If you have dry skin, you know how tough it is to deal with it. Forget the chilly winter days; dry skin feels scaly and tight, sometimes even during the scorching Indian summer! No matter how frequently you apply moisturizer and in how thick layers, dry skin always screams for more. Using soap to clean dry skin is even more complex as it significantly worsens the condition, right? Well, it’s not! If you choose a suitable soap, your dry skin will also thank you. Let us talk about the best soaps for dry skin in India today.
What Causes Dry Skin?
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, dry skin is a common skin condition in which the skin fails to maintain a healthy balance of water and sebum (the natural lubricating agent of the skin) effectively. Individuals can develop dry skin regardless of gender, age, and climatic conditions. However, some of the most common causes of dry skin include heredity, aging, environmental factors, boiling water, exposure to harsh chemicals, wrong skincare products, etc. In addition, skin dryness can become exacerbated in dry winters due to low humidity.
Also Read – Dry Skin Between Eyebrows: Causes And Remedies To Get Rid Of It
Symptoms Of Skin Dryness
The symptoms of skin dryness can be different in different people. Dehydration is the first sign of developing dry skin, which is often followed by a feeling of tightness. Other common indications are itchiness, irritation, redness, flakiness (varying degrees), fine lines, moderate cracks, and deep fissures accompanying bleeding. If your skin is severely dry, you may also experience peeling or scaling disturbing enough for your everyday life. The easiest way to fight against these symptoms is to use proper skin care products. These include soaps exclusively for treating dehydrated, scaly, and flakey skin (1).
DIY Natural Treatments for Dry Skin
Most skin issues arising from dry skin can be treated at home. Kitchen ingredients like honey, coconut oil, and aloe vera gel effectively treat dry skin. With its inflammatory properties, coconut oil hydrates and maintains the skin’s moisture level (2). Honey moisturizes and heals the skin when applied to dry skin (3). Aloe Vera is enriched with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and is very effective in treating dry skin (4).
Choosing The Right Soap For Dry Skin
Soap can worsen dry skin, but it does not necessarily mean that all soaps have the same negative impact on dry skin. Certain soaps are specially formulated to suit dry and dull skin types. You can look for a gentle soap that does not contain harsh chemical compounds, such as alcohol, dyes, perfumes, etc., which strip the skin of its natural oils. Instead, the ingredient list of your soap should have added oils or fats and enough moisturizing components. This will make your soap mild, less drying, and perfectly suitable for dry skin.
Dry skin always needs special attention and care. Taking good care of dry skin is essential to avoid severe skin conditions like atopic dermatitis or eczema, folliculitis, and cellulitis.
Read Also – Best Cold Creams For Dry Skin
Best Soaps For Dry Skin In India
1. Nivea Creme Care Soap
The Nivea Creme Care Soap is a mild soap that provides premium care and protection to all skin types. It is a unique paraben-free and mineral oil-free formulation that cleanses the skin gently without drying it out or leaving it scaly. The unique Hydra IQ technology and rich almond oil moisturize the skin deeply with every wash and keep it soft and supple. The soap also reinforces the skin’s natural barrier while making it well-nourished and silky smooth.
Price: Rs. 70 for 125 gm.
2. Himalaya Herbals Honey & Cream Soap
The Honey & Cream Soap is a unique formulation by Himalaya Herbals that works as a ‘pure luxury’ for normal to dry skin. Enriched with the natural goodness of honey and milk cream, it penetrates the skin deep to nourish, soften, and smoothen it intensely. The honey in the soap attracts water to retain the skin’s natural moisture and kills bacteria with its incredible antimicrobial properties. On the other hand, the natural lipids in milk cream make it an effective emollient for dry, itchy skin. The result is soft, toned, and rejuvenated skin.
Price: Rs. 36 for 75 g.
3. Dove Cream Beauty Bathing Bar
As the name suggests, the Dove Cream Beauty Bathing Bar is ‘not a soap but a beauty bar.’ It is one of the most popular soaps among women with dry skin and the No. 1 brand recommended by dermatologists. It comes with a classic moisturizing formula that richly blends 1/4th moisturizing milk cream with the mildest cleansers to retain the skin’s natural moisture instead of stripping it away. It also replenishes the skin’s lost moisture by hydrating and nourishing it efficiently. Hence, you get softer, smoother, healthier skin that smells delicately fresh. No other soap has more natural and skin-friendly moisturizers than this one, and therefore, it can easily be included in your daily beauty routine for cleansing your face, hands, and body.
Price: Rs. 65 for 75 g.
Read Also – 10 Fairness Creams For Dry Skin
4. The Body Shop Shea Soap
This Shea Shop by premium skincare brand The Body Shop is much more than just a moisturizing soap for dehydrated skin. The vegetable-based bar with a pleasant fragrance is enriched with shea butter handcrafted by women from Tamale, Ghana. It can be worked into a rich lather in the shower for a thorough cleansing, while the palm oil and glycerine in it leave the skin feeling soft and hydrated. Though the attractively packaged product is not budget-friendly, we can still say it is worth trying. It is also free of SLS and Parabens.
Price: Rs. 345 for 100 g.
5. Soulflower Moisturizing Milk Chocolate Soap
This ‘bite me chocolate’ product has already won the hearts of tons of chocolate lovers. It is a 100% pure, vegan, traditional handmade bar soap with the goodness of a variety of natural ingredients like milk chocolate, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and vitamin E. Being extra gentle to dry skin; the cold-pressed, SLS-free soap can hydrate and moisturize each layer of it intensively while cleansing, rejuvenating, and adding a dewy glow to it. The hand-cut soap also helps repair damaged cells naturally, soothing inflammation, toning and firming skin, lightening scars and blemishes, treating sunburns, and improving skin texture.
