Traditional bar soap, which is designed for the body is simply too harsh for the skin. It is often scented and dyed, which can irritate your skin. It can also be abrasive, which can dry out your skin and leave it feeling tight and uncomfortable.
Bar soaps are a breeding ground for bacteria. Bacteria and yeast from soap can be placed on your face. Bar soap can strip protective layers of skin, making you more prone to acne.
Bar soap can be bad for your face as they have harsh chemicals and fragrances, and cause drying, redness and even breakouts.
Using soap for washing your face is generally not recommended, especially traditional bar soaps, as they can be too harsh and strip the skin of its natural oils. This can lead to dryness, irritation, or an imbalance in the skin's pH. Face wash products are specifically formulated for the delicate skin on the face.
Soaps can be harsh on your facial skin as the skin on face is more delicate compared to other parts of the body. Soaps have a PH value which is higher which can damage the PH level of the gentle skin of face. The healthy skin PH is around 5.5 where as the PH values of soap can be much higher.
Amin said—the level at which its microbiome thrives—and altering its pH can cause irritation, dehydration, and make skin more prone to sensitivity and redness. So the long and short answer is yes, bar soaps are, at least from a chemical standpoint, bad for washing your face.
“If you have oily skin or a lot of sweat you may need soap, but if you have dry skin, you can get by with nice, good water,” she says.
So, can you use hand soap to wash your face? Yes, but like we said – it's better to find a multi-purpose product that cares for the skin on your face, too. If you want to exfoliate your skin head-to-toe without stripping away moisture, go for Dove Men+Care Deep Clean 3-in-1 Hand + Body + Face Bar.
However, washing your face with water alone simply isn't sufficient to remove the build-up of dead skin cells, oil, make-up, or other bacteria, which can lead to skin becoming dehydrated, greasy, or blocking pores.
Liquid body washes tend to be more moisturizing and calming on the skin. They are often the go-to option for people with chronic conditions like eczema or acne since they can be formulated with potent, active ingredients to help mitigate the issue.
Organic soaps are free from harmful chemicals like phthalates and triclosan, which promotes healthier skin and reduces the risk of irritation and allergies.
“If you have dry or sensitive skin, stick to hydrating, nonfoaming cleansers, because the lathering agents used in foaming cleansers tend to be more drying on the skin,” he explains. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, a foaming or salicylic acid–based cleanser may be a good fit for you.
Soap can strip your skin of its natural oils because it is frequently alkaline, leaving it feeling tight and dry. This may cause breakouts, inflammation, and irritation. The pH balance of your skin is a delicate balance of acidity and alkalinity.
Your skin is acidic in nature, but the majority of soaps are alkaline. Hence, using soap can upset the pH balance of Your skin. Moreover, soaps include a lot of harsh chemicals that tend to drain your skin from its natural moisture, leaving it even drier and duller. Flakiness and breakouts can result from too dry skin.
The surfactants in bar soap are hard on your skin, causing dryness and irritation, throwing the skin microbiome out of balance, and contributing to skin conditions like acne and eczema. The syndet surfactants in liquid cleansers are better for your skin.
Regular cleansing is essential to keeping your skin looking radiant and healthy. Cleansing helps anti-aging products and treatments work properly. Cleansing helps maintain proper pore size. Cleansing encourages proper skin hydration and prevents the production of excess oils.
Overuse of harsh cleansers can strip your skin of these natural oils, leaving it dry, tight, and potentially more prone to irritation and redness. Incorporating water-only face washing into your routine, especially in the morning, can help maintain the delicate balance of your skin.
Over-cleansing strips our skin of its natural oils, causing our already overactive glands to produce even more oil — setting up a negative cycle of oil production, worsening acne.
Using a standard soap or shampoo on your face is likely to disrupt the pH balance, your skin then has to try and undo the damage, that may have already caused an outbreak. It's simple, only cleansers should be used to clean the face.
Is a beauty bar, soap? The short answer is no. Both are just as effective at washing away dirt and germs, but soap can be harsh and strip away your skin's natural oils. Since our beauty bar is gentle, it doesn't over-cleanse, and it also contains ingredients that help maintain your skin's natural moisture barrier.
It is a syndet bar rather than a true soap, meaning it has synthetic detergents, namely Isethionates. Its pH is around 6, which is much gentler on the acid mantle of the skin barrier than more common bars that range in pH of 9-10.
Still, water and a simple soap or face wash aren't enough to clear up acne. Think of your twice-daily cleansing as a first step in treating your acne. Step two should be the routine use of an acne treatment product. For mild breakouts, you might try over-the-counter acne products first.
Increased Acne And Breakouts
For those prone to acne, adhering to a skincare routine is crucial for managing breakouts. Regular use of repairing serums helps control acne as well as prevent future breakouts. Skipping your skincare routine can potentially trigger or worsen acne outbreaks.