Enjoy a FREE INKUH loofah sponge with any purchase of $30 or more! Thank you for supporting our natural skincare products. Enjoy a FREE INKUH loofah sponge with any purchase of $30 or more! Thank you for supporting our natural skincare products.

INKUH Skin & Hair Answer Center

What soap should I use if store-bought soap irritates my skin?

Stop using the product that irritates your skin. A mild, fragrance-free cleanser may be a better next choice, but switching to handmade soap does not automatically solve the problem. Irritation can come from a particular ingredient or from the overall cleansing routine.

First, simplify

Avoid introducing several new products at once. Keep the name and ingredient list of the product you reacted to; a clinician can use that information when investigating repeated reactions.

Introduce products cautiously

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends trying a new skin-care product on a small area before wider use. Rinse wash-off products according to their directions. A home trial does not diagnose an allergy, and you should not deliberately retry something that caused a serious reaction.

When to seek help

Get medical advice for persistent, worsening, blistering, or weeping irritation. Seek urgent help for trouble breathing or swelling of the lips or tongue. Repeated reactions deserve assessment rather than a succession of new soaps.

Sources and further reading

AAD: Testing skin-care products

Explore the INKUH option

Once your skin has settled, compare full ingredient lists with your known triggers in mind. INKUH body soaps.

Related answers

Back to the INKUH Skin & Hair Answer Center

General education, not individual medical advice. For product ingredient questions, contact INKUH.