What’s Actually in Your Soap? A Quick Guide to Reading Labels
Let’s be honest — most of us grew up using whatever soap was in the shower.Â
Blue gel? Lets do it. Foaming body wash? Heck yeah. Neon bar soap that smells like candy? Yep, we’ve all been there.
But here’s the thing: conventional soaps are often full of harsh surfactants, artificial dyes, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals that strip your skin of its natural oils and throw your system out of balance.
The good news? Once you know what to look for (and what to avoid), making better choices becomes second nature.
What to Avoid in Conventional Soaps
You don’t need a chemistry degree to spot trouble on a label. Just keep an eye out for these common culprits:
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Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) / SLES – Strips your skin and disrupts the barrier
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Fragrance / Parfum – Often contains hidden phthalates and hormone disruptors
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Parabens – Linked to hormone disruption (they hide under names like methylparaben)
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Phthalates – Common in synthetic scents; tied to reproductive issues
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Triclosan – Banned in many places, but still sneaks into antibacterial soaps
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Artificial Dyes (FD&C colors) – Petroleum-derived and irritating to sensitive skin
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Formaldehyde Releasers (e.g. DMDM Hydantoin) – Yep, formaldehyde… in your body washÂ
What to Look For Instead
Real soap should nourish your skin, not wage war on it. Look for:
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Saponified oils like olive, coconut, or shea
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Essential oils for gentle, plant-based fragrance
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Herbal extracts like calendula, chamomile, or rosemary
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Natural clays for detox support without stripping
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Colloidal oats or goat milk to calm and soothe sensitive skin
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Vitamin E and rosemary extract as natural preservatives
The Main Takeaway
Bottom Line? if you can’t pronounce it or you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, maybe don’t put it on your skin either.Â
Our bodies absorb what we put on them—so let’s choose wisely.
👉 Ready to make the switch? Explore our non-toxic, skin-loving soap bars made with ingredients you can trust (and pronounce).
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