Best Soap for Your Skin: A Central PA Mom's Guide to Choosing Natural Soap

 Posted on December 16, 2023  (Last modified on October 26, 2025)  |  11 minutes  |  2154 words  |  Momma Bears Creations, Enola PA

“Which Soap Should I Use?” - The Question We Get at Every Craft Show

Hey friends! Stacie here (Momma Bear). You know what question we hear most at craft shows and at our Carlisle Creative Vibes booth?

“Which soap is best for my skin type?”

Usually followed by: “I have dry skin… I think? Or maybe sensitive? Actually, my T-zone gets oily but my cheeks are dry. What do I even have?!”

I totally get it. The skincare world makes this way more confusing than it needs to be. Walk into any big-box store and you’re bombarded with a hundred different options, all claiming to be “perfect for your unique skin.”

So let me simplify this for you, the way I explain it when you visit us in person. No scientific jargon, no marketing hype—just honest guidance from someone who’s been making soap by hand in Enola, PA for years and has talked to hundreds of Central PA families about their skin.

First: Let’s Figure Out Your Skin Type (For Real)

Forget complicated quizzes. Here’s the simple way to know your skin type:

The Morning Test

  1. Wash your face before bed with plain water (no products)
  2. Go to sleep
  3. When you wake up, before you do anything, look at your face and touch it

What you’ll notice:

  • Normal Skin: Feels comfortable. Not tight, not oily. Looks balanced. Lucky you!
  • Dry Skin: Feels tight, maybe a little rough. Might look flaky, especially around your nose or cheeks. (Very common in Central PA winters!)
  • Oily Skin: Looks shiny, especially on your forehead, nose, and chin. Feels greasy to the touch.
  • Combination Skin: Oily T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) but dry or normal cheeks. Super common!
  • Sensitive Skin: Gets red easily, might sting or burn with certain products, prone to irritation. This can happen with any of the above types.

Still not sure? That’s okay! Many people’s skin changes with seasons (hello, Pennsylvania weather!), stress, hormones, or age. Your skin type isn’t set in stone.

What Your Skin Type Actually Needs (The Real Talk)

Now that you know your type, let’s talk about what your skin actually needs. Not what marketing tells you—what your skin is asking for.

Dry Skin: “Give Me Moisture!”

What’s happening: Your skin doesn’t produce enough natural oils (sebum), so it feels tight, rough, and sometimes flaky.

What makes it worse: Harsh soaps that strip away what little oil you have, hot water, Central PA’s brutal winter air, indoor heating.

What you need: Soap that doesn’t strip your natural oils and actually adds moisture back.

Look for these ingredients:

  • Shea Butter - Deep, lasting hydration
  • Cocoa Butter - Locks in moisture
  • Olive Oil - Gentle, nourishing, won’t strip your skin
  • Coconut Oil - Hydrating (in moderation—too much can be drying!)
  • Natural Glycerin - The secret weapon (more on this below!)

Avoid: “Antibacterial” soaps, anything that says “deep cleansing,” heavily fragranced soaps

Our recommendation: Look for soaps labeled “moisturizing” or “gentle.” Our Honey Donkey and Lavender soaps are favorites among our Enola neighbors with dry skin.

Oily Skin: “Help Me Balance!”

What’s happening: Your skin produces extra oil (sebum), which can make your face look shiny and can lead to clogged pores and breakouts.

What makes it worse: Harsh soaps that strip ALL the oil—your skin panics and produces even MORE oil to compensate. It’s a vicious cycle.

What you need: Soap that gently cleanses excess oil WITHOUT stripping your skin bare. Balance is key.

Look for these ingredients:

  • Tea Tree Oil - Traditionally used in natural skincare, helps control oil
  • Activated Charcoal - Draws out impurities without over-drying
  • Clay (Kaolin or Bentonite) - Absorbs excess oil gently
  • Jojoba Oil - Mimics your skin’s natural sebum, helps balance production
  • Lemongrass - Clarifying and balancing

Avoid: Super harsh “deep cleansing” soaps, anything with sulfates that make your skin feel “squeaky clean” (that tight feeling is damage, not cleanliness!)

Our recommendation: Try facial bars with charcoal. Our Lovespell Charcoal facial bar is popular with our customers who have oily or acne-prone skin.

Combination Skin: “I Need Two Things at Once!”

