The Tamesis
After a long day at the office, an intense workout, or a fun night out, sometimes all you want to do is go home and take a hot shower. When the water pours down your face and the rest of the world disappears, there are a few potential starting points for the perfect shower routine. But whether you start with shampoo, facial cleanser, or a razor, there’s one step no one can ignore: washing your body. But the question is, are you a team soap or a team body wash? For those on the fence, here’s everything you need to know.
What is the difference between bar soap and liquid body wash?
Both soap and body wash are effective cleansers – the main difference is the formula. According to the Handmade Soap and Cosmetic Association, traditional handmade soap is made with oil (vegetable or animal oils), water, and lye. When these ingredients are combined together, they are chemically transformed into soap through a process called saponification. Other bar soaps are made through a different process and are technically synthetic detergents (sometimes called “synthetic bars”), according to the FDA’s definition. One of the main differences between these bars is their pH, but we’ll get to that shortly.
Liquid body washes, meanwhile, are water-based and most are also synthetic detergents. They tend to have lower concentrations of ingredients and have a stronger moisturizing effect on the skin.
How do these two cleansers affect skin?
Traditional soaps often have a “higher, more alkaline pH compared to the skin’s natural slightly acidic pH,” says Manhattan board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, MD. “When pH levels rise, skin may become more susceptible to dryness, sensitivity, and inflammation.” However, “modern ‘synthetic’ soap bars can be as gentle as liquid cleansers,” adds Azadeh Shirazi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in San Diego, because they are often pH balanced and better for the skin.
It’s also important to note that the idea that soap contains bacteria is largely a myth—”the act of lathering and rinsing tends to effectively wash away the microorganisms,” Kemp says. However, it’s best to avoid sharing the bar with others and store it somewhere where it can dry between uses.
Liquid body washes, on the other hand, “are designed to be more pH-balanced and often have added moisturizers,” says Shirazi, but some still contain ingredients like harsh sulfates, which can strip the skin of essential oils and cause irritation.
That’s why the key lies in the ingredients and formulation of the cleanser, not its form, Camp and Shiraz say.
Which ingredients are good for my skin type?
As with other beauty and body care products, the most important thing to consider are the ingredients and which ingredients will best solve your problems.
- Moisturize and nourish: “Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and shea butter are excellent choices because they help retain moisture and support the skin barrier,” says Camp. Jojoba and coconut oils are also beneficial.
- Exfoliate: “Mild chemical exfoliants like lactic acid or salicylic acid are good choices, depending on your skin type,” says Shirazi, noting that physical exfoliants can be more damaging to the skin, so she recommends using them with caution.
- Body Acne: Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Manhattan and Englewood, N.J., previously said Fashion She recommends people with oily skin use salicylic acid because it “can unclog pores and remove excess oil.”
- Sensitivity: Shirazi and Camp recommend soothing ingredients like aloe vera, colloidal oatmeal, and niacinamide. “These help calm the skin and maintain the barrier,” Shiraz says. They also recommend avoiding strong fragrances, harsh sulfates (such as sodium lauryl sulfate) and overly harsh exfoliants.
