Cleanse with sulphur soap
The Harrogate Sulphur Soap offers products that encourages a healthy skincare regime for those with various skin conditions, writes Kasmiah Mustapha
WHILE others use serums and creams to treat their skin, Siti Fatma Omar uses a sulphur bar soap. She was introduced to the product when she was looking for a facial wash that would treat and protect her skin.
In 2013, during a trip to Thailand, a dermatologist recommended the Harrogate Sulphur Soap bar.
Siti Fatma has been a faithful user and her skin is now less oily and less prone to break-outs. It is also more even, with improved skin texture.
Siti Fatma then recommended the product to her family members including her sister who suffered from mild psoriasis, as well as her daughter who had hormonal acne.
“I do not have skin problems but I use the Harrogate Sulphur Soap as natural sulphur is very good for the skin. The product does not have coal tar, steroid, paraben and mercury.
“I have also recommended the product to my friends and they loved it. Some of them have eczema, psoriasis, acne and sensitive skin and they said their skin problems have improved so much.”
Manufactured by the Yorkshire-based The Harrogate Sulphur Soap Company, other products include shampoo, bath crystals, body wash, facial moisturiser, body lotion, hand and face wash and sulphur cream.
ANTIBACTERIAL ACTION
Siti Fatma says the products contain sulphur and handdrawn water from Harrogate Spa, England to help cleanse the skin with an antibacterial action, as well as vitamin E and essential oils to protect and moisturise.
“Sulphur is a keratolytic agent that helps to shed dead skin cells. Dead skin cells block the pores and create conditions necessary for acne causing bacteria to multiply. The compound sulphonamides in sulphur limit the acids in bacteria that are responsible for the reproduction. This makes sulphur a good agent to treat seborrhoea, acne, eczema and psoriasis.”
When she could not find the products in Malaysia, Siti Fatma wrote to the company to be the exclusive distributor. In early 2017, she set-up the Harrogate Sulphur Soap Bytema Malaysia, selling the products online through Instagram and Facebook.
“Sulphur baths, and other forms of sulphur applied directly to the skin, seem to benefit psoriasis, eczema, acne, dandruff, warts, and pityriasis versicolor which is a chronic skin disorder characterised by patches of skin that differ in colour from the usual skin tone.
“Our combination of therapy and beauty means that our products can be used safely by everyone. The soap bars can be used on the face and body. The sulphur cream can be applied on problem areas. We advise daily usage to promote a healthy skin lifestyle regime.
“I realised that I would be able to educate consumers and provide a healthy solution to those suffering from various
skin problems.
Siti Fatma had also encouraged her regular customers, mainly women, to start their own businesses as distributors of Harrogate Sulphur Soap. There are now over 40 distributors for the products nationwide.
The success of her business prompted Siti Fatma to take one-year off from her position at the Department of Foreign Affairs. In April this year, she launched the first Harrogate showroom in Malaysia, located in Shaftsbury Square, Cyberjaya.
She plans to expand the business to Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia.
Our combination of therapy and beauty means that our products can be used safely by everyone. Siti Fatma