Face wash vs hand wash

What is the difference?

Both use surfactants, cleansing ingredients that loosen oil and dirt so water can carry them away. Traditional soap is alkaline, while synthetic detergent cleansers, also called syndets, can be formulated closer to skin's natural acidity and cause less dryness.3

Can you use hand soap to wash your face?

Choose a gentle facial cleanser instead of making hand soap your regular face wash. Traditional bar soap usually has a higher pH than facial cleansers. pH measures acidity, and adult skin is naturally slightly acidic, at about 5.5. Disrupting that balance can contribute to dryness, flaking and irritation. Labels such as mild, sensitive skin or pH balanced are useful clues when choosing a cleanser.1

For dry or sensitive facial skin, a cream cleanser is less drying than a foaming cleanser. Avoid harsh, excessively drying or fragranced formulas. If you already use acne treatments that stay on your skin, be careful about adding an acne cleanser: too much treatment can cause excessive dryness and irritation.35

An expensive cleanser can contain ingredients similar to a cheaper one, so the receipt is not a skin care credential.3

How should you wash your face?

1. 1Wet your face with lukewarm water.
2. 2Apply a gentle cleanser with your fingertips. Massage without scrubbing; washcloths and sponges can irritate facial skin.
3. 3Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel.
4. 4Apply moisturizer if your skin is dry or itchy.

Wash once in the morning and once at night, plus after heavy sweating. Most people need one thorough cleanse per wash, not two. Waterproof makeup or sunscreen can justify an additional removal step, but repeated washing can cause dryness and irritation.45

Can you use body wash as hand soap?

Yes. Body wash can help remove germs from your hands when you follow proper handwashing technique. Ordinary soap removes bacteria and viruses physically rather than killing them. Hand sanitizer is a different product and cannot replace washing when hands are visibly dirty.26

How do you use body wash with your hands?

To wash your body, wet the skin, put cleanser into your hands, add warm water and work into a lather. Massage gently, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. To clean your hands with body wash, follow the sequence below.3

1. 1Wet your hands with clean, running water.
2. 2Apply body wash and lather for at least 20 seconds. Cover your palms, wrists, backs of hands, between fingers and under nails.
3. 3Rinse until all the cleanser is gone.
4. 4Dry with a clean towel or paper towel. Germs spread more easily on wet hands.

What if washing leaves your skin irritated?

Switch away from a cleanser that leaves your skin stinging, excessively dry or irritated. Frequent handwashing can cause cracking and irritant contact dermatitis, meaning red, dry, chafed skin. Moisturizer can help protect frequently washed hands. If you have nummular eczema, use mild, fragrance free products made for dry skin and apply a fragrance free cream or ointment to damp skin after handwashing. See a dermatologist for ongoing dryness, flaking or irritation.1237