Price: Rs. 300 for 150 g.
6. Aloe Veda Cocoa Butter & Almond Oil Fragrance-Free Bathing Bar
The Aloe Veda Cocoa Butter & Almond Oil Bathing Bar is a fragrance-free and paraben-free handmade soap rich in cocoa butter and almond oil to provide dry skin with deep moisturization. The luxurious aromatherapy formula also contains natural shea butter, aloe vera leaf extracts, coconut oil, wheat germ oil, milk proteins, glycerin, and vitamin E for skin nourishment. The product cleanses and moisturizes the skin through a creamy lather and facilitates accelerated rejuvenation, promising you soft, supple, and renewed skin upon regular use.
Price: Rs. 125 for 100 g.
7. Khadi Natural Sandalwood Soap
Khadi Natural Sandalwood Soap is a handmade herbal soap with sandal, glycerine, vegetable, and nutritional essential oils. Though it is suitable for all types of skin, its immense moisturizing and healing properties make it the best choice for dry skin. The all-natural formula effectively cleans the skin gently, detoxifies it, removes suntans, calms inflammation, and treats breakouts. Its ingredients’ antioxidant power also helps slow the process of premature aging caused by the dryness of the skin.
Price: Rs. 90 for 125 g.
Also Read – Summer Skin Care – 11 Tips To Keep Your Skin Glowing In Summer
8. Biotique Almond Oil Nourishing Body Soap
The Almond Oil Nourishing Body Soap is a bestseller by Biotique Advanced Ayurveda. Enriched with pure fruit and vegetable extracts, this clear soap is recommended especially for dry and sensitive skin, including the ones prone to acne, blackheads, and eczema. The primary ingredient used in this product is almond oil, which protects the delicate facial skin and improves the overall complexion with its potent antioxidants and soothing vitamin E. It also contains nourishing and hydrating margosa oil, coconut oil, turmeric, and wild turmeric to wash away body impurities gently without disturbing the skin’s natural pH balance.
Price: Rs. 60 for 75 gm.
9. Lever Ayush Moisturizing Cow’s Ghee Soap
Lever Ayush Moisturising Cow’s Ghee Soap is an Ayurvedic beauty wonder. This product is formulated with 5,000 years of Ayurvedic wisdom. It offers intensive skin moisturization, which is essential for dry skin. It contains the goodness of ‘Shatadhauta Ghrita,’ a soft and fluffy emulsion prepared by treating cow’s ghee with water over 100 times. This can penetrate deep into the skin and replenish its moisture. This soap also comprises Pinda Thailam, a potent concoction of Ayurvedic herbs like pure Sesame Oil, Manjistha, and Sariva. It can cure inflammation effectively and help retain moisture in the skin to make it softer and smoother.
Price: Rs. 25 for 100 gm.
10. Medimix Ayurvedic Turmeric & Argan Oil Bathing Bar
Medimix Ayurvedic Turmeric & Argan Oil Bathing Bar is a unique Ayurvedic soap formulated with pure herbs. It infuses turmeric and glycerin with exotic Moroccan Argan oil (also known as ‘liquid gold’) to hydrate, nourish, and replenish the skin. Though the SLS and paraben-free product suit all skin types, it can restore dry skin’s moisture more effectively and add a natural, youthful glow. The sop also exfoliates the skin gently, heals it, makes it softer, and lightens its tone. It can also reduce wrinkles and prevent further damage caused by external aggressors.
Price: Rs. 60 for 125 gm
Summary:
Lack of water level in the uppermost layer of the skin (epidermis) is the most common reason which leads to dry skin. Aging, heredity, environment, exposure to harsh chemicals can also cause dry skin. Dehydrated skin, fine lines, feeling of tightness, flakiness are some of the common symptoms. Although the market is flooded with commercial products to deal with dry skin, home remedies like coconut oil, honey, aloe vera can be very effective. If you are using a bathing soap, make sure to opt for a gentle soap with moisturizing capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do You Cleanse Dry Skin With A Soap Bar?
While using soap on dry skin, always use lukewarm water for thorough cleansing without disrupting the skin’s oil balance. Also, never lengthen your washing or bathing session for more than 15 minutes. A gentle and moisturizing soap on dry skin does not fulfill regular moisturization needs. So, make sure that you apply your go-to moisturizer right after cleansing your face with a bar of soap. It is even better to pat your skin lightly and apply a layer of moisturizer immediately when your skin is a little damp. This will help your moisturizer go deep into your skin and keep it hydrated and nourished throughout the day.
Which Soap To Use In Skin Problems?
If you have already suffered from minor skin issues, choose Ayurvedic or herbal soaps over commercial ones. Being loaded with natural Ayurvedic ingredients or pure herbs, they will be extremely gentle to your skin and take great care of it without worsening your skin conditions. Moreover, they will promote the healing of your skin naturally.
Is Glycerine Soap Good For Dry Skin?
Glycerine soaps are much gentler than other synthetic soaps available in the market. Hence, they are pretty good for your dry and itchy skin. In addition, glycerin soaps have a lower pH, which helps retain the skin’s natural moisture effectively.
Should I exfoliate if I have dry skin?
Regular exfoliation can remove dry, scaly, dead skin and impurities. You can exfoliate gently with a moisturizing face wash to remove dry skin. Don’t forget to apply a hydrating lotion or cream after exfoliation.
References:
- “What Soap Is Best For Extreme Dry Skin?“, Leaf. tv
- “7 Natural Oils for Dry Skin“, DermStore.com
- “Medicinal and cosmetic uses of Bee’s Honey – A review,” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “Evaluation of biological properties and clinical effectiveness of Aloe vera: A systematic review,” sciencedirect.com