What’s happening: Your T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) produces more oil than your cheeks. It’s the most common skin type!

What makes it worse: Using products meant for only oily OR only dry skin. You need both.

What you need: A balanced soap that cleans without stripping—gentle enough for dry areas, effective enough for oily areas.

Look for these ingredients:

  • Natural Glycerin - Balances moisture without adding oil
  • Jojoba Oil - Balances oil production
  • Shea Butter - Gentle moisture that won’t clog pores
  • Lemongrass or Peppermint - Clarifying but not harsh

Avoid: Extremes—nothing too stripping, nothing too heavy

Our recommendation: Most of our soaps work beautifully for combination skin! Try our Rosemary Mint Shampoo bar or honeysuckle—they balance without going overboard in either direction.

Sensitive Skin: “Please Be Gentle!”

What’s happening: Your skin reacts easily to irritants—redness, stinging, itching, or rashes. This can happen with any other skin type (dry + sensitive, oily + sensitive, etc.).

What makes it worse: Synthetic fragrances, harsh chemicals, artificial dyes, sulfates, parabens.

What you need: Minimal, natural ingredients. Simplicity is your friend.

Look for these ingredients:

  • Oatmeal - Naturally soothing and gentle on skin
  • Goat Milk - Gentle, naturally moisturizing, less likely to irritate
  • Shea Butter - Mild and nourishing
  • Chamomile - Calming and gentle
  • Calendula - Gentle and traditionally used in sensitive skin care

Avoid: Synthetic fragrances (this is the #1 irritant!), artificial colors, harsh exfoliants, “antibacterial” additives

Our recommendation: Try unscented or lightly scented soaps first. Our Honey Donkey (unscented) and Lavender are customer favorites for sensitive skin—the ingredients are gentle and minimal.

Pro tip: Always patch test! Put a little soap on your inner wrist or behind your ear first to see how your skin reacts before using it all over.

Normal Skin: “I Just Want to Stay This Way!”

What’s happening: Your skin is balanced—not too oily, not too dry. Congratulations!

What makes it worse: Getting complacent and using harsh products just because your skin “can handle it”

What you need: Gentle maintenance. Don’t mess with a good thing.

Look for: Honestly, most natural soaps will work beautifully for you! Follow your nose and choose scents you love.

Avoid: Anything harsh or full of chemicals (why risk it?)

Our recommendation: Try different scents and see what you enjoy! Our Rosemary Mint Shampoo bar, honeysuckle, or Beach Bum bars are refreshing and gentle.

The Magic of Natural Glycerin (Why It Matters)

Here’s something most people don’t know: When soap is made the traditional way (called “cold process”), it naturally creates glycerin as a byproduct.

Glycerin is amazing. It’s a humectant, which means it draws moisture from the air into your skin. It’s like a little moisture magnet.

Here’s the catch: Commercial soap companies often REMOVE the glycerin from their soap to sell separately (it’s worth more on its own!). That’s why drugstore “soap” leaves your skin feeling tight and dry.

When you buy handcrafted soap from small makers like us, all that natural glycerin stays in the soap. That’s why our customers tell us, “I don’t even need lotion after using your soap!”

We don’t remove anything. Every bar we make keeps 100% of the natural glycerin created during the soapmaking process. That’s the handmade difference.

What About Facial Soap vs. Body Soap?

Great question! Here’s the simple rule:

Your face skin is more delicate than your body skin. It’s thinner, more sensitive, and has more oil glands.

Can you use body soap on your face? Technically yes, but we don’t recommend it. Body soaps are often more cleansing (read: harsher) than your face needs.

Can you use facial soap on your body? Absolutely! Facial soaps are gentle enough for your face, so they’re definitely gentle enough for your body. Just might be more expensive to use that way!

Our advice: If you’re using natural, handmade soap that’s gentle and moisturizing, you can often use the same bar for both. Many of our customers do! But if you have specific facial concerns (acne, extra sensitivity), consider a dedicated facial bar.

“But What About All Those Fancy Soap Types?” (The Confusing Labels)

You might see labels like “syndet bar,” “superfatted soap,” “glycerin soap,” etc. Let me break this down simply:

  • True Soap (Cold Process or Hot Process): Made from oils + lye through saponification. Natural glycerin stays in. This is what we make at Momma Bears Creations.

