Why you should NEVER use soap bars to wash your face

If you’re using a bar soap on your body (which you ought to reconsider), don’t let that thing get anywhere near your face!!! Even the mildest body soap is too hard on the face. Now may be a good time to point out that you shouldn’t use the same soap for your face that you use for your body, even if you’re using a liquid cleanser for your body. The skin on your face is made up completely different than any other part of your body. To explain :

Many women don’t understand how delicate the skin on their face is. The top layer of the face’s skin, the stratum corneum, has fewer cell layers than any other part of the body except the genitals.This thinner layer makes the skin more easily irritated. Also, because the face moves so much and has so many nerve endings, it’s easier to notice tightness there. This combination means the skin has the potential to get irritated.

Facial cleansing is important because the face has so many glands that the skin is oilier. In addition, we have hormonal changes and apply cosmetics and products that create a film on the skin, trapping pollutants from the environment like dust and smoke.

Your face is the most visible part of the body. When you talk to a person, you look at their face directly. Blemishes, or other marks are easily seen, therefore, you need to take care of your complexion and prevent pimples from sprouting out. For some people, the pimples just grow and fade away, while for others it may leave scars on the skin. Hence you should use gentle facial cleanser on the face, not bar soaps that are harsh on the delicate skin

Bar Soap = Harsh

Bar soap may contain harsh agent like SLS that may not be gentle on your skin, especially the face. It makes the soap foamy with bubbles that clog up pores. Hence you should use a gentle facial cleanser that is not so harsh on your face. After all, the face is the part of the body most exposed to sunlight. Bath soap generally leaves the skin feeling tight, dry and itchy. Many people think that the problem lies with their skin, when actually the problem is the bar soap. Free alkali is generally the most common irritant in mass marketed bar soaps

The reason that bar soaps are particularly harsh on the skin is because they strip away the healthy, natural oils that the skin produces in order protect it. Many bar soaps strip this necessary oil, damaging the skin. As you know, bacteria thrive in low pH, so soaps with higher pH actually cleanse the skin better. This is for a number of reasons that have to do with the chemical formation of your skin. When skin is cleansed in high pH cleanser, very little, if any, dirt or make up is left behind. This ultimately will make your skin cleaner, smoother, and softer. That is why bar soaps should not be used on the face. Instead use a good cleanser formulated for your skin type.

No matter what brand bar soap it is and how natural it is, there’s something about what they use to make it into a bar that strips the natural oils off your face and leave it dry.

The reality is bar soaps are less expensive than liquid soap, and they usually lather very well. So if you must, (but u really mus’nt tho) look for one that’s gentle and non-drying, like Purpose Gentle Cleansing Bar with glycerin, or Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar, which is nonalkaline. If your skin is sensitive or easily gets itchy, try to avoid sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a common skin irritant. On the pricier side is L’Occitane Shea Butter Milk Extra Gentle Soap, which is made with a vegetable base and 20 percent shea butter. As for the deodorant soap bar in your shower, save it for your feet and your armpits; deodorant bath soaps are too harsh to use on your face!!

Liquid cleansers are pricier, 

but they’re less harsh on your skin and their pH is closer to your skin’s normal pH level. For oily skin, choose a gel or foaming cleanser, which will dissolve oil and makeup and rinse off clean. Try Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser. These are particularly good for those who are taking prescription acne medications, because they won’t dry out skin or interfere with topicals. For mild breakouts (if you’re not using any prescription acne creams), try Aveda Outer Peace Foaming Cleanser with salicylic acid, which helps unclog pores. For dry or sensitive skin, look for a milky or creamy cleanser, which will leave your skin soft and moisturized. Try Cetaphil Original Gentle Skin Cleanser or Olay Definity Illuminating Cream Cleanser.

So let’s face it, great skin is the best foundation, it makes the best impression on even your overall health. It’s well worth the extra money to regulate your bath soap from feet to neck, learn your skin type and cleanse it appropriately. 

One love,

Malibu 😉