Are you using the right soap

Are you using the right soap? In the quest for attaining that perfect satin smooth skin you might be unknowingly causing some harm to your skin through the usage of inferior quality soaps. In the race to be the ‘numero uno’ soap brand and gaining maximum profit, some soap brands are putting the skin health of their consumers at stake.

What is strikingly disturbing is that brands which claim to be highly gentle on skin are often the ones who use inferior quality, which could potentially cause skin damage upon continued usage. These inferior quality soaps instantly leave your skin dry because they wash off its natural oils. Hence, it’s essential that a consumer makes a judicious choice about what he/she buys, even for something as simple as soap as it comes in contact with the body every day.

Soap is basically a cleansing product which can be categorised based on its Total Fatty Matter (TFM) content. Simply put, higher the TFM of soap, better is its cleansing ability. According to the norms laid down by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) soaps are graded into three categories, Grade 1, Grade 2 & Grade 3 soaps. Soaps containing TFM of 76% and above are Grade 1; soaps with TFM content of 70% and above but less than 76% are considered to be Grade 2 soaps and soaps having TFM content of 60% and above but less than 70% are graded as Grade 3.

Grade 2 and 3 soaps contain higher amount of fillers. Sometimes these fillers may even contain asbestos which can have an adverse effect on skin upon continued usage. These soaps have the tendency of getting mushy on contact with water, and tend to get consumed faster. Besides, lower grade soaps also have poorer lathering. The benefit for companies however is lower cost and more profit.

On the other hand, Grade 1 soaps have a higher TFM content which provides a very high cleansing efficiency while being gentle on skin. It also allows for various fragrances within the soap base to provide a great bathing experience. It is very important for a consumer to be aware and buy only Grade 1 quality soaps. So, the next time you buy a soap don’t fall for that flashy packaging. Buy something that delivers what it promises, and does not take you for a ride.