There isn’t much I won’t do for my readers. I’ll be putting my body (and reputation!) on the line to experiment with showering without traditional soap. It turns out that that Johnson and Johnson, among other soap producing companies, have been selling us a form of perfume masquerading as detergent for our skin. As a general side note, I’m becoming my father.
I admit that my spectacular ex-wife, Lisa, used to do the shopping for soap, shampoo, lotion, etc., for our home’s bathrooms. Since that responsibility dropped into my bathtub with a thunderous splash, I’ve been, well…meh…at remembering to restock. The result of my less than stellar recollecting prowess has been predictable; my sons and I occasionally run out of the aforementioned items.
Yesterday, I hopped into the shower, which I share with those 14 and 12-year-old men. I reached for their liquid soap (AXE; I’m sheepishly laughing) because my bars were gone, gave the bottle a squeeze, and my dice came up snake eyes. Not a drop. In fact, those boys had already performed the fill-the-bottle-with water trick.
So I did what all of y’all have done before, don’t deny it. I reached for the shampoo, carelessly drenched my loofa (yes, I comfortably used that word in print), and got to scrubbin’.
I stepped onto the chilly tile floor feeling every bit as clean as usual and smelling like a random combination of vanilla and sunflowers.
This experience led to me to ponder a few items. Do we really need soap at all? What if we just took showers with water and scrubbed with washcloths? Have we been sold a mountain of scented garbage for all these years?
Turns out, there have been absolutely zero (that I discovered) scientific studies on showering sans soap. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence on the internet, but very few bankable facts.
Among the anecdotes was this (far from scientific) experiment from Reddit:
Two adult men switch to daily showering using no soap. Water baths only. The experiment was done to explore the necessity of covering our bodies with complex detergents, moisturizers, fragrances, etc.
Okay, so that’s a tiny sample size. But maybe they’re on to something. Here are some reasons this experiment may be worth a try.
First, Americans spend boatloads (approximately $35 billion) on toiletries and personal care products per year. Trimming the fat of soap and shampoo purchases can add up over time. Not to worry though, I’m still going to be using deodorant during my test.
Second, all these soaps negatively impact the environment. Your average commercial soap is filled with unrecognizable ingredients to give you a nice bubbly lather. That flowery aroma I was sporting post shower came from any number of chemicals to provide the artificial fragrance. These additives can cause allergic reactions, skin irritations and respiratory problems. The lovely bar shape of your soap or easy squeezing consistency of your bottle comes mostly from crude oil derivatives. All of these chemicals are first covering your body, then washing down into the drain and getting into our waterways.
So you may be thinking to yourself that those are fine points, but you’re willing to pay the price (financially and environmentally) to be clean and not stink. For some cases, I agree. In this case, we may not have to pony up the ridiculous toll.
As I said above, there haven’t been any solid studies on showering without soap. Most studies discuss hand washing, but have discovered that scrubbing with water alone is responsible for removing most of the germs on your hands. Additionally, your soap can become contaminated and theoretically spread more germs. That bar you have sitting in the warm, wet puddle in the shower becomes the perfect bacterial breeding ground. Antibacterial soaps may actually be contributing to more bacteria proliferating in your body, according to a study published in mBio.
The biocide triclosan is used in many personal care products, including toothpastes, soaps, clothing, and medical equipment. Consequently, it is present as a contaminant in the environment and has been detected in some human fluids, including serum, urine, and milk… We demonstrate that triclosan is present in nasal secretions of a large portion of a test population and its presence correlates with Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization. Triclosan also promotes the binding of S. aureus to human proteins and increases the susceptibility of rats to nasal colonization by S. aureus. These findings are significant because S. aureus colonization is a known risk factor for the development of several types of infections.
Body odor is a complicated social issue. Most animals have a natural scent, and humans are no different. The way you smell is strongly influenced by genes, diet and general health, so no single prescription will work for every individual. Our scent is also strongly influenced by the presence of bacteria, however. In this area, you may be doing more harm than good in reducing body odor by using all of these soaps and products. The chemicals in soaps remove your skin’s natural oils. This causes your skin to first dry out, providing an ideal environment for bacteria growth. Your body then increases oil production to compensate, trapping the bacteria against your skin.
