Bar Soap vs. Liquid Soap: Which One Should You Use?

Soap is just soap, right? It gets you clean and serves its purpose simply in that aspect. But ultimately, there is a soap that you are better off using for your skin. This can all depend on different variables including the ingredient makeup of soap, the bacteria it carries, how it cleanses, and the effect it can have on its environment. So which type of soap is more hygienic? Better for the skin and environment? Made with better ingredients? Continue reading below as we share our answers.

The Rundown of Bar Soap & Liquid Soap

There are two main teams that you can choose from when picking your soap: bar soap and liquid soap. Most of us are familiar with bar soap since it has been around for the longest, dating back centuries. Bar soap simply refers to soap that comes in a solid, hardened form,  typically made from fats and plant oils blended with an alkali, forming through a process called saponification. On the opposing team, liquid soaps come in a runny form, and are typically made up of petroleum, a stabilizing agent for consistency, and an emulsifying agent to create the foam.  When looking at the two at a baseline level, they can seem pretty similar. Let’s dive in and take a deeper look into each and its special characteristics. 

Effects On The Skin

Both soaps will do the one simple goal of getting your body clean, regardless of if they are solid or liquid. Most bar soaps are made up of more natural ingredients or even just fewer than your average liquid soap. Liquid soaps can be found to contain more chemicals in order to help them emulsify and stabilize. They can be harsher on the skin and very drying, usually hard to find in a fragrance-free form. Bar soaps tend to be more gentle on sensitive skin and can usually contain glycerin which is very therapeutic for dry skin and other skin conditions such as eczema. However, bar soaps can in some cases be more drying than liquid soaps due to the higher pH levels. But the addition of natural oils and butters can help withdraw the drying effect typically associated with bar soaps. When it comes to exfoliating the skin, bar soaps stimulate circulation in the skin through direct contact and can provide a deeper, more intense scrub. Liquid soap has to be paired with a sponge or loofah in order to achieve the same exfoliating effects. 

Sustainability & Hygiene

The process of production for both liquid and bar soap has a tremendous impact on the earth, depending on how it’s manufactured. The carbon footprint of liquid soaps is drastically greater than bar soap.  A 2009 Swiss study done at the Institute of Environmental Engineering found that liquid soaps leave a 25% larger carbon footprint than bar soaps do. Bar soap is more eco-friendly, in many cases not requiring packaging and having a simpler manufacturing process, being the more sustainable friendly option. Liquid soap is more hygienic than bar soap since you don’t have to directly touch the surface of the soap, and is better if you are sharing soap. Bar soaps can in some cases grow bacteria on the surface and can transfer germs from the surface to your skin. But the amount of product you are really using is much better controlled with a bar soap, where you are creating your desired lather. Meanwhile, liquid soap requires a predetermined amount to be dispensed, leaving little flexibility for adjustment after dispensed. 

Which Should You Choose?

Ultimately, the soap you choose can vary depending on your personal needs, uses, and values. If you generally have more sensitive skin and don’t usually share your soap with others, a bar soap might be the better option for your skin. However, if you share your soap and are looking for something that is just cleansing, liquid soap can work out just fine. If you’re choosing a soap based on its environmental standards, bar soap is most surely your way to go. 

Cammellatte’s Soaps

Our Camel Milk Face & Body Soap is a bar soap that is made up of simple, gentle, and versatile friendly ingredients. The Soap is handmade with real fresh Camel Milk, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, and other natural ingredients and will gently clean the skin and revitalize it with a boost of vitamins and minerals. The silky soap works into a rich, foamy lather that won’t strip the skin of its natural moisture and is nourishing rather than drying. The special formula is designed to be used generously on the face, body, and hair. Inspired by the benefits of camel milk and other natural ingredients for skin, this cleansing bar has a comforting and calming scent that is similar to our Camel Milk Body Butter, perfect for creating a soothing and stress-relieving skincare routine.