The Not So Obvious Differences Between Body Wash and Bar Soap

It’s an Ongoing Debate

We’re here to settle the debate.

Firstly, soap vs. body wash can be broken down into how well the product cleans your skin, keeps its natural balance, hydrates, exfoliates, and truly busts bacteria.

Studies show that both products do the same job to an extent.

Is it a case of different ingredients doing different things? Sort of.

The Not So Obvious Differences Between Your Body Wash and Your Bar of Soap

1. Soaps Can Dehydrate the Skin

There are bar soaps on the market that dry out skin, stripping away moisture, and handing a point over to body washes which are formulated with additional moisturizing properties to replace whatever cleanser strips away.

That doesn’t mean you have to completely ditch your love for a lathering bar of soap.

Our coconut milk and sandalwood bar soap has been designed with deep moisture in mind. We’ve made sure to include ingredients like shea butter and olive oil to nourish skin at the deepest level, leaving you feeling soft and glowing. Paired with exfoliating apricot seeds, this bar promises to get rid of grime while locking in moisture.

2. Body Wash Can Have Worrying Ingredients

Have you ever bought a brand-new body wash to try, only to break out in a rash the moment you stepped out the shower? That’s because some body washes contain a compound somewhat similar to dish soap. Harsh surfactants can strip your skin of essential nutrients. Besides, nobody wants to soap up with dish soap.

Before you totally boo the idea of body wash, there are products with added moisturizer and all natural ingredients like our sea minerals and blue iris body wash that’s packed with gentle moisturizing ingredients to soothe and replenish skin. The sea minerals act as natural detoxifiers, too, so you’ll step out the shower feeling and smelling clean and fresh.

3. Soap Can Compromise Your Skin’s Barrier

Your skin is pretty much the one thing separating your organs from the rest of the outside world. So, you need to keep it in the best condition you can. Soap has a pH that strips your skin of essential lipids and proteins, leaving that all-important barrier compromised.

Our citrus and peach rose bar soap is packed with ingredients like shea butter and olive oil to revive your skin’s barrier and provide dual hydration properties to leave you feeling smooth and intensely hydrated rather than stripped of moisture.

4. Bacterial Nightmares

Have you heard those horror stories about loofahs and bar soaps being bacterial cesspools? Is there any merit to the rumors?

Well, yes, if you leave your loofah and bar of soap in a moist environment. You can easily remedy that, though, by remembering to replace both on a regular basis. If you notice a build-up of residue, it’s time for a new bar of soap.

When it comes to bar soap, you can avoid transferring surface bacteria to your skin by rinsing the bar well before using it and keeping it in a dry location.

5. Sustainability

It’s all well and good discussing what’s best for your body, but what’s best for Mother Earth, too? This is where many bar soaps outshine many other body washes. They require less packaging and eliminate any need for plastic.

What’s the Verdict?

While there are some obvious, and not so obvious, differences between body wash and bar soap, it all comes down to personal preferences and informed choices.

The products at Soapbox are all made with naturally derived ingredients and all our packaging, including those of our soaps and body washes, is 100% recyclable. That means no harsh chemicals to strip your skin’s barrier and no plastics to worry about.

Shop Soapbox’s range of natural products today.