When life gets messy, all you need is Dial. This 70-decade old brand from the stable of Henkel North American Consumer Goods is basic but effective. It is a household brand name – it is offered in a wide range of variants and fragrances.
Is Dial hand soap safe for you? Could it be toxic? Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
Dial hand soap ingredients
Here are the common ingredients across different variants of Dial hand soap:
| Ingredient | Functionality |
| Aqua | Solvent |
| Cetrimonium Chloride | Curtails growth of microorganisms Facilitates mixing of water with dirt and oil |
| Citric Acid | Protects lather from metal ions Adjusts pH |
| Denatonium Benzoate | Gives a bitter taste to prevent ingestion |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | OxidiserBleaching agentAntiseptic |
| Parfum | FragranceFormulation not known |
| Glyceryl Cocoate | Emollient |
| Sodium Chloride | PrecipitatorIncreases product thickness |
| Glycerin | Absorbs moisture and holds water in the product Skin conditioning agent |
| Dimethyl Lauramine | Surfactant |
| Tetrasodium EDTA | Foaming and cleaning agent Protects fragrance compounds |
| Alcohol | Gives a clear look to the product Helps in mixing soapmaking materials |
| Dimethyl Myristamine | EmulsifierConditioner |
| Zinc Sulfate | AstringentDisinfectant |
Why do doctors recommend Dial hand soap?
Dial is considered to be good for daily use. It helps you to get rid of the bacteria, at the same time keeps your skin moisturized, and provides odor protection. Further, Dial hand soap is good if you are looking for a simple soap that is inexpensive and effective.
Is Dial hand soap antibacterial?
Dial has a line of antibacterial hand soaps, some of which also come with moisturizers. These products are formulated with benzalkonium chloride – a bacteria-killing ingredient. Further, other ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide, cetrimonium chloride, zinc sulfate, and alcohol are antibacterial in nature and help in killing the bacteria from the surface of your skin.
Dial has proven through clinical testing that its antibacterial hand soap kills up to 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria – although the FDA contends that antibacterial soaps are no better than plain soap and water in killing bacteria and preventing illnesses. The advantage of using antibacterial hand soaps is not well established.
Does Dial hand soap kill fungus?
Bacteria and fungi are different types of organisms. Therefore, an antibacterial soap may not necessarily work well on fungus. However, Dial hand soap has ingredients like hydrogen peroxide and alcohol with fungistatic properties. Therefore, pick up Dial soap variants with these ingredients to kill fungus.
Is Dial hand soap good?
Dial hand soap is free of phthalates, parabens, and silicones. It is an affordable product. It washes off easily from the skin and has antibacterial properties. The soap can also be used to disinfect small wounds and burns. Further, if you do not prefer loud fragrances, then Dial hand soap is the one for you.
Is Dial hand soap good for piercing and tattoos?
Dial hand soap is not recommended for piercing. Although its antibacterial nature could be useful in disinfecting the pierced area, chemical ingredients like hydrogen peroxide and alcohol can cause irritation, allergies, and redness in the pierced area.
Mild, fragrance-free, antibacterial soaps are recommended for tattoos. You can therefore choose Dial Clean and Gentle collection of soaps – they are antibacterial and have a mild fragrance.
Does Dial hand soap dry your skin?
Dial hand soap does not dry your skin. It is popular for its hydrating and moisturizing qualities. Sodium lauryl sulfate – the chief culprit in hand soaps known to cause skin drying – is not present in Dial hand soap.
All Dial hand soap products are known to be safe for dry skin. However, if your skin is very scaly, then avoid the variants with alcohol. For greater moisturizing and skincare, you can use Dial’s Moisturizing Plus Antibacterial formula or its Moisturizing and Hydrating formula.
Does Dial hand soap contain alcohol?
Yes, most Dial hand soap products contain alcohol. The ingredient is antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungus. It also keeps the soap bubbles for longer and makes the lather thicker. However, alcohol may break the skin’s barrier and destroy your skin in the long term. If you are specifically allergic to alcohol, read the product information and pick the one that does not have alcohol in it.
Does Dial hand soap contain triclosan?
The latest hand soap products of Dial do not contain triclosan because of an FDA ruling.
When Dial hand soap was launched in 1949, it was advertised as an effective deodorant soap that removes skin bacteria. At this time, the company used hexachlorophene as the active ingredient. However, in the 1970s, Dial had to do away with this ingredient as it was strictly restricted for use in hospitals.
Hexachlorophene was then replaced with triclocarban, an antibacterial compound. Later on, the company used triclosan for its liquid soap formulations.
Triclocarban and triclosan were banned by the FDA in 2016. Following this, Dial replaced triclocarban with benzalkonium chloride in their bar soaps and benzethonium chloride was used in place of triclosan in their liquid hand soaps. The FDA has reserved its judgment on the safety of these chemicals until its data collection and testing are completed.
Does Dial hand soap have gluten?
Dial hand soap products do not carry a label as being gluten-free. However, the products do not list gluten as an ingredient. Therefore, Dial hand soap is potentially gluten-free and safe for celiacs. We cannot recommend it as a gluten-free product however since there may be cross-contamination at facilities where the soap is manufactured.
Is Dial hand soap good for acne?
Dial hand soap is free of acne-causing ingredients like parabens, phthalates, polyethylene glycol, triclosan, and methylchloroisothiazolinone.
Instead, Dial contains glycerin that cleanses skin pores and reduces acne. For better benefits, you can use Dial’s Clean and Gentle collection of hand soap. So, yes – Dial hand soap is good for acne.
Is Dial hand soap safe to use?
Dial hand soap is widely regarded as a safe soap to use. It is free from harsh chemicals like parabens, triclosan, phthalates, and sulfates. It is known to be good for all skin types and age groups.
Here’s a safety evaluation of some of the ingredients of Dial hand soap.
- Parfum or fragrance is one of the most dangerous and toxic elements in soaps. They contain harmful chemicals like linalool, limonene, benzyl alcohol, and benzaldehyde. Although they are not as toxic as phthalates, they can cause allergies, skin irritation, migraine, and asthma. Inhalation of these chemicals can cause respiratory allergies. Therefore, it is advisable to not overuse hand soaps with fragrance – or pick the ones without fragrance.
- Alcohol is harmful if used excessively or in prolonged usage. It can damage the skin’s outer protective layer and result in loss of healthy fats, dehydration, and skin aging.
- Dimethyl Myristamine can be harmful to the skin and eyes. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), it is a suspected environmental toxin.
- Hydrogen peroxide’s use in cosmetic and skincare products is condemned by health experts. They advise that the compound is a disinfectant and should be used only in household cleaning products. It can cause skin irritation and burns. Even inhalation of it is considered to be harmful. Accidental swallowing can be dangerous. So, avoid the hand soap products with this ingredient.
- Zinc sulfate can cause skin dryness, rash, and redness with prolonged overuse.
- Cetrimonium chloride is considered safe in rinse-off soaps. So, if you do not rinse your hands properly and allow a residue to stay on, the chemical can cause dermal irritation and sensitization.
- Citric acid is deemed a safe ingredient by the FDA. However, overuse or not rinsing well can lead to stinging, burning, irritation, and hives.
- Sodium chloride in small amounts is safe. But overuse of it or having a residue of it on the skin can irritate.
All in all, Dial hand soap is a good product. Its safety largely depends on how well you use it. Most of its chemical ingredients are hazardous only with prolonged or over-usage.
Why does Dial hand soap make you itch?
The Dial hand soap is free of harsh chemicals and skin sensitizers. However, if you have sensitive skin or allergies, the fragrance ingredients can cause dermatitis and itching. In that case, you can avoid fragrance variants or do a patch test before using the product. Dial Clean and Gentle hand soap collection may also work well for you.
Can you use Dial hand soap on your face?
If you are running out of face wash, you could use Dial hand soap. Regular use of it on your face may cause your facial skin to become dry. You do not need an antibacterial formula for your skin. The ingredients may not be safe for your face and eyes – accidental ingestion while washing your face may not be safe either.
Can you use Dial hand soap as a body wash?
Yes, you can use Dial hand soap as a body wash. Dial body wash contains pretty much the same ingredients as the hand soap. The hand soaps may be safer as they are sulfate-free, while the body wash products have sodium laureth sulfate and other sulfates. The skin on the body is tougher than the skin on the hands and palms. So, the soap that is safe for your hands would surely be safe for your body too.
Can you use Dial hand soap to wash dishes?
You do not need an antibacterial soap with fragrance to do your dishes. The disinfectants and fragrance ingredients could leave a residue on your dishes – resulting in ingestion of harsh chemicals and related health complications.
Can I use Dial hand soap on my dog?
The harsh chemicals, disinfectants, and fragrance ingredients in Dial hand soap are surely harmful to your dog’s skin and hair. These components will leave your dog with rashes and itchy skin.
What happens if your dog eats Dial hand soap?
Ingredients in Dial hand soap are meant to kill bacteria and germs and hydrate your hands. If your dog accidentally eats the soap, it would be disastrous. The ingredients can damage your dog’s kidneys and liver. There could even be internal chemical burns. So, keep the product out of reach of your dog.
Does Dial hand soap expire?
According to Dial Consumer Affairs, the hand soap has a shelf life of three years. You can still use it safely after that – provided the soap has not gone rancid or developed mold. However, the efficacy will be reduced, antibacterial properties will be lost, and the fragrance will have faded.
References:
- https://www.dialsoap.com/products/hand-soap/
- https://incidecoder.com/products/dial-coconut-water-mango-hydrating-hand-soap
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