Soap And The Complexion

Southland Times, Issue 21607, 20 January 1932, Page 3

Soap And The Complexion

I name soap first among cosmetics—as the most necessary article, and the most popular (writes Dr Josef Ginsberg, plastic surgeon of Hollywood). Soap influences the skin in two ways—chemically and mechanically. The chemical properties are the softening of foreign bodies that adhere to the skin, loosening the scales, and the dissolving of greasy substances covering the skin. Soap makes it easier to remove the makeup and particles of dust attracted by the grease. The friction made by the hands in the building of lather constitutes a mechanical property of soap. There is hardly another toilet article which will clean the skin so thoroughly, and so without irritation. Those who do not use any soap may be sure that their skin is not as meticulously clean as is the complexion of the woman who does. There are good and bad soaps. I shall content myself with a short description of the general qualities of soap which will, without going into detail and chemical analysis make it more or less possible to recognize a good soap from a bad one. The consistency of good soap should be neither too soft nor too hard. It should easily build a quick lather without the tendency for the lather to disappear quickly. A good soap should not contain too much colouring matter. The lather should not show any streaks of colour. A good soap, when dry, never reveals a residue of tiny hard crystals. The perfume of facial soaps should not be so pronounced as to cause irritation to sensitive skins. In shopping for facial soap, ask for something of the neutral type. These soaps do not irritate the skin and leave no sensation of dryness or tension. For dry and sensitive skins I recommend the so-called over-fatted soaps. There is now a lanoline soap which is excellent. Medicated soaps are excellent for scalp and skin abnormalities, but should not be used without the special recommendation of a physician.

All soaps known for their antiseptic properties should be used only for the hands. In other words the woman who understands beauty culture chooses her soaps as carefully as she does her creams. Facial soap, bath soap and hand soap comprise the three .varieties she will choose.