If you noticed the frenzy over the Loewe tomato soap-on-a-rope or thrilled to the Glossier gritty exfoliating cake in pink, you might think there’s a resurgence in bar soap. Some of this is explained by a blend of style and nostalgia. Many fans also sing bar soap’s praises for its minimal packaging and low carbon footprint. We asked Javon Ford, our on-call cosmetic chemist, why people are suddenly bellying up to the bar—and whether that’s actually a good idea.
I don’t believe in using bar soap on your face, because the pH is high. And I don’t care what people say—you cannot make a pH-balanced soap.
Soap has to have an alkaline pH that’s above 8; otherwise, it’s not soap. That’s higher than what our skin likes. Our skin is happiest when it’s slightly acidic, like at pH 4.5 or 5.5.
That’s why bar soaps are considered super-clarifying, because they remove everything, including some things you don’t want them to remove. They disrupt the acid mantle, which gives the skin natural protection against bacteria, pollutants, and water loss. Bar soap is drying. And if your face is oily, you’re just going to encourage more oil production by drying out the skin and causing a rebound effect.
If you like how your skin feels after washing with a bar, then by all means keep doing it. Just be sure to moisturize your skin well afterward. And if your skin isn’t where you want it to be, then the first thing I would change is the bar soap. There are so many better options.
The yellow bar of Dial soap has been trending on TikTok for about four years because of its anti-bacterial properties. People have been turning to it as an alternative to deodorant. They lather it on their armpits and don’t rinse it off completely, as a way to prevent bacteria. The benzalkonium chloride helps reduce body odor.
Just don’t use anti-bacterial soap on your face, unless you always have and you’re happy with your skin. And who, really, is happy with their skin? It’s the people who don’t use that much skin care.
Javon Ford is a Los Angeles–based cosmetic chemist. He posts highly informative lessons, reviews, and myth-busting content on TikTok and @instagram/javonford16
