Back in January I read an article by a guy who read another guy’s article about the use of soap and its impact on your body’s natural odor. The argument is simple: there’s no real reason to use soap or shampoo. Hmm, really? Well, I wasn’t exactly willing to take their word for it so I decided to go soap and shampoo free for a week to see if their claims were true.
One week turned into two…then three…then four…and eventually I went soapless for 68 days. What did I notice? Keep reading my friend.
From day 1 I kept a journal using Momento. I wanted to make sure that if I smelled bad or if others thought I smelled bad I remembered when. I wanted to see if going soap and shampoo free was worth it. Here’re some excerpts:
Day 10: Scalp dry. Lots of flakes. Skin not oily. No real difference other than snow.
Day 18: Hair thicker. Skin softer and less irritated. No funky smells.
Day 25: Scalp a little dry. Skin much clearer than when I used soap. Haven’t told wife 
Day 31: Still no soap. Don’t smell bad at all. No soap scum in the tub. Bonus! 
Day 52: Dandruff clearing up. Skin soft. Still use soap to wash hands after bathroom and before cooking.
Day 62: Hair flaky again. Or is it my scalp is dry? W/e. Went fishing. No soap. No smell either.
Day 68: Used soap and shampoo.
Day 70: Skin highly irritated after using hypoallergenic soap. Scalp not dry.
Day 73: Back to no soap. Can’t stand irritated skin. Hair is all nasty.
Day 78: Skin clearing up. Hair back to being thick. No more dry scalp. Win!
It took a little more than two weeks to reap the benefits of not using soap. By that time my skin was clearer, and my hair was thicker and more manageable. The downside to not using shampoo was the constant dry scalp. Perhaps it was the season or the weather, but my scalp didn’t really get better until well into the second month. At Day 68, when I went back to using soap, my skin almost immediately became irritated. A few days later I went back to no soap no shampoo and everything cleared up. Interestingly, as the spring weather moved in my scalp issues also cleared up sans shampoo. FYI, I did use soap when preparing food or after hitting the head. Gimme a break. I’ve got a kid, and I am also aware of the health risks associated with bacteria and food prep. The entire time I went soapless not once did anyone comment on my stench. Perhaps it’s because people aren’t straightforward enough. Or, perhaps it’s because I really and truly didn’t stink. Not a single one of my 1000 parts smelled.
Do I recommend dropping the…err, leaving the soap behind? I don’t see an argument to the contrary. Turns out there is some research behind soapless hygiene; a UNC study proved that using tap water alone or following a good tap water cleansing with nonantimicrobial soap was better at killing off bacteria than using soap (which would actually clear me of using soap at all, but my wife would kill me if I hit a double and then made dinner). The best part about the study is that it puts science behind the no soap approach. Does it suggest that soap is bad? No. But, there’s nothing to suggest that soap is required or even necessary. So, should you go soap-free? If you want to save a few dollars, hate cleaning the tub, and would rather travel without a quart-sized bag of liquids then why not?
Think I’m crazy or just plain nasty? Would you consider going without soap or shampoo? Share your thoughts below or send me an e-mail at TiTy@y2kemo.com.
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