There was a time before several aisles of every store was dedicated to “body wash,” a time before Bath & Body Works & The Body Shop tempted us with their sweet-smelling, high-lather concoctions. Humans have used soap in that oh-so-familiar bar form for hundreds (if not thousands!) of years – can you really argue with so much history?

I wanted to switch to a bar soap because I was tired of so many bottles in my shower, & so much plastic in my life. Sure, my body wash du jour smelled good, but I do rather love the scent of a pink Dove bar. Bar soap is much less expensive than the liquid variety, & I think we can all agree that thrift is a skill that needs to be a greater part of the human experience. Initially, I had hoped to use it on my face as well – but a week of breakouts made that impossible.

I mentioned last week that I was reading You: Being Beautiful, & imagine my surprise when, months after making the switch myself, they recommended using bar soap instead of the wash for yet another reason: liquid soap contains more chemicals, whereas bar soap can contain just the simplest ingredients in which to clean. How fabulous!

I’m happy to report that six or so months after making this change, I haven’t looked back! I’ve saved money, avoided plastic, & exposed myself to fewer chemicals – all things that fit my life philosophy. I encourage you to try it for yourself!

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Recently, I’ve started making lots of little changes in my life, in the pursuit of leading a simpler, more vibrant life. You can find all past entries in the Simplicity Project here.