Okay who ISN’T still hooked on all of Caroline Hirons’ recommendations and notes on proper skincare? No show of hands? I sound like a broken record. I thought so, she’s won us over…we’ve been bit real good by her skin scolding so half the planet has been having a look through their skincare wardrobe and doing a rehash. Caroline mentions what she knows and believes our skin needs and doesn’t need quite often in this video with Pixiwoo. She may not agree with me because in this post I am talking about SOAP, but I’ll explain first. I think proudly Pinoy brand Snoe Beauty’s cold-pressed soaps have something good ongoing because they’re not just soaps, they’re soaps with better ingredients. The advanced facialist and brand consultant, Caroline Hirons is herself a soap-free advocate but from what I gather is she stresses her soap-free mandate exceedingly more for the face, so I’m recommending these primarily for the body. All this frilly (but facially relevant) fuss about soap-free though does have a limit and boundary I think, like for example if and when one day we’re not all comfortably sitting in clean houses with the world constantly turning day by day. I won’t lie, I’d make a mad dash for a bar of good ol’ soap should World War Z happen (God forbid)…wouldn’t you? All of you who just said “No” get a slow butt slap from me.
“Snoe Beauty Bars are made from fresh high grade ingredients to provide superior results. Our soaps are made with dermatologist-approved formulas to ensure that our beauty bars are hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and safe for everyday use. Proudly Philippine Made” PHP199.00 (purchased from the kiosk in Cinderella g/f, Glorietta)
I’m not completely ANTI-SOAP when it comes to body cleansing and once-in-a-while facial cleansing (if I’m completely grimy). I mean check it out, I just asked Gary Valenciano’s beautiful, Puerto Rican mother, Grimi (Mamita to me), last January what her beauty secret was and it baffled me and her that she said “You know Hija, this is funny and they told me it’s bad, but I just wash with soap, and before…not now, oil of Olay cream at night…but my goodness cream, not all the time even. They kept telling me I should not wash with soap…but that’s what I did ever since, and I didn’t have a problem hahaha.” So I think, unless we’re talking about babies, for me washing with soap sometimes is permissible as long as I don’t break out and I just remember to moisturize after. For me what matters is that the soap contains a ton more of good stuff to rave about. So heads up, these soaps ARE soaps and contain some probably diluted lye solution, if that bothers you don’t get these, but I like them very much for body cleansing. I’ve also tested these soaps on an area of my face and speaking for myself (not for all of you), they’re mildy scented with natural ingredients and I didn’t itch or break out. Read more to learn more about each soap and find out which one I sort of like the most for now.
Mom and I were completely won over by the new packaging and having heard they were made locally she mentioned she wanted to buy more as gifts. Everything down to how the box opens upwards instead of sideways made us smile at the attention to detail. There’s nothing I hate more than locally made soap packaging that requires you to pry open the glued box sides with your nails and rip it open. The soaps come wrapped in clear plastic inside the boxes. I removed the plastic covering since I tested out all three soaps before shooting them. I won’t be typing out ALL INGREDIENTS lists because right now I’m lazy but when you check these out at their branches or kiosks the complete ingredients are listed on each box. I just included the key ingredients (which is actually most of the ingredients).
AWESOME PORESOME, (Pore Refining, Brightening, Clearing) Key Ingredients: Coconut, Calmansi, Papaya, Witch Hazel, Pineapple, Cucumber, Goats Milk, Glycerin, Amino Acids, Vit. A, C, E, K, and Phenoxyethanol (also found in Caudalie Beauty Elixir).
“…dissolves excess oil, dirt, and impurities. I will lift away dead skin cells, leaving skin clean, nourished, and fresh. Use it daily to help eliminate blemishes, prevent new breakouts and maximize penetration of powerful pore minimizing ingredients.”
The Awesome Poresome beauty bar is the bestseller among the three. I think the girly white and pink packaging has something to do with it other than the pore refining, unclogging, and brightening effect it promises. I believe in the power of fruit enzymes and natural acids and this contains a large amount of amino acids and calamansi puree, papaya, cucumber, Vit. C & E and even goats milk which is a good neutralizer for sensitive skin. It is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial plus aids in drying up existing zits. I like this soap for summer the most because of all the fruit content it has (I love the tart sweetness of Calamansi/Philippine lemon) and how fresh it leaves your skin feeling. My skin didn’t feel the least bit dried out after but I still toned and moisturized after.
OUTZIT (Anti-Acne, Nourishing, Healing) Key Ingredients: Coconut, Crown Wood Fern, Moringa (malunggay seed oil & leaves), Australian Tea Tree, Squalene, Vit.C & E and Phenoxyethanol (also found in Caudalie Beauty Elixir)
“…a maximum strength cleanser that is safe and gentle to use everyday. It removes dirt, oil, and impurities. This beauty bar effectively keeps skin clean and clear with its PUREFIX-DC. Use it daily to help eliminate blemishes, prevent new breakouts, lighten spots and maximize penetration of powerful SHOO-ZIT acne treatment ingredients.”
Now, this one is my absolute favorite one among the three for the body because it goes on silky and really smooth when you’re bathing and it smells lovely. It has the highest soap content (lye solution) so I probably would not recommend this for the face but it makes a good, nourishing body soap and just might tackle those back and chest zits, if you try it for this let me know if it works for you. With this I can somehow (somewhat imaginatively) sense the Moringa in this is nourishing my skin, the seed oil is near the top of the ingredients list. None of these soaps suddenly melt too quickly on you. Give them a proper soap dish that keeps them from sitting in water and you’re good to go. They’re softer than the standard commercial bar soap but are firm enough to stay around longer.
BEAUTY SLEEP (Hydration, Anti-aging, Calming, Blemish Prevention) Key Ingredients: Coconut, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Jojoba, Grape Seed Extract, Maca Root, Sineguelas, Mango, Banana, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Vit.B3 & C, Lavender
“…improves skin elasticity and suppleness, thereby reducing lines and wrinkles. It produces firmer, more even-toned skin and helps achieve a glowing, radiant and more youthful complexion.”
This is the one that contains Hyaluronic acid and collagen so it makes a good soap for when you’re planning to put on a (non mineral oil please) body moisturizer, meaning a lotion, emulsion, cream or souffle all over. When you step out of the shower you don’t feel quite as smooth as with the other 2 soaps…in fact you feel quite hydrated but a bit rubbery that’s because I think of the hyaluronic acid that binds to the skin which is just waiting for you to smooth a moisturizer over the top of it for overnight moisture that doesn’t disappear while you sleep. For some odd reason I didn’t spot lye solution in this one’s ingredients list so it’s possible this might be the only soap-free one? Unless something else in it functions as soap. Am not sure just yet will have to check with the Snoe team.
