Ingredients in Bar Soap

What Makes a Great Bath Soap? | Key Features

by
What makes a great bath soap?  Certainly individual taste is part of our preferences, but a superior soap balances three key features which are lather quality, hardness and moisture ingredients. 

Introduction

Some would explain that they like the bubbly factor, or the smoothness, but many are looking for a soap that has moisturizing qualities.  Let’s explore further to find out what makes a great soap.

What Are the Qualities of a Good Soap?

Most of us agree that we like bubbles (lather), a soap that maintains its shape (hardness), and one that doesn’t dry out our skin (moisturizing).   And of course we want the soap to clean!

So the most looked for qualities of a good soap are:

  • Lather
  • Hardness
  • Moisturizing
  • Cleaning

You may add other qualities depending on your needs.  For example, if you have sensitive skin.  I will post about some specific skin conditions later.  

What Makes a Great Bath Soap?
JJuni/Pixabay

How Do I Know About the Qualities of My Soap?

You can research your brand or product for all the information you may need.  But the list will include chemical names that I certainly wasn’t familiar with.  (Perhaps my daughter, who is a chemist might.)

For example, the original Dove bar (made by Unilever) lists 16 ingredients.  They are:

Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Sodium Oleate, Water (Eau), Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance (Parfum), Sodium Laurate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Kaolin or (ou) Titanium Dioxide.

Isn’t that helpful?  No?  Well then, here is a very short explanation of what each of those parts are: (boring reading)

  • Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate; A mild cleansing agent
  • Stearic Acid; a fatty acid and key to soap making
  • Lauric Acid; another fatty acid
  • Sodium Oleate; an emulsifying agent 
  • Water; we all should know what that is!
  • Sodium Isethionate; a detergent (cleaning) and surfactant (emulsifier)
  • Sodium Stearate; fatty acid
  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine; an emulsifier that makes the soap creamier
  • Fragrance; the other one we should know
  • Sodium Laurate; another fatty acid
  • Tetrasodium Etidronate; an ingredient enhancer that prevents mold
  • Tetrasodium EDTA; another ingredient enhancer 
  • Sodium Chloride; NaCl, a preservative
  • Kaolin; a type of clay
  • Titanium Dioxide; a color booster

I would conclude that most marketed soaps have similar ingredients.  Do your research if you are planning on trying something new.

What Ingredients Make the Best Soap?

Basic to all soap therefore, is an oil and sodium hydroxide.  A natural oil which you may recognize is glycerin.  This product is used in many homemade soaps.  It is a fatty acid present in natural fats.  

The fatty acid and an alkali combine to make soap through a process called saponification.  That alkali is actually lye!  Which gives us visions of a corrosive that burns the skin.  However, through the saponification process it turns into soap!

Further ingredients may be fragrances and colors.  Some homemade soaps include flower petals or fragrance leaves.

In my research, I came across hundreds of articles about making your own soap, and what ingredients to use.  I didn’t realize this has become a huge crafting industry.  I think homemade soap might be a reaction to all the ingredients in manufactured soap.  That topic might be another article!

What is the Most Popular Bath Soap?

According to a report released in May of 2022, Dove ranks number one in the world!  I am in the US, but countries like China, India, Germany and the United Kingdom contribute to the popularity of Dove.

Other top sellers are brands that I recognize like Aveeno, Dial, Irish Spring and Ivory.  But Dove dominates.  The soap market has become more and more competitive due to new added features like fragrance, natural ingredients, and specific skin conditions.  

Dove stays competitive because it has quality ingredients, brand identification and brand loyalty.  Many dermatologists recommend it.  I recall ads from my youth that showed how Dove was one quarter moisturizing cream.  Do you remember those ads?

Best Bath Soap for Daily Use

Sorry, but I can’t come up with an answer here.  My research ended in mostly promotions of soap companies.  And your daily use will differ from mine.  I can make some recommendations in the following categories though.  

What Makes a Great Bath Soap?
theresaharris/Pixabay

Best Bar Soap for Dry Skin?

You will find many different opinions regarding the best soap for dry skin.  But in my research, Dove Sensitive Skin frequently scored high on the lists.  Another best bar soaps for dry skin is Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar.

Healthline has an informative article about soap for dry skin called Top Soaps for Dry Skin.  It also explains what to stay away from if you have dry skin.

Best Soap for Itchy Skin?

For skin that is itchy you want a product that cools and soothes.  Many soaps have fragrances that may irritate the skin further.  Also, hot water stimulates the histamines that cause itching, so the cooler your bath water, the better for you.

For itchy skin look for ingredients that soothe.  Aloe vera, oatmeal, and calamine are soothing agents, and they are all natural!  

Some dermatologists recommend using a cleansing lotion instead of soap, because they can be more moisturizing and less drying.  

Here’s an article I wrote about another option for itchy skin, Why You Should Take an Oatmeal Bath for Itchy Skin.

Best Soap for Sensitive Skin?

Your sensitive skin will react to any number of additives and fragrances.  Therefore it is recommended that you avoid soaps with irritating preservatives, fragrances, and dyes.  For sensitive skin, less is better.  That is, the less ingredients, the better. 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a common irritant used in detergents.  Note that it is different from Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, which is in Dove soap.  Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate is a mild alternative to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.  

