Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Soap WorksNegative EffectsLiquid CleansersHow To Wash Your FaceFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Soap Works
Negative Effects
Liquid Cleansers
How To Wash Your Face
Frequently Asked Questions
Bar soap can be bad for your skin, especially the skin on your face. Depending on the product you use, your dailyface washingroutine may be stripping away things your skin needs to be healthy.
This article looks at what conventional soap does, why it’s not good for your skin, why liquid cleansers are better, and how you can cleanse without damaging your face.
Michael H / Getty Images
Bar soaps and other types of facial cleansers are designed to remove dirt and oils from theskin. They do so with chemicals calledsurfactants, which:
The swelling allows the soap ingredients to more easily penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. That might sound desirable for a “deep clean,” but it leads to problems.
Functions of SurfactantsSurfactants act as detergents, wetting agents, foaming agents, conditioners, and emulsifiers. They’re in soaps, facial cleansers, lotions, perfumes, shampoos, and a multitude of other hair and body products.
Functions of Surfactants
Surfactants act as detergents, wetting agents, foaming agents, conditioners, and emulsifiers. They’re in soaps, facial cleansers, lotions, perfumes, shampoos, and a multitude of other hair and body products.
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The Negative Effects of Conventional Soap
Surfactants are broadly divided into two categories: soap-based surfactants and synthetic, detergent-based surfactants (also known as syndets, short forsyntheticdetergent).
Syndet products, such as liquid facial cleansers, and considered better for your skin. The soap-based surfactants are especially problematic.
It Can Dry Your Skin and Cause Wrinkles
Soap-based surfactants can be bad for your skin. They can:
When the skin barrier is compromised, it lets toxins, bacteria, and other unhealthy substances penetrate deeper into the skin, where they can do long-term harm.
In those deeper layers, soap-based surfactants come in contact with nerve endings and trigger a response from theimmune system. That leads toinflammation, itching, and irritation.
It Can Damage the Skin Microbiome
Your skin naturally plays host to a variety of:
They make up what’s called the skinmicrobiome. Some of these microbes are harmful (pathogens), but—in healthy skin—most of them are beneficial.
The surfactants in conventional soaps lower your skin’s acidity and kill off a lot of the good bacteria. That allows the bad ones to flourish.
The beneficial bacteria also turn immune-system activity in the skin on and off. When they’re depleted, the immune system may not respond to infection, inflammation, and damage.
Basically, when the microbiome is out of balance, your skin can’t protect itself or heal.
It Can Make Skin Conditions Worse
Acneandeczemaare two common skin conditions that may get worse when you wash your face with bar soap. Part of the reason lies in the health of your skin microbiome,but other actions of soap-based surfactants play roles, too.
Acne
In acne,hair folliclesin the skin become clogged with oils and dead skin cells.That leads to pimples. It may seem counterintuitive, but stripping the oils and moisture from your skin can make acne worse.
Eczema
Eczema (also called atopic dermatitis) is an inflammatory skin condition. Symptoms include:
These symptoms are the result of a weakened skin barrier (the surface of the skin), which is supposed to keep things out of the deeper layers.
The surfactants in soap can damage that already sensitive part of the skin, making eczema worse.
Benefits of Liquid Cleansers
The best “soaps” for your skin aren’t traditional soaps at all. Liquid facial cleansers and body washes are usually better thanbar soapfor two main reasons:
These benefits are important for facial skin, especially if your skin is dry or sensitive.
How you wash your face matters, even if you’ve chosen a liquid cleanser that’s better for your skin than soap. It’s not complicated, though. Just follow these three steps:
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Summary
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. When washing, use these products with warm water, pat your skin dry, and use a moisturizer.
Frequently Asked QuestionsMost dermatologists agree you don’t need to use soap to stay clean. Warm water is usually enough to remove dirt and sweat, and it doesn’t strip away your skin’s natural oils.Cleansers can be helpful for washing away makeup and oils on acne-prone parts of your body, though.Natural soaps are made without artificial surfactants, which means they’re less likely to dry your skin or cause irritation. Studies have found that natural soaps can also be effective at destroying harmful microbes.
Most dermatologists agree you don’t need to use soap to stay clean. Warm water is usually enough to remove dirt and sweat, and it doesn’t strip away your skin’s natural oils.Cleansers can be helpful for washing away makeup and oils on acne-prone parts of your body, though.
Most dermatologists agree you don’t need to use soap to stay clean. Warm water is usually enough to remove dirt and sweat, and it doesn’t strip away your skin’s natural oils.
Cleansers can be helpful for washing away makeup and oils on acne-prone parts of your body, though.
Natural soaps are made without artificial surfactants, which means they’re less likely to dry your skin or cause irritation. Studies have found that natural soaps can also be effective at destroying harmful microbes.
8 Best Soaps for Eczema Reviewed
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Rosyida VT, Nisa K, Hayati SN, et al.Physicochemical properties of noni fruit, yam root, rose petal, and betel leaf transparent soap and their antimicrobial activities.IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci.2019;251(1):012024. doi:10.1088/1755-1315/251/1/012024
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