The era of relying solely on bar soap for facial cleansing is behind us. The current market offers many options, ranging from diverse soaps to liquid face washes. Amidst the multitude of claims each product makes about its skin benefits, selecting the most suitable one can be a challenge. It’s essential to scrutinize these assertions and assess the advantages and disadvantages of each, ensuring we make an informed choice for our facial care regimen.
Bar Soap for Washing the Face
The bar soaps are cheaper than their liquid counterparts if the prices are compared. But this isn’t why you consider it less effective or damaging for the skin. If you want to know about the impact of that aromatic rectangular solid soap on your face, here is the truth:
1. Safe pH levels?
We know that our face needs gentler care as compared to our body. Thus, it is essential to understand what goes in your soap and how it could affect your skin. The normal pH of our skin is considerably low and ranges from 5.4 to 5.9 (1), making it acidic by nature. In contrast, almost all the bar soaps have a much higher pH level, thus making them alkaline. This alkaline nature of the soap tends to be harsh on the skin, leading to dryness. It strips away the skin’s natural moisture and oil.
Using bar soap on your face regularly could eventually disturb the average pH balance of your skin. You may notice that your skin will become flaky, bumpy, itchy, dry, or even prone to acne and breakouts over time.
The skin on your face is a lot more delicate and thinner than the skin on the rest of your body, which is why it needs gentle care.
2. Formulation
With significantly higher pH levels, bar soaps can slowly strip off the natural oils and moisture, damaging the skin’s outer protective layer (2). The natural skin barrier works as a cover to protect your skin from environmental aggressors, UVA/ UVB damage, and even pollution. But, frequent use of bar soap for washing your face can hurt this natural protective shield and hamper skin cells’ health. This can make your skin dryer and lose its natural moisture and elasticity, eventually leading to dry, patchy, dull, and uneven-toned skin. Our skin’s natural radiance and suppleness can never be retained if the pH level is disturbed.
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3. Tight and Parched Skin
We are aware of the fact that usually, bar soaps lather exceptionally well, and that too with more giant bubbles. We scrub our face thoroughly with this lather for a few minutes before washing it off. This could dehydrate your skin too much, and frequent use will worsen the situation. Even if you have oily or combination skin, it will leave your skin feeling stretched and tight. And only a massive dollop of moisturizer could come to your rescue!
4. Makes Acne and Breakouts Worse
Studies have proved that acne-causing microbes develop and grow significantly in an alkaline environment (3). We have already established that bar soaps have an alkaline nature. Thus, they boost and play a crucial role in intensifying the growth of these microbes that can lead to acne breakouts. If you have sensitive skin, bar soaps may have a harsh effect on the health of your skin.
Any product with 7 or more pH level can cause your skin to dry out or lose its natural elasticity
Liquid Soap or Face Wash for Washing the Face
Unlike the regular’ one fits all’ bar soaps, the face wash is curated, mainly focusing on the fact that the skin on your face differs from your body. You cannot use a soap that can be used for your body and your face; this is where the liquid soap or face wash distinguishes it.
Liquid soaps or face wash come in various forms, like gel-based, cream-based, foam-based, and water-based. Even though they are a bit pricey compared to the bar soaps, they are curated according to skin types and concerns. Liquid soaps always have specific products with unique ingredients to deal with various skin concerns, which bar soaps lack.
But here are some other essential facts about a liquid wash that you need to know:
1. Safe pH Level?
The pH level of liquid soap is much lower than that of bar soap. It usually ranges from 5 to 6 (4), almost similar to the skin’s pH level (5.4 to 5.9). Liquid soaps are safe to use since they have a similar pH level to the skin and will not cause a pH imbalance.
For sensitive or acne-prone skin, use a soap that is non-comedogenic and sulfate-free.
2. Formulation
The liquid soaps have gentler formulations that do not dry out your skin. Infused with various essential oils, hydrating, and skin cell boosting agents, these liquid soaps do not disturb the skin’s texture. Therefore, there is a lesser chance of feeling tight and dry after washing your face. A mild face wash does not rip off the skin’s natural oils and moisture.
