A lot of the people who find our shop in John’s Pass are looking for a soap that doesn’t make dry or sensitive skin worse. Goat’s milk soap is often the first thing they are told to try. Here is an honest look at why it tends to be gentler, what it can and cannot do, and which of our bars we suggest.
Why goat’s milk soap is gentler than most bar soap
- Lower pH. Ordinary bar soap is quite alkaline. Adding goat’s milk brings the pH closer to your skin’s natural acid mantle, so the bar cleans without stripping the barrier that keeps moisture in.
- Fats and proteins. Milk fat leaves a light layer of moisture behind instead of the tight, squeaky feeling many detergent bars cause.
- Lactic acid. Goat’s milk contains natural alpha-hydroxy acid, which gently loosens dead skin cells.
- No harsh detergents. Ours are made with extra-virgin olive oil, goat’s milk, herbs and botanical oils. No sulfates.
What it is not
Goat’s milk soap is not a treatment for eczema or psoriasis, and we don’t sell it as one. Those are medical conditions, and if you have been diagnosed with one, your dermatologist’s advice comes first. What customers tell us, year after year, is that switching from a detergent bar to a mild goat’s milk bar takes away one source of irritation. Many of them come back for the same bar every visit, which is the best evidence we have.
How to try it without a flare-up
- Start with an unscented bar. Fragrance, even natural fragrance, is the most common trigger for sensitive skin.
- Patch-test on the inside of your forearm for a couple of days before using it all over.
- Use lukewarm water, not hot, and pat dry rather than rubbing.
- Moisturize while your skin is still damp. Our goat’s milk lotions and shea butter are made for this.
- Pair the soap with a soft wool sea sponge rather than a synthetic pouf, which can be rough on inflamed skin.
The bars we suggest for sensitive skin
- Unscented goat’s milk bar: the safest starting point.
- Oatmeal honey: colloidal oatmeal has a long history of soothing itchy skin; honey is a natural humectant.
- Chamomile: mild, calming scent from the flower itself.
- Pure olive oil bar: lowest lather, mildest of all, the traditional Greek soap our family grew up with.
All of them are in our goat’s milk soap collection, and you can read more about the ingredients on our goat’s milk and olive oil page. If you are in Madeira Beach, come by the shop and we will let you feel the bars before you buy.
