5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Soap On Your Face

Has someone ever told you that it would suffice to wash your face with soap and water twice a day? Well, this might come off as a shocker for you, but according to a dermatologist, “Conventional soaps strip the natural oils and disrupt the pH of your skin and damage the skin barrier.” Besides, the number of times you need to wash your face depends on your skin type!

There are many myths related to washing your face, but now, we know for sure that washing with soap can damage our skin cells. In this article, we will discuss some of the reasons why we shouldn’t use soap on our faces.

 

5 reasons why you shouldn’t use soap on your face

1. Disturbs the pH level

Our skin has a natural pH level, and it is between 4 and 6.5; hence it is slightly acidic. The sebaceous glands under our skin secrete oils that act as a protective layer (called an acid mantel) against dirt, dust, and other pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungus, and so on.

The ingredients in a soap (abrasive content) have the proper to change the skin’s acidic pH structure to alkaline, disturbing the protective layer. This leads to problems like inflammation, acne, itchiness, dryness, etc.

 

2. Makes skin dry

Not only does soap interfere with the oils produced by the sebaceous glands, but it also strips the lipids present in our skin. One function of lipids is to provide moisture to our skin, so when this is stripped away, our skin is left brittle and dry.

Soap which contains chemicals like parabens, formaldehyde, triclosan, lye, D&C Yellow 11, can cause extreme damage to our skin. It also degrades the skin structure, which can result in premature aging and other similar symptoms.

 

3. Stratum corneum structure changes

You must be wondering what the stratum corneum is? In simple terms, it is the topmost layer on our skin which maintains and balances the skin barrier. The stratum corneum comprises dead skin cells, but soap removes all the dead skin cells and all the essential oils (which was the problem).

Remember how the pH level of our skin changes from acidic to alkaline? Well, this happens when the essential oils are removed from the stratum corneum. So, we can see how soap alters the structure of this outermost layer of our skin.

 

4. Good skin bacteria affected

There are good bacteria present in all parts of your body, and these microorganisms are essential to maintain our skin’s health and overall functioning. They help by secreting the essential oils required by our body and prevent infection and inflammation caused by external bacteria and other microbes.

It also stimulates our immune system to protect our skin when such a microbe enters our system. So, when the good bacteria die, our skin is more prone to acne, infections, and other skin diseases.

 

5. More prone to allergic reactions

Have you ever noticed red rashes, dry, cracked, and scaly skin, bumps and blisters, or any other reactions on your skin? If you do, especially after you use your soap, then please consult a dermatologist. 

If your soap is responsible for this, it is due to the harsh chemicals, fragrances, and colours present in any soap. It can cause inflammation, irritation, itchiness, swelling, and even extreme cases like hand dermatitis.

What to use instead?

You can consider numerous options while checking for soap substitutes; one of them is a face cleanser. But while buying any cleaner, ensure you choose one based on your skin type. Also, check the indigents since chemicals like DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine), TEA (triethanolamine), and PEG (Polyethylene glycol) can be harmful to your skin.

 

Some types of face cleaners include –

• Cream cleanser

If you have dry or sensitive skin, this is ideal for you as it has moisturizing properties.

• Foam cleanser

Don’t use this cleanser if you have dry or sensitive skin, but it would be the best option if you have oily skin as it is excellent at removing excess oil and dirt.

• Clay cleanser

Are you facing acne trouble? Well, clay cleaner is the one for you as it has the properties to absorb oil and clean the clogged pores. This helps to reduce your acne problems as the pores are not filled with dirt.

• Gel cleanser

Like the clay cleanser, a gel cleanser is also an excellent choice for people with acne problems and oily skin as it also has deep-cleaning properties.

• Oil cleanser

This is a cleaner that is suitable for all skin types. They use oils like argan and tea, and tree oil which has anti-clogging properties.

Some of the best face wash for men include Nivea Men Oil Control All In 1 Face Wash, Garnier Men Face Wash Power White Double Action, Garnier Men Power White Anti-Dark Cells Fairness Face Wash, L’Oreal Paris Men Expert White Activ Brightening Foam, etc.

 

Verdict – 

One thing that we can conclude is that soap is bad for the skin cells on your face. It can damage the skin barrier, disturb the pH level, make our skin dry, and so on. So, the best alternative for soap is face cleansers and face washes. However, purchase a cleaner based on your skin type so that it is effective and doesn’t cause allergic reactions.

I hope you found this article helpful. Please do let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.