Body Wash vs. Bar Soap, Is One Better For Your Skin?
At this point in your life, you’ve probably developed a pretty set-in routine for your daily skincare regimen, for both face and body washing. In particular, you may have a strong opinion on how you wash your body in the shower, whether with a liquid gel or with a hard bar of soap. But is there a significant difference in these two methods? Should you be using a different product? Let’s find out together.
Bar Soap Benefits
Proponents of bar soap cleansing mainly offer two key benefits: affordability and sustainability. Most high-quality bar soaps are cheap to make and buy, meaning you can either save money or get even more advanced soap formulas and scents for the same price as your body wash. Plus, since there’s no pumps or packaging, there’s no residual soap left in hard-to-reach places that leads to waste.
Bar soap, like body washes, can be formulated with all kinds of different skin type-specific ingredients designed for oily skin, sensitive skin, and more, meaning nearly anyone can use it if they’re interested.
Body Wash Benefits
Some active ingredients like ceramides, are better incorporated into body washes than bars of soap. For this reason, body washes can have more potent or targeted formulas than a generic bar of soap, although both get the job done at the end of the day. Because body wash isn’t sitting out in the shower all day, some consider it a more hygienic way to store body cleansers. Bacteria can still build up on accessories like washcloths and loofas, so make sure to wash or replace them regularly if you’re using an applicator other than your hands.
The Difference Between Bar Soap and Body Wash
Besides the obvious form factor, people often wonder what the real difference is between hard soaps and liquid or foaming soaps. Is there a proven benefit of one over the other? Both forms of cleanser achieve the same thing: cleansing your body of oils, dirt, debris, and bacteria.
However, bar soap tends to be more aggressive than body washes. This means that, while it is highly efficient at stripping excess oil away, it can also take off essential proteins that lead to skin feeling tight and dry when you rinse it away. For some, this is a benefit, like for people with significantly oily skin. For most people, it’s a little too much. If you absolutely love your bar soap cleanser, just make sure to use a high-quality moisturizer.
Body wash is beloved for the way it quickly works into a rich lather, and many of the best body washes you’ll find online have hydrating properties as well as cleansing ones. This could be bad news for those with already oily skin, who need a way to get rid of excess oiliness each day. For most other people, though, a well-formulated hydrating body wash is the perfect way to start or end the day.
Professional-Grade Body Washes From Epicuren Discovery
If you’re looking for a way to take your daily routine to the next level, Epicuren Discovery’s body cleansers are the perfect solution. Try our Tropical Lave and Rosemary Lave body cleansers today to experience a luxurious tropical or herbal scent while cleansing your body from head to toe. Take our Skin Quiz today to find out which other body care products may be right for you.