The Best Soap for Dry Skin in Winter: What to Look For

When the furnace kicks on and the air outside turns sharp, a lot of people notice their skin feels tight right after a shower. Your soap is one of the easiest things to change. We make goat milk bar soap in small batches in Wisconsin, and "what's the best soap for dry skin?" is the question we hear most at our market table from November to March. Here's how to choose one, and how to wash so your skin feels comfortable all winter.

Why skin feels drier in winter

Cold air holds less moisture, and indoor heat dries the air even more. Add long, hot showers and you get skin that feels rough and tight. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends keeping showers to five to ten minutes in warm (not hot) water, using a gentle cleanser, and running a humidifier in your bedroom at night. Your soap choice matters most in that short window in the shower, because that's when it touches all of your skin at once.

What to look for in a soap for dry skin

1. Plenty of butters and rich fats

Every soap is made from fats and oils, and the recipe decides how the bar feels. Coconut oil gives big bubbles but can feel stripping on its own. Butters and animal fats make a creamier, milder lather. Look for shea butter, cocoa butter, tallow or lard near the top of the ingredient list. Our bars are 30% shea butter, plus beef tallow and lard, sunflower oil and castor oil, with just enough coconut oil for good lather.

2. A superfat

"Superfat" means the soapmaker uses a little more oil than the lye can turn into soap, so some oil stays in the finished bar. That extra oil is a big part of why a handmade bar can leave skin feeling soft instead of squeaky. Ours is made with a 5% superfat.

3. Natural glycerin left in

Glycerin forms naturally when oils turn into soap. Glycerin draws water toward the skin, which is why it shows up in so many moisturizers. In cold-process soap like ours, all of the glycerin that forms stays in the bar.

4. Goat milk

Goat milk adds natural fats, proteins and milk sugars, which give the bar an extra-creamy lather. Many people with dry skin find goat milk soap leaves their skin feeling soft instead of tight. If you're curious about the details, read What Does Goat Milk Actually Do for Your Skin?

5. Little or no fragrance if your skin is easily bothered

Fragrance is one of the most common reasons people react to a skincare product. If your skin is both dry and sensitive, start with an unscented bar. Ours are Beauty Bare (our unscented goat milk bar, restocking soon) and Clay Facial Soap.

6. Skip daily scrubby bars

Exfoliating bars with seeds, grains or zest are fun, but in the dead of winter most dry skin does better with a smooth bar most days and exfoliation once or twice a week.

One honest note about pH

You'll see some brands say their soap "matches your skin's pH." No true soap does. Every real soap, handmade or not, is mildly alkaline, around pH 9 to 10. What makes a bar feel gentle is the recipe: the fats, the superfat, the glycerin and the goat milk. If your skin is very dry, you don't need to soap every inch every day. Wash where you need it (underarms, feet, groin), and let warm water rinse the rest.

Our soaps for dry winter skin

• Goat Milk Soap ($8, 5 oz): our classic bar in a dozen scents. Lavender, Pumpkin Pie and Cedar Saffron are cozy winter picks. Each bar lasts about 3 to 5 weeks with daily use.

• Toasted Oatmeal Goat Milk Soap ($8): the same creamy base with oatmeal, honey and almond essential oil.

• Clay Facial Soap ($8): unscented with rose kaolin clay. A good fit for dry or sensitive faces.

• Beauty Bare: our unscented goat milk bar, for anyone who wants nothing extra (restocking soon).

See every bar in our goat milk soap collection, or shop our full skincare for dry skin collection.

A simple winter shower routine

1. Keep it short and warm. Five to ten minutes, with warm water instead of hot.

2. Lather with your hands or a net sponge. An African net sponge builds a rich lather from very little soap. Use it gently in winter.

3. Pat, don't rub. Blot with a towel and leave your skin a little damp.

4. Moisturize right away. Dermatologists recommend putting moisturizer on while skin is still damp. Try Whipped Tallow for very dry areas, Dream Cream for all over, or Body Oil on wet skin. Here's how to time body oil after a shower.

5. Don't forget your hands. Keep a Solid Lotion Bar by the sink and Cuticle Oil by the bed.

6. Let your bar dry out. A draining soap tray keeps your bar firm so it lasts longer.

Want it all in one bag? The Winter Skin Rescue Gift Set ($54, a $70 value) has Whipped Tallow, a Goat Milk Soap, Magnesium Oil, Cuticle Oil and a Lip Balm.

Common questions

Is goat milk soap good for dry skin?

For many people, yes. A well-made goat milk bar with plenty of butters and a superfat gives a creamy lather that leaves skin feeling soft. Results vary person to person, so give a new bar a week or two.

Is bar soap or body wash better for dry skin?

It depends on the formula more than the format. Many body washes are detergent-based. A handmade bar with butters, glycerin and a superfat is a good option for dry skin. Read more in Body Wash vs Soap.

Can I use the same bar on my face?

Many people do. If your face is dry or sensitive, an unscented bar like Clay Facial Soap is a gentle place to start.

How do I make a bar of soap last longer?

Keep it out of the shower stream on a draining tray and let it dry between uses. More tips are in our Bar Soap Guide.

For more ways to keep skin comfortable through a Wisconsin winter, read 7 Tips for Keeping Your Skin Hydrated During Cold Weather.

This post is general information, not medical advice. If dry skin cracks, bleeds or doesn't get better with gentle care, see a dermatologist. Patch-test any new product first.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin.