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The Dirt about Detergent in Hand Soap

By Cator Sparks Dec 21, 2019 2:12 PM

Whether you sport a wedding band, your high school class ring or or a family heirloom on a daily basis we bet you have had this dilemma- cracked, irritated skin under the ring. How does this happen when we do what mama told us and wash our hands after bathroom breaks, before eating and pre toddler play? Therein lies the issue.

We discovered that most hand soaps out there are made with ‘detergent’ soap. So basically we are washing our hands with chemicals that get trapped under that romantic wedding band and start eating away at our flesh. Gross.

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We discovered an awesome alternative on our friend’s site, O&N Collective, called Mōksa organics and had a chat with the founder, Melanie Martin. Here is what she had to say on the subject.

(Note to self, if you are in a public place away from such luxuries as organic soap, remove rings before washing, just don’t leave them on the sink to fall or be forgotten!)

Is it true that there is detergent in everyday hand soap?

Well, it’s a safe assumption that most mainstream hand soaps out there are detergents. A real quick and simple science lesson: hand or body cleansers are either detergents or soaps. Detergents are similar to soap, in the sense that they are cleaning agents, but they are made of sulfates. For example, you might see sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate listed as a first ingredient. True soaps are made from the fatty acids of plant oils.

What does detergent do to the skin?

Detergents can prove to be extremely drying. Sulfates clean by stripping oils completely, including your body’s natural oils. The end result is that your hands can become perpetually dry, cracked and painful. The cycle continues with every hand wash and chapped hands don’t get a chance to heal.

What does Moksa use to replace detergent?

We use only pure plant oils and pure essential oils that provide beautiful, natural smells and healing properties. For example, plant oils that have high a fatty acid content are extremely healing to the skin. Our ingredients are 100% certified organic coconut oil, olive oil, hempseed oil, pumpkin oil, pure essential oils and vitamin E. Our hand soaps will fully clean your hands without stripping them completely or causing dryness.

What are the benefits?

Pure essential oils provide a wonderful benefit of aromatherapy. Essential oils can help with stress, and can boost or enhance your mood. Essential oils such as mint can ease upset stomach, nausea, or headaches caused by stress. Lavender oil can help with sleep and calming. There are so many wonderful benefits! Other benefits include eliminating overly dry and cracked hands. Vitamin E and plant oils soothe and clean the skin without drying.

How The Beard Club Helped Me Grow a Beard

John Jones after beard growth

I was a failure … the facial hair equivalent of a 90-pound weakling. It wasn’t so much that I couldn’t grow a beard; it was more that whatever facial hair I did grow felt like a Velcroed-on Brillo pad: super uncomfortable and leaving my skin itchy and broken out. As Movember and No-Shave November came and went, I made two separate attempts at beard growth … each ending with a sprint into the bathroom when I could stand it no more, trimmer in hand, welcoming back the clean-shaven face I know so well. It wasn’t the first time I’d given up on hirsute happiness.

When December rolled around, I decided to pay attention to an email I’d gotten for something called The Beard Club, a subscription service for beard care products. The Club’s premise was “helping first-timers as well as seasoned hirsute gentleman to up their grooming game.” I couldn’t resist and threw down the gauntlet. Could they help even me? After all, the site’s tag line is “Don’t Grow it Alone.”

The best-selling colognes for men (because some things are popular for a reason)

mens cologne on black satin

The way you smell is the message you send before you even open your mouth or shake a hand. When someone meets you for the first time, your style can give them a great first impression from a distance. But then your cologne will be the storyteller up close. Smelling good is one of the main points of men’s grooming. Soaps, shampoos, lotions, all fragrant and elevating your attractiveness, and ultimately, your memorability.

That is why popular men’s colognes become, well, popular. These are the scents that stand the test of time. The ones that linger on your shirt when you leave, and your girl wears it to bed. The kind that stays around in the office (subtly, not drifting throughout the office because you take a bath in it) after you have gone. And the kind that sparks memories of great dates in the past when she smells it on you before leaving the house. Of course, the best of the best sell like the best of the best. And these are the colognes that sell better than any other year in and year out.

The Manual’s Grooming Awards Are Open for Submissions

Head, Person, Face

For eight years, The Manual’s Grooming Awards have done one thing: told readers which products actually work. Not which ones arrived in the nicest box, not which brand bought the most media. Which ones survived months of daily use on our own faces, in our own showers, and were still worth reaching for at the end.

This year, we’re opening the awards to submissions.