Natural soap is generally better for your skin, since it contains glycerin and does not contain harsch detergents. It is especially good if you prefer a simple cleanser made from oils, butters and other naturally derived ingredients.
A properly formulated natural soap cleans the skin by removing dirt, sweat and excess oils, while simultaneously leaving a layer of glycerin on the skin which is naturally moisturizing.
Why can natural soap be good for your skin?
Traditional natural soap is usually made by combining plant oils or fats with an alkali through a process called saponification.
During this reaction, the oils and alkali are transformed into soap molecules and glycerin.
There are a few reasons why this type of cleanser is really good for your skin.
Naturally occurring glycerin
Glycerin is naturally created during the soapmaking process.
It is a humectant, meaning it attracts water, and it helps the skin retain moisture. In handmade soap, this glycerin normally remains in the finished bar.
This is probably the biggest reason why a well-formulated natural soap feels different from a very strong or highly cleansing body wash.
Natural soap contains oils with fatty acids
The oils used to make soap have a major positive effects on skin.
Olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and castor oil, for example, contain different fatty acids that create different properties in soap.
Some contribute to a creamy and conditioning feel, while others improve cleansing ability, hardness or lather. A good soap recipe is therefore not simply about adding as many oils as possible. It is about balancing them properly.
Fewer unnecessary ingredients
Natural soap have a relatively simple ingredient list.
Instead of relying on a combination of synthetic surfactants, thickeners and stabilizers to create a cleansing product, traditional soap gets its cleansing properties from the soap molecules created during saponification.
This simplicity means that natural soap is a lot better for your skin since it does not expose you to the harsh chemicals in the typical supermarket soap or body wash.
Can natural soap dry out your skin?
As mentioned earlier, all oils added to a soap base contribute differently to how the final soap bar performs on your skin. For example, soap containing a very high proportion of coconut oil is known to be very drying. However, with the right amount of coconut oil - it helps with the lather and hardness of the soap bar while not making your skin feel dry.
Therefore, natural soap does not dry out your skin as long as you get it from a well-formulated recipe. Quite the opposite in fact! Our customers often mention how their skin feels moisturized and hydrated after their showers.
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Is natural soap good for sensitive skin?
It can be, but sensitive skin requires some extra attention.
A simple soap made with a balanced combination of oils may work very well for some people with sensitive skin.
If you know your skin reacts easily, it is generally a good idea to look for products with relatively simple ingredient lists and avoid ingredients that you already know cause problems for your skin.
You can also test a new soap on a small area before using it more extensively.
Is natural soap better than body wash?
Yes, natural soap is better than body wash primarily since it does not contain any harsh chemicals but also because the natural glycerin helps boost your skin barrier. Not to mention how natural soap does not have the same impact on the environment due to its compact form (it does not need to contain unnecessary water like a body wash does.
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What should you look for in a natural soap?
Look for well-formulated recipes that consists of oils that moisturize you while simultaneously giving you a good lather. Always ensure to look at the ingredient list to keep away from any synthetic or chemical materials that are harmful for your skin.
Finally, ensure you get a natural soap bar that you are excited about to use. Does it smell nice, is there any scrub ingredients and what is the shape of it? Natural soap is meant to be enjoyed while simultaneously being really good for your skin.