Bar soaps are in, and our beauty editor found the best ones
If you grew up with Dial or Irish Spring bricks on the ledge of your shower, you may have an old-fashioned view of bar soap. However, the cleansing method that’s been around for centuries is experiencing a bit of a resurgence as newer beauty brands are experimenting with luxurious formulas that raise the bar on the old-school bricks.
Bar soaps are more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than their liquid counterparts as well, so we’re here to appeal to you to give them new consideration.
What makes bar soap a superior product?
Nothing against liquid body wash, but there are a few benefits to bar soap that are hard to argue. First, they tend to be more affordable than liquid products because you can get more washes out of each product. According to a 2020 McGill University paper, “It costs about 10 times as much to wash your hands with liquid soap than bar soap.” Plus, people tend to over pump liquids that come in bottles, causing them to waste more product.
Bar soaps also tend to be more environmentally friendly since they don’t need to be housed in disposable plastic containers (like their liquid counterparts), which are terrible for the environment. And since they will take you further in terms of number of uses, that’s even less waste created.
Though some people fear that washing with bar soap is less sanitary, that’s actually just a myth. Studies have shown that bar soaps do not transfer bacteria.
If you’re generally into skin care, you’ll be excited to learn that some of our favorite skin care brands are making bar soaps that are just as luxurious and well thought out as any other product on your vanity. Brands like Glossier, Drunk Elephant and Fenty Beauty have recently launched bar soaps, and we’re highly impressed with the formulas.
Best face and body bar soap to buy
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleansing Bar
The brand’s bestselling Milky Jelly Cleanser is now available in bar soap form. The soothing formula, which is made with chamomile extract, is safe for use on your body and face. It also contains shea butter, which works to eliminate skin dryness and support the skin’s moisture barrier.
Glossier Body Hero Exfoliating Bar
If you like exfoliation in your skin care routine, try Glossier’s ergonomically designed body scrub bar, which works to slough away dead skin and dryness and help promote overall smoother skin. It’s formulated with sunflower seed oil and aloe leaf juice, which help lock in moisture, so you’ll never feel that stripped soapy feeling. Oh, and did we mention the heavenly scent? The formula’s orange blossom neroli blend wafts of pear, mandarin and cypress.
Nécessaire The Body Bar With 2% Physical Exfoliant, 5 Ceramides + Niacinamide
For those searching for bar soaps with top-notch skin care ingredients, look no further than this brick by Nécessaire. The physical exfoliant treatment bar is designed to help remove rough, dry patches on the skin and release ingrown hairs. It also contains five ceramides, which are clinically proven to help nourish the skin, and comforting, foamy plant surfactants.
Drunk Elephant Pekee Cleansing Bar
Listen up, Drunk Elephant fans: You’re going to want to give this cleansing bar a whirl. The gentle formula visibly clarifies, balances and moisturizes your skin, all while removing surface debris, impurities and excess oil without fragrance or soap. Its high-quality ingredient list includes antioxidant blueberry extract, virgin marula oil and nourishing honey.
Fenty Beauty Cocoa Cleans’r Soothing All-Over Cleansing Bar with Coconut Oil + Shea Butter
We’re big fans of Fenty Beauty’s skin care lineup, and this face- and body-cleansing bar is no exception. The vegan bar cleanses away dirt, oil and impurities from your skin while leaving it soft to the touch. It contains nourishing coconut oil and shea butter, clarifying cocoa powder, antioxidant vitamin E and conditioning plantain extract.
First Aid Beauty Gentle Cleansing Body Bar
Elevate your shower experience with this fragrance-free product that’s safe for sensitive skin. Its luxurious formula contains allantoin, shea butter and squalane, to help your skin look and feel its best without leaving any drying or stripped feeling behind.
Worth checking out
- Fenty Beauty makes the Fenty Skin Soap Dish, which is specifically designed to house the brand’s cleansing bar.
- Tote up to two bars of soap in this leak-proof Travel Soap Container, which will keep your luggage safe from drips and spills.
- If you find a bar of soap tricky to grip, you may appreciate this Soap Saver Pouch, which is designed to help you hang onto your bar.
- Stick your bar soap inside the myHomeBody Soap Pocket to exfoliate your skin while you cleanse.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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