Is Soap Bad for Your Face? Why Your Skin Might Prefer a Cleanser

Your face is not your hands. And it definitely isn't your kitchen sink.

So why are so many of us still washing our faces with soap?

It's cheap. It's convenient. It's sitting right there in the shower.

And it makes your skin feel really clean.

Which, unfortunately, can sometimes be part of the problem.

If you've been using a bar of soap on your face for years and your skin seems perfectly happy, I'm not here to tell you to panic and throw it in the bin.

But if you're dealing with tightness, dryness, irritation, sensitivity or that lovely "my face feels like it's been shrink-wrapped" sensation after washing...

It might be time to rethink what you're cleansing with.

So, what's actually wrong with soap?

Traditional soap is made by combining fats or oils with an alkaline substance through a process called saponification.

The result is, well... soap.

And soap is very good at removing things from your skin.

Sometimes too good.

Traditional soap is generally alkaline, whereas healthy skin has a naturally acidic surface environment — often referred to as the acid mantle.

That difference in pH can matter.

Using an alkaline cleanser can temporarily raise the skin's surface pH and potentially interfere with the skin barrier and its normal functions.

And your skin barrier is rather important.

It helps keep moisture in and unwanted irritants out.

So if your cleanser leaves your skin feeling tight, dry and squeaky clean, that squeak isn't necessarily a sign that you've done an excellent job.

It might just be your skin asking:

"What exactly have you done to me?"

But doesn't clean mean clean?

This is where we've been slightly brainwashed by the concept of squeaky clean.

We tend to think that if our skin feels tight after washing, we've removed every last trace of oil and dirt.

But your skin isn't supposed to be completely stripped.

It has its own natural oils and protective components for a reason.

The goal of cleansing is to remove things like excess sebum, sunscreen, makeup, dirt and environmental pollutants without unnecessarily disrupting the skin barrier.

Clean skin doesn't need to feel like parchment.

What's the difference between soap and a facial cleanser?

This is where modern facial cleansers have an advantage.

Many facial cleansers use synthetic cleansing agents called surfactants rather than traditional soap.

And before you run screaming at the word synthetic, remember our recent conversation:

Synthetic doesn't automatically mean bad.

In fact, carefully selected surfactants allow formulators to create cleansers with a pH and cleansing strength that are much more appropriate for facial skin.

The result?

You can remove what needs removing without necessarily taking everything else with it.

That's what we're aiming for.

And this is where the Grounded All-over Foaming Cleanser comes in

Our All-over Foaming Cleanser was designed to clean without that harsh, stripped feeling.

It's a gentle foaming cleanser that can be used on the face and body, making it particularly handy for people who don't want a bathroom cabinet full of different products.

Because I'm going to say it again:

Skincare doesn't need to be complicated.

You need something that cleans your skin effectively.

You don't necessarily need a separate cleanser for your face, another for your neck, another for your décolletage and another for the rest of your body.

One good cleanser can do a lot.

But I have oily skin. Surely I need something stronger?

Not necessarily.

This is another skincare myth that refuses to die.

If your skin is oily, the temptation is to use something incredibly cleansing to get rid of every last trace of oil.

But oil production and hydration are two different things.

You can have oily skin that is also dehydrated or irritated.

And repeatedly stripping your skin isn't necessarily going to solve the problem.

A better approach is to cleanse effectively while still respecting the skin barrier.

What about dry or sensitive skin?

This is where your cleanser becomes particularly important.

If your skin is already dry, irritated or sensitive, using a harsh cleanser can make an already unhappy barrier even less happy.

You don't necessarily need to stop cleansing.

You may simply need to change what you're cleansing with.

A good cleanser should leave your skin feeling clean and comfortable — not tight, burning or desperate for moisturiser.

So, should you throw your soap away?

Not necessarily.

Traditional soap has its place.

It's fantastic for washing hands.

It's useful for cleaning the body.

And there are plenty of beautifully formulated cleansing bars that aren't traditional soap at all.

But when it comes to your face, I'd be much more interested in what the cleanser is formulated to do than whether it's a bar, a foam, a gel or a liquid.

And if your current bar of soap leaves your face feeling dry and tight?

Your skin may be giving you a fairly strong hint.

The bottom line

Your skin doesn't need to be stripped to be clean.

And squeaky clean isn't necessarily the skincare achievement we've been led to believe it is.

A good facial cleanser should remove what you want gone while respecting the skin you're trying to look after.

That's why I prefer a thoughtfully formulated cleanser over a traditional bar of soap for facial skin.

Clean? Absolutely.

Stripped? No thanks.

And if you're looking for one cleanser that can do the job without turning your skincare routine into a full-time occupation...

That's exactly why we made the All-over Foaming Cleanser.

Simple.

Effective.

And considerably more interested in keeping your skin happy than making it squeak.