Some of you are going to look at that heading and think I’ve lost my mind, because lots of us have been using solid soap in the shower forever, but you’d be surprised how often I’m asked this question. The answer, of course, is always YES! A bar of soap isn’t just for washing hands at the basin. You can absolutely use it to wash your body in the shower too.
If you’ve always used shower gel, it might feel like a slightly unfamiliar way to wash, but there’s nothing complicated or weird about it (despite what some people seem to think 😝 After all, shower gels in plastic bottles are actually a fairly modern concept, in the great scheme of things.
How do you use it?
You have a few options, depending on what you prefer.
Use your hands. Wet your hands and the bar, work up some lather, then put the soap down and wash your skin with your soapy hands.
Use the bar directly. Gently glide it over wet skin, put it down once you have enough soap, then use your hands to spread the lather and wash.
Use a washcloth or loofah. Wet it first, rub the soap over it and work up a lather before washing. Rinse it thoroughly afterwards and leave it somewhere it can dry.
None of these methods is compulsory. Choose whichever feels easiest and most enjoyable for you.
Do you need lots of bubbles?
You don’t need to produce a mountain of foam before you can wash. You can use just nough soap to spread over the areas you’re washing, then rinse thoroughly. However there is something lovely about lots of luscious lather and foam. It’s all down to your personal preference.
If you live in a hard-water area, building a lather can take a little more effort, and a washcloth or loofah may help you work up the bubbles. Don’t worry though, fewer bubbles or less lather doesn’t mean your soap is any less effective.
Where should you keep the bar?
I can’t stress this enough: keep your soap somewhere it can drain and dry between showers.
A draining soap dish, ladder or suitable shower rack can work well. The important thing is that the bar isn’t sitting in collected water.
Keep it out of the direct spray too. Water running over the bar will wash soap away even when you’re not using it.
And once you have enough soap on your hands or cloth, you can put the bar down. It doesn’t need to stay under the water for the whole shower.
What about a soap saver bag?
I recommend those for the last little slivers, so you can use up every bit. For a full-sized bar, a draining soap dish is my preference. Leaving it inside a damp bag can keep it wet and encourage it to soften.
A small change to your routine
If you enjoy shower gel, using a bar may simply be something you haven’t considered. It’s worth trying if you’d like to reduce your single use plastic consumption, or might enjoy the choice of fragrances and designs a handmade bar offers.
Choose a soap that suits your skin and your preferences, use it in whichever way works for you, and give it somewhere sensible to dry.
That’s really all there is to it. Your lovely bar is for all washing opportunities, not just the bathroom sink 😉
Vicki x