Soap is a pretty paradoxical thing. True soap derives from fats and oils, which in their pure state make skin greasy, but after processing become a tool that combats grease. Common milky soaps seem to retain no oily basis; being transparent, glycerin bar soap still appears fatty—but it remains good for your skin.
All soap production mixes oil, alkali, and water, and this always creates two compounds: “soap” (in its popular white form) and glycerin. They both clean the body, but they’re distinguished because most producers separate them entirely. Glycerin is extremely valuable in other products, so it’s sold off, since the milky “soap” still cleans like it’s supposed to. Most consumers never get to experience glycerin when they buy soap from the Hygiene and Facial Care aisle of the market, but they’re missing out on a more complete sensation of clean.
Because glycerin bar soaps contain more of the oily essence than the more alkali-rich white soaps, they act as moisturizers as they clean grime from the skin. The usual removal of oils tends to cause dryness, but glycerin avoids that and aptly cleans even the most sensitive of skin. Additionally, with its fatty compounds still more intact, the basis of the ingredients remains more natural than common soap. Anyone who studies production methods knows that natural is often synonymous with healthy—and it’s true as ever with soap. With earth-derived oils not chemicals to cleanse and moisturize the skin, more consumers should look for glycerin soap whenever they make a purchase.
