The Cleansing Face Bar: why a soap free bar feels different

Say “face bar” to most people and they picture a bar of soap, and the tight, squeaky feeling that comes after it. For years that put people off solid cleansers altogether, and I understand why.

But a bar is only a shape. What matters is what it is made from. When I was formulating my skincare range, I wanted a solid cleanser that felt nothing like soap: creamy to use, gentle on the face and comfortable afterwards. That is the Cleansing Face Bar.

Soap and soap free: what is the difference?

This is something I spent a lot of time on during my diploma in organic skincare formulation, and it is worth understanding before you choose any cleanser.

Traditional soap is made by reacting oils and butters with a strong alkali. The result cleans well, but it has a high pH, much higher than the natural pH of your skin’s surface. That difference is a big part of why soap can leave the face feeling tight and dry.

A soap free bar is made differently. Instead of soap, it uses a mild cleanser that is already made, which is then blended with butters and oils into a solid bar. There is no reaction with alkali, so the bar does not have soap’s high pH. It cleans, but it feels much gentler.

What it is and who it is for

The Cleansing Face Bar is a 75g soap free face cleanser with a soft lavender scent. It gives a light, creamy lather in your hands.

It is for you if:

• you double cleanse, as the second step after the Cleansing Face Balm
• you want a simple morning wash that leaves your face feeling fresh and comfortable
• soap has left your skin feeling tight in the past
• you would like a face cleanser without a plastic bottle

What is inside, and why I chose it

Sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI). The cleanser, made from plant fatty acids. It is one of the mildest cleansers I work with, and it gives a soft, creamy lather rather than a big, bubbly foam.

Cocoa butter. A rich plant butter that gives the bar its body and leaves skin feeling soft after rinsing.

Caprylic/capric triglyceride. A light, silky oil, often called fractionated coconut oil. Together with cocoa butter, it helps stop the skin feeling dry after washing.

Glyceryl stearate and PEG-100 stearate. An emulsifier that helps the butters and oils blend with water as you lather, so the bar feels creamy and rinses cleanly. As in the Cleansing Face Balm, it is partly synthetic, and I chose it because it does this job well.

Arrowroot powder. A fine plant powder that gives the lather a smooth, silky feel and helps absorb excess oil.

Cetyl alcohol and stearic acid. These give the bar its firm, creamy texture. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, not a drying one.

Lavender essential oil. Gives the bar its soft, calming scent. Lavender naturally contains linalool, which is listed on the label so anyone sensitive to it can check.

Vitamin E and a preservative. Vitamin E protects the butters and oils from going off, and a gentle preservative system (phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin) keeps the bar safe, as it gets wet every time you use it.

What makes it different

As a formulator, the balance in this bar is what I am most pleased with. A large part of it is butter and oil, not cleanser. That is unusual for a cleansing bar, and it is deliberate. The cleanser does its job, and the butter and oil around it keep the wash comfortable.

So you get a cleanser that feels creamy in your hands and leaves your face feeling clean and soft rather than stripped.

How to use it

1. Wet your hands and the bar, and rub the bar between your palms to make a lather.
2. Put the bar down and massage the lather onto damp skin in gentle circles.
3. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat your face dry with a clean towel.
4. Follow with Golden Face Oil, Night Face Serum or your usual moisturiser.

In the evening, use it after the Cleansing Face Balm. In the morning, it is usually enough on its own.

Keep the lather away from your eyes. To remove eye makeup, use the Cleansing Face Balm first.

My tip: lather the bar in your hands, never rub it straight onto your face. Your hands make a softer, more even lather, and it is far gentler on the skin than dragging a bar across it. Keep a bar just for your face, separate from the one you use in the shower, and let it dry between uses so it stays firm and lasts longer.

Why it pairs with the Cleansing Face Balm

The balm is oil based, so it lifts makeup, sunscreen and oil. The face bar then cleans the skin itself and removes anything the balm has left behind. Two gentle steps clean better than one harsh one, and your skin is left feeling comfortable rather than tight.

What it is free from, and why

This bar contains no soap, no SLS or SLES and no silicones.

Soap is not dangerous, but its high pH can leave the face feeling tight, so I chose a mild cleanser instead. SLS and SLES are not harmful either, but I prefer milder cleansers for skin that is washed twice a day.

Looking after your bar

Keep it on a draining soap dish, out of standing water, and let it dry fully between uses. A dry bar lasts much longer.

Try it

If soap has always left your face feeling tight, or you want a simple second step for your evening routine, try the Cleansing Face Bar. Pair it with the Cleansing Face Balm for a gentle double cleanse.

You will find the full ingredients list on the Cleansing Face Bar product page. If you have any questions about using it, send me a message.

Eliz, organic skincare formulator and founder of ECBEAUTYLAB