(A clear perspective, factual context & an invitation to rethink skincare)
Disclaimer. This article shares my personal opinions and experiences about skin care and alkaline bathing. It is published for entertainment and general information only and does not constitute medical advice or a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or individualized care. Nothing herein is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and reading this article does not create a doctor–patient relationship. Do not start, stop, or change any therapy because of this article—always consult a licensed health‑care professional for questions about your health. He will tell you that what I write is bullshit anyway!
Introduction: More Skincare = Healthier Skin? Or the Other Way Around?
Over the years, I have met many people who have practiced alkaline skincare consistently for decades. One of the most inspiring examples for me is Dr. Peter Jentschura, whom I had the honor of meeting personally together with his wife. At 85 years old, he looks more like a man in his early 70s — his youthful appearance and vitality are living proof, in my eyes, of what a lifetime of alkaline body care and acid elimination can do. This deeply impressed me and continues to inspire my own journey.
Our skin is a highly intelligent organ — it regulates, protects, and excretes. In conventional cosmetics, these functions are often overridden by layering creams, oils, and film-forming substances. The promise: protection and care.
My personal view — supported by years of experience with alkaline bathing and body care — is clear: the skin does not need layers of oils and creams, but space to regulate itself.
In this article, I share my perspective, inspired by two pioneers in alkaline body care: Peter Jentschura and Bioleo. Both have long emphasized that conventional oils and creams can often do more harm than good. This blog article is not about selling products — it’s about educating and bringing the body’s natural intelligence back into focus and please think for yourself if it resonates with you.
Part 1 – Alkaline Perspectives: Dr. Peter Jentschura & Bioleo
1.1 Dr. Peter Jentschura: Taking the Skin’s Excretory Function Seriously
Peter Jentschura is one of the earliest advocates of alkaline body care and long alkaline baths in Germany. His stance is clear:
“Through alkaline body care, the skin’s natural excretion function is activated. At the same time, the skin’s self-lubrication improves — dry and itchy skin no longer stands a chance.”
He points out that in the past, people washed with alkaline soaps like traditional lye soap (high pH), which supported the release of acids and residues through the skin. Today, the widespread use of “pH-skin-neutral” soaps (pH 5–5.5) is, in his view, counterproductive — applying acid to an organ designed to excrete it.
Jentschura’s recommendation is straightforward:
- Avoid acid-based, occlusive products, especially in combination with alkaline care.
- No cream is necessary when the skin is supported in an alkaline environment — it naturally self-lubricates.
My own experience mirrors this: when people bathe in alkaline water for 8–12 hours, we see what comes out — call it acids, deposits, or residues. The effect is visible in the water and felt in the skin. This is not abstract theory; it is practical, lived experience.
1.2 Bioleo: No Compromises on Additives
Bioleo takes a radically minimalist approach. Preservatives such as benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and parabens are rejected as burdensome to the skin and body. Instead, Bioleo uses traditional alkaline potash soap, produced without modern surfactants and sometimes subtly scented with natural ingredients like vanilla pods instead of perfume.
In this view, creaming becomes unnecessary because in an alkaline environment, the skin regulates itself.
👉 Both Jentschura and Bioleo advocate:
- Opening pores rather than sealing them
- Supporting the skin instead of smothering it
- Creating an alkaline environment instead of covering with acids
Part 2 – Why I’m Critical of Oils & Creams
2.1 Conventional Oils & Creams: Pore Sealing and Acid Retention
In my view, many conventional oils and creams clog the pores, blocking the skin’s natural excretion. This leads to a kind of “acid traffic jam”. Short term, the skin may look smoother (because the acid is pushed back into deeper layers), but long term, the acids and metabolic waste are pushed back under the surface.
👉 The result: a temporary cosmetic effect but no true resolution. Constant creaming becomes a kind of endless compensation loop.
2.2 High-Frequency Oils – Energetic, Not Occlusive
I’m not against every form of oil. High-quality, fully natural, unaltered plant or essential oils — such as those from doTERRA or Young Living — can carry unique frequencies that may interact with the body in supportive ways. When these oils are truly pure and free from chemical alteration, many people report that their vibrational quality is remarkable.
Personally, I don’t have extensive experience in this field, but I’ve seen enough to believe that targeted use — for example, applying small amounts to specific points or using certain oils internally as part of a detox protocol — can potentially support the body. I’m open to this idea and don’t want to close myself off to the possibilities.
👉 However, my clear position remains: these oils should not be applied to the skin daily or in thick layers. Overuse can block the skin’s natural functions, regardless of whether the oil is plant-based or mineral. Used occasionally and with intention, they may offer benefits — but they are not a substitute for the skin’s own regulatory intelligence.
2.3 A glance at nature
When we look at nature, no animal spends its days covering the skin with lotions, creams, or soaps. Of course, there are a few exceptions in the animal kingdom: some birds use “anting” to rub insects into their feathers, and certain monkeys apply crushed leaves or millipedes to ward off parasites. Even elephants and pigs use mud as a natural protection against sun and insects. But none of these species maintain a daily habit of washing, scrubbing, or coating themselves with synthetic substances the way humans do.
For me, that simple observation raises a powerful question: If every other creature relies on its skin’s natural intelligence to balance, protect, and renew itself — why don’t we?
