Pine Tar Soap

[javyn]

What do you think? My neighbor uses it to bathe his dog, but how do you think it would work on a human?

 

[tangerine]

I have seen it (packaged and marketed for human use) in health food stores, but have never tried it. I would also like to hear about anyone's experience using it.

 

[Full Canvas]

"Tar is an oily, very dark substance crated as a byproduct of the gases
formed during the distillation of coal, wood, oils and other organic
batter. Pine tar is obtained from stumps of trees as a byproduct of the
paper industry.

Pine tar soap has been around about as long as soapmaking itself. Some
people use the thick, sticky product to treat skin disorders such as
aczema and psoriasis, but you should be very careful when trying this
product as many folks are allergic. Do a little skin patch test before you
hop in the shower and get the "whips and jingles." The oil is also very
pungent, as sulfer is used in the extraction."

http://www.soapmeister.com/pine_tar_soap.html
____________________________________

 

[javyn]

It's supposed to be good for minor skin problems like psoriasis, but the fact that it has the word "tar" in the name is kind of a turn off.

 

[tangerine]

Well, a lot of soap is made with lye, which I find much more alarming than tar.

Soap is weird.

 

[DocHolliday]

In my experience, most "old-timey" soaps went out of fashion for good reason.

 

[Stu]

I love the stuff. Have 3 bars at home. I love the way it leaves my skin.

As for old-time solutions to skin disorders, OT, I know, but I remember years ago, my grandfather had a big barrel of axle grease in his barn. Whenever he got a burn or a rash he would slather that on there. It worked great. I remember as well whenever I had a splinter, my mother would put some of that right on the finger and cover it with a bandage. By the next morning, the tail of the splinter would be sticking out of the skin and you could just slide it right out. Amazing stuff.

 

[Nonk]

I still use coal tar soap occasionally. I like it's old fashioned smell and look in this world of contrived "natural " products, and frankly it reminds me of being spoiled during stays with my Grandparents as a small child.

 

[javyn]

Thanks for the responses, looks like it is something that you'd buy a bar of to keep around in case you have some reason to use it. Moreso than say a daily shower wash. Great advice for splinters also, Stu thanks.

 

[j]

Tar is also an ingredient in some dandruff shampoos. T-gel I think is one of them.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dru...ation/DR202158

 

[LabelKing]

Sometimes the old ways are superior.

 

[faustian bargain]

Originally Posted by j

Tar is also an ingredient in some dandruff shampoos. T-gel I think is one of them.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dru...ation/DR202158

so THAT's what that smell is. it reminds me of when we used to shampoo our dog when i was a kid.

 

[tangerine]

Paging Mr. Creosote...

 

[Hawkeye]

When I first read this tread I kept trying to remember this catalog my grandfather gets, finally figured it out, Vermont Country Store. It's filled with all the old timey soaps and shaving stuff http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/s...roductID=29966 I found this shampoo, expensive, but I wouldn't mind having a "strong, north-woods piney scent" to my hair.

 

[javyn]

I'm sure you could just use a much cheaper bar of tar soap, Hawkeye. Google will lead you to some much better deals than that cataloge. edit: I just found this one. Not only is it called a "shampoo bar", but it has tea tree oil! I'd probably go for that if I had scalp troubles. pine tar shampoo bar btw, I know nothing about this store.