What is the Benefit of Pine Tar Soap?

Pine Tar Soap is Great for the Outdoors

While touring northeast Ohio during the summer craft show season, I have encountered customers who, like myself, love the great outdoors!  Many of them ask me for a soap bar that is great for repelling insects and soothing itchy, sun-burned skin.  

​After sampling all my soap bars throughout the years, I can honestly say, our Bugger Off Mosquito soap, made with pine tar and activated charcoal, is at the front of the soap line.  Our long-term customers delight in sharing with us how it works well for them while they tend their gardens, hike, and camp.

You may be wondering…. what is pine tar?  Is pine tar soap good for your skin?  In this article, we will discuss what it is and how it's made, and what are the benefits of using pine tar soap in your skincare regime.

What is Pine Tar?

Sticky Pine Tar

Pine tar is a viscous, sticky, all-natural material formed when pine trees' wood is burned. Scandinavian countries predominantly used this chemical throughout the Iron Ages to preserve and protect old ships from harsh winter conditions. Pine tar was later employed for medical purposes in ancient Greece.

Known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties, pine tar soaps have been used for its medicinal benefits in treating skin conditions for thousands of years. Pine tar soap has been proven effective in soothing psoriasis and eczema, reducing itching of the scalp due to dandruff, easing inflammation of the body, relieving itching associated with bug bites, and treating other skin irritations. It is also helpful in soothing and treating poison ivy symptoms.  

Soap made with pine tar is an excellent choice for bathing, showering, and shaving because it cleans, moisturizes and calms the skin.

Pine tar, like pine oil, has a strong odor, and when combined with essential oils, such as citronella and lemongrass, it soothes mosquito bites and repels insects, making it ideal for people who love the outdoors.   For generations, pine tar has been traditionally associated with homemade, natural soap for topical conditions. Soaps made with pine tar are an excellent choice for bathing, showering, and shaving because it cleans, moisturizes and calms the skin.

Pine Tar Succulent Soap

​Here are 5 Reasons Pine Tar Soap is Good for Your Skin:
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1. Pine Tar Kills Head Lice.  In ancient Europe, pine tar soap was the main remedy to get rid of head lice. Simply wash your scalp and hair with pine tar soap and comb your hair with a fine-toothed comb for several days in a row.  The lice will die because it cannot tolerate tar.
2. Pine Tar has Anti-inflammatory Properties.  An inflammatory response is the body’s natural process of fighting infections, injuries and toxins to heal itself.  This response can be redness, itching, irritation, heat, pain, or loss of function.    Pine tar reduces this response and promotes the return of keratinization, therefore calming the skin.  Various allergic manifestations, such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and rashes are relieved after the use of pine tar soap. If you are treating your scalp, wash your hair and scalp with pine tar soap and allow it to sit 5 minutes before rinsing.
3. It Clears away Acne and Blackheads.  Pine tar contains antibacterial properties that relieve red, itchy, inflamed conditions associated with acne.  It kills the bacteria deep in the pores and cleanses oil and dirt from the skin. 
4. Pine Tar Soap has Natural Antiseptic Properties.  It contains resin acids that contain bacteriostatic properties that act as an antiseptic, astringent, and antifungal.  To fight equine infection, pine tar was traditionally used as a natural antiseptic and foot care therapy for horses and cattle. Pine tar as a natural corticosteroid cream because it destroys fungus and mold while also preventing the spread of mycosis. Topical pine tar is now used in skincare products at a concentration of 2.3 percent to treat foot and nail fungus.
5. Pine Tar Fights Mosquito Bites and other Natural Skin Irritants.  The resin present in this sticky substance reduces itching from mosquito bites and poison ivy and gives off an aroma that is unpleasing to insects.  Combined with bug-fighting essential oils, like citronella and tea tree, pine tar soap prevents mosquitos from biting exposed skin.

Pine tar soap is beneficial to mountain climbers, hikers, fishermen, hunters, gardeners, landscapers, nature walkers, and campers.  However, pine tar is not suitable for people who have excessively dry skin, are pregnant, or have hypersensitive skin.