Personally, I/we stopped using soap on face and body more than a year ago. I only use a very alkaline soap once a week for my hair, and naturally, I still wash my hands after using the bathroom — but that’s it. No daily creams, no lotions, no products. And the result? My skin has never looked or felt healthier AND younger.
You might think that’s impossible — and that’s perfectly fine. But I invite you to visit us, see it with your own eyes, and maybe start questioning what the skin truly needs to thrive.
Part 3 – Medical Perspective: Two Worlds
3.1 Excretion Through Skin? Officially: No
Conventional dermatology does not recognize “skin acidification” or “slags” as physiological concepts. The primary excretory organs are the liver and kidneys. Through the skin, only water, salts, and minimal urea are excreted. The idea of “acids being pulled out through the skin” is not accepted.
3.2 Occlusion & Mineral Oils
Dermatology often describes occlusion (e.g., Vaseline) as positive for dry skin because it reduces water loss. At the same time, heavy occlusive substances can worsen conditions like acne in some people.
Mineral oils (paraffins/Vaseline) are often presented as “harmless.” But this is only part of the story:
- Stiftung Warentest found MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons) in all tested mineral oil products — in some Vaselines over 9%. (Link test.de 05/2015)
- MOAH are considered potentially carcinogenic, especially aromatic compounds, which can be absorbed into the body. (Link test.de 05/2015)
- The BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) does not consider acute risk likely but admits that long-term effects have not been fully assessed, particularly with lip products and chronic use. (Link wikipedia)
For me personally, it’s clear: a petroleum by-product also used to lubricate machine and car hinges doesn’t belong on our skin at ALL. See also here, i explained what Vaseline is (Link: What’s Really Inside Tiger Balm: Why Vaseline Has No Place on Your Skin) … make your own conclusions!
Part 4 – Alkaline Care as an Alternative
Alkaline body care — through bathing or alkaline washing — allows the skin to do what it’s designed to do:
- Excrete rather than cover
- Self-lubricate rather than depend on creams
- Raise pH rather than artificially “acidify”
👉 Creams become unnecessary because after alkaline applications, the skin naturally finds its balance.
4.1 Historical perspective: true soap is alkaline — and it worked for centuries
For millennia, “true soap” has been produced by saponifying fats with alkaline lye (traditionally from wood ash). By chemistry, bar soaps are inherently alkaline, not pH‑neutral. Classic bars typically measure around pH 9–10, with traditional curd soap (Kernseife) often near pH 9.0–9.5.
Historically, such alkaline soaps were also used for bed baths to keep immobile patients clean and dry. Long before modern barrier concepts, this was standard daily care and widely regarded as effective in practice.
Only in recent decades have clinical recommendations tended to prefer “pH‑skin-balanced” cleansers (often around pH 5.5) over alkaline bars — although current guidelines prefer pH‑skin-balanced cleansers, we maintain that well‑formulated alkaline soaps and even alkaline baths can be compatible with healthy skin for many users.
On terminology: in chemistry, “pH‑neutral” is pH 7. Marketing phrases like “pH‑neutral to skin” or “pH-skin-neutral ” usually refer to a acidic range near average skin surface pH (roughly 4.7–5.5). We question the blanket equation “pH 5.5 = neutral,” both scientifically and in real‑world skincare outcomes.
In conclusion: I personally believe that, throughout history, highly alkaline soaps have effectively drawn excess acids from the skin and supported its natural cleansing processes. For centuries, this approach worked remarkably well. It was only within the last few decades—when modern medicine began to reinterpret skin physiology and to promote its own studies on the so-called “acid mantle”—that this long-proven tradition was gradually replaced.
In my view, these changes have not been to the benefit of human health or natural skin function.
Note: This section provides historical context and an editorial opinion; it is not medical advice.
Part 5 – Medical Evidence vs. Practical Experience
Dermatology does not recognize skin as a detox organ. In practice, we see something else:
- People take long alkaline baths,
- Visible residues appear in the water,
- Skin conditions improve significantly over time,
- people feel much better afterwards,
- people look younger and rejuvinated
Scientific studies are lacking — but that doesn’t mean the practice isn’t real. It means two perspectives coexist:
- Evidence-based dermatology
- Experience-based alkaline practice
My Clear Stance
- Creams & oils are not necessary for healthy skin in my experience.
- Alkaline environments activate the skin’s natural functions.
- High-quality essential oils can support energetically — used consciously, not daily.
- Mineral oils with MOAH are, for me, unacceptable on the skin.
- Conventional medicine doesn’t recognize much of this — and that’s okay. What I see in practice is clear.
Closing Statement
This article is not about selling anything. I simply want to share my personal perspective. As a bathmaster, I’m often asked how I view the use of oils and creams on the skin. Then i hear a wow, once i explain myself, thats why i make it public here now.
For me, it’s absolutely clear how the skin works: it is an excretory organ. Acids are released through the skin if you support that — I see it in my own baths, in others, and in the residues left in the water. I also observe how symptoms and skin conditions react when people allow acids to leave their bodies through the skin.
All of this is not officially recognized, and that’s fine with me. I will continue to talk about it because I see what happens. Everyone should form their own opinion — and I’m glad to share my experiences with you here and happy that you liked my “just for entertainment” post.
