There is a certain nostalgia for using bar soap, regardless of whether you used Dove Beauty Bar or Ivory Soap as a child. Many skincare brands, including CeraVe and Cetaphil, make bar soaps that safely and gently cleanse your face, even though some of the formulas can be too harsh or alkaline for your skin. Not to mention that bar soaps are easier to travel with, even if you’re just bringing a carry-on, and require less packaging than liquid cleansers.
We investigated the most well-liked bar soaps available to assist you in selecting the best recipe for washing your face. We next compared our selections to those that numerous of our reliable specialists had advised us to choose. The outcome: A well compiled collection of soap bars designed especially for your visage.
Best Overall
Dove White Beauty Bar Soaps
On a tight budget? Investing in a Dove Beauty Bar is a wise choice. Stars like Drew Barrymore adore this classic cleanser, which has a tried-and-true formula of mild chemicals that soothe and nourish the skin without stripping it. Although the original formula has a scent, if you would rather not have it, you can use the sensitive version. According to associate commerce editor Emily Cieslak, “I started using Dove’s beauty Bar Soaps as a teenager when my dermatologist recommended it for my acne.” “Even as my skin has changed, it still cleanses my face effectively without irritation or drying it out.” We advise removing all makeup with a cleaning oil first.
Best Budget
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar
CeraVe is a shining star in drugstore skincare, and you can bet that the company produces some of the best bar soaps. The CeraVe Cleanser Bar was created in collaboration with dermatologists and is packed with mild yet potent substances to strengthen and moisturize the skin barrier, like hyaluronic acid and vital ceramides.
Best for Oily Skin
Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar
Erno Laszlo’s Deep Cleansing Bar is unquestionably the greatest choice for cleansing greasy skin. This elegant soap is made to wash, gently exfoliate, and balance your complexion. It also has 26 minerals, sea mud, glycerin, and charcoal powder. Bonus points for the environmentally friendly packaging.
Best Organic
Osmia Organics Facial Soap
The licensed aesthetician and beauty blogger Dana Murray claims that Osmia produces “the most skin-friendly bar soaps.” With a combination of natural chemicals, these face washing bars remove sunscreen residue, pollutants, and makeup without damaging or drying out your skin. “They have a pumpkin for combination skin, dull, or dehydrated skin, a black clay that is great for combination, acne-prone skin, and perioral dermatitis, and a rose clay that’s perfect for dry and sensitive skin types,” says Murray.
Osmia Organics is not only good for the earth but also for your skin. You can feel good about using this soap because it is made with plant materials that are sourced sustainably and is packaged in environmentally friendly materials.
Best for Body
DHC Coenzyme Q10 Body Soap
Olive oil and soybean oil are excellent body cleansers that support the integrity of your skin barrier, but they could be too thick for your face. These oils are abundant in this bar soap, but Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, is the main ingredient that combats free radicals and calms stressed skin.1. Murray recommends aloe vera for delicate skin types, and it has that too.
Best for Face and Body
Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar
The Gentle Cleansing Bar from Cetaphil is designed to be used from head to toe. Without compromising the skin’s moisture barrier, the noncomedogenic solution nourishes with vitamins B5 and E and cleans with glycerin.
Best Nourishing
Nubian Heritage Soap Bar Indian Hemp and Haitian Vetiver
We’re also crazy with this affordable bar from Nubian Heritage. Rich in plant-based components including shea butter, neem oil, and cannabis sativa seed, this product leaves skin feeling nourished, moisturized, and incredibly soft.
Best Exfoliating
Herbivore Bamboo Charcoal Detoxifying Soap Bar
When it comes to exfoliation, bar soap might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but once you experience this beauty from Herbivore Botanicals, you’ll be converted. Using hydrating coconut oil together with naturally absorbent components like white clay and charcoal, this cleansing bar works hard to purify without stripping the skin.
Best Anti-Aging
Liha Beauty Ose Gidi Soa
Your greatest option if you’re looking for a healthy glow is Ose Gidi Soap. This opulent washing bar, with its potent blend of lactic acid, plant oils, and glycerin, is designed to give you a more luminous face. Not to mention the anti-wrinkle and collagen-preserving properties of lactic acid and vitamins C, A, and E.
Best for Acne
Good Molecules Clarify & Cleanse Bar
Good Molecules’ bar of soap has everything you need to confront flaws head-on. This sudsy bar, which is packed with essential components like salicylic acid, tea tree oil, kaolin clay, cocoa powder, and more, helps both treat and prevent breakouts.
Best for Sensitive Skin
Vanicream Cleansing Bar
Vanicream’s Cleansing Bar is an alternative not to be missed if you’re searching for anything that leaves your skin feeling nourished and baby-soft. This recipe is free of formaldehyde, parabens, lanolin, dyes, and smell, making it perfect for sensitive skin. Dermatologists even suggest it for its superior face washing properties. It foams well and leaves skin feeling clean but never tight or stripped. It is mild, gentle, and noncomedogenic.
What to Look for in Bar Soap
- elements: Nina Zilka, cofounder and CEO of Alder New York, suggests looking for soap bars that have hydrating elements like shea butter, glycerin, and other oils, aside from those that will obviously wash your skin. You might also want to seek for clarifying elements like salicylic acid or antioxidants that prevent aging on your skin, depending on your needs.
- Steer clear of all-purpose: Zilka advises against using all-purpose bar soaps since they may be excessively abrasive or drying for your skin. Search for formulations meant for application on the face instead. You can use any bar soap on this list on your face without risk.
- Texture: Exfoliating bar soaps can be a little rougher than hydrating ones, but you don’t want to go too far in either direction. Hydrating bar soaps typically have a smooth and creamy texture. “I would avoid using harsh scrubs that contain large exfoliating granules like sugar, ground fruit pits of any kind, walnut shells, etc,” declares Murray.
FAQ
- How do you use bar soap?To use bar soap explains Zilka, get the bar wet and rub it between your hands to get a soapy lather. After that, you can either run your soapy hands or the bar directly onto your face or body—whatever you prefer. There’s no need to use a loofah or washcloth, she says.
- How do you store bar soap?Store it in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use it, says Zilka. Once you’re using it, she explains, make sure to store it in a soap dish that elevates it from residual water.
Why Trust Byrdie?
Theresa Holland is a freelance commerce writer specializing in cosmetics. For this roundup, she interviewed a licensed esthetician, researched key ingredients and formulations, and referenced several studies before landing on her final picks. From this list, she is a fan of CeraVe, DHC, and Dove. She interviewed the following experts for this article:
- Dana Murray of Babe + Beauty is a licensed aesthetician and beauty blogger. Dana became a licensed esthetician in 2004 and has worked at hotel spas on the Las Vegas Strip for over a decade, performing an estimated 10k+ facials.
- Nina Zilka is the cofounder and CEO of Alder New York, a queer- and woman-owned independent skincare line.
