Preferably something cheap
I use Dial Anti-Bacterial soap. Ocassionally it causes a reaction similar to sunburn on my skin. I have oily skin so something that dries and cleans pores would be nice as well.
Cetaphil cleanser for normal to oily skin.
Unscented Neutrogena soap.
Neutrogena would be my choice if I were buying a big brand soap. But if you can, pop into a health food type place and pick up a bar of castille bar soap. Pure castille is THE mildest, nicest stuff. Make sure it has an ingredient list, and make sure it has ONLY olive oil (or sodium olivate) and maybe lavender essential oil or an essential oil blend…no perfumes, no colors. There are a couple of decent, fairly large companies out there–Woodspirit comes to mind, or Zumbar is good too.
If you want a web link, drop me an email and I’ll send you to my friend, a soapmaker. I’m a soapmaker myself, and even I buy her stuff.
Best,
karol
My dermatologist used to advise using baby shampoo. He said that it left absolutely no residue and was good for those with acne.
Cetaphil gave me a nasty crusty rash on my chin, and everything else under the sun made me break out. Ponds Cucumber Cold Cream is the heaven-sent balm that made it all go away.
Dove body wash is pretty mild and really helps with dry skin. I can certainly notice a difference when I use regular soap now. I also use Cetaphil for my face. Don’t buy the cheap stuff at Wal-Mart…it’s too watery.
Dove makes a bar soap free of dyes and perfumes. I have to use it sometimes, but not so much anymore. My doctor put me on a pretty strong antibiotic that has cleared up most of my acne.
A nurse friend recently mentioned to me that the thing to use with elderly patients with sensitive skin is sorbolene cream as a soap substitute because it is very kind to the skin. Here are some examples. She told me that you find a cheap one that you like and use it instead of soap. A bottle that costs a few dollars lasts ages. She also mentioned that latest research indicates that people wash/shower/use cleansers too much and she is cutting down the bath routine where she works. Mind you some of this is because of the risks asssociated with bathing frail elderly patients.
My mother swears by Purpose bar soap. She also uses Ivory Snow for washing clothes; almost everything else makes her break out.