“How do Natural handcrafted soaps compare with Dove?”
Better Skin Starts with Real Soap: The Truth About Commercial Bars, such as Dove, Ivory, Dial, and More
From Dove Beauty Bar and Olay Beauty Bar to Dial Antibacterial, Irish Spring, and Cetaphil Cleansing Bar, many of these products are not “true soap.” While they are commonly found in the soap aisle, most are actually synthetic detergents—often called “syndet bars”—formulated with lab-made cleansing agents rather than traditional soap ingredients.
Even products marketed as gentle, like Cetaphil Cleansing Bars, rely heavily on synthetic ingredients to cleanse the skin without using true soap.

The Hidden Impact on Your Skin
Using synthetic cleansing bars regularly can lead to:
- Dryness and irritation due to harsh surfactants
- Disruption of the skin’s natural pH balance
- Removal of beneficial oils that protect and nourish your skin
- Increased sensitivity over time
While these bars may feel moisturizing initially, many contain fillers and silicones that create a temporary soft feel rather than delivering real nourishment.
What Is “True Soap”? Grandma’s Natural Handcrafted Soap!
True soap is made through a process called saponification, where natural fats or oils—such as olive oil, coconut oil, or goat milk—react with lye to create soap. This process results in a gentle, naturally derived cleanser that works in harmony with your skin.

Why Popular Brands Aren’t True Soap
Many well-known brands avoid calling their products “soap” for a reason:
- Dove Beauty Bar and Olay Beauty Bar use synthetic cleansers and moisturizing agents instead of traditional soap bases
- Dial Antibacterial and Irish Spring often contain detergents and chemical additives for fragrance and antibacterial claims
- Cetaphil Cleansing Bar is formulated for sensitive skin but still relies on synthetic ingredients rather than real soap
Dove soap not fragrance free
QUESTION:My wife is sensitive to many chemicals and plastics. Until recently she has tolerated Dove soap, the one that is for sensitive skin, which states "fragrance free" stated on the label. She has not tolerated the soap for the last two or three months and finally contacted Dove to complain. Dove customer service stated they now use a masking fragrance in the soap.I am writing just to inform readers, this soap is no longer suitable for anybody that needs to avoid fragrances.MarkPOSTED BY MARK :: OKLAHOMA USA :: 07/08/2007 2:13 PMThis is a side issue of the topic above - the Dove company doesn't seem to be "into" natural ingredients. I don't use this product but react terribly to being around anyone who does - "New Reformulated! Beautifully Clean Shampoo - Dove." The treacherous ingredient for me is listed on the Internet website - "Glycol Distearate," also called "ethylene glycol distearate." Ethylene glycol is antifreeze! I have an identical reaction to both antifreeze and glycol distearate. I'm wondering if others react to these chemicals as violently as I do.POSTED BY SVE :: WASHINGTON USA :: 07/23/2007 4:39 PM
Hi all,I too am so dissappointed that Dove has discountinued the Dove Unscented formula... I agree that Dove Sensitive Skin Nonscented is NOT the same as our beloved Dove unscented... I hope that Dove will reconsider its decision to discontinue our favorite bar soap (just like Old Coke did years ago)... Not sure what I will be using now but it will not be DOVE unsensitive soap which does have a fragrance smell that bothers me Now I had to change tonatural handcrafted soapPOSTED BY SFLIRT :: BAYSIDE, NY USA :: 03/17/2008 10:22 PMCategories: Beauty · Palin · bar soap · cosmeticbrazil.com · crafts · gift · google · handcrafted · healty · natural soaps · naturalhandcraftedsoap.com · obama · soap · soaps · wrinkles
Comments