When you think about soap, what do you think about? Is it a commercial with an actor happily showering for an audience?
Or maybe you think about a person taking a long thoughtful whiff of the beautifully fragrant bar of soap in their hand?
Well, my friend, I’ve gotta tell you that the reality of soap is probably different than you know.
Fun Fact!
Soap will inevitably come in contact with water and it has to hold up without turning into mush—which is why soap is made with oil or fat.
"Oil and fat?"
Sure, but don't worry--some soaps are made with oils like palm oil, or coconut oil.
But then again, soaps made with fat are typically pork fat (lard) or rendered beef fat (tallow). Not exactly the kinds of ingredients that conjure up half-nekked actors rinsing off in front of TV audiences.
It makes sense though. These ingredients—even the nasty sounding ones--are used because they form solid soap bars that stay hard and don't dissolve in water.
But don't worry, because I’m happy to share with you…
...An Alternative To Lard, Tallow, and Oil-Based Soaps
I am of course talking about goat milk soap.
Not only are you NOT washing yourself with pork fat when you use goat milk soap, you’re using a product that's a great option if you suffer from dry or sensitive skin.
Even better, many people with skin conditions, such as psoriasis or eczema, report that they see improvement when they use goat milk (I’m not a doctor so I’m not making any health claims, but if you want to explore this further you can click here or go online for more anecdotal evidence).
In fact, even if you have perfectly healthy skin, soap made from goat milk can help you maintain healthy skin for a healthy glow.
And if you’re like me and suffer from sensitive skin (or one of the conditions I mentioned earlier), you’re not stuck with just plain old unscented goat milk soap. Because while many fragrances can cause or irritate skin issues, some great-smelling ingredients are known to be gentle on all types of skin.
In case you hadn’t guessed, lavender is one of those gentle, great-smelling ingredients, and when you combine lavender with goat milk soap, you get all the benefits of lavender oil and goat milk combined into one powerful, skin-nourishing bar.
So, let’s dig into 5 reasons lavender goat milk soap should be your go-to soap of choice if you’re looking for luxurious skin plus some added benefits.
1. Antiseptic Properties of Lavender
Okay, okay… when you think luxury, the word “antiseptic” probably doesn’t bubble to the front of your mind. That’s okay though, because even though the word antiseptic isn’t spa-sexy, it means that as a powerful antiseptic, lavender oil either stops or slows the growth of microscopic organisms.
This keeps you feeling cleaner.
Some people claim that the antiseptic properties of lavender oil help with minor cuts and skin irritations. (One of these is the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, which discusses the antibacterial as well as sedative properties in lavender oil.) Now, I’m not going to give you medical advice or tell you to start treating your cuts and wounds with lavender—I’ll leave that up to others—but I will say that lavender’s antibacterial nature is a perfect addition to your goat milk soap bar, helping to get you clean. Naturally.
As a bonus, you’ll smell good.
2. Calming
As mentioned with the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, lavender oil is known for its calming effects.
Lavender has been used to reduce stress, tension, and aid in relaxation. And as you know—stress has terrible consequences on your health, so anything you can do to relax is only going to help you.
Some effects of stress include higher cortisol levels and greater inflammation. This is a big deal because both cortisol and inflammation can increase blood pressure, lead to osteoporosis, premature aging of your skin, acne, and psoriasis.
So, what does lavender have to do with all that?
Lavender has been used in the treatment of anxiety: the anticipation of perceived consequences or chaos into an otherwise calm situation.
This isn’t to say that lavender is a cure-all for the conditions I mentioned—like I said, I’m not a doctor, and I don’t even play one on TV—but there is research that suggests the aroma of lavender has a calming, soothing effect. And reducing anxiety never hurt anybody.
3. Undeniable Creaminess
Pardon me for saying it, but it’s hard to ignore the creamy feel of soap made from goat milk.
This is due to the cream that’s naturally present in goat milk soap, which is, of course, an integral part of the soap’s ability to keep your skin moisturized. In fact, unlike many soaps that contain chemicals, goat milk has only natural ingredients, the primary of which is cream. This cream has the effect of keeping your skin moisturized.
Unlike goat milk soap, many other soaps are water-based and loaded with chemicals, which draws water from your skin and dries it out!
Goat milk is a natural humectant, and when used in soap it naturally moisturizes your skin—helping it retain the moisture and natural springiness that’s a tell-tale sign of healthy skin.
4. Alpha-Hydroxy Acids
Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) have a number of benefits for your skin, and occur naturally in a number of foods--goat milk, anybody?
Goat milk is a rich source of alpha-hydroxy acid, and one of the benefits to your skin is that it helps remove dead skin cells. This natural exfoliation helps your skin look young and healthy.
AHA can also increase blood flow to the skin, which helps it to rejuvenate, diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Many soaps use harsh chemicals to achieve these types of benefits, and their use can have the reverse effect on your skin, causing dry, unhealthy skin over the long run.
Lavender and goat's milk have no such side-effects.
Other skin benefits include:
Naturally brightened skin
Reduction in the depth of wrinkles
Increased blood flow
Reduction in the prominence of skin discoloration, such as scarring
Just as amazing--elderly people can benefit from this soap as it has been reported to reduce discoloration in aging or liver spots.
5. Promotion of Collagen
Collagen is a protein in your body that makes up most of the connective tissue in your body. It contributes to the elasticity of skin and helps keep your skin looking hydrated.
Unfortunately, because your body's ability to produce collagen diminishes as you get older, you’ll often find older people with drier skin and (of course) wrinkles.
Because AHAs help with the production of collagen, after repeated use, you can benefit from younger feeling, lighter skin. Some people even say it reduces wrinkles, but I’ll let you be the judge of that (maybe send me some before-and-after pictures).
Conclusion
As you can tell, I’m a big fan of lavender goat milk soap.
The fact that it’s a natural humectant, that it exfoliates the skin, surrounds you with the soothing aroma of lavender, and leaves your skin feeling fresh and tingly—it’s something you must feel to truly understand.
If you’re interested in learning more about lavender goat milk soap, or if you’d like to give a bar a try, click here to grab a deal on one of our all-natural lavender goat milk soap bars.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be a complete convert and won’t want to use another soap again.