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All throughout high school and college, I had really clear skin. Like, I very rarely got pimples and my skin tone was even. However, as I’m getting older my skin is unfortunately changing and I’ve been prone to way more breakouts. I make it a point to take care of my skin and I’m always trying to use the correct products. I’ve been hearing about soap-free face cleansers and I was curious to know if they were any better than regular cleansers.
The writers at Beauty Blitz talked to two reputable dermatologists about soap-free cleansers. Dr. David Bank and Dr. Neal Schultz explain the difference between soap-free cleansers and soap cleansers.
Dr. Bank said, “Soap is made of a compound of natural oils or fats with sodium hydroxide or another strong alkaline solution. It is mainly used as a surfactant for washing, bathing and cleaning.” Therefore, products without soap are made without the combination of fats and alkaline solutions. Dr. Bank also notes that just because something may be soap-free, it will lather just as well.
Dr. Schultz says there are a lot of detergent chemicals that can be used lieu of soap. “What they both have in common is that they’re both surfactants – they can hold onto oil and water, so you can wash away oil with water,” he said. Dr. Schultz goes on to explain that when making soap-free products you can have a lot more versatility because you can put a “wider range of ingredients” in it. He also states that using regular soap is fine for basic needs, “but for your face, where you can have a water-oil imbalance, then you can use something [soap-free] made for your imbalance.”
Both doctors recommend using soap-free products if you have sensitive skin. At the end of the day, it seems like it boils down to what type of skin you have, but soap-free or not, a cleanser will do its job!
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