Bad Ingredients in Soap to Steer Clear Of

Soap sounds simple. Once you start digging in, though, you realize it’s anything but. It’s not just a matter of cleansing your skin - the soap you use needs to get you clean without stripping the natural oils from your skin and leaving you high and dry - emphasis on dry.

Unfortunately, soap rarely serves its true purpose of cleansing, nourishing, hydrating, and repairing. That’s because the vast majority of soapmakers cut corners. There are bad ingredients in soap you need to look out for and avoid like the plague (not to be dramatic).

Fortunately, you can take a deep breath and relax. We’ve put together this list of bad soap ingredients so you can feel like a pro scanning a label and knowing instantly whether the soap is worth adding to your grooming ritual or not. Here’s what you need to steer clear of:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
• Synthetic Fragrances  
• Parabens
• Triclosan
• Triclosan
• Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
• Artificial Colorants
• Tetrasodium EDTA
• PEGs

The tricky part, as you’ll soon realize, is this definitely doesn’t leave you with too many options to choose from. The good news is your search for high-quality soap free from nasties ends here at Oshun. Our goat milk soap is the #1 choice - learn why today! 

Are There Any Harmful Ingredients in Soap?

The short answer is yes, unfortunately. A lot of what lathers, smells nice, sits pretty on the drugstore shelf, and saves money comes with ingredients your skin would politely decline if it had a say.

Mass-produced soaps are loaded with fillers, preservatives, and synthetic chemicals that do more harm than good - especially considering you (hopefully) use the soap daily. 

These don’t cleanse your skin gently, or provide any hydrating benefits. They make the bar of soap last longer, feel slicker, or smell like fake cucumber - or whatever fragrance the brand has chosen to use. So what ingredients in soap are bad for your skin and should be avoided?

What Ingredients in Soap Are Bad For Your Skin?

There are quite a few red flags you need to be vigilant for when shopping for soap. We could go on and on, but let’s break down the most common bad ingredients in soap:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

These two are the bubbly overachievers of the soap world. They're used as surfactants to create that foamy lather people equate with “cleansing.” The truth is, though, these aren’t just good at cutting through grease. They also strip your skin’s natural oils away.

This is why you might feel dry, irritated, or “tight” after using soaps containing these ingredients. The effects are pronounced on sensitive or eczema-prone skin. 

SLES is sometimes used as the gentler cousin of SLS, but at the end of the day it’s still a synthetic detergent, and your skin doesn’t really care about family lineage. It just knows these are bad soap ingredients from an irritation perspective. 

Synthetic Fragrances (Listed as “Fragrance” or “Parfum”)

This is the “black box” of soap labels. The problem is fragrance can legally mean any mixture of dozens (or hundreds) of chemicals, and companies don’t have to tell you what’s in it. 

This is a bit of a guessing game, and ultimately the only way to stay safe from these bad ingredients in soap is to avoid anything listed as fragrance or parfum. 

If you’ve ever used a soap that gave you a rash, a headache, or that weird tight-skin feeling, it was probably the fragrance causing you grief. These undisclosed blends often include bad soap ingredients we’ll get to below, like phthalates, allergens, and skin irritants - all in the name of smelling like “Ocean Breeze” or “Morning Dew.”

Parabens (Methylparaben, Propylparaben, etc.)

Parabens are preservatives, plain and simple. They keep mold and bacteria out of your soap - which sounds good, until you realize they’re also known endocrine disruptors. They’ve been found in breast tissue samples and are suspected of mimicking estrogen in the body. 

While the FDA hasn’t banned them outright, the growing “paraben-free” movement didn’t come out of nowhere. For what it’s worth, the FDA was in part responsible for the opioid crisis, so it’s time to start taking your health and wellbeing into your own hands anywho.

Triclosan

This was the star ingredient in antibacterial soaps until it got flagged for, well, a lot of issues. Triclosan has been linked to hormonal disruption, antibiotic resistance, and environmental toxicity. Need we go on?

It’s already been banned in hand soaps in the U.S., but it still pops up in other personal care products, including some bar soaps. So unless you’re performing surgery in your shower, it’s probably one of the bad ingredients in soap you could do without. 

Phthalates

We mentioned phthalates were a problem already because they’re commonly used in fragrance blends, but what’s the big deal? These bad soap ingredients are used to make scent last longer and stick to the skin. 

We’re all for smelling good, you need to ask yourself - at what cost? Phthalates are linked to hormonal imbalances and reproductive issues.

Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives (DMDM Hydantoin, Quaternium-15, etc.)

Formaldehyde is quietly hiding in mainstream soaps under names like DMDM hydantoin and quaternium-15. These preservatives are used in funeral homes to stop bodies from decaying - why are they in your soap?

The goal is to minimize microbial growth on the bar of soap. Just like with parabens, though, these bad soap ingredients are known skin irritants and probable carcinogens. Any soap that comes with a disclaimer doesn’t have a place in your grooming regimen.

Artificial Colorants (FD&C or D&C Dyes)

That bright blue bar probably wasn’t colored with blueberries. Brands use FD&C and D&C dyes to make their soap pretty and aesthetic, but these petroleum-derived colorants serve zero purpose aside from looks. 

Just like with human beauty, it’s ultimately on the inside that counts - not how it looks. Some of these colorants are known to cause skin irritation or allergic reactions, especially for those with sensitive skin. 

Don’t worry, instagram-worthy soap is just a few clicks away at Oshun. If you want to set the vibes in your bathroom, just get the best goat milk soap.

Tetrasodium EDTA

EDTA is a chelating agent used to keep soap from reacting with minerals in hard water. That’s helpful, sure. But is it worth it if this ingredient disrupts your skin’s protective barrier and increases the penetration of other, potentially harmful chemicals? We think not.

This ingredient is not biodegradable either, which makes it bad news for waterways once it rinses down your drain.

PEGs (Polyethylene Glycol Compounds)

Last and perhaps least on our list of bad soap ingredients, we have PEGs - which help soap feel silky and smooth. Unfortunately, they come with contamination risks from 1,4-dioxane, a chemical that’s been linked to cancer.

PEGs themselves aren’t problematic, it’s how they’re processed. But since manufacturers aren’t required to test for or disclose contamination levels, you’re basically rolling the dice every time you lather up with a PEG-heavy bar.

Don’t Stress About Bad Soap Ingredients Anymore: Spoil Your Skin With Oshun!

Navigating the soap aisle shouldn’t feel like a chemistry quiz, but with how many bad ingredients in soap you have to watch out for, that’s the unfortunate reality. The good news is your search for something that works well without any bad soap ingredients ends here.

Oshun has ditched the problematic, unpronounceable inputs in favor of the finest natural ingredients for anti aging and cleansing. That includes:

• Nubian Goat Milk: The star of the show sourced from the Philippines. This creamy base is rich in vitamins and minerals, providing gentle exfoliation and deep hydration.
• Shea Butter: Hailing from Ghana, our shea butter offers intense moisturization while forming a protective barrier on the skin that locks in softness.
• Virgin Coconut Oil: Also from the Philippines, this oil purifies and refreshes, leaving your skin feeling invigorated
• Himalayan Salt: Imported from India and included to remove toxins while infusing essential minerals that illuminate your skin's natural glow.
• Pearl Powder: This Indian treasure brightens and smooths skin texture, restoring balance and radiance.
• Kaolin Clay: Sourced from India to clarify and restore skin balance, gently drawing out impurities.
• Manuka Honey: From New Zealand, this ingredient locks in moisture and offers natural antibacterial properties.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Another Indian ingredient utilized for deep moisturizing and skin strengthening.

That means you don’t have to stress about disadvantages of goat milk soap for skin. Just cleansing, nourishing, hydrating, and restoring properties. Everything your skin wants and then some. 

Each bar is a testament to our commitment to quality and sustainability. We meticulously source our ingredients globally with ethics always kept top of mind. Say goodbye to harsh chemicals and hello to a soap that understands your skin's needs. Indulge in nature’s finest today!

Final Words on Bad Ingredients in Soap

Your skin is your largest organ, which means you can’t take the soap you use lightly. Every time you wash up you’re letting the ingredients in soap seep into your skin, which can be a good or bad thing depending on what you use.

These bad soap ingredients can strip, irritate, or linger in ways that don’t do you any favors. Knowing what to avoid - like sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and other chemical fillers - is the first step toward treating your skin with actual respect.

The second step? Spoiling your skin with something that doesn’t contain any bad ingredients in soap, like our formulation at Oshun. Once you see the goat milk soap before and after results on your own skin, you’ll wish you’d found it and started using it sooner. 

So whether you’re on the hunt for the best soap for aging skin or the best moisturizing bar soap, look no further. Ditch the drama and go natural with Oshun today!