How to Choose the Right Soap for Your Skin Needs

Soap is an essential self-care product. We use it every day to cleanse our bodies of sickness-causing pathogens or to keep our skin healthy and beautiful. Just as there are different types of cosmetics and skincare products for different skin types, there are also soaps manufactured for women with specific skin needs.

By choosing the right soap to use, you can prevent acne, dryness, irritation, and other whatnots about your skin that would ruin your pro cheer beauty. How can you do it? Let this list be your guide.

1. Know the right soap formula and type for your skin

There are 3 main types of soap for the skin. And they are separated into two states of matter. The first is the liquid state which comes in creamy or gel consistency and the second state which is solid. Creamy body washes are catered to dry skin because they are made usually of glycerine, cocoa butter, aloe vera, avocado, jojoba, and coconut oil.

Gel body washes and bar soaps are mostly made with chemicals that break down oil molecules. This makes them the perfect soap type for oily skin. If your skin is sensitive, you should choose products that don’t contain fragrances and are less “detergenty”. It means that soaps that don’t lather up too much are less likely to cause irritations and allergic reactions.

Under the category of bar soap, there are also different subtypes and each has an intended purpose.

True soaps are made of alkali salts, animal fatty acids, and vegetable oils which are best suited for normal and sensitive skin.
Syndet bar is a hybrid word for “synthetic” and “detergent” bar. While these products are created with synthetic ingredients, they don’t necessarily mean harmful. They are in fact gentle and good for dry skin and non-sensitive. Examples of syndet bar brands are Dove, Cetaphil, and Eucerin.
Superfatted soaps are just true soaps but have extra oil. They are the best for moisturizing dry skin types that are also slightly sensitive.
Transparent soaps can either be syndet bars or true soaps. But unlike superfatted soaps which have extra oil for added moisturization, transparent soaps have extra glycerin. Another thing about transparent soaps is that they can still be irritating to your skin. This is why they aren’t considered mild or gentle soaps.
Combination bars are made more for cleansing and exfoliation properties. They use ingredients from both superfatted soaps and syndet bars to deliver better cleansing while minimizing irritation and dryness. This type of soap is good for oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.
Herbal soap is just as its name suggests. It’s made from herbs and doesn’t cause any damage or issues whatsoever no matter what your skin type is.
Medicated soap is a soap type prescribed by doctors. It’s mostly made out of natural ingredients and is used for skin fungal infections, bacteria, body odor problems, and excessive sweating. Most of these formulas are also moisturizing, gentle, and mild.

2. Read the labels carefully

All soaps aren’t created equal. You also need to read the labels to find the product with the right feature for your skin type to take away the guessing work. Because you cannot memorize all the chemicals you should avoid putting on your skin, you should look out for words that say hydrating, moisturizing, hypoallergenic, gentle, creamy, and non-fragranced.

Another rule to keep in mind is to avoid soaps that have a long list of chemicals, especially if you have sensitive skin. The more ingredients are listed, the more likely it is to irritate your skin.

3. Use a body soap and facial bar separately

Your face and body skin are not the same, especially if you have a combination skin type. Some women have sensitive and oily faces while having a normal and dry body skin type. Others have vice versa. This is where two soaps become useful.

Another thing about having two soaps is that you won’t rub your face with something you’ve rubbed on your “other” body parts. Call it meticulous or whatever. That’s just how we women should be.

4. Listen to your skin

If you’ve been using a soap brand for a long time or just bought a new one and experienced some skin nastiness, that soap is not the right one for you. Don’t shrug it off because there might be some long-term and irreparable consequences.

5. Ask for recommendations from your derma

When you’ve tried everything else and nothing seems to work in your favor, it’s time to stop fixing your soap problems alone and start consulting a professional. Dermatologists can do various tests on your skin to determine your condition and prescribe a brand that’s right for it.

Most women we know would prefer to buy handmade soaps because they come in multiple variations and are made with natural and organic ingredients. This is why we suggest buying from local and indie soap makers instead of mainstream brands like Dove, Dial, Irish Spring, and others.

But if your skin is normal and you’ve experienced no problems using your current soap brands, it’s fine to keep on using them.

Want more tips for your skin’s health and beauty? Read these!

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