Soap has a poor reputation in facial skincare, and it is worth separating what is fair in that from what is outdated.
Face soap versus ordinary soap
Traditional bar soap is alkaline. Skin sits at a mildly acidic pH, and alkaline cleansing disrupts that — which is why washing your face with hand soap leaves it tight and squeaky.
Products formulated for the face use milder surfactants and are made to clean without that disruption. The bar format is not the problem; the formulation is what matters.
The practical test is the same as for any cleanser: comfortable afterwards, not tight. If your skin squeaks, it is the wrong product for you whatever the packaging says.
Who it suits
- Normal and oily skin, which tolerates a thorough cleanse well
- Anyone who prefers a solid format — less packaging, travels without leaking, lasts longer than a bottle
- Warm weather, where a light cleanse is enough
Who should be cautious
Dry and sensitive skin generally does better with a cleansing milk or a cream cleanser. If your skin is tight in winter or reacts easily, a non-foaming format is the safer choice.
Anyone using retinoids or acids, whose skin is more reactive during adjustment.
Using it
- Wet your hands and lather the bar in your palms — not directly on the face
- Lukewarm water, never hot
- Thirty seconds of gentle massage with fingertips
- Rinse thoroughly
- Pat dry and moisturise within a minute, while skin is still damp
Making the bar last
Keep it dry between uses. A bar sitting in water dissolves in weeks rather than months — a draining dish, out of the shower stream.
A note on fragrance
Rose scent is pleasant, and fragrance is also the most common cosmetic irritant. If your skin is reactive, this is a category to patch test rather than assume.
The full composition is in the Faberlic catalogue. For choosing a format, see the skincare section.