Note to Self: Stay Away From Soap For Sensitive Skin

I haven't used any commercially made personal products for years, but made the mistake of using what was closest the other day. It was just a quick shower to rinse off the sweat after an exercise class. I forgot to bring my own stuff, so accepted an offer to borrow a bar of soap. It didn't seem too terribly scented, and I only used it under my arms – quickly. That's all.

The Reaction

Two hours later, I couldn't understand why my armpits were feeling itchy and irritated. I went to the bathroom for a look. A sea of red, raised, angry-looking bumps reflected back at me from the mirror. And then I remembered.

The Relief

Rinsing with a lot of water helped. Spritzing with Rose Hydrosol afterwards helped even more, making the itching disappear almost immediately. Within 10 minutes, the raised bumps were no longer red, but it took many hours before they were gone.

The Ruminating

Because I had completely forgotten about using the soap, there is no question in my mind that this reaction was purely physical. But, this was supposed to be a product for sensitive skin. I guess that makes my skin ridiculously, over-the-top, can't-handle-even-the-slightest-bit-of-commercially-made-soap sensitive. Then again, if this was supposed to be a product specifically for sensitive skin, what the heck was perfume doing in it ?!?

The Resolve

Never mind. I've learned my lesson. No longer shall I accept kind offers of soap 'for sensitive skin' from friends, family or strangers – no matter how stinky I may feel. It's just not worth it.

PS: Even though I know what it is, I see no reason to mention the name of the soap. It could probably have been just about any brand. The reaction I had was more likely due to the perfume than the soap.