Bar Soap or Body Wash

When it comes to products for shower use, you can choose bar soap or body wash. Which one is better to use? Which one deserves that coveted spot on your bathtub ledge? The two products go head-to-head to help you decide for yourself.

What Is Bar Soap?

Typically, soap has a pH of about 9 or 10. Your skin’s pH is between 5 and 6. Soap is made with a base of lye and oil. When mixed together, the lye saponifies the oil, changing its chemical makeup to be safe for skin, albeit drying. Some soaps have ingredients that make them less drying to the skin. Soaps formulated with added glycerin or higher levels of fatty acids keep moisture in your skin.

What Is Body Wash?

Body wash and shower gels are similar. These liquid cleansers cleanse the skin using a mild surfactant. Shower gel tends to be thinner than body wash, which is the key difference between the two. Body washes usually contain skin-softeners that are more moisturizing than gels.

Which Product Works Better?

When it comes to choosing which product is best, you have to look at many different factors. Your skin type is important. Sensitive skin and oily skin have two different needs.

Bathing habits should also be considered. More showers can lead to dryness. Ultimately, it can come down to a personal preference.

If you like using bar soap but are concerned about dryness, look for beauty bars that include moisture-rich ingredients. Some soaps are just as hydrating as shower gels and body washes.

Hygienically, soap gets a bad rap because it seemingly can harbor bacteria on the surface. However, science disproves that notion.

Loofahs and washcloths are much more likely to be breeding grounds for dirt, mildew and bacteria. If you do use body wash, change your cleaning products regularly.

Shower gels are much more travel friendly, especially if you have to pack a wet bar of soap in your suitcase. Get a travel-size bottle for even more convenience.

Gels and washes are generally more cost-effective, provided you don’t use more product than necessary. Your bar of soap will diminish in size when it gets wet, whether you use it or not.

Shower gels and body wash typically don’t leave soap scum, which reduces your cleaning time. However, some of the beauty bars leave little-to-no residue.

Foam and bubbles are not indicative of how much product you should use. Many products won’t foam up, but they are still effective cleansers.

If your skin cleanser dries out your skin, use a good moisturizer until you can change the product and find one that is less drying. Even oily skin needs moisture to stay healthy.

Eco-Friendly Products?

Bar soap may have the edge when it comes to a carbon footprint. The packaging, disposal and transportation costs of soap over body wash are much lower. However, many companies recognize this and are recycling plastic for use in bottles and finding other methods to be more eco-conscious.

Shop With Us For Products That Enrich Your Skin

Look for products that nourish your skin and keep you looking great when you shop at LaLa Daisy. Learn your skin type to find the cleansing products that match your needs.