Soap and Dermatitis – Giveaway post!

You have all heard the rumor.
You know, the one about dermatitis and soap. It goes something like this:

“Never use soap if you have eczema. It is too harsh.”
“Soap will make your dermatitis worse.”
“Soap will only dry your skin out more.”
“You will get insanely itchy if you use soap.”

And the list goes on and on and on.

The fact of the matter is that yes, some but not all soaps, can exacerbate any skin condition, eczema, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis included. Let’s back up for a second, shall we?

In general people who have dermatitis have an issue with their skin barrier. Simply put, anything that goes on the skin soaks in to the deeper layers much faster and easier than in those people without compromised skin. Skin afflicted with dermatitis loses water and the natural oils that normally moisturize it and keep it supple. Therefore, what you put on your skin is of utmost importance.

The commercial soaps available at every big-box retailer won’t do your dry, itchy skin any favors. The soaps that typically irritate compromised skin are those that are full of ingredients you can’t pronounce. Think about it –putting a chemical laden soap on eczema sure won’t do anything to calm and soothe it. But this doesn’t mean that you have to avoid ALL soaps. Quite the contrary.

There are a lot of wonderful options out there for individuals (possibly like yourself) who suffer from some sort of dermatitis. Just because you need to steer clear of added detergents and sulfates does not mean that you are stuck with plain water.

I have been making organic, natural soaps for many, many years. During this time, I have talked to hundreds of people who suffer from various forms of dermatitis. I have done research galore. I have studied under several expert soap makers. The bottom line is that while there is no natural soap product on the market that will cure dermatitis, there are products that can seal in moisture, calm and soothe itchy skin, and help repair and regenerate damaged skin cells.

As the chief soap maker at Poppy Soap Co., I have worked hard to create several organic soaps that are formulated for problematic skin. If you go to Your Unique Skin Guide, you can find the skin type that most closely matches yours, learn about its unique characteristics, and see which of my soaps can help you maintain more balanced skin while tackling the itch, the inflammation, and the dry flaky patches.

All of our organic soaps are SAFE for any skin type although many are specifically formulate to address issues associated with dermatitis. All of Poppy Soap Co.’s soaps contain:

• Certified Organic Ingredients
• Beneficial Therapeutic Essential Oils
• Healing Botanical Extracts
• Plant Based Derived Formulations

In addition, you can rest easy knowing that Poppy Soap Co.’s soaps will NEVER have any:

• Sulfates & detergents
• Synthetics
• Artificial fragrance & colorants
• Petroleum
• Phthalates
• GMO’s
• Animal products

All of these ingredients are known to trigger and exacerbate dermatitis and we would never add anything to our soaps that would harm your skin.

I am sure you are wondering what natural soaps I specifically recommend for skin suffering from dermatitis. I have three products that are the perfect match for problem skin.

1. If you are in search of an unscented, soothing organic soap, then our  Unscented Oatmeal Calendula  Organic face and body soap is what you need. Offering the best of both worlds it gently cleanses while leaving skin moisturized. Oatmeal and calendula work in tandem to nourish dry and flaky skin.

1. Our Sea Buckthorn Satsuma Organic complexion bar packs a punch. Brimming with life giving nutrients, Sea Buckthorn oil is full of antioxidants, beta carotene, vitamin A, C, E as well as Omega-7. It calms and rejuvenates inflamed problematic skin, giving you back your glow.  The tangerine Satsuma essential oil blend will gently awaken your skin leaving it refreshed, invigorated. This is a great choice to use all over but is especially well suited to your extra sensitive face skin.

1. Our Neem Tea Tree Organic Complexion soap is perfect for compromised skin! Neem oil, the oil pressed from the seeds of the neem tree, improves general skin health and immunity. It soothes itchiness, redness and irritation associated with eczema and other dermatitis. Our Neem soap bar is scented with four different essential oils; spearmint, tea tree, lavender and eucalyptus giving it a unique minty crisp smell.

All of our readers can join the Poppy Soap Co. GIVEAWAY (End Sept 22,  2012 with 3 winners!) & receive a discount code: SOOTHE25  For more information please visit the Poppy Soap Co. website to learn about our other organic, natural soaps.

About Lindy

Lindy, with the loving support of her husband, worked towards modeling a sustainable lifestyle complete with living mindfully, caring for our bodies naturally, and healing ourselves and our planet holistically.  Lindy would love to help you care for your body, your temple.