So how did our anecdotal story of showering without soap turn out?
Initial results from absolutely zero soap use…the results were nothing short of miraculous. The dry skin of one adult was significantly improved. Body smell was near nonexistent.
I’m not suggesting that you stop washing your hands before cooking, or anything else when you know you’ll be coming into contact with lots of potentially harmful germs. On a day to day basis, however, maybe we’ve been buying into a myth that a morning isn’t complete without a thorough application of soaps and other cosmetics.
I’m going to play around with this and get back to you. I might just end up using products that are more natural and that have less negative environmental impact. But first, I’m going no soap. If I suddenly post that I’m looking for a job, you know why.
Update: I came up with what may be the answer while doing my last bit of research. There is a product on the market out there called coconut oil soap. The ingredients are organic coconut oil, citric acid (a weak organic acid found in citrus fruits) and water. So, my cleansing product for the days ahead will be a random combination of organic lemon juice, coconut oil and water. I’ll toy with the recipe and have it out to you in a few days.
Jeremy says
Looking forward to your recipe…but in the mean time, Dr Bronner’s anyone? Post consumer recycled containers, no petrochemicals and natural ingredients. Also, has that “dad” appeal.
Gabe Kapler says
Thanks, Jeremy. Checking it out now.
RyRy says
Dr. Bronner’s Gabe! He’s a Dr. from the Tribe:)
Jack says
Another vote for Dr. Bronner’s. Hands down best option.
Jeremy says
Forgot to mention that the peppermint and eucalyptus can be “potent” on the privates!
Doug says
Picked up a large bottle of Dr Bronners Eucalyptus on sale at Whole Foods. Thanks for the tip, Jeremy.
Chris says
If you have a minute check this website or watch their documentary. It’s crazy that we just trust whatever is sold in the store to be safe for us or the environment. http://www.chemicalnation.com/content/
Gabe Kapler says
Thanks, Chris. Appreciate the heads up.
JIMSOXX says
I use “Pear” Soap purchased from the Dollar Store—it’s fabulous.
Evie@Defense Soap says
I also used natural soap made of organic ingredients this natural soap handmade with organic olive oil, pure essential oils for information you visit this site http://www.defensesoap.com/
harrison says
I always use shampoo for soap!
Joel says
I’ve been using Dr. Bronner’s liquid and bar soap for quite a while now, and have found that it works great. For added bonus, I don’t feel like I’m poisoning my body when I bathe. Still looking for a “natural” deodorant that works and doesn’t irritate my skin.
RyRy says
I love Desert Essence Tee Tree Oil.
Lynne Austin says
I kinda just fell in love with your freak flag. Theory on, my man.
Gabe Kapler says
Thanks, Lynne.
Doug says
Kap – the wife and I have been using Shea Moisture’s black soap lately or a local natural bar soap called Dirty Hippie (Mississippi). Looking forward to seeing how your no soap and natural soap test goes. Keep up the good work!
Eric says
Hi Gabe, just a follow-up comment – and my apologies if you’ve covered this elsewhere already and I missed it. You talk about the chemicals in soap washing away the body’s natural oils…another thing to consider is water temperature. Try taking cool showers and see how your skin responds. Hot water removes your body’s natural oils, oils that your skin needs to stay healthy- and youthful-looking. Just like when you’re washing dishes after cooking – try using cold water to wash grease from a frying pan, it won’t work, you have to use hot water. Hot water does the same thing to your body’s natural oils that it does to grease in a frying pan. You don’t have to take icy cold showers, but give cool showers a shot, you may never go back to hot water (post under-vehicle-oil-change showers notwithstanding!).
