Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Great Lather Debate

I have so many bars of soap on order. Literally, I am awaiting packages from Swan Mountain Soaps, Dugshop, Gothic Creations, Tessuraea and Gabriella's Closet, home of the sampler.

So I will be a very clean and VERY busy gal in the next few weeks/months. I also have to walk by Lush on the way to the salon this weekend so we all know that I'll be snapping up whatever was discontinued after VD. I really want to grab some You Wash My Back Soap, but...as I shower alone.

Always.

I have no need for it. But it kind of seems like something Haley would like for some reason. And no, I am not suggesting a shower with Haley. But it's kind of sweet/naughty and Haley is sweet/naughty.

But I digress.

Today I wanna talk about lather. I have been sharing bits of soap with friends who need to break the commercial shower gel cycle and discover the wonder of handmade soap. So I tossed my buddy Julie a sliver of Patchouli Goats Milk Soap from LostRiverRags and she took off to shower.

Now I was still dripping from a shower with another soap that I loved. And I couldn't wait to hear her review. After all, she is a very natural Patchouli girl. Although our methods of being "natural" tend to diverge a bit.

And when she got out of the shower she told me the most curious thing. She loooved the smell (See? Patchouli. I know her too well) but found the lather lacking. She said she even used her shower poof to generate a lather.

Speaking of shower poofs, I am not sure how I feel about those either. It seems like a germ trap to me. But that's another topic for another day...

So all of this discussion about lather made me think. I was reading a blog the other day about lather. Honestly, I feel no need for it. I do like it when a nice, non-chemically hand made soap provides some soft and and sweet smelling lather but it is by NO MEANS a requirement.

Maybe I have even gone too far to the other end and now and I find that lather makes me a little nervous. Is it going to dry my skin? Are there harsh detergents hidden in that innocent looking little bar? Paranoia about soap is kind of sick, right?

But I wonder what makes us so insistent upon lather? Does it make us feel cleaner?

2 comments:

  1. Ooh. You are right. I do like that naughty soap....bergamot means I will smell like lovely Earl Grey tea. It also means that you should probably get some, anyway.

    I have a lot to say today. On the subject of shower poofs: yes, I think they are germ magnets. I do not understand wanting to bathe with the same icky, mildewy thing everyday.

    But lather, though, I do like that. It just feels nice. I think it is psychological - we can see it, so we know the soap is "working." I don't think you're paranoid....you just know what makes lather evil.

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  2. lather is not a big requirement for me....I too make soaps....I would much rather have the feel of silk which I find comes from olive oil or goats milk or cocoa butter in my soaps. I prefer scent over lather but that is just me.
    ps...your blogging is great...you are a very interesting young woman ;)

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