Sensitive Skin

[Cherrydene soapy]

I wonder if you wonderful people can advise me, my daughter (21 yrs) has very sensitive skin, she works out side in the equine world. In the winter her face get extremely dry, red and spotty, atm she uses shop brought facial washes which does not help at all. Has anyone got a soap recipe that will moisturise and help with her spots. I feel so sorry for her as it can get really bad.

 

[Donee']

I wonder if you wonderful people can advise me, my daughter (21 yrs) has very sensitive skin, she works out side in the equine world. In the winter her face get extremely dry, red and spotty, atm she uses shop brought facial washes which does not help at all. Has anyone got a soap recipe that will moisturise and help with her spots. I feel so sorry for her as it can get really bad.

I live in South Africa - the land of skin cancer, UV rays and outdoor lifestyle - I had the same issues that your daughter has so I feel her pain.
My recommendation is twofold - go buy some CLEAR melt and pour with no additives, no perfumes, no nothing in it and make up some bars for her - if you can find vegetable based melt and pour even better - if not then go with what you can find.
If she says her skin feels "tight" after washing with it - tell her its just that MP (melt and pour) is a humectant (which just means it brings moisture into the skin) and an even simpler explanation is that it actually cleans and then "coats" the skin.
THEN start playing with cold process (i am soooo afraid of hot process so I just wait 3-4 weeks)
Keep her soap as simple as possible and then go look at some of the easy peasy recipes in cold process for easy to use and easy to make stuff. I would recommend a plain lard soap (pig fat) but if she is against using animal products then stick with some of the other recipes on the thread.

 

[penelopejane]

M&P soaps have alcohol at their base so in my experience aren't the best thing for sensitive skin.

My DH has eczema and finds the best thing for him is real Castile > 100% Olive oil soap with 1 tsp salt ppo. While it is usable earlier it takes a year to cure so it is really hard.
He does not use fragrance.

But, everyone's skin is different so it is really going to be a matter of trial and error.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Everyone's skin is different, so you will probably just have to experiment and see what works for her. A high Olive Oil bar is supposed to be quite mild. I recently made Zany's no-slime castile and it is very mild. I added 10% coconut oil and 5% castor. I will find a link to that thread for you.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/zanys-no-slime-castile.72620/

 

[midnightsoaper]

Not sure how this advise will go over in a soaping forum (and it’s not what you asked for) but I’d recommend CeraVe hydrating cleanser (or really, the equate version at half the price! If you’re near Walmart that is) and a good moisturizer. It’s what I use (I get painfully dry skin in the winter). Or at least try that for now while you formulate and cure a gentle bar. Definitely find a good moisturizer though, because soap doesn’t moisturize. The best you can hope for is a gentle bar that doesn’t strip away too much oil.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Another thought - Zany's recipe contains sea water ( faux) and some people have found that sea water is good for problem skin. You must be only half an hour from the ocean where you are - go and get yourself some to try!

 

[Cherrydene soapy]

Another thought - Zany's recipe contains sea water ( faux) and some people have found that sea water is good for problem skin. You must be only half an hour from the ocean where you are - go and get yourself some to try!

Great we live right by the sea, so use it instead of distilled water?

Not sure how this advise will go over in a soaping forum (and it’s not what you asked for) but I’d recommend CeraVe hydrating cleanser (or really, the equate version at half the price! If you’re near Walmart that is) and a good moisturizer. It’s what I use (I get painfully dry skin in the winter). Or at least try that for now while you formulate and cure a gentle bar. Definitely find a good moisturizer though, because soap doesn’t moisturize. The best you can hope for is a gentle bar that doesn’t strip away too much oil.

I don't have a Walmart here (England) it seems a shame as everyone talks about how they buy lots of their stuff there but thank you

 

[Dawni]

I think your daughter has to look into moisturizing and then protection for her face, for after washing with whatever soap she ends up using. Don't stop with the soap/cleanser.

What works for her in the summer might not in winter. When I was in the middle east my skin got a total shock come winter, because here there's no such thing lol

Especially if she works under the sun directly protecting is important. There are sunscreens made for sensitive skin which also have moisturizers.

At home she can apply yogurt directly. It'll be nice n cooling and it should help with the redness as well. She can alternate that with honey too.

As far as soap goes, and I guess the above as well, I agree it will take trial n error because what might work for me won't for your daughter. The best might probably be a high "conditioning oil" brine soap or salt bar with a very low cleansing number. Or any low cleansing "regular" soap with oatmeal and/or calendula extract and maybe rice powder.

I hope some of this will help her

 

[midnightsoaper]

I don't have a Walmart here (England) it seems a shame as everyone talks about how they buy lots of their stuff there but thank you

I realized that after I made the suggestion. I just googled it and you should be able to find CeraVe there (at Boots? I'm assuming thats a drugstore). It's amazing for dry skin (cleansers and moisturizers) and might really help while you formulate a cleanser for her.

I hope she finds something that works, it sounds so uncomfortable!

 

[Cherrydene soapy]

I realized that after I made the suggestion. I just googled it and you should be able to find CeraVe there (at Boots? I'm assuming thats a drugstore). It's amazing for dry skin (cleansers and moisturizers) and might really help while you formulate a cleanser for her.

I hope she finds something that works, it sounds so uncomfortable!

Thank you so much for doing that for me I will definitely look

 

[KiwiMoose]

I don't have a Walmart here (England) it seems a shame as everyone talks about how they buy lots of their stuff there but thank you

If you go to walmart you have to wear your pyjama pants don't you?

I think @Dean made a version of Zany's soap using almond oil? That might be worth a shot too.

 

[midnightsoaper]

If you go to walmart you have to wear your pyjama pants don't you?

