Welcome to 2022, the year of the cleansing bar. Recently, we have seen skincare take on a solid form, with more and more cosmetics lovers moving away from liquid and gel cleansers. Longtime trend-followers may already have one of these in their collections, as they were popularized by the 2021 “Soap Brows” Tik Tok trend, which swept the internet and brought a natural, yet elevated brow look into fashion.
Although liquid and bar cleansers serve the same purpose, each option has its own list of pros and cons.
To Bar or Not to Bar
The most celebrated quality of bar cleansers is their reduced environmental influence. Because they usually have much less packaging than their liquid counterparts, they serve as a more sustainable alternative to skincare. What’s more, bars prove to be much more effective in exfoliating the skin than liquids and oils, renewing your complexion and removing more debris.
However, solid skincare certainly has its downsides as well. Because the product is unpackaged, you will need to store it in a way that keeps it clean and sanitary. Furthermore, cosmetics fans who opt for the bar option must be especially careful not to be too abrasive as they go about their routines, as being too rough can be harmful to the skin.
A Classic Approach to Cleansing
Although facial cleansing bars have stepped into the spotlight this season, gel and oil cleansers remain timeless and will always be a worthy addition to any skincare kit. These solutions are especially useful for makeup-lovers, as oils are much more effective in reaching into the pores and providing a deep and thorough clean. Additionally, they are a better choice for fighting acne and other skin concerns.
On the other hand, liquid cleansers are known to be more moisture stripping than their bar-shaped counterparts, so pairing them with a powerful moisturizer is a must. They also tend to be more expensive than their competition and may underperform when it comes to physical exfoliation.
Your Skin, Your Way
Although viral trends are effective in informing our material desires and purchasing decisions, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of a product before committing your hard-earned spending money to it is crucial.
While the fashionable bar cleanser is more sustainable, it is more difficult to keep clean. Likewise, though the timeless gel cleanser is more penetrating, its exfoliating properties are not as thorough.
Especially when it comes to products that do not suit the needs of every consumer, it is often most wise to overlook popularity and view items for their utility alone.
Do you use a bar cleanser? Let us know by tweeting us @VALLEYmag.
