Over the years, bar soap has received a bad reputation. Bar soap is thought to be unhygienic and contains harsh ingredients that can dry out the skin. There are new cleansing bars that you should consider. While some bars might not be suitable for your face skin, there is a new generation of bars available. They are made from gentle, nourishing, non-stripping ingredients and last longer. Plus, they are cheaper, more eco-friendly, and don’t require plastic tubes or bottles. Facial cleanser in liquid, gel, or oil form.
Still, we know it’s hard to kick bar soap’s negative reputation. So, we challenged two intrepid beauty editors to swap out their usual cleansers for bar soap for a week. Victoria V., whose skin is on the drier side, took Eau Thermale Avène Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar out for a spin. Jana D., whose skin is more oily, tried Sisley-Paris Soapless Facial Cleansing Bar. Read on to see if bar soap managed to win their hearts—and a spot in their showers.
First Impressions
“The Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar has a lightweight feel and suds up well enough for me to use with an exfoliating loofah pad. My skin feels really soft after washing without that typical residue that bar soap is known for. I’ve also noticed that my skin has softened a bit and my foundation applies more smoothly.” — Victoria.
“So far, so good! The Soapless Facial Cleansing Bar is super gentle and nourishing. It doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped, which is important to me.” — Jana.
Test Drive
“I would classify [ Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar ] as sensitive/dry skin-friendly—it hydrates without stripping or leaving a weird chalky feeling. It’s hard to explain, but I do feel this light layer of moisture after washing. Maybe it’s just the ‘protective film’ that the bar claims to deliver. Sometimes ‘film’ can have a negative connotation, but in this case, I think it’s great for dry skin types. If I wash with the cleansing bar, my foundation goes on smoothly without settling into dry patches (yay!). It does a decent job of removing my foundation; I just needed a little extra help with taking off my mascara (I like to wear waterproof on the daily).” — Victoria.
“I was honestly surprised at how comfortable and hydrated my skin felt after cleansing with the Sisley-Paris bar for a week. I will say that it wasn’t the best at removing makeup, so I started double-cleansing with another cleanser. I also wasn’t exactly sure how to store it. I didn’t want to leave it out in the bathroom, but I also felt like I shouldn’t leave it in a completely closed container.” — Jana.
Final Thoughts
“While I probably can’t completely switch out my face wash for this particular bar soap, I definitely prefer to use it for its skin-softening properties.” — Victoria.
“I liked the way it left my skin feeling clean and fresh without being dry or tight. But I would need to buy a soap dish which allows it to drain but covers it. Overall, I liked the formula of the bar, but I would have to figure out some logistics.” — Jana
Do you want to keep your business small?
It’s grown up a lot since then. It’s fine; we still have our adoptive family around us. Avo has been working with us for the past four years. He was in the adjacent art gallery when I asked him to help me mix some products. Beth is the production manager. She’s amazing–and a fantastic drummer. It has been an interesting group. Along the way, we’ve had to learn a lot.
Do you have any stories to share with us?
Consider what incentives your state provides for small businesses. Some states offer more support than others, particularly if your business is green. We are keeping the company here, but we want to open a second location in Detroit. People there need jobs. It would help if you also kept as much in-house as possible. When you run a small company and are doing something great, everyone will try to steal as much as they can. This was a great lesson. It was a little scary at first because people were making lots of promises. It’s important to stay true to yourself and to what you feel is right.
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