Many people believe that a simple bar soap is the best body cleanser. However, bar soaps may be unpleasantly drying. The most important step you can take is to check the ingredients for lye.
Deodorant soaps and lye soaps tend to strip the skin’s oils and do not replace them. If your skin is really oily, then that is not a problem. If you use these relatively harsh soaps and your skin becomes dry, you will need to moisturize afterwards. Wheter you choose a bar or a bottle, many body cleansers may all have the same effect.
These products remove dirt, bacteria, and – unfortunately – some or all of your natural body oils. Most soaps and body washers remove the oils that keep skin soft and naturally moisturized. Removing that oil makes your skin dryer.
One solution is to look for products that state that they are moisturizing. Many body washes leave a layer of moisturizer on the skin that helps to replenish the oils removed.
Despite what many bath product commercials may suggest, you do not need a lot of foam to get clean. In fact, avoiding lather might be your best bet, especially if you are worried about dry skin. The non-soap cleansers that also do not foam tend to leave more of your natural oils behind and thus are less drying.
