Bar soap isn’t exactly the most glamourous of skincare products on the market, but there’s a reason this old-school beauty product is making a major comeback. In fact, bar face washes tend to get a bad rap because many of the gold standard formulas tend to dry out the skin, leaving it feeling uncomfortably tight and parched. But, while gel, cream, balm, and oil cleansers are all the rage at the moment, (especially if you’re an avid double-cleanser), there’s something to be said about the fuss-free efficacy of the simple bathroom staple.

Now, we’re certainly not suggesting that you should go ahead and use any old bar soap on your face—in fact, we’re advising against it—but there is a slew of benefits to opting for traditional solid cleansers. Not only do they tend to be less expensive than their liquid counterparts, but they’re also usually free of harsh and drying ingredients like sodium lauryl sulphate, and are instead infused with a blend of humectants and emollients to counteract the potential for causing dryness. So, even if you have dry and/or sensitive skin, the popular belief that cleansing bars are the enemy is actually quite the contrary, but they’re also great for acne-prone and oily skin types as well.

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