Many fads have come and gone, but the basics of skin cleaning, the mighty soap, still remains the king. The versatile bathing soap gives clean and smooth skin but also keeps many dermal concerns away.
The basic soap plays an important role in your daily skincare routine. A harsh soap can damage the skin, decrease moisture retention, leading to dermatological issues. The wrong soap can worsen your skin issues, and the right one gives a multitude of benefits, including nourished and glowing skin.
Every skin is unique, and therefore the soap needs to match that too. Let’s find out how to choose the ideal soap for your skin’s specific needs – whether it is oily, dry, sensitive, combination, or acne-prone.
Dry Skin ∝ Moisture-rich soaps
If your skin feels tight, flaky, itchy, or dehydrated after taking a shower, you are likely to have dry skin because of low sebum production. You need hydrating and moisturizing body soaps with low lather formulas.
Choose soaps that contain
- Glycerine
- Shea butter
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Jojoba oil
- Aloe vera
Oily Skin ∝ Deep Cleansing Soaps
If your skin looks greasy or shiny, the oil-balancing non-comedogenic soaps should be your first choice. These balance sebum levels without overdrying.
Choose soaps that contain
- Salicylic acid
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Tea tree oil
- Oatmeal
- Aloe vera
- Sea salt
- Charcoal
- Neem
- Clay
Use a lightweight moisturizer after shower.
Sensitive Skin ∝ Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic soaps
Sensitive skin needs a soap that soothes the skin without artificial irritants such as dyes, parabens, alcohol, fragrance, or sulfates.
Choose soaps that contain
- Oatmeal
- Calendula
- Chamomile extracts
- Goat milk
- Honey
- Jojoba oil
- Olive oil
Look for soaps that mention hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, pH balanced, and dermatologist tested for your skin type.
Acne prone skin ∝ Antibacterial soap with targeted action
Acne-prone skin needs soaps that can fight the bacterial action, keep the pores clean, and reduce inflammation without harming the natural skin constitution.
Choose soaps that contain
- Kojic Acid
- Sulphur
- Salicylic Acid
- Tea Tree oil
- Neem
- Niacinamide
- Willow bark
- Activated charcoal
- Tomato
Kojic acid soaps are particularly friendly to the acne-prone skin and help reduce hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and post acne scars. Don’t scrub with the soap aggressively.
Combination skin ∝ Neutral Soap
The combination or neutral skin needs soaps that do not dry the skin, nor does it moisturize it too much.
Choose soaps that contain
- Lactic acid
- Milk
- Glycerine
- Almond oil
- Vitamin C
Shop for soaps that are hydrating and lightly exfoliating with pH-balancing formulas to prevent the skin from loosing its natural barriers.
Gone are the days when soap was considered a chemical ridden product, modern bath and body products provide natural formulations in a range of skin friendly soaps and body care products (serums, moisturizers, etc.) that help restore the natural pH balance and skin barrier, and bring back the natural glow and radiance.
Final thoughts
Facial skin is different than the body skin, so the same soap will not work on both. Therefore, choose a milder formula for a soap for the facial skin, like the Kojic acid soap to protect the skin from hyperpigmentation, melasma, and sun damage and get an even toned skin.
You can improve your skin’s health in the long run by investing in a good bar of soap. With the right soap routine and skincare combination, you can boost your skin’s hygiene, health, and glow and keep feeling fresh the whole day.