  • Syndet Bars (Synthetic Detergent): Not technically soap—made from synthetic surfactants. Common in drugstores. Often harsh.

  • Superfatted Soap: True soap with extra oils added beyond what reacts with the lye. Leaves your skin extra moisturized. Many artisan soapmakers (including us!) do this.

  • Glycerin Soap (Melt & Pour): Soap with extra glycerin added. Often transparent. Can be nice, but not as long-lasting as cold process.

Our recommendation: Stick with cold process, handmade soap from makers who care about their craft. That’s where you’ll find the best ingredients, the natural glycerin, and real attention to quality.

Real Talk: What About Skin Conditions?

If you have eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or other skin conditions, choosing the right soap matters even more.

Here’s our advice:

  1. Consult your dermatologist first - Always get professional guidance for medical skin conditions
  2. Look for minimal ingredients - Fewer ingredients = fewer potential irritants
  3. Avoid fragrances - Even natural essential oils can irritate some conditions
  4. Choose gentle oils - Oatmeal, goat milk, shea butter are your friends
  5. Patch test everything - Even “safe” ingredients can trigger reactions

We have many customers with eczema and psoriasis who love our Honey Donkey soap, but everyone’s skin is different. If you have a diagnosed condition, work with your doctor.

The Central PA Factor: Seasonal Skin Changes

Living in Central PA (Enola, Carlisle, Harrisburg area), you know our weather is ALL over the place:

  • Winter: Brutal cold, dry indoor heating = skin gets super dry
  • Spring: Allergies, pollen, weather swings = skin gets sensitive
  • Summer: Humidity, sweat = oilier skin, more breakouts
  • Fall: Transition period = confusion!

Here’s the secret: Your skin type might change with the seasons.

You might have normal/combination skin in summer but dry skin in winter. That’s NORMAL!

Our advice: Have two different soaps on hand—one for drier months, one for when your skin produces more oil. We see a lot of customers stock up on our Lavender or Honey Donkey in fall for winter dryness and switch to Rosemary Mint Shampoo bar or Lovespell Charcoal facial bar in summer.

How to Choose Soap at Our Carlisle Creative Vibes Booth (What We Tell Customers)

When you visit us in person at Carlisle Creative Vibes (152 N Hanover St, Carlisle, PA), here’s exactly what we ask:

  1. “How does your skin usually feel after you shower?”

    • Tight/dry → moisturizing soap
    • Comfortable → balanced soap
    • Oily/greasy → clarifying soap

  2. “Do you have any sensitivities or allergies?”

    • Yes → unscented or lightly scented options
    • No → full range of scents available!

  3. “What scents do you enjoy?”

    • This matters! You should LOVE the soap you use every day

  4. “Is this for your face, body, or both?”

    • Helps us recommend the right gentleness level

Can’t visit in person? Shop our full range online at Carlisle Creative Vibes - product descriptions include skin type recommendations!

The Bottom Line: Listen to Your Skin

Here’s what I’ve learned from years of making soap and talking to hundreds of customers:

Your skin will tell you what it needs. If a soap makes your skin feel tight, itchy, or irritated, stop using it—even if it’s “supposed” to be good for your skin type.

Natural ingredients matter. The fewer mystery chemicals you put on your skin, the happier it’ll be.

Handmade beats mass-produced. When someone (like us!) makes soap in small batches by hand, they care about quality in a way factories never will.

You deserve soap that makes you feel good. Not just clean—GOOD. Soft, comfortable, happy skin. That’s our goal with every bar we make here in Enola.

Still Not Sure? We’re Here to Help!

Choosing the right soap doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’re real people who genuinely want to help you find what works for your skin.

Here’s how to reach us:

We’re not here to sell you something you don’t need. We’re here to help you find soap that makes your skin happy. That’s the Momma Bears promise.

— Stacie, Maddi & Scott (Momma Bears Creations, Enola, PA)

P.S. - Come visit us at East Pennsboro Pumpkinfest this fall! It’s our favorite event, and you can try our soaps in person. Plus, we love meeting our Central PA neighbors face-to-face.

skin type  natural soap  sensitive skin  dry skin  oily skin  Enola PA  soap selection  family skincare  handmade soap 

See also

Find Momma Bears Creations Locally:

Carlisle Creative Vibes
152 N Hanover St, Carlisle, PA 17013

Momma Bears Creations | Enola, PA