The best bar soap overall
If you haven’t tried the Dove Beauty Bar have you ever even washed your body? It seems like there’s one of these in just about every bathroom across America. And for good reason — it’s legitimately really good.
The Dove Beauty Bar is a soap unlike any other soap. It’s gentle enough to use all over the body (yep, that includes the face) thanks to cleansing agents that are less harsh than traditional soap. The iconic Dove White Beauty Bar version is formulated with ¼ moisturizer to beef up the hydration quotient.
There are several Dove Beauty Bars on the market and you can take a little quiz on the brand’s website to figure out which one is best for you. The original is unscented, paraben-free, and dermatologist-recommended. It should be suitable for most skin types, but if you’re super reactive, there’s a Sensitive Skin option.
An Allure Best of Beauty winner due to the use of the “[mild] cleanser, sodium lauroyl isethionate, to whisk away grime without stripping skin,” this product is expert-approved. It’s also been featured by Total Beauty, Gear Patrol, and Real Simple and has a nearly perfect 5 star rating based on 1,551 Target reviews.
Pros: ¼ moisturizer, gentle, can be used on face, body, and hands, different variations
Cons: None
Buy the Dove Beauty Bar (4-pack) on Target for $7.19The best bar soap for sensitive skin
Do you suffer from scaly skin in the winter (or, like, always)? The Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar is made with you in mind. Another “soap-free,” soap, this one is suitable for eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis-sufferers.
If your skin burns at the mere thought of added fragrance or fancy ingredients, this is the bare-minimum cleanser you need to have in your bathroom. It boasts “nourishing ingredients to gently cleanse skin without over drying.” These include glycerin to soften and sodium cocoyl isethionate to cleanse.
Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar is an Amazon’s Choice pick with a 4.5 rating based on 939 reviews and has been featured by Allure, which calls it “a godsend for dry, itchy skin” as well as Gear Patrol, Bustle, and Real Simple.
“Best for everything. I don't get acne often. Usually around that time of the month. Haven't had any since I use only this on my face for cleansing and it's the best soap for sensitive skin. Sooo soft and moisturizing. This is hands down the best soap ever. If you have eczema or psoriasis, or just dry or sensitive skin this is the best,” writes one shopper.
Pros: Works for sensitive skin, eczema, psoriasis, very gentle
Cons: Strong scent, pricier than Dove
Buy Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar (3-pack) on Amazon for $8.45The best detoxifying bar soap
Acne-prone skin types or those with perpetually clogged pores will love the Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar. Stocked with detoxifying Dead Sea mud and charcoal, the bar is formulated to “draw out impurities and visibly reduce pore size.”
With a price tag of $38, this is definitely on the high-end side. That said, it comes highly rated, so if you struggle with congested skin and want to invest, it could be a great option.
Sephora shoppers rate it 4.7 out of 5 stars, based on 72 reviews. The bar has also been featured by Allure, Gear Patrol, and Stylecaster, whose reviewer describes it as “[almost] a magnet for makeup, impurities and dirt.”
“This is a perfect second cleanse soap. Takes away everything but doesn't leave skin feeling stripped (and this from a 60 year old woman)! I know it's expensive, but it lasts forever. Comes in a nice plastic container, too,” says one Sephora reviewer.
Pros: Gentle but detoxifying, suitable for acne-prone skin, comes with plastic container
Cons: Very expensive
Buy the Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar on Sephora for $38The best all-over bar soap
Can’t be bothered to do soap, shampoo, conditioner, and face wash? Just stock up on Dr. Bronner’s Organic Castile Bar Soap. It’s a true all-in-one product.
Castile is defined on the Dr. Bronner’s website as “any vegetable oil-based soap.” The name basically means you’re getting a gentle, plant-based soap not made with harsh detergents. That’s not to say that synthetic ingredients are inherently bad, but if natural and vegan is your thing, this is a great pick.
Plus it’s ideal for the laziest among us — Dr. Bronner’s Organic Castile Bar Soap can be used on body, face, and even hair in a pinch. The product description even suggests “you can dilute it in various recipes for anything from a pest spray to laundry wash.”
The Dr. Bronner’s Organic Castile Bar Soap has a 4.6 rating on Amazon based on 515 reviews and has been featured by Total Beauty and Gear Patrol.
“The absence of synthetic ingredients is a plus for those with sensitivities, but the pH of this soap (around 9) may be irritating to those with sensitive skin,” notes Gear Patrol.
Pros: Vegan, vegetable-based, multiuse
Cons: Some reviewers found it too harsh for face
Buy Dr. Bronner’s Organic Castile Bar Soap (2-pack) on Amazon for $11.09The best multi-tasking vegan facial bar soap
You shouldn’t judge a bar soap by it’s packaging, but Meow Meow Tweet makes that principle difficult to abide. Luckily, the brand’s Pink Rose Clay Facial Soap is as good as it looks — which is saying something, because cats on the box.
The formula is truly outstanding, packed with plant-based, good-for-your-skin ingredients like olive and coconut oils and shea butter. French pink clay gently detoxifies, while crushed rose petals softly exfoliate. Essential oils from lavender and geranium tone the skin while giving the soap a light, pleasant scent.
I think the Pink Rose Clay Facial Soap is criminally underrated. It’s vegan, smells delightful, and feels greats on the skin, which I know from first-hand use. The rose petals can feel a little harsh if used directly on active blemishes, but otherwise I find them gentle enough for my sensitive complexion.
While there are only nine reviews currently on the Target website, most of them rate the product 4 or 5 stars. It’s been featured by Allure, Bustle, and PopSugar. Bustle calls it “a fancy way to start your morning,” and I have to agree.
One happy customer writes, “Love this soap! I was looking for a good zero waste soap but was having trouble finding one with high quality ingredients and not drying. This soap delivers!” Another says, “After switching to this facial soap, my skin feels a lot better, and I breakout less. I was initially [sic] worried that the smell would bother me, but it is pretty light and it doesn't linger on your skin.”
Pros: Plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free, detoxifying and exfoliating
Cons: Expensive
Buy the Meow Meow Tweet Pink Rose Clay Facial Soap on Target for $8