Soaps vs All Natural Body Bars

What is the difference, you may well ask?

Apart from the cost — with natural body bars often being more expensive unfortunately, but there are very good reasons as to why- there are many key differences between commercial or handmade soaps and truly all-natural body bars. These differences affect not only your skin but also your health, the environment, and even the ethical footprint of your daily hygiene routine.

🧪 Ingredients: Nature vs. Laboratory

Commercial soaps often contain a cocktail of synthetic detergents, artificial fragrances, preservatives, and hardeners. These ingredients are designed to increase shelf life, enhance lather, and cut costs — but they can also strip your skin of its natural oils, leading to dryness or irritation.

All-natural body bars, on the other hand, are typically made with plant-based oils (like olive, coconut, or shea), butters, clays, and essential oils. These ingredients nourish and hydrate the skin without harsh chemicals or artificial additives.

🧴 Glycerin – Kept or Removed?

A critical difference lies in glycerin, a natural byproduct of the soap-making process. Commercial soap manufacturers often remove glycerin to use in more profitable products like lotions. Ironically, these lotions are needed because the soap has dried out your skin.

Natural body bars retain their glycerin, making them inherently moisturizing and gentler, especially for sensitive or dry skin types.

🌿 Scent and Sensitivity

The fragrance in commercial soaps usually comes from synthetic chemicals, which are known allergens and hormone disruptors for some people.

Natural body bars are scented using essential oils or plant extracts, which are not only gentler but may also offer aromatherapeutic benefits. That said, even essential oils can irritate highly sensitive skin, so it’s always wise to check ingredients.

🔬 pH Balance: A Crucial but Overlooked Difference

The pH level of a product plays a significant role in how it interacts with your skin. Most commercial soaps fall in the alkaline range of 7 to 9 — or even higher — which can disrupt the skin’s natural barrier, leading to dryness, irritation, and increased sensitivity over time.

Your skin’s natural pH is slightly acidic, typically around 4.5 to 5.5. This acidic environment is crucial for maintaining the acid mantle — a protective layer that helps prevent moisture loss and defends against harmful bacteria and environmental toxins.

• All-natural body bars, especially those crafted with careful pH formulation in mind, are often made to more closely match your skin's natural pH. This means they:

  • Are less drying

  • Help maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier

  • Promote healthier, more balanced skin

  • Reduce the likelihood of irritation, especially for sensitive or compromised skin

  In contrast, traditional soap’s high pH can strip the skin’s oils and disrupt this balance — which is why people with dry or sensitive skin often notice improvement when switching to a gentle, pH-balanced natural bar.

🌍 Environmental & Ethical Impact

Commercial soaps are often produced by large corporations with mass manufacturing processes, potentially involving animal testing, unsustainable palm oil, or heavy plastic packaging.

Natural body bars are more likely to be:

• Biodegradable

• Palm oil-free or sustainably sourced

• Cruelty-free

• Packaged minimally or plastic-free

• Locally made in small batches, reducing their carbon footprint

  
  

• 💸 Yes, It Costs More — But Why?

  Natural body bars are handcrafted, often with premium ingredients and ethical practices. You're paying for quality, sustainability, and skin health — not just marketing and mass production.

  ✨ The Bottom Line

  Commercial soaps might win on price and availability, but they often come at a cost to your skin and the planet. All-natural body bars, while pricier, offer a cleaner, more conscious alternative that many find well worth the investment.

  
  

🧼 Summary

Feature	Commercial Soap	All-Natural Body Bar
Typical pH	7–9+ (alkaline)	4.5–6 (closer to skin)
Skin Impact	Can strip natural oils	Helps retain moisture
Skin Barrier	May disrupt acid mantle	Supports barrier function