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©iStockphoto.com/diego cervoNext time you're in the shower waiting for your conditioner, take a moment to check the label on your facial cleanser or body wash. You'll likely find ingredients that are unfamiliar or difficult to pronounce. While some ingredients are beneficial for your skin, others could do more harm than good. The key is to know which ingredients to look for in a cleanser.
People generally want to feel clean and refreshed after a shower, which is why they use soap. Whether it's foam, gel, or bar soap, these products are made from fats, oils, and alkali — a base that dissolves in water — to help break down dirt and oil on your skin. However, the same ingredients that clean and hydrate certain areas of your skin might be too harsh for others. For example, your body wash might be too rough for the delicate skin on your face, potentially causing irritation or clogged pores [source: Bruno].
Before you start lathering, check the ingredient list of your cleanser and keep reading to learn what's really in your soap.
Beneficial Ingredients in a Cleanser
To pick the right cleanser for your skin, it's important to understand the role of different soap ingredients. Most soaps contain detergents, moisturizers, fragrances, and preservatives [source: Draelos]. Detergents are used to remove dirt and oil, moisturizers keep skin hydrated, and humectants like glycerin attract water to the skin, making it soft. Fragrances add scent, and preservatives prevent bacteria growth [source: New Zealand Dermatological Society].
Soap is mainly used to cleanse the skin by removing dirt and bacteria, which is why it contains cleansing agents known as surfactants. Nonionic surfactants, like polyethylene glycols and acyl-polyglycoside, along with silicone surfactants, are gentle and help retain moisture in the skin [source: New Zealand Dermatological Society]. Syndets, synthetic cleaners containing chemicals like sulphur trioxide, sulphuric acid, and ethylene oxide, are also beneficial for sensitive skin. These soaps may contain moisturizers like lanolin and paraffin, which are great for dry skin [source: New Zealand Dermatological Society].
For those worried about body odor, deodorant soaps with antiseptics like triclosan and parachlorometaxylenol can help reduce bacteria [source: New Zealand Dermatological Society]. Acne-prone skin benefits from cleansers with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, which gently exfoliate and remove oil to prevent clogged pores and pimples [source: Web MD]. To combat fine lines and wrinkles, look for products with antioxidants, alpha-hydroxy acids, retinoids, or vitamin C [source: Bruno].
Choosing a cleanser with the right ingredients can enhance your skin, but using the wrong one in the wrong areas could lead to irritation. Continue reading to learn which ingredients you should avoid.
Your soaps and cleansers likely contain crushed seeds, oils from fruits, and other natural elements. These botanicals have been used for centuries to color, cleanse, scent, and protect the skin, long before they were incorporated into the soaps we use today. [source: Cosmetics Info].
Harmful Ingredients in a Cleanser
Harsh soaps have long been known to cause dry, irritated skin. Many contain powerful ingredients that can harm the skin. Knowing which ingredients to avoid can help prevent irritation.
Avoid soaps that contain anionic surfactants, which include carboxylate, sulfonate, and sulfate ions. These can severely irritate your skin [source: Skin Care Guide]. For dry or sensitive skin, steer clear of cleansers with sodium lauryl sulfate, a common ingredient that may cause dryness and flakiness [source: Bruno]. Medicated soaps designed to fight acne or body odor often include benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, or resorcinol, as well as antibacterial agents like triclocarban and triclosan. These can irritate the skin, so avoid them unless you have oily or acne-prone skin [source: Draelos].
Some soap ingredients not only lead to dry, irritated skin but can also trigger allergic reactions. Common culprits include chamomile, preservatives like quaternium-15, and fragrances [source: New Zealand Dermatological Society]. Fragrances, often found in most skincare products, are the leading cause of allergic reactions. If scented products cause irritation, opt for those labeled "fragrance free" or "without perfume" [source: American Academy of Dermatology].
For more details on how cleanser ingredients impact your skin, check out the links on the next page.
Liquid soaps usually contain sodium laureth sulfate, which produces the lather, and cocoamidopropyl betaine, which hydrates and soothes the skin. Other common ingredients include lauric acid diethenolamine and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, which help bind the soap's chemicals, as well as sodium cocoyl isethionate, a coconut oil-derived detergent [source: Draelos].