Furthermore liquid soap is more irritating than bar soap, so it is recommended you use bar soap if your skin is sensitive.

Conclusion

Has this article been helpful?  I hope so, and that it helps you know what to look for in a soap.  Please leave questions here and any comments that may be helpful to others as they search for the best soap for a bath. 

All About Bar Soap | Doing Bar Soap the Right Way

by
If you want to know all about bar soap, you’ve come to the right place. We will discuss the purpose of soap, the ingredients in bar soap, liquid vs bar soap, and much much more. Read on to find out how to do bar soap the right way!

What is the Use of Bath Bar Soap?

Bathing with soap will make your skin cleaner.  How exactly does that happen?  Well, chemistry is involved!  Sodium or potassium salts are combined with an alkali (such as potassium or sodium hydroxide.  This makes a hydrocarbon chain of atoms that have two different ends.  One end is a hydrophobic end which repels water.  The other end is a hydrophilic end, which attracts water.

When you soap up, the hydrophobic parts attract the oil in dirt, then the hydrophobic part suspends the drops and allows you to wash them away with water.  How cool is that?  

Here’s a cute kids video that explains it better. 

What Are the Basic Ingredients in Bath/Bar Soap?

Surprisingly to me, there are only three basic ingredients in bath soap.  They are:

  • Fat; either animal or plant
  • Distilled water
  • Lye

What exactly is lye?  According to Wikipedia, lye is metal hydroxide made from the leaching of wood ash.  It is added to water, cooled for a while and then the fat is added.  

Other optional ingredients may be a color additive and/or a fragrance additive.  

Here’s a video of homemade soap using the lye. I especially like that the author advises that if you are going to make your own soap to practice safety precautions first.  

What Do You Want from a Bath Soap?

What are you looking for when you buy bath soap?  I couldn’t find any specific results for bath soap.  But the popular responses for qualities in a soap were:

  • Hardness
  • Cleansing
  • Lathering
  • Skin Conditioners
  • Fragrance

I think most of us take hardness for granted.  We don’t want our soap to disintegrate the first time we use it.  

Hardness is created by the oils, either plant or animal, which also create the lather.  The longer a soap cures the harder it gets, as it dries out.  The amount of water used in preparation also determines the hardness.  

The cleansing agent in a simple soap is produced by the lye.  But more complex ingredients are added depending on what you want in a soap, like moisturizing.

Lathering can be produced by different ingredients.  Handmade soap made with glycerin makes a nice later, as do coconut and castor oils.  Olive oil isn’t as bubbly but is creamy instead.  

Skin conditioners are added in more complex soaps.  These would mostly include a moisturizer for dry or itchy skin.

Fragrance would be added by using some essential oil.  

So, you see you have several criteria to choose from.  Some of us have used a certain brand all our life and are happy with that brand.  Such brands would be Irish Spring, Dove, and Ivory.  This is from US statistics.  

All About Bath Soap
silviarita/Pixabay

Bar Soap vs Liquid Soap

First of all, when I use the term liquid soap, I am referring to body washes and shower gel.  But even here there is a difference.  Body washes are thinner in consistency, because shower gels obviously contain … gel!  Furthermore, on average, shower gels can leave your skin drier than body washes.  

So if you want to use a liquid instead of a bar, and are concerned about drying out your skin, use a body wash.  

But is it better to use bar soap or a body wash?  Generally, bar soap is purer than a body wash, so you therefore have less chance of having a reaction or drying out your skin.  And you can still get a good lather from a quality bar soap.

Bath Soap vs Hand Soap

Not much difference here.  They both will get you clean.  Just check the ingredients to be informed about what you are putting on your body.  There are hundreds of choices on the market.  And if you are going to use a product to bathe with, then you probably can use it to wash your hands.  

Hard Water vs Soft Water

Do you know what determines soft or hard water?  Hard water has more calcium and magnesium in it.  These chemicals can be harsh on your skin and hair.  It also helps your plumbing and water using appliances last longer.  

Hard and soft water may be a personal choice, but just know that with soft water you will get more lather from your product. 

Men’s Products vs Women’s Products

Men’s skin is different from women’s skin.  Because of hormones, they produce more oil.  So a product that would help remove the oil from a man’s skin, may be drying on a woman’s skin.  

Women may want to focus on hydrating, moisturizing and sensitive skin products.  Men may want to concentrate on lathering and cleansing options.

All About Bath Soap
phuonghoangthuy/Pixabay

Dry Skin and Itchy Skin

I wrote an article on the best Moisturizing Body Washes for Dry Skin, which you can read.  As far as bar soap is concerned, this article from NY Magazine rates Dove Beauty Bar as very popular.  Check it out.

And if your skin itches, then an Oatmeal Bath is for you.  Read my article Why You Should Take an Oatmeal Bath for Itchy Skin.  

Conclusion

What is your favorite soap?  And why?  Do you have some comments to add?  Please do so.  And if you have questions please ask them here.  I’ll do my best to answer them.