What Ingredients Should Not Be in Soap? + The Best Natural Alternatives

Let’s be honest — most of us grab a bar of soap, give it a sniff, and chuck it in the basket without a second thought. But do you really know what’s in that bar? If the ingredients list looks like it belongs in a chemistry lab, it might be time to start asking questions.

In this guide, we’re going to break down what ingredients should absolutely not be in your soap, what to look for instead, and how to choose the healthiest soap for your skin (and the planet). Plus, we’ll answer those burning questions people are Googling right now — and throw in a little cheeky humour while we’re at it.

❓Which Ingredient Should Not Be in Soap?

Ah, the rogue’s gallery of soap nasties. These are the ingredients that your skin (and conscience) will thank you for avoiding:

🚫 1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) / Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

Used to make soap lather like a bubble bath in a rom-com, SLS is a known skin irritant that strips away natural oils faster than a gossip magazine strips away celebrity privacy.

Try instead: Coconut oil-based surfactants or castile soap for gentle cleansing without the drama.

🚫 2. Parabens

Used as preservatives, parabens (look for names ending in -paraben) have been linked to hormone disruption. Your soap doesn’t need to mess with your endocrine system while you’re just trying to wash your armpits.

Try instead: Vitamin E, rosemary extract, or simply shorter shelf lives. Handmade soaps don’t need to survive a nuclear winter.

🚫 3. Phthalates

Often hidden under the mysterious label of “fragrance,” phthalates are used to make scent stick around longer — and may also hang around in your body longer than you'd like.

Try instead: Pure essential oils. They smell amazing and don’t come with a side of "potential long-term health issues."

🚫 4. Triclosan

This antibacterial chemical has been banned in several countries. It’s been found to mess with hormone levels and contribute to antibiotic resistance. All that for the promise of slightly "cleaner" hands?

Try instead: Tea tree oil or eucalyptus essential oil — nature’s answer to bacteria without the baggage.

🚫 5. Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde-releasing Agents

Yes, the stuff used to preserve dead frogs in science class. Why on earth would you want it near your living skin?

Try instead: Use soap made with natural oils and simple, honest ingredients.

🚫 6. Artificial Colours & Synthetic Fragrances

If it glows like a radioactive highlighter or smells like bubblegum chemicals, it’s probably not doing your skin any favours.

Try instead: Clays, spices, botanical infusions, and essential oils for colour and scent — straight from nature’s pantry.

❓What Is the Healthiest Soap to Use?

In a world full of flashy marketing and foamy promises, the healthiest soap is often the most humble: handmade, natural soap with a short, transparent ingredient list.

Look for:

• Cold-processed or hot-processed methods

• Oils like olive, coconut, avocado, and hemp

• Natural exfoliants like oats, poppy seeds or clays

• Essential oils rather than “fragrance”

A good rule of thumb? If you wouldn’t cook with it or grow it, maybe don’t rub it on your face.

❓What Shouldn’t Be in Bar Soap?

Bar soap has had a bit of an image problem, hasn’t it? People think it’s drying, boring, or full of lard (sometimes true). But the real problem isn’t the format — it’s what’s inside.

Avoid bar soaps with:

• Tallow or animal fats (unless you’re specifically into that sort of thing)

• Sodium tallowate

• Artificial hardeners or preservatives

• Plasticky wrapping (your skin doesn’t need it and neither does the environment)

And steer well clear of anything with a shelf life longer than your nan’s fruitcake.

❓What Ingredient in Soap Is Good for Skin?

Let’s hear it for the superstars of skin-loving soap ingredients:

🌿 Natural Oils:

• Olive Oil – gentle and moisturising

• Coconut Oil – cleansing with a nice lather

• Avocado Oil – rich in vitamins A, D & E

• Shea Butter – super nourishing for dry skin

• Hemp Seed Oil – a favourite for sensitive skin

  
  

🌸 Botanicals & Additives:

• Calendula – soothing and anti-inflammatory

• Oatmeal – calming for itchy skin

• Kaolin Clay – detoxifying yet gentle

• Aloe Vera – nature’s cool drink for your skin

Combine these with a touch of love and a palm-oil-free mindset, and you've got yourself a bar that’s not just soap — it’s self-care.

💚 Our Natural Promise

At Bare Naked Soap, we make soap the old-fashioned way: small batches, honest ingredients, and absolutely no rubbish. Every bar is:

• Palm oil free

• Cruelty free

• Plastic free

• Made with love (and maybe a little sass)

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👋 Final Thoughts

Life’s too short for bad soap. Whether you're trying to live more sustainably, have sensitive skin, or just want a bar that doesn’t smell like a synthetic strawberry milkshake, choosing natural soap is a small change that makes a big difference.

Ready to make the switch?👉 [Shop our natural soap collection here] and give your skin (and conscience) the fresh start it deserves.