Heather Self says
Late to the discussion, but I have been experimenting about not using soap as of late. I see a lot of people suggesting Dr. Bronner’s; that left a strange smell on me. Tom’s of Maine also makes very gentle soaps with all-natural ingredients (palm and coconut derivatives). As much as I like the Daily Moisturizer soap Tom’s makes, my skin was still getting dry. I’ve been experimenting with using baking soda and warm water. I stopped using soap on my face months ago and now just use warm water. To moisturize it, I use a mixture of olive oil, macadamia nut oil and a drop or two of tea tree oil and rosemary oil.
Shoshana says
I know I don’t use soap on my body, and I actually don’t even need to wear deodorant because I DON’T STINK AT ALL! I am a female though. Guys are a little different…
lien says
Thank you for sharing. I agree with you that personal hygiene products from companies like Johnson & Johnson or Procter & Gambles are filled with chemicals that does nothing good to the bodies, they might even do more harm than good. I am glad that many mentioned Dr Bronner’s 🙂 I also sometimes lather myself with organic oil like sesame or coconut (depending on the season since sesame is warming and coconut is cooling) which i put in some drops of essential oils (many of these oil has anti-bacterial properties) and massage prior to taking the shower with a small portion of Dr Bronner’s liquid soap and that leaves the body feeling soft and refreshed. Reg shampoo i use Aubrey Organics, and Auromere for toothpaste. Btw, i am so glad you are with my favorite team now and what you are doing with player development is fantastic :-). Best regards
Evie@Defense Soap says
Coconut and essential oil are good antibacterial properties I used antibacterial shower soap this is home made soap and good for skin infection for information you can visit this site http://www.defensesoap.com/
David says
I’m not certain if Gabe will see this or not, I was hoping to find a follow up post to this one. Do you still shower soap free? Do you skip the hair products as well? Do you need to scrub with a cloth as well to get clean? This interests me but it is hard to wrap my mind around it, particularly with keeping the nether regions clean. 🙂
Karl says
Kap, are we talking about not using Shampoo as well. I am going to do the no soap challenge as well, but I don’t think I want to go without shampoo. Thanks for clarifying.
John Zahorik says
Because of psoriasis/eczema/dermatitis I stopped using commercial soap and deodorant about 8 months ago. I use diluted apple cider vinegar to wash in the shower and a mixture of coconut oil/baking soda/cornstarch for deodorant. I smell amazing! You do not need any of that stuff.
Davey says
Just Before I saw your message I tried a no soap showers, more out of laziness than anything else, but also because “common wisdom” seems to me to often be neither. I have a hand held head with variable spray settings and just used the strongest “vibrating” setting, hottest water and much higher flow than usual. Whole shower took less than a minute. Will let you know what I find out after a week or so.
Bat Masterson says
II have been showering without soap for years and have less body odor when I was using soap
Red Connors says
Soap is made from animal fat called TALLOW. When you wash with soap you are rubbing animal fat all over your body. Showers should be luke warm. I haven’t used soap in years and have no body odor. When I used soap I would get smelly.
Monte Miller says
The smell from sweat comes from the bacteria on skin when the bacteria breaks down the sweat for food. The soap merely makes everything slippery so most of the sweat as well as the normal bacteria are removed. A water rinse with a washcloth and will remove almost all of sweat from the body and any related odor, as they dissolve in water easily. Some soap should be used with your hands as they do come into contact with harmful microbes more often, or when your body does. Otherwise, water works just fine.
melody says
I have been doing this since i found out the damage of detergents on human hair, the same kind of chemical(s) found in body washes and soaps to create lather (sls and other detergents). I use conditioners as shaving creams and always wash my body with a exfoliating tool first with warm or hot water since my skin is prone to being oily then with cool water and a final rinse with cold sometimes icy cold water. Sometimes i let the cold run over me for a while to thoroughly close my pores up. I sometimes use natural scrubs made from brown sugar and coconut oil or a handmade soap, such as goas milk soap from a local flea market. I use essential oil rollons almost exclusively on my body and clothes. I find it works well as a deodorant and doesnt irritate freshly shaved pits. I am a female, young and pretty active in my lifestyle. I work two jobs and dance often, i always feel so clean after showering regardless of using a cleanser or not. My skin is pretty awesome regarding acne since i started doing this as a teenager and am now in my early 20’s. I decided to do this after discovering that i could cure my acne prone face by washing it with warm water then icy cold water to seal my pores after running out of expensive cleansers and giving up on them all. Hopefully this information will inspire you to find a skin care routine that works for you, saves your money and makes you look and feel beautiful!
