“Made up of ¼ percent moisturizer.” This is Dove’s famous advertising statement for its line of soaps which many have become really curious of. Is there a reality to this claim? Or is it just another propaganda technique to lure consumers into buying Dove soaps. This claim by Dove requires a certain level of scrutiny primarily because of the ¼ moisturizer thing which makes people marvel at Dove soap ingredients.

Dove soap ingredients are not unknown to consumers since they’re listed on the soap labels. But it’s always a great concern for consumers to find out how each ingredient benefits or adversely affects them. Dove soap ingredients for “sensitive skin”, in descending order in relation to amount of substance present in a soap bar, are the following: sodium cocoyl isethionate, stearic acid, coconut acid, sodium tallowate, sodium isethionate, sodium stearate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoate, or sodium palm kernelate, sodium chloride, sweet almond oil, rosewood oil, cedarwood oil, rose oil, tetrasodium EDTA, trisodium etidronate, titanium dioxide.

There are synthetic chemicals among these Dove soap ingredients listed that are worth raising a red flag or at least some concern. Sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium isethionate, tetrasodium EDTA, as well as trisodium etidronate are the artificial Dove soap ingredients whose effects on our body has not been established from studies. .

It’s not unusual for commercial soap products to contain artificial ingredients that act as preservatives to prevent bacterial growth and, thus, to prolong a soap’s shelf-life. However, the question on whether the end justifies the means still requires some study. Trisodium etidronate is a synthetic preservative that possibly cause skin, eyes/mucus membrane irritation. Tetrasodium EDTA is a penetration enhancer that hastens the penetration of other chemicals into the bloodstream.

Sodium isethionate and sodium cocoyl isethionate are synthetic detergents used as a moisture absorber, anti-static agent, and surfactant. It makes water “wetter” and is further used as an emulsifier. Many of these synthetic ingredients are found in other products that are far different than our skin such as garage cleaners, and other harsh purposes. You sure don’t think your skin needs them, do you?

Furthermore, only a few of these ingredients were tested and proven to cause some health concerns. Dove soap ingredients as a whole is not an isolated case. If you read the back label of soap bar you can find several other synthetic ingredients that have been proven to be carcinogens but are very much a part of our daily lives when we use these products regularly.

Consumers are encouraged to compare Dove soap ingredients with other soap bars ingredients to see any difference in the substances used to make the soap and avoid those that are potentially harmful.