Sebamed

Sebamed: German skin care made at pH 5.5

Sebamed is a German skin care brand whose products are matched to the skin’s natural, slightly acidic surface: almost the whole range has a pH of 5.5. It is best known for the soap-free cleansing bar that started the brand. Today the range covers washes, creams and body lotions, deodorants, lip care, sun protection and a separate line for babies. Every Sebamed product is dermatologically and clinically tested, and all of them are made in Germany.

Where it started

The brand goes back to Dr Heinz Maurer. In 1956 his “soap without soap” went into production: a cleansing bar based on surfactants and adjusted to the skin’s slightly acidic pH of 5.5. In 1967 the soap-free bar went on sale, and the name sebamed was born the same year. A liquid Face & Body Wash followed in 1970, a body lotion in 1974, the Baby sebamed line in 1993 and an anti-ageing range in 2005.

The sales company Sebapharma GmbH & Co. KG was founded in Boppard in 1983. Since 1984 production, research and the warehouse have been in Bad Salzig on the Middle Rhine, which is also the head office. Thomas Maurer, the founder’s son, took over the company in 2010. A new plant opened in Pfalzfeld in 2021, and in 2023 a production site in Norderstedt joined the group. The Pfalzfeld plant received GMP certification from the pharmaceutical authorities in July 2023. Sebamed relies on German production sites only and sells in about 100 countries, and around 400 studies back up how well its products suit the skin.

Why pH 5.5?

Healthy skin has a slightly acidic surface layer, often called the acid mantle. Ordinary soap forms an alkaline solution with a pH of 8 to 12 when you wash. Instead of soap, Sebamed uses synthetic detergents, known as syndets, which clean at pH 5.5 and need no lye. A pH of 5.5 matches the acid mantle, helps keep the skin barrier and the skin microbiome in balance, and so helps protect the skin from drying out and from environmental stress. Modern syndets are made from plant-based raw materials. Unlike soap, they do not react with the calcium and magnesium in hard water, so no insoluble soap scum forms.

Almost every Sebamed product follows the pH 5.5 rule. The exceptions are the urea products for very dry skin, the intimate washes and the lip balm.

The main lines

Sensitive Skin

The Sensitive Skin line has close to 60 products. It is designed to support the skin’s natural protective layer and make it more resilient to outside irritants. For washing there is the soap-free Liquid Face & Body Wash with glycerin and panthenol, the Olive Face & Body Wash with olive and panthenol, the classic soap-free Cleansing Bar with vitamin E and panthenol, and the Shower Oil for sensitive and dry skin. For daily care there is the light Moisturizing Body Lotion with chamomile extract, the Nourishing Body Milk with jojoba oil and shea butter, and the Moisturizing Cream for the face, which is made to preserve the skin microbiome. Shampoos, the Lip Defense and Lip Repair lip balms and the deodorants belong to the same line.

Extreme Dry Skin

This line has six products built around urea. The Relief Lotion contains 5% urea plus a natural moisturising complex, and the Repair Lotion contains 10% urea for dry, flaky skin. There is also a face cream and a hand cream with 5% urea, a foot cream with 10% urea and a 5% urea shampoo for a very dry scalp.

Clear Face

Clear Face is the line for oily, blemish-prone skin. It cleanses, clarifies and cares for the skin and helps prevent new blemishes. It includes a cleansing foam, a facial toner, a gentle scrub, the Care Gel with aloe vera and a mattifying cream, all at the skin’s natural pH of 5.5.

Anti-Ageing

Skin over 30 needs more protection, becomes more sensitive and tends to dry out. The Anti-Ageing line answers that with the Q10 Protection Cream with coenzyme Q10 and avocado oil, the Lifting Eye Cream, the Wrinkle Filler and the Smoothing Cream Gel with a triple hyaluronic complex, the Lifting Serum and, for the body, the Q10 Firming Body Lotion.

Baby sebamed

Baby sebamed was developed together with skin clinics, because the skin of babies and toddlers is very delicate and needs extra care. Every product in the line is tested for skin compatibility and has a pH of 5.5. The line includes a body lotion with chamomile, Cream extra soft with jojoba oil, a protective facial cream with allantoin and hyaluronic acid, the Gentle Wash with allantoin, a no-tears shampoo, a diaper rash cream with panthenol, cleansing wipes and a lip balm with shea butter.

For Men and Sun Care

The men’s line was developed for men’s skin: the alcohol- and aluminium-free Balsam Deo for Men with bisabolol, an After Shave Balm and the Energizing Hair & Body Wash. The Multi Protect sun range offers lotions and creams in SPF 30, 50 and 50+, a spray in SPF 30 and perfume-free versions, all with UVA and UVB filters, vitamin E and a pH of 5.5. The After Sun Soothing Balm follows a day in the sun, and children have their own Baby sebamed Sun Care.

Aluminium-free deodorants

Sebamed deodorants are part of the Sensitive Skin line. The Fresh Deo range comes in Fresh, Blossom and Lime as roll-ons and sprays, and Active as a spray. Balsam Deo Sensitive is an alcohol- and aluminium-free roll-on with bisabolol, and the same formula exists for men.

From the range we carry the Sebamed Deodorant Roll-on Fresh 50 ml, a fresh-scented roll-on with no aluminium salts and a pH of 5.5 that is made to suit sensitive skin. Apply it under the arms and reapply during the day as needed. If you are looking for an aluminium-free deodorant for everyday use, it is a natural pick for anyone with sensitive skin who likes a fresh scent.

Washing and body care at pH 5.5

Sebamed’s first idea, to wash the skin without alkaline soap, is still at the heart of the brand. If you prefer a mild wash in the shower, take a look at our shower gels. After washing, a lotion or cream finishes the routine; you will find them among our body creams. Together, washing and care form one simple routine that also suits sensitive skin.

How to choose the right product

• Sensitive or normal skin: the soap-free washes, light body lotion and deodorants of the Sensitive Skin line.
• Very dry, rough skin: the Extreme Dry Skin line with 5% or 10% urea.
• Oily, blemish-prone skin: the Clear Face cleansing foam, toner and mattifying cream.
• Mature skin: the Anti-Ageing line with coenzyme Q10 and hyaluronic acid.
• Babies and toddlers: the Baby sebamed washes and creams.
• Sun: Multi Protect in SPF 30, 50 or 50+.

For a deodorant, pick the format first and then the scent: Fresh, Blossom and Lime come as roll-ons, and Active joins them as a spray. If you want a product without aluminium salts, look at the Fresh Deo and Balsam Deo ranges.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the brand come from?

Sebamed is a German brand. Its company, Sebapharma, has its head office in Bad Salzig on the Rhine, and every product is made in German plants.

What does pH 5.5 on the pack mean?

It is the natural, slightly acidic pH of the skin’s surface. Sebamed products are made at the same level to support the skin’s protective layer. The urea products, intimate washes and lip balm are the exceptions.

Is the Deodorant Roll-on Fresh aluminium-free?

Yes. It contains no aluminium salts and has a pH of 5.5. You can find other roll-ons and sprays on our deodorants page.

How is a soap-free wash different from ordinary soap?

Ordinary soap makes the wash water alkaline, at pH 8 to 12. Soap-free syndets clean at pH 5.5 and do not form soap scum in hard water.

Are there products for babies?

Yes. The Baby sebamed line was developed with skin clinics for the delicate skin of babies and toddlers, and every product in it has a pH of 5.5.