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How Do I Choose the Best Herbal Soap?

Britt Archer
Britt Archer

Choosing an herbal soap depends on what you want the soap to do or what kind of results you’d like to obtain by using it. You can select a product because you find the fragrance appealing, or because you like the idea of using a natural product on your skin rather than something concocted with harsh chemicals whose names are difficult to pronounce or that may cause a bad reaction. Among the many reasons some shoppers prefer herbal soaps is because they’re gentle on the skin, and certain formulations can help with skin problems, such as dryness or acne breakouts.

A variety of herbal soaps are available on the market for purchase, although some advocates of herbal soap prefer to make their own, buying and mixing their own essential oils and other ingredients to obtain the results they want. Basil soap, for example, is touted as a skin softener and antibacterial agent. Chamomile is said to ease rashes and detoxify and soothe the skin, much as it soothes the digestive tract. People suffering from sunburn may try a peppermint herbal soap to soothe the burn.

Basil is often added to soap to help soften the skin.
Basil is often added to soap to help soften the skin.

Other people who might benefit from choosing an herbal soap are those who suffer from allergies. Homemade or handcrafted soaps do not contain harsh chemicals, thereby preventing an allergic reaction to these ingredients. These soaps also can help an allergic person avoid aggravating perfume additives.

It’s wise to read an herbal soap’s label before purchase. Some soaps marketed as herbal soaps do not contain natural ingredients, and may contain chemicals you might want to avoid. A genuine herbal soap’s ingredient label will list the essential oils used to make it, not artificial oils, and it will also list the herbs it contains.

Essential oils are often included in natural soaps.
Essential oils are often included in natural soaps.

Making herbal soap at home is not a difficult process, and it has advantages over buying commercial soaps. The list of ingredients you can select from is large, and you can create your own mix from the list to more closely suit your purpose. Ginger and sage, for example, are similar to chamomile in producing a calming effect, while rosemary and oregano are stimulating. Tea tree oil and thyme are good cleansing agents with antiseptic properties. Before making your soap, however, it’s wise to test the ingredients and oils on a small patch of skin for 24 hours, to determine if you’re allergic to any of them.

Discussion Comments

anon954281

If you have friend or relative in Nepal, then the search for the perfect herbal soap is over. Use Ashmi Herbal's "chiuree neem" soap and other products to overcome all of your skin problems. It is blend of the rare and natural herbs found in the hilly and Himalayan region of Nepal. It worked for me and all of my friends.

ysmina

@alisha-- Those sound amazing! I use herbal bar soap too but I've never really thought about aromatherapy or healing benefits before. I use herbal soap because I'm a vegan and a lot of non-herbal soaps contain animal products in them. I've heard that some don't even list it in the ingredients list so I decided to switch to herbal soap completely. It's better to be safe than sorry.

I've tried several different ones so far and I really like lemongrass soap. I have oily skin and this soap seems good for that and it smells really good too. I've always liked citrus scents. I'm definitely going to look out for the ones you mentioned when I go to the store next.

By the way, where do you get your herbal soaps from? Mine is from an organic store and it's pretty expensive. I wouldn't mind finding a cheaper alternative.

discographer

My favorite natural herbal soaps are rose, mint and ginger soaps. I think that herbal soaps help with detoxification and if I choose the right scent for the mood I'm in, it also acts as aromatherapy.

For example, I love using mint soap in the morning because it wakes me up and I feel energized to head out to work. I use rose soap when I want to pamper myself when I'm tired or feeling upset.

Ginger soap is what I use when I'm sick. The one I have has small pieces of dry ginger in it. If I have a flu or cold, I draw a bath and bathe with my ginger soap. Ginger bath is amazing for reducing fevers, detoxification and inflammation. It's the best way to get over a cold.

I just love my herbal soaps, I don't know what I would do without them.

burcidi

I don't know if this fits the category of herbal soap, but I've been using all natural olive oil soap for years in the shower. I have very sensitive skin and react badly to anything with chemicals or perfumes in it. I have never been able to use regular bath soap for that reason.

Olive oil soap doesn't irritate my skin in any way. I buy an organic olive oil soap with pure olive oil in it. It smells really refreshing and it's really moisturizing as well.

I have also tried tea tree oil soap before but I reacted badly to that as well. I found out later that I'm allergic to tea tree oil. So herbal or not, you never know if something is going to work for you or not until you try it. Olive oil soap works for me so I'm going to stick to it.

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    • Basil is often added to soap to help soften the skin.
      By: Barbara Pheby
      Basil is often added to soap to help soften the skin.
    • Essential oils are often included in natural soaps.
      By: viperagp
      Essential oils are often included in natural soaps.
    • Some herbal soap advocates prefer to make their own from essential oils and other ingredients.
      By: Hayati Kayhan
      Some herbal soap advocates prefer to make their own from essential oils and other ingredients.