| Kahina Beldi Soap makes an appearance in The Wall Street Journal's roundup of oil cleansers. "THE OTHER DAY I was contemplating a patch of reptilian scales on my leg. Later, as I strategized how to impart a radiant, summery sheen to the shoulder I was going to unveil in a cocktail dress that night, I wondered whose crinkly 10,000-year-old elbow had become attached to my arm. I could blame winter, I could blame myself, but I blame soap. So do most dermatologists. Soap, with its cumulous clouds of detergent-and-sulphate-fueled lather, is the enemy of winter skin. It cleans you, yes, but it’s also drying and does you no favors when mixed with the natural drop in humidity outside, moisture-leeching indoor heating and long, hot showers. “We’ve known for some time that soap is ironically bad for your skin,” said Manhattan-based dermatologist Elizabeth Hale, M.D. “It strips the skin of its natural oils, which can exacerbate conditions like eczema, and does nothing to help the moisture barrier.” There is a simple solution: cleansing oils. You may have heard the buzz about oil-based rivals to nearly everything in your medicine cabinet—night creams, day cream, body lotion and face wash. And there’s a good reason: These products contain lipids, which mimic skin’s natural composition and help maintain the moisture barrier. Though it might seem counterintuitive to wash with oils, these cleansers gently lift off impurities—the day’s build-up of sebum, dead cells and dirt—while leaving the skin’s healthy protective oils intact. “Lipids clean without irritating or drying out the skin,” explained Dr. Hale. (And no, they won’t clog pores.) And for anyone looking to create a hammam effect at home, try Kahina Giving Beauty’s Moroccan Beldi Soap, a tingly, skin-softening unguent made from a blend of saponified olive oil and eucalyptus-leaf oil, which doubles as a body mask. Leave it on for five minutes or so, then gently massage off with the company’s traditional kessa exfoliating mitt.” For the original story, click here. More Press » |
