Why Should You Look For The TFM Value Of Your Soap?

Highlights:

• What Does TFM Do For Your Skin?
• How To Check TFM In Soaps?
• What Is The Difference Between A Laundry Soap And A Toilet Soap?
• Are Bathing Bars And Toilet Soaps The Same?
• If Higher TFM Is Better, Then Why Doesn’t Every Toilet Soap Have It?

With umpteen number of soap bars flooding the market, choosing the right soap can become a confusing task. This is where TFM or Total Fatty Matter comes into play. Let’s find out how much TFM you should be looking for while purchasing your soaps.

What Does TFM Do For Your Skin?

The TFM quantity describes the quality of a soap. It adds moisturizing properties to the product, leaving your skin deeply-cleansed, yet soft and supple. This is because the fillers are fewer in number and the deep-cleansing content is higher.

How To Check TFM In Soaps?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has segregated toilet soaps into three categories, based on the amount of TFM they contain. [1] These are:

Grade 1 soaps

- minimum 76% TFM content

Grade 2 soaps

- minimum 70% TFM content

Grade 3 soaps

- minimum 60% TFM content

You must look for the TFM content in a toilet soap based on your skin type. Talk to your dermatologist about how much TFM content is good to be used on your skin. The higher the TFM, the more its moisturizing properties. However, toilet soaps with high TFM quantity can sometimes dry up your skin, if their pH levels are too high.

It is mandatory for toilet soaps to have their TFM content specified as part of their ingredient list.

However, laundry soaps follow a different criteria. They are:

Grade 1 laundry soaps

minimum 62% TFM content

Grade 2 laundry soaps

minimum 50% TFM content

What Is The Difference Between A Laundry Soap And A Toilet Soap?

As we all know, laundry soaps are the detergent bars we use to wash our clothes with. Toilet soaps, on the other hand, are used to clean our bodies.

Are Bathing Bars And Toilet Soaps The Same?

As is the difference between two flavors of ice cream, bathing bars are relatively different from toilet soaps. [2]

• According to the BIS, the TFM content in a bathing bar should ideally be less than 60%, but not below 40%. Toilet soaps on the other hand contain more than 60% TFM.
• Toilet soaps have better cleansing and moisturizing properties than bathing bars.
• Toilet soaps do not contain surface active ingredients, making them more gentle than bathing bars on your skin.

If Higher TFM Is Better, Then Why Doesn’t Every Toilet Soap Have It?

It all comes down to the cost in the end. TFM may be a costly affair for some manufacturers. This is where the fillers come-in, to add weight to the soap.

Begin By Knowing Your Skin