comes to our face. But one finds that the fashion conscious, who rave about the new type of moisturisers/facials, do not pay that much attention to the basic attributes of the soap, the basic cosmetic we use for cleaning our skin.

Further, it becomes confusing what to use from so many soaps available in the market, with all of them claiming maximum benefits. As such we have to find out as to which soap matches with our skin requirements, as it is very necessary to match the nature of our skin with the particular quality of the soap that will ensure that the natural suppleness is maintained. For this, first you must know the nature of your skin, and then the type of soap suitable for it.

There are five major types of skin. Normal skin looks healthy as there is a right balance between oil and moisture content. The normal skin appears smooth, clear and toned, without spots or blemishes and reflects good health. Oily skin appears greasy. Dirt and dust gets attracted by the excessive oil on the skin, leading to black heads, white heads, pimples and spots.

Dry skin appears parched and flaky due to lack of moisture caused by inadequate secretions of the sebaceous glands.

Combination skin appears dry at the cheeks and areas around the mouth and eyes, and appears oily at the central panel (forehead, nose and chin). Hence, it is known as combination skin. Sensitive skin has a fine texture and is sensitive to climatic changes and chemical ingredients present in perfumes, dyes and other cosmetic products.

How to determine your skin type? As you wake up in the morning, check for the grease/oil on your face. Wipe your face with a tissue. If you observe oil on the tissue, then your skin is the greasy type.

If you observe grease or oil only on the centre panel, or the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin), then it would be combination skin. If you do not observe any grease/oil on the tissue, then it is either normal or dry skin. Dry skin feels too tight, parched and stretched, whereas a normal skin feels smooth, elastic and supple.

Before you go searching for the correct type of soap for your skin, you must know the basic facts about soaps in general. The term PH is the approximate measure of acidity of a substance and is represented by a number. Seven is considered neutral, whereas less than seven is acidic. The higher numbers denote alkalinity. Our skin is mildly acidic. Most of the ordinary soaps available in the market are alkaline. They react with the acidity of the skin and kill some superficial cells. These cells putrefy and cause more bad odour. The more the alkaline, and cheaper the soap, more damage will be done to the skin. Search for neutral PH soap for best results.

Further, before buying a toilet soap, you have to ensure that it is having an index called TFM (Total Fatty Matter) above 70 per cent. TFM-index is the basic standard to evaluate the quality of any toilet soap. A product with less than 60 per cent TFM cannot be sold as ‘soap’. And look for a TFM fairly above 70. Generally soaps with TFM more than 80 are said to be of grade 1, and those soaps with TFM more than 65 and below 80 are said to be grade 2.

Further, a good soap should contain the fat or oil that it is made from—good examples being coconut or palm oils, water, a water softener to enable the soap to cleanse the skin properly, a moisturiser such as glycerine or lanolin and, possibly, a perfume derived from natural sources. Salt is also frequently used, and is a good bactericide.

Wherever possible, you should choose a natural soap containing antioxidants. The antioxidants help to protect your skin from the ravages of pollution and the effects of the sun’s rays, both of which generate free radicals that can accelerate the aging and wrinkling of your skin.

For a cleansing procedure to be effective, soap has to perform three important functions — remove surface grime; cleanse without disturbing the normal balance; and keep the skin surface free from dead cells. — MF

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