From your experience which bar soap leaves less soap scum on skin or the bath tub, ivory or zest? Can you please tell me the brand of either that has worked best for you?
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Most people think soap is soap, but there ARE differences. Have you ever noticed that some soaps are labeled "beauty bars" not "soap"? For simplicity I will call all bar soap, "soap".
There are some brands of soap that leave a residue MUCH worse than others. I love Zest specifically because it does not leave soap scum. In fact, I have washed my hair and body with it for years. (Every time I would tell someone this, they would be outraged, especially hair dressers.) I wouldn't think of using any other soap in my hair because of soap scum.
Years ago as a child whose job it was to scrub the tub and sinks, I noticed that there was less soap scum under the Zest holder on the bathtub wall. Hmmm. Then I finally figured out that other soaps left a residue on my fingernails, but Zest didn't. Sure, I could be more diligent and scrub it off, but why? I could use Zest and it not even show up to begin with. That's when I tried it on my hair. Now, I hate traveling and using the soaps (or shampoos) in hotel rooms. I always pack my Zest. I don't leave home without it. My hair even tangles less with Zest.
Then I married a chemist. It turns out that some soaps are soaps, and some are detergents. Go figure. I have a couple of those ionic air cleaners and they get dirty with some sort of black residue. Zest won't budge the black stuff, but soap will. Hubby tries to explain it, but I am not a chemist. All I know is Zest is the best.
I bought liquid Zest for the shower thinking it would rinse off clean. IT DOES NOT ! It is awful. Only Castile seems to rinse off nicely .
Sorry can't compare the soap scum - as I can only use Zest - Ivory burns my skin (very bad reaction)
But if the tub is washed/wiped down right after bath there shouldn't be a problem.
I don't know about Zest but I do know that Ivory makes an incredible amount of soap scum! I can stand in the shower and watch it build up on the strainer.
ZEST our family has used it for years!
All bar soap leaves a film on my skin, so now I only use bath gel. Well, bath gel and a back scrubber; I'm into exfoliation.
Good Luck!
Thank you all that responded. this was my first question on thrifty fun.
My two cents worth is 'Carress' because it leaves no more soap scum than other brands, smells lovely and moisturizes the skin :-)
I find that Ivory is very drying. I use Dove because I have very dry skin. It was recommended by my Dr. Be careful of body gels because some of them can also dry your skin.
Unfortunately this is a hard question, because I find both of these soaps to be very harsh. they each leave lots of residue. If I had to choose between only these two bar soaps, I'd have to say Zest leaves less soap residue than Ivory. I'm not sure what it is about Ivory soap that makes it like it is. Maybe its more alkaline than other soaps and the skin's mantle is acidic.
I must tell you that no one in my family can use Ivory soap as it burns our skin. I didn't even use it on my babies.
The only soap I can use is Dove for sensitive skin. Liquid gels are not soaps, but rather detergents almost all of which contain some type of paraffin to which I'm allergic. I take baths and have no problem with soap residue or bathtub ring.
Use your washcloth to swish around the tub before you get out after you take your bath or shower. Good luck always,
When my son was in the Navy they wouldn't let them use anything but Zest, because it is easier to clean up.
All bar soap has talc powder in them so they, stay as a bar form.This is what causes the film, in your showers and tubs. See if what you use, comes in liquid form.
I've used Zest FOREVER! I love it. As mentioned above, since it's in bar form, it will leave tub rings. Do a quick swipe of the tub after each bath/shower - should help a lot.
I am allergic to Ivory too. It makes my skin itch and just the smell of it gives me a headache. I even notice it when I visit friends/family and have to make a point of staying away from where it's located.
I can't really comment on the soap scum issue. I grew up using Zest because my mom wouldn't buy anything else. She tried Ivory and we didn't like it at all. Hubby, however, uses nothing but Dial White, and swears by it. My youngest son is the same way about Lever 2000. I'm flexible and will use what's available, but when my sister gave me a bottle of Caress bath gel, I thought it was the best stuff I ever tried! It left my skin feeling soooo soft, I felt beautiful.
Gotta say zest is the one for us and has been for many many years.
This all depends on your skin. I am allergic to many of the perfumes that are in soaps. I can't use Ivory at all. The pharmacist recommended Dove for sensitive skin, but there is rose oil in the ingredients which irritates my skin. I can use Jergens, Neutrogena, Johnson's baby soap on my face with no problem. I love Irish Spring to use in the shower, but I don't use it on my face since if I become sensitive to it I'd have to give it up altogether and I LOVE the scent! Even if you have been using a product for years you can suddenly become sensitive to it. Also, companies sometimes change formulas. I used Tide detergent for years, then when they changed the formula I couldn't use it any longer. Some lucky people can use anything, but if you are sensitive you have to be very selective.
I am 63 years old and have used Zest soap since a sample came in the mail to our home. I was a teenager, or maybe only 12 years old then.
I have used it for both my babies when they were born!
The reason I can't switch to anything else, unless we are vacationing at a rental or something, is because I can't stand soap scum.
You can actually wash your hair with Zest bar soap and it will rinse out SQUEEKY clean! I love the scent of Irish Spring, Dial and many others, but I can't stand the scum it leaves in the sink, shower and tub!
(if I don't have to clean it, then I don't care!)
Costco has their own brand of bar soap now, that I really would love to try, but I'm afraid it's going to leave scum?
They are so good about returns, I guess I could buy a package and if its not good, I can return it. All you have to do is wash with a soap in the sink with the stopper plugged, to see that Ivory is the worst for scum and film and Zest has NONE!
There. That's my input. The End. :)
How interesting so many like Zest soap! I didn't even know it was still around. My Mom always liked Zest and made us use it in the bath/shower. She claimed it kept the tub clean. I will look for it in the supermarket next time I go and try Zest again. Thanks for the memories.
Zest is the best! Zest leaves no film and lathers very good.
Ok I don't use bar soap bit hubby uses zest. Anyways we moved into a house I cleaned the bathroom best I could obviously, it looked clean. Then after my husbands shower he left the zest soap on the tub floor. The next day I went to shower I picked up the soap and underneath it was SO WHITE it totally made that part of the tub look shiny white and clean. I thought i cleaned it good but after that left zest bar I know I dodnt. So now I'm thinking how do I use this soap to clean the whole tub, I want it all that shiny and clean. Lol anyways I just had to put this somewhere.
I remember the tv ads for Zest. They dipped a pair of prescription glasses in soapy water to compare it to other soaps demonstrating it left no residue. Other brands failed.
The smell is great for waking up in the morning. I absolutely have to avoid the scent in the evening, as much as I like it, it WILL keep me wide awake at night just like drinking coffee
First, I want the scum off of me. (Then, Ill clean the shower) Zest leaves residue on my skin and is irritating. Castile, Ivory, or natural bar soaps are best.
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