DRJonze says
I have a “holistic” type friend, a woman friend named “Al” (really). She is a deep-muscle massage therapist who has studied all things body for a long time. She says since most of us don’t have much dirt on us and soaps dry out and irritate the skin I should ” wash your private parts and pieces with a mild soap like Dove body-wash and the rest of you with a wash-cloth and warm water only.” If I was uncomfortable doing that all the time she said just use soap all over every 3 or so days. Well, I tried it and it worked so well it made me wonder why in the hell doctors don’t tell us about this stuff. My skin is much better off for it.
Paul says
The Today Show had a report on this subject in October, and as Yogi Berra would say, “It was like deja vu all over again”! The study made a lot of the same points Kap made originally.
The subject of antibacterial soap came up & the guests claimed it doesn’t matter: Soap is soap & you are still killing both good & bad bacteria. They said the same you did- soap is needed only for your underarms & private parts to kill germs & eliminate odor.
The thought of showering w/o soap still freaked out the hostesses on Today & they joked about how it would save you time, give you a shorter shower, etc.
DRJonze says
PS, Kap, I and a bunch of others miss hearing you on Dallas sports radio stations. Call in some…..
Lrr from Omicron Persei 8 says
After suffering from dry skin, my doc recommended 100% olive oil soap. It’s just olive oil pressed into a bar. You can get it lots of places (incl. amazon) and it has worked great for about 10 years now. My guess is it’s the same as using coconut oil. I also don’t soap up the legs, except after sweaty workouts. The soap running down the body takes care of that. All rashes and eczema have been done away with!
Rebecca P says
I just pour a bit of olive oil into my bath water…yes, I take baths! I use a pair of bath gloves to scrub my body well and then just towel off a bit after the bath. I have been doing this for quite a while just for some minor areas of dry skin and because I like to be different 🙂 and not because of any real skin problems. I had my underarm hairs removed via electrolysis about 20 years ago just because I didn’t like the appearance of my dark underarm hair and got tired of shaving and have not needed to use any type of underarm deodorant since then.
Rey White says
After watching a few videos on Youtube and then reading about the damaging effects of soap (detergents) on our skin, I decided to go soapless and deodorant free. It’s been nearly 6 weeks, and my skin never felt so good. Also, I don’t smell under my arms at all. I was so shocked. I get a lot of sun during the day (from 12:30 to 2:30) for the UVB rays and the vitamin D, so I also didn’t want to wash away the Vitamin D before it had a chance to be absorbed into my skin. So, now I just wait to shower until around 10 p.m. and I use water only (sometimes I use a natural bristle brush for exfoliating). This way I am retaining the natural oils in my skin. About 2 weeks ago, I started oiling my body after showering with extra virgin olive oil. Wow, what a difference that made. It seems that plant oil, particularly coconut oil, and especially extra virgin olive oil are very close to the natural sebaceous oil in our human skin. I am amazed how how youthful my skin is. I even have a glow from the sun-obtained vitamin D3. Now, as for toothpaste…I stopped using that two years ago and have been brushing my teeth with ancient sea salt. A 5 pound block will last you a couple of years and it is the perfect sanitizer for teeth and gums. My dentist compliments me on my excellent oral hygiene. He thinks I’m using the Pronamel he recommended a few years ago. He’s none the wiser. Also, ancient sea salt has other health benefits such as lowering blood pressure. So, as I approach my 70th birthday (the picture in my profile was taken last September) I feel better than I have in years.