A new you
You might be surprised to know that a staggering 60% of us have sensitive skin. If you find your skin gets occasionally itchy, flaky or very dry the chances are you could be one of these people. The good news is that the problem could be the result of simply not using a suitable soap. Here's how you can get your skin back to its happier, healthier days.
We aren't all born with sensitive skin, but the ravages of weather, pollution and even staying clean all take their toll. In fact, it's estimated that around one in five people with sensitive skin have soap-related skin damage. Although most soaps are equally good at removing dirt and grease, some will nourish your skin, keeping it soft and healthy, while others will strip away at the 'bricks and mortar' of your skin, leaving it dry and flaky – particularly if you have sensitive skin.
Now for the science bit
Problems occur when you use a soap made from neutralised vegetable or animal fatty acids. As the acids are neutralised with caustic soda, this kind of soap is extremely alkaline, typically with a pH of between nine and 10. This creates two major difficulties. First, it disturbs your skin's natural balance: most skin is slightly acidic on the surface, with a pH of around five to five and a half. This level of acidity is believed to play an important anti-bacterial role. Swamp it with alkalines and it disappears.
The second and more devastating characteristic of high-alkaline soaps like these is that they use a particular type of cleansing agent – usually sodium tallowate, cocoape or palmate (check your soap's ingredients label) – that interacts with two elements of the top layer of your skin: the proteins and lipids.
Think of the proteins as bricks and the lipids as mortar. The cleanser structurally alters the bricks (the proteins) and removes the mortar (the lipids), gradually breaking down the protective wall of your outer layer of skin, known as the stratum corneum, and allowing moisture to seep out. The net result is dry, scaly skin.
The gentle touch
The best solution is to use a synthetic soap, such as Dove. This uses a milder cleansing agent (an isethionate), with a neutral pH of 7, and a chemical molecule that doesn't interact with your skin's all-important wall of proteins and lipids. Dove also contains a quarter of moisturising cream, helping to replenish your lipids, so your skin stays fresh and supple.
And we warned: if you're thinking of washing without soap, don't. Apart from the hygiene risks (at least half of all gastrointestinal diseases are estimated to be due to not washing properly with soap and water), the water will rinse away the natural moisturisers in your skin, turning it dry and flaky. There are no short cuts to stunning skin, but sometimes the solution is easier thank you'd think.
