Is glycerin soap good for skin?

What is glycerin used for in soap?

Glycerin, also called glycerine, is a humectant: an ingredient that increases the outer skin layer's ability to hold water. In cleansers, glycerin also helps with texture and appearance. Those are useful roles, but the cleansing ingredients and other additives still matter. True soap is alkaline, while skin is naturally acidic, and soap can remove the oils that help limit water loss.13

Who should choose something gentler?

If your skin is already dry, tight, flaky or easily irritated, choose a soap free cleanser formulated for sensitive skin. Harsh soaps and excessive washing can damage the skin barrier, the outer layer that keeps water in and irritants out. Choose the formula, not just the format.12

Avoid heavily fragranced or coloured soaps if you are prone to reactions. Fragrances, dyes and preservatives can cause allergic reactions. Stop using a soap that causes itching, burning or redness. Do not leave cleansing soap on your face as a moisture treatment: prolonged contact can cause irritation.4

How should you wash with it?

1. 1Wet your skin with comfortably warm water, not hot water.
2. 2Work the soap or cleanser into a lather in your hands, then massage gently onto your skin.
3. 3Rinse thoroughly without scrubbing or prolonging the massage.
4. 4Gently pat dry and apply moisturizer after washing to help retain moisture.

General cleansing guidance includes washing on waking, after exercise and at bedtime. For dry skin, reduce bathing and use a non soap cleanser rather than adding more washes. Glycerin soap is a cleanser, not a replacement for moisturizer, so the bar does not get to retire the rest of the bathroom.13

What if handwashing dries your skin?

Keep washing your hands as needed to help prevent illness. Use soap and lukewarm water for at least 20 seconds, including between fingers and around nails. Some soaps are more drying than others, so try another if yours leaves your hands dry. Leave skin slightly damp after drying, then apply hand cream or ointment, including to fingertips and nails. Fragrance free and dye free creams or ointments containing petrolatum or mineral oil tend to feel less irritating on chapped hands.5

If dryness continues despite gentler washing and moisturizing, see a dermatologist. Persistent dry skin sometimes needs prescription treatment. If eczema or another skin condition is affecting your skin barrier, treating that condition matters more than changing to a bar with glycerin on the label.25

How does glycerin soap compare with lye soap?

They are not necessarily separate categories. True soap is made by combining fats or oils with an alkali, producing glycerin and soap. Sodium hydroxide is the alkali used for solid soap; potassium hydroxide is used for liquid soap. Glycerin in a soap does not turn it into a soap free cleanser.1

Does glycerin soap expire?

Soap deteriorates during storage, but there is no single shelf life to apply to every glycerin soap. Use the expiry or storage directions for your specific product rather than assuming glycerin makes it last indefinitely.1