I like to use bar soap both as hand soap and to wash my face. I know a lot of people are concerned about using bar soap on their face, but it's what I've used for the last several years without issue. Sure, it's not super luxe, but it gets the job done and it's incredibly affordable to boot! I was excited to stumble across Badger's bar soaps, since before that, I didn't realize the company even made soap. The line is made up of six kinds: three body, one baby, and two face and body. The soaps are made with mainly organic ingredients, and although they do contain palm oil, it is sustainably sourced.
I suspect most of the line could be used on your face, but I wanted to try one of the designated face and body bars. I chose Moroccan Mint, which contains kaolin clay and mint and citrus essential oils to help control oil production, and is recommended for normal to slightly oily skin. Mint is usually a pretty safe scent for me and this one is no exception. It smells mostly like spearmint - kind of toothpastey - but it's not an overpowering scent. I haven't noticed any difference in terms of oil production, but then I don't have very oily skin to begin with.
At night, I do an oil cleanse first to make sure all my makeup is removed, and then I use the soap, and in the morning, I just cleanse with the bar. It easily creates a rich, creamy lather and leaves my face feeling cleansed but not stripped. After the first couple days I did notice a couple small pimples on my forehead and I almost gave up on the soap entirely, before remembering that kaolin clay is known for drawing out toxins and impurities. My skin has since cleared up and looks better than ever, so I think this was just a brief adjustment period.
The bar soaps are pretty unsung compared to Badger's balms and sunscreens, but they're equally great. If you're looking for soap, either for your face, hands, or body, they're definitely worth checking out. I kind of want to try all the other scents now!
Where to Buy: $5.59 from Vitacost, $5.84 from iherb, $6.49 from Badger
Ingredients: Saponified oils of *cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *olea europaea (extra virgin olive) oil, *elaeis guineensis (palm) fruit oil, *elaeis guineensis (palm) kernel oil, *ricinus communis (castor) oil, *cera alba (beeswax), kaolinite (white clay), *butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, and essential oils of *mentha viridis (spearmint), *citrus aurantium dulcis (sweet orange) and *mentha piperita (peppermint). * = Certified Organic
Disclosure: Post contains affiliate links.
At night, I do an oil cleanse first to make sure all my makeup is removed, and then I use the soap, and in the morning, I just cleanse with the bar. It easily creates a rich, creamy lather and leaves my face feeling cleansed but not stripped. After the first couple days I did notice a couple small pimples on my forehead and I almost gave up on the soap entirely, before remembering that kaolin clay is known for drawing out toxins and impurities. My skin has since cleared up and looks better than ever, so I think this was just a brief adjustment period.
The bar soaps are pretty unsung compared to Badger's balms and sunscreens, but they're equally great. If you're looking for soap, either for your face, hands, or body, they're definitely worth checking out. I kind of want to try all the other scents now!
Where to Buy: $5.59 from Vitacost, $5.84 from iherb, $6.49 from Badger
Ingredients: Saponified oils of *cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *olea europaea (extra virgin olive) oil, *elaeis guineensis (palm) fruit oil, *elaeis guineensis (palm) kernel oil, *ricinus communis (castor) oil, *cera alba (beeswax), kaolinite (white clay), *butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, and essential oils of *mentha viridis (spearmint), *citrus aurantium dulcis (sweet orange) and *mentha piperita (peppermint). * = Certified Organic
Disclosure: Post contains affiliate links.
Sounds like a great soap. I'm realising some of Badgers products are not available in UK and don't recall seeing soaps. I think if you are using a natural soap then it's fine for the face it's the synthetics in some brands that give soaps a bad name :)
ReplyDeleteGood point...it's been so long since I've used synthetic soap, I didn't even think of that! I don't know if we have the whole Badger line in Canada either - I've never seen the soaps in stores here.
DeleteThose are so cheap! I also didn't know that Badger made soap. I guess I'll have to poke around the health food store a bit more and see if they carry them there.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bargain, isn't it?! I got mine on Vitacost...I don't think the soaps are in stores here - or at least I haven't seen them. Hope you can manage to track it down:)
DeleteI do my best to avoid palm oil as well. It can be quite a challenge, because when you begin to notice palm oil, you'll literally find it everywhere :( As a rule of thumb when it comes palm, if I can find it's been sourced from Africa then I consider it 'safe'. There's just too many shady practices happening in se asia at this time for me to even consider purchasing any products which have palm sourced from there :(
ReplyDeleteI would love to try more Badger products, but we just don't seem to get them here in Australia. I think this justifies another big iherb order then xD
No kidding, palm oil crops up in everything! Thanks for the tip on locations, I'll definitely keep it in mind :) I've ended up having to email a few companies to ask, and once you're asking about their sourcing, I'm always skeptical about how they answer. If they're sourcing sustainable palm oil, I'd think that would be something they're proud of and want to advertise to everyone, without needing to be asked!
DeleteI mainly get my Badger from iherb or Vitacost too! We have a lot of their products in Canada, but the markup gets pretty steep :(