The Defense Soap Guide
Defense Soap, the soap that keeps us all clean and training every day. It’s specifically created for grapplers/ wrestlers and Defense Soap has much more to offer than your regular soap. It protects us mat rats from all sorts of nasty stuff. From ringworm to staph infections, Defense Soap is there for you.
What’s also really nice about their soap, it’s all made from natural ingredients. Instead of using skin damaging alcohol they use tea tree oil and eucalyptus. So, it protects you from all types of nasty infections from dirty mats and protects your skin at the same time. But let’s take a look at the type of products they offer.
Regular Soap Bar and Shower gel
These two are the basics that should be in every grappler’s shower. Both the soap bar and shower gel are made from all natural ingredients like tea tree oil, eucalyptus and essential oils.
The soap bar is extra dense and quite big. This means it last longer. With the shower gel I noticed the same. You don’t need that much to wash your whole body, which is good because it might be the best soap for grapplers, but I don’t think it’s the cheapest. Actually, it is quite expensive compared to your regular soaps. But it will also protect you much better from all sorts of infections that you might be exposed to due to training on some dirty mats with some dirty guys.
The difference between the soap bar and shower gel is basically that one is liquid, and the other one is not. The shower gel also contains jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is full of antioxidants and vitamin E and has anti inflammatory properties. This makes the shower gel especially interesting for all grapplers with a sensitive skin.
Both the bars and shower gel are perfect for everyday use and are specifically designed for grapplers. What I personally like a lot is that the soap and shower gel have just a strong natural smell. Mostly it smells like eucalyptus.
Peppermint Soap and shower gel
The soap bar and shower gel are also available in a peppermint version. Basically, this is the same product, but they added peppermint oil. This does give a much more refreshing experience. The peppermint oil is so fresh that it can give you bit of a cold sensation even.
Myself I stick to the basics and the occasional medicated soap but there’s loads of people that like the freshness that comes with the peppermint soap bar and shower gel.
Quality wise these are, of course, just as good the regular soap and shower gel. You will notice that these ones smell strongly like peppermint though.
Oatmeal bar
The Defense Soap Oatmeal bar is basically the same as the regular bar but with added oats. You probably think that eating oats every morning is enough to keep your skin clean and healthy. Well think again. The oatmeal in the soap acts as a natural cleaning agent and will also moisturize the skin.
The Defense Soap Oatmeal bar will not only keep you clean and ringworm free. It will take extremely good care of your skin too.
Medicated Soap
Anti fungal bar: For the guys that were unsuccessful in preventing catching a fungus on their skin Defense Soap created an anti-fungal soap bar. It contains 1% of tolnaftate, this is an anti-fungal agent and is clinically proven to be effective against ringworm, athletes’ foot and jock itch. Of course, whenever you think you have any of these you should just see a doctor. Especially when it’s about jock itch, that sounds horrible.
From my own experience I did notice that the medicated soap is very effective. Everyone that trains a lot probably experienced at some point a weird rash on their skin, so did I. The Defense Soap anti-fungal bar cleared that right up in about a week. To honest I was stupid enough to not follow my own advice and see a doctor. So, I don’t know if it was a fungus for sure.
Acne bar: This bar is specifically designed to clear your acne. This is the Defense Soap Oatmeal bar with added 2 % salicylic acid. Salicylic acid helps to exfoliate the skin by breaking the bond of our dead skin cells that clog pores. This is great for acne prevention.
Body Wipes
The Defense Soap body wipes are a must for every grappler or jiu jitsu guy on the go. The wipes contain natural tea tree oil and eucalyptus. Both have the ability to keep your skin clean when you’re out training or competing somewhere and a shower is not readily available.
This comes in handy if you compete at the end of the day and the showers don’t look specifically clean anymore. I find that they are also perfect just on a hot day when you tend so sweat more. In order to keep proper hygiene, the wipes are perfect. They even come in small easy to carry packaging. They are also available in giant buckets, containing 400 wipes. Would be great for everyone that’s organizing a tournament to put a bucket down to keep the competitors clean. For everyone that does compete, you know how it is to compete against someone that literally stinks. It’s not fun.
Laundry Detergent
The Defense Soap laundry booster is a perfect additive that prevents your gis from getting nasty stains and will make sure to prevent that permanent sweat odor from creeping in. The guys that have been training in their favorite white gi for way too long know what I’m talking about. White gis tend to become yellowish over time and if you’re really out of luck the smell of sweat won’t leave them. Yes, that’s like gi cancer and the Defense Soap laundry booster can help you fight it! Use it and that favorite gi will last much longer.
Conclusion
Although the Defense Soap products are not intended to be used in the diagnosis, cure, treatment or prevention of skin diseases; the essential oils have been clinically proven to have skin healing effects. The tea tree oil and eucalyptus are naturally fighting all sorts of nasty stuff you can get from training on dirty mats.
All products above are the Defense Soap basics that will help you stay clean and healthy. And most important they will keep you on the mat, improving every day. With Defense Soap in your arsenal. No one will be able to stop you!
The Defense Soap products are probably a bit more expensive than the soap you regularly use. The soap you normally use is probably also not as good as the Defense Soap products. With Defense Soap you will get products that are naturally fighting of fungi and bacteria and at the same not damaging your skin. It will keep you on the mat but in the long run, your skin will thank you as well.
Gi Experts
Watch the Defense Soap Guide video by the Gi Experts here!