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How Do I Choose the Best Bath Soap?
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Sometimes people try to choose the best bath soap based on its price, believing that a higher-priced soap will be of higher quality and better for the skin than a lower-priced option. Often, however, this type of thinking proves to be a mistake, as a costly soap can be just as irritating to the body as one that is less expensive. While cost can be an important factor if you are buying on a budget, it is often considered more important to choose a soap based on the ingredients. Usually, this means choosing a soap with ingredients that both clean and support healthy skin.
When you are trying to choose the best bath soap, it often is important to focus on the ingredients in the soap. Some cleansing ingredients, for instance, can be harsh and leave the skin dry, itchy, and irritated. As such, you may have a better chance of obtaining a bath soap you love if you search for one with ingredients that clean and nourish the skin at the same time.
In choosing the best bath soap, you also may do well to avoid those that have numerous chemical additives. These chemicals can give soap a pretty color or a pleasant smell, but they can also prove very irritating to the skin. This can be a problem for anyone but may be more noticeable for people who have sensitive or very dry skin. For example, some soaps have harsh chemicals that strip the skin of its natural oils when cleansing it and leave it dry and itchy. Some people even develop rashes because of this type of product.
If you want to avoid synthetic chemicals that irritate your skin, you might consider soaps made with all-natural ingredients. For example, you can shop for soaps that contain olive oil to help nourish the skin. Sometimes goat's milk is used as a moisturizer as well. Scented oils, herbs, and flower essences are sometimes used as natural additions to soap and aren't as irritating as synthetic chemicals but do add color and fragrance.
While many people turn to natural bath soaps when they are trying to get clean and nurture their skin, this is not your only option. You may also choose a soap that contains synthetic ingredients as long as you avoid those with such ingredients as alcohol and glycolic acid, as these can be very drying. You may also do well to locate an ingredients list for the soap you are considering and research each one to learn whether it will prove beneficial for your skin. Often, you can find soap ingredients lists online as well.
Nicole Madison
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a BeautyAnswered writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.
Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a BeautyAnswered writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.
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![Weather, water and skin type will all affect which soap is best for a person's skin.]()
By: LsantilliWeather, water and skin type will all affect which soap is best for a person's skin. -
![Some people may prefer bath soaps that are scented.]()
By: Syda ProductionsSome people may prefer bath soaps that are scented. -
![Avoid soaps with harsh chemicals that strip the skin's natural oils.]()
By: Deyan GeorgievAvoid soaps with harsh chemicals that strip the skin's natural oils. -
![Steer clear of bath soaps that contain alcohol or glycolic acid, both of which can be very dehydrating.]()
By: Karramba ProductionSteer clear of bath soaps that contain alcohol or glycolic acid, both of which can be very dehydrating.
Discussion Comments
Regardless of the price, most bath soaps in the soap aisle have the same basic ingredients used in soap making. What differs is the additional ingredients like moisturizers and fragrance. Of course there are more natural versions out there. It's a good idea to read the ingredients list before purchasing.
And if I'm planning to try a different product, I try to read customer reviews online. For example, I was going to purchase a new box of bath soap last week but backed out when one review said that the soap leaves residue on skin. So customer reviews can be very helpful.
@fBoyle-- I've been using regular bath soap (usually the cheapest one) for as long as I can remember. I realize that this is not the best soap because it does have some chemicals and artificial ingredients. But I'm accustomed to the scent and I also like that it's very affordable.
I've tried many different types of bath soap over the years but I always go back to the same one -- all natural olive oil soap. The scent is a little different and requires some getting used to but this is the best bath soap I have used.
The great part about olive oil soap is that it works for all skin types. It doesn't dry out skin, so it's great for people with dry, sensitive and itchy skin. But it doesn't make skin oily either so people with oily skin can use it without worrying about their skin breaking out.
I have oily skin whereas my husband has dry skin and we both use olive oil soap in the bath and love it. However, I only recommend all natural olive oil soap as those with chemicals and perfumes are not good.
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