Bar Soap (Traditional and Antibacterial) — safety profile
Low riskTraditional bar soaps (sodium tallowate/sodium palmate base, pH 9-10) and synthetic detergent bars (syndet, pH 5.5-7).
What is this product?
Traditional bar soaps (sodium tallowate/sodium palmate base, pH 9-10) and synthetic detergent bars (syndet, pH 5.5-7). Traditional soap's alkaline pH disrupts skin acid mantle. FDA banned triclosan and 18 other antibacterial agents from consumer wash products in 2016 after manufacturers failed to demonstrate safety or superiority over plain soap. Fragrance is the leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis from soap.
What's in it
Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.
Surfactant
Banned Antibacterial
Preservative Trace
Who's most at risk
- Children — Developing endocrine and neurological systems, higher exposure per body weight
Red flags — when to walk away
- Product causes skin irritation, redness, or rash — Contact dermatitis or chemical sensitivity.
Green flags — what to look for
- EWG Verified or dermatologist-tested label — Meets strict ingredient safety criteria.
Safer alternatives
- Fragrance-free syndet bar — Dove Sensitive, CeraVe, Vanicream
- Fragrance-free liquid hand soap — Safer option
- Castile soap — olive oil-based, milder than tallow/palm
Frequently asked questions
Who should be careful with Bar Soap (Traditional and Antibacterial)?
Vulnerable populations identified for this product type: children.
Are there safer alternatives to Bar Soap (Traditional and Antibacterial)?
Yes — consider: Fragrance-free syndet bar; Fragrance-free liquid hand soap; Castile soap. See the Safer alternatives section above for details.
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Open in body View raw API dataReference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →