How to Choose the Right Soap for Your Skin Type (Without the BS)

The soap aisle is full of hype.
“Moisturizing.” “Dermatologist-tested.” “For all skin types.”
Most of it is vague, meaningless, and designed to move product — not actually help your skin.

At Stench Soap Co., we believe in transparency over marketing and function over fluff. So if you’re trying to figure out which soap actually works for your skin — here’s a no-BS guide.

Step 1: Know Your Skin Type

Most people fall into one of four categories:

  • Dry skin – Feels tight, flaky, or rough

  • Oily skin – Shiny, greasy, often acne-prone

  • Sensitive skin – Reacts easily, gets red or itchy

  • Combination skin – Oily in some spots, dry in others

Once you know your skin, picking the right soap becomes a lot easier — if you know what to avoid.

Step 2: Ditch the Ingredients That Wreck Skin

No matter your skin type, avoid these if you want to stay balanced:

  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – Strips skin, causes dryness

  • Synthetic fragrance – Linked to irritation, breakouts, and hormone disruption

  • Detergent-based cleansers – Too harsh, especially on dry or sensitive skin

These ingredients are cheap to produce, but your skin pays the price.

Step 3: Look for the Right Stuff

Here’s what you do want in your soap:

  • Natural oils like olive, coconut, and shea for hydration

  • Essential oils for natural scent and therapeutic benefits

  • Clays, salts, or exfoliants to detox and refresh (when needed)

And now — let’s break it down by skin type.

If You Have Dry Skin:

Look for: Gentle, moisturizing soaps with high-fat oils and no harsh exfoliants.

Best ingredients: Olive oil, shea butter, aloe, kaolin clay, lavender

Avoid: Strong exfoliants, citrus oils, synthetic fragrance

Your match:

Prairie Fresh — Made with olive oil, shea butter, aloe, and essential oils that soothe without stripping.

If You Have Oily or Acne-Prone Skin:

Look for: Detoxifying ingredients and clarifying essential oils.

Best ingredients: Charcoal, sea salt, tea tree, peppermint, lemongrass, eucalyptus

Avoid: Oily moisturizers like cocoa butter, artificial dyes, heavy fragrance

Your match:

Dumpster Dive Delight — Packed with coffee grounds, charcoal, spirulina, and a spicy citrus kick that clears out grime.

If You Have Sensitive Skin:

Look for: Unscented or lightly scented bars with soothing ingredients and no synthetic anything.

Best ingredients: Shea butter, oatmeal, kaolin clay, lavender, chamomile

Avoid: Fragrance, micas, detergents, exfoliants

Your match:

Prairie Fresh — Gentle essential oils, smooth texture, and real skin-calming botanicals.

If You’re Active (or Just Get Dirty):

Look for: Exfoliating, deodorizing, and refreshing ingredients.

Best ingredients: Pumice, sea salt, peppermint, eucalyptus, clay

Avoid: Glycerin-heavy commercial bars that melt fast and don’t cut through sweat

Your match:

Wipeout Wash — Built for boardriders, hikers, and hard-earned funk. It scrubs hard and smells clean.

Final Thoughts: Don't Let a Label Decide for You

The truth is, most soap brands design for shelf appeal — not skin health.

We built Stench to make products that work in real life:

  • On dirt-covered hands

  • After mountain hikes

  • On sensitive skin that can’t take fake additives

So next time you’re staring at a hundred options on a shelf — flip the label, skip the fragrance, and choose something that’s made with skin in mind.

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