Using a soap-free facial cleanser is extremely beneficial. A lot of people aren’t aware of the damage soap can do to your skin’s natural pH levels and moisture levels. This lack of knowledge is why some people may find their skin is irritated or dried out when they use certain facial cleansers.
Dermatologists define soap as “a substance used with water for washing and cleaning, made of a compound of natural oils or fats with sodium hydroxide or another strong alkali, and typically having perfume and colouring added”. It is well known that soap is super effective at cleaning, so why wouldn’t you want to use it on your skin?
The problem is soap is a little too effective at cleaning. When it is used on your skin, it strips a lot of the natural oils that are beneficial to keeping your skin moisturised. This can be especially problematic for those who already have dry skin, so soap should be avoided.
The other problem with soap is that it disrupts your skins pH balance. Normal adult skin is just very slightly alkaline. If your skin is oily, it will usually be overly acidic, if it is dry and sensitive, it will usually be far too alkaline. When you use soap, it removes all the natural oils, and makes your skin increasingly alkaline. That is why you find your skin even more dried out or irritated.
Using a pH balanced product like Dermavive Hydra Cleanser will ensure your skin maintains its natural healthy oils and moisture. The reason it is so gentle and effective is due to its lack of soap. This lack of soap also means it is perfect for all skin types, whether you have dry, sensitive skin, or oily, acne-prone skin.
Other advantages of using soap free cleansers include:
- Gentle enough to use daily
- Longer shelf life – there’s no soap, so it doesn’t deteriorate with water over time. They can last years!
Therefore it’s very important to ensure there is no soap in your facial cleanser. You can usually check if your cleanser is soap free as it will advertise on the label. If it doesn’t, check the ingredient list and look for the prefix (sodium or potassium) and the suffix (-ate) e.g. ‘sodium olivate’.
Get the best out of your skin routine, and keep your skin fresh, clean, moisturised and balanced, by using a soap-free cleanser.
