More and more people are now shying away from artificial materials and products, and gravitating towards natural, organic ones where possible. This can also be observed in Singapore in terms of skincare and toiletries, with more people ditching commercial cleansing products for castile soap.
At present, there are different types of natural soaps available in the market. One particular type that has been gaining popularity in Singapore is castile soap.
What is Castile Soap?
Castile soap is a type of natural plant-based soap made from organic vegetable oils. While castile soap was originally made from olive oil, certain variations have emerged over the years, with manufacturers using coconut oil, and jojoba oil. Reputable brands such as Dr. Bronner’s (available in different countries including Singapore), have created castile soap variants that are infused with different essential oils.
Benefits of using Castile Soap
Castile soap has been gaining popularity in Singapore and elsewhere. For the most part, what accounts for its popularity is its whole range of benefits, some of which are as follows:
- It is gentle on the skin.
Unlike most commercial soap, high-quality castile soap does not contain preservatives and artificial fragrances, making it suitable for daily use even when you have sensitive skin. Glycerin (a natural moisturizer naturally produced during saponification) is often removed from most commercial soap brands—partly to make bar soaps harder and partly to use the glycerin produced in making lotions and moisturizers—the same is retained in castile soap. Due to the foregoing, this variant of castile soap tends to be more moisturizing, making it ideal for people with dry skin.
- A little goes a long way.
High quality castile soaps, such as Dr. Bronner’s soap, and our own in-house brand Blessed Soaps®️ castile soaps are highly-concentrated, thereby requiring less amount for effective cleaning. In addition, castile soaps use potassium hydroxide (for liquid variants) and sodium hydroxide (for bar soaps) to convert vegetable oils into soap and glycerin, thereby requiring less amount of water to work up a lather.
- It is environment-friendly.
Another advantage of using top-grade castile soap is that it is free from harmful and toxic chemicals. Being all-natural, it is safe not only for the skin but also for the environment. Unlike most commercial soap variants, it is completely biodegradable, which means that it will not adversely affect the environment even if it enters the wastewater stream. In addition, this type of soap needs only a small amount of water to lather and rinse off, thereby reducing water wastage.
- It is very versatile.
Due to its all-natural composition, castile soap is also gentle on other materials (i.e. fabrics and surfaces), making it the perfect all-round cleaner. Also, unlike commercial detergents, castile soap is non-toxic (an important factor to consider, especially if you have children at home).
With skincare in the limelight at present, it is not surprising that castile soap is causing a stir not only in Singapore but all over the world. Considering its benefits (both for the skin and the environment), it is certainly a product worth giving a try.
You can find our own in-house Nature’s Glory Singapore brand of Blessed Soaps®️ castile soaps here.We have specially developed a range of different soaps infused with a variety of organic essential oils to suit different scents and beneficial properties, from unscented to peppermint and tea tree flavours. Each formulation is created with the right blend of moisturising, cleansing and best-smelling castile soap for the local Singapore market and beyond.