Instead, it locks it in and keeps the barrier intact to protect your skin from harmful UVA / UVB rays. Moreover, it helps maintain your skin’s natural pH balance while removing dirt from clogged pores (5).
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3. Personalized Skin Care
Liquid soaps are not like soap bars. One product is ideal for everyone, every skin type or skin concern. Instead, liquid soap face washes have a wide range of specific formulations and ingredients to repair, address, and replenish your skin. They are curated in a way to address various skin types; here’s how to find the right kind of liquid soap or face wash –
Dry Skin – Pick a cream-based liquid soap, as your skin needs utmost hydration and nourishment. Cream-based face washes contain moisturizing ingredients like Glycerine and Shea butter extracts. Also, ensure it has less or zero traces of sulfate as it tends to rip off moisture.
Oily Skin – Pick a gel-based liquid soap that does not contain oil. This will help you eliminate the excess oil while maintaining the moisture your face needs.
Normal Skin – You can pick any foam-based or water-based liquid soap or cleanser for standard skin type. You are blessed with a skin type that can tackle every skin concern with any formulation.
Sensitive Skin – Pick a face wash that is hypoallergenic and free of fragrance, chemicals, or alcohol. Antibacterial ingredients and exfoliating elements should also be avoided.
Combination Skin – Select a face wash that is gentle and non-irritating. Avoid if it has fragrance, chemicals, or alcohol.
Never use a soap with high fragrance on your facial skin.
4. Acne and Breakouts
Besides the fact that liquid soaps typically have specific products to deal with acne and acne-prone skin, being less alkaline, liquid soaps do not encourage the growth of bacteria in our skin. It simply reduces the possibility of breakouts to a large extent.
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Bar Soap Vs. Liquid Soap: Which is better?
Liquid soaps are better than sulfate-loaded bar soaps for washing the delicate skin of your face. However, if you still need to use facial bars, try to find one that is non-alkaline, non-toxic, plant-based, or infused with organic essential oils. These bar soaps might be gentler than the regular ones and will not dry out your skin. You can also opt for a bar soap formulated with vegetable oil, milk, Shea butter, etc.
Summary:
Choosing a product for your face is a task itself, as the skin of the face is quite tender and needs more gentle care. So picking between bar soap and liquid soap is something that surely needs some thought. After weighing the good and bad, we know for a fact that bar soaps are unhygienic, and sure to cause pH imbalance, therefore, not the best choice for your face. They end up stripping off the natural oils and moisture from your face and making it more prone to dryness, aging, and dullness. Whereas, liquid soaps are mild, and do not disturb your skin’s natural pH levels. The liquid soaps are also curated as per your skin types and skin concerns, thereby giving you the ability to pick what suits you the best.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does soap leave my skin feeling dry?
Bar soaps have a higher pH level than our skin. It makes our skin dry by stripping off essential oils from our skin. This results in dry, flaky, and uneven skin tone.
Is glycerin soap suitable for your skin? Is it safe for the face?
Glycerin-based soaps are safe and suitable for your facial skin and dehydrated skin. Glycerin has moisture-locking properties that can prevent your skin from excessive dryness.
What’s the best way to wash your face?
Use lukewarm water to cleanse your face gently. If needed, apply a mild exfoliating product followed by a moisturizing lotion.
What are the harmful ingredients in bar soap?
Say no to your bar soap if it contains harmful ingredients – fragrances, parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, etc.
References –
- “Evaluation of pH of Bathing Soaps and Shampoos for Skin and Hair Care” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “About Skin pH and Why It Matters” – healthline.com
- “Skin Surface pH in Acne Vulgaris: Insights from an Observational Study and Review of the Literature” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “Why the pH Balance of Your Skin-Care Products Matters So Much” – allure.com
- “Why pH-Balancing Cleansers Will Give You Better Skin” – glamour.com
