Best Baby Bath Agent – Syndet Bar or Soap

If you are confused that which baby soap to be used for the soft skin of your newly born baby, then get the idea which one is better for your infant’s skin – Syndet or Soap.

Best Baby Bath Agent – Syndet Bar or Soap
Baby Bath : Syndet Bar vs Soap

When it comes to your cute baby’s first bath, you are all the more concerned. The infant’s skin is hyper-sensitive. It is very essential that we pay attention to what is used to clean it. Besides the right way to bathe your baby, you also should select the correct bathing agent. For this, most of the new mothers get confused that which cleanser agent to select for the skin of their baby – soap or a syndet bar?

Well, we all know what is a soap but this is for sure that most of us are not familiar with syndet bar – what is it and what’s the use of it?

best baby bath soap

What is a Syndet?

As the name suggests, the term “Syndet” is a blended word derived from the term two words “synthetic” and “detergent”. Technically it is a cleansing product made by a combination of different synthetic detergents.

Because the word "Soap" actually has a legal definition provided by the FDA, Syndet bars cannot really call themselves "soap”. Since syndets are basically synthetic detergents they do not meet the legal definition of soap.

Soap vs Syndet

Syndets are highly recommended for cleansing sensitive skin and even baby skin, as they are far gentler in pH terms than traditional bathing soaps available in the market. But remember that the anionic surfactants presented in syndets may cause sensitization issues in the reactive skins of the person. 

Soap vs Syndet

Syndent in the market

In market syndent bars are often marketed as “cleansing bars” or “dermatological bars” companies will use the term “soap-free” or “soaps without soap.” this can cause confusion although in a sense most are correct. 

Syndent bar bases

Syndent cleansing bars are manufactured by blending synthetic surfactants with special formulas different than those are used in traditional vegetable oil soaps. Syndet soap surfactants are derived from oils, fats, or petroleum products that are processed in a wide range of chemical processes different from the traditional saponification procedure.

Common ingredients in syndet bars:

  • Sulfosuccinates
  • Sodium cocoyl isethionate (the most widely used)
  • Sodium cocoyl monoglyceride sulfate
  • Alpha oleficategoriess
  • Alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate
  • Betaines

What is characteristic of a Syndet:

  • High lather
  • Low Colour
  • pH Neutral
  • Processing Challenges
  • A wider range of additives determined by the environmental pH
  • Less Irritation

Combo Soap

Both the categories above now have a hybrid option for those customers not looking for 100% Traditional Soap or 100% Syndet, but a blend.

This type of soap base made using an amalgamation of different types of cleansers, detergents, surfactants, saponified oils designed to maximize cleaning while minimizing irritation. These combo soap bars are usually combinations of traditional vegetable oil soap and syndet bar base. By formulating in this way combination bars are less irritating than traditional vegetable soaps but less mild than syndet bars a balance of the two.

Best soap for baby skin

We’ve listed some of our Pros and Cons of Soap vs Syndet below:

VEGETABLE SOAP

  • Economical
  • Vegetable-Based
  • Natural 
  • Organic
  • Great Processing
  • Oil Benefits
  • High Glycerin
  • Skin Additives – Shea, Cocoa
  • High pH
  • Drying on the Skin
  • Poor Color

SYNDET SOAP

  • High Foam
  • Low Color
  • A wider range of additives (usually affected by pH environment)
  • pH Neutral
  • Less Irritation
  • Synthetic / Chemical
  • Processing Challenges
  • Expensive