I think @Dean made a version of Zany's soap using almond oil? That might be worth a shot too.

Sometimes I think pants in general might be optional lol Just the other day I saw a news article about a lady driving around the parking lot on a motorized cart drinking wine from a pringles can, getting arrested. I'm not sure what her issue was, but after a lengthy shopping trip to WM, I feel her lol So Cherrydene saying its a shame she doesn't have one is just about the nicest thing I've seen about WM

Since I have painfully dry skin in winter, I think a good place to start is Genny's shampoo bar. So far its my favorite body bar. I sub rice bran oil for the soybean oil.

 

[Clarice]

Cherrydene - when I lived in WI my face and hands would get so dry they would crack and bleed. And then i found EMU OIL. It is secreted by the Emu in some gland of some sort in their chests i think. They use it themselves to preen. I am not sure if this can be harvested from the bird while it is alive, or not. I have however seen Emu steaks - so like with tallow and lard, I am in the camp "Hey, I am helping to use up everything but the squeal!"

In its pure, unadulterated form it is insanely moisturizing. You need the tiniest bit to moisturize a large area of skin. If things got bad, I would slather all over my hands and then put on gloves before bed. I kept a little container everywhere, and slathered it on every time it crossed my mind.

I used it all over - even as a lip balm. I don't need to use it any more in GA, but I may just get some in the spirit of all the warm fuzzies it just conjured up! I kept my excess refrigerated, so as to retard any spoilage and it kept a good long while.

I purchased mine from an Emu farmer in WI, but I think I have started to see it many places. My recommendation would be to get 100% pure - no preservatives or anything. Finally - Conair makes these mitt things that heat up - they look like thumbless mittens with a power cord. I have put on lotion, popped my hands into bags, then into the mitts, and sat down to breathe for a half hour. The heat drives the moisturizer in - and feels yummy too.

Hope all this helps! I know how painful it can be!

Best to you, Clarice

 

[Clarice]

sorry - i forgot to say - have her look into the oil cleansing method - there are recommendations for every skin type and condition. I firmly believe in this for facial care. baby wipes, while usually mild, have a surfactant which is designed to break up pooh (I used to work for a major manufacturer) and the wipe itself is microscopically rough and grabbing (to again get said pooh) remember for kids their butts are often slathered with a diaper cream after use - so any drying effects are rarely seen. In addition - using anything with water in it (the surfactant is obviously mixed with sterilized water) when outdoors in the cold and wind will severely exacerbate chapping and chaffing, as the water evaporates from the skin, from which you have probably just stripped the mantel (your naturally protective layer of sebum and your personal microbiomes)

OK ENOUGH - probably more than you wanted!

 

[midnightsoaper]

sorry - i forgot to say - have her look into the oil cleansing method - there are recommendations for every skin type and condition.

I agree! I did OCM for a while. I only quit because it was a little too time consuming for me. But my skin loved it. That emu oil with OCM sounds like would be a winning combo!

 

[SaltedFig]

Cherrydene - when I lived in WI my face and hands would get so dry they would crack and bleed. And then i found EMU OIL. It is secreted by the Emu in some gland of some sort in their chests i think. They use it themselves to preen. I am not sure if this can be harvested from the bird while it is alive, or not. I have however seen Emu steaks - so like with tallow and lard, I am in the camp "Hey, I am helping to use up everything but the squeal!"

In its pure, unadulterated form it is insanely moisturizing. You need the tiniest bit to moisturize a large area of skin. If things got bad, I would slather all over my hands and then put on gloves before bed. I kept a little container everywhere, and slathered it on every time it crossed my mind.

I used it all over - even as a lip balm. I don't need to use it any more in GA, but I may just get some in the spirit of all the warm fuzzies it just conjured up! I kept my excess refrigerated, so as to retard any spoilage and it kept a good long while.

I purchased mine from an Emu farmer in WI, but I think I have started to see it many places. My recommendation would be to get 100% pure - no preservatives or anything. Finally - Conair makes these mitt things that heat up - they look like thumbless mittens with a power cord. I have put on lotion, popped my hands into bags, then into the mitts, and sat down to breathe for a half hour. The heat drives the moisturizer in - and feels yummy too.

Hope all this helps! I know how painful it can be!

Best to you, Clarice

Just a minor correction - EMU's don't have a uropygial gland for preening their feathers. EMU oil is rendered emu fat.
It's anti-inflammatory properties were known by aboriginals, so it's a good suggestion for those who are not vegetarian.

A vegetarian alternative is jojoba oil - aside from being close to skin sebum (so tolerated by a wide variety of skin types), I've found that a couple of drops help protect against wind damage when working outside in winter.

 

[Clarice]

hahahah I thought was that gland - thank you so much for correcting me - do Cassowary's have that? so that solves the "do they gotta die" question - with a big old YES

In any event - it was super healing for me. Jojoba does not come anywhere close! Shea Nut OIL (not butter) is better for me - it tends to solidify even at about 68 degrees, so I keep it in a baby bottle warmer in my bathroom when things get rough

 

[SaltedFig]

hahahah I thought was that gland - thank you so much for correcting me - do Cassowary's have that?

I don't think any of the flightless birds have it, so that would suggest that the Cassowary doesn't either.

 

[Clarice]

Those doggone Emus LOOK kinda greasy - so I jumped to the wrong conclusion

SIDEBAR: if you have not read it, the most excellent book The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster has a wonderful chapter on jumping to conclusions!

 

[lenarenee]

I agree with the CereVe suggestion - some people just can't use true soap.

The 100% olive oil suggestion doesn't have to be with salt water, either form is worth trying.

And by all means have her try the oil cleansing method. Emu oil is not necessary - she'll have to experiment with what oil she likes.