Raise the Bar: The 11 Sudsers That Made Us Bar Soap Converts (2024)

Whether you grew up using Dove Beauty Bar or Ivory Soap, there's a certain nostalgia for using bar soap. While some formulas can be too alkaline or harsh on the skin, many skincare brands, such as CeraVe and Cetaphil, create bar soaps that safely and gently cleanse your face. Not to mention bar soaps use less packaging than liquid cleansers, tend to be more affordable, and are easy to travel with, even when only taking a carry-on.

To help you find the right formula to wash your face, we did our due diligence and explored the most popular bar soaps on the market. Then, we cross-referenced our picks with those recommended to us by several of our trusted experts. The result: A curated list of soap bars specifically intended for your face.

Our Top Picks

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What We Like

  • Suitable for face and body

  • Tried-and-true formula

  • Affordable

What to Consider

  • Doesn't remove all makeup

Key Ingredients: Sodium lauroyl Isethionate, glycerin | Size: 3.17 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

On a budget? You can't go wrong with a Dove Beauty Bar. This iconic cleanser, beloved by celebrities like Drew Barrymore, contains a tried-and-true blend of gentle ingredients that moisturize and soften without stripping the skin. While the original formula contains a fragrance, you can opt for the sensitive version if you want to forgo it. "I first started using Dove's beauty bar as a teenager when my dermatologist recommend it for my acne," says associate commerce editor Emily Cieslak. "Even as my skin has changed, it still cleanses my face effectively without irritation or drying it out." We recommend first using a cleansing oil to remove all makeup.

What We Like

  • Budget-friendly

  • Fragrance-free

  • Moisturizing

What to Consider

  • Doesn't smell as good as other options

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides | Size: 4.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

When it comes to drugstore skincare, CeraVe is a shining star, and you can bet the brand makes one of the best bar soaps. Developed with dermatologists, the CeraVe Cleanser Bar is full of gentle yet effective ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and essential ceramides, to moisturize and reinforce the skin barrier.

What We Like

  • Balancing and exfoliating

  • Rich lather

  • Eco-friendly packaging

What to Consider

  • Contains fragrance

Key Ingredients: Charcoal, dead sea mud, glycerin, minerals | Size: 3.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

The best option for washing oily skin is definitely Erno Laszlo's Deep Cleansing Bar. Containing charcoal powder, sea mud, glycerin, and 26 minerals, this handsome soap is designed to cleanse, gently exfoliate, and balance your complexion—extra points for the eco-friendly packaging.

What We Like

  • Contains organic ingredients

  • Eco-friendly packaging

  • Targeted formulas

What to Consider

  • Smaller than other bar soaps

Key Ingredients: Pumpkin puree, clay, avocado oil, coconut milk | Size: 2.25 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

According to Dana Murray, licensed aesthetician and beauty blogger, Osmia makes "the most skin-friendly bar soaps." These facial cleansing bars contain a blend of natural ingredients to remove makeup, pollution, and sunscreen residue without drying you out or stripping 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," Murray adds.

Not only is Osmia Organics beneficial for your skin, but it's also easy on the environment. Formulated with sustainably sourced plant materials and wrapped up in eco-friendly packaging, you can feel good about using this soap.

What We Like

  • Packed with nourishing oils for body

  • Soothing

  • Rich lather

What to Consider

  • Not ideal for eczema-prone skin

Key Ingredients: Coenzyme Q10, olive oil, castor oil, aloe | Size: 4.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

While olive oil and soybean oil can potentially be too heavy for your face, they are great cleansers for your body that help maintain your skin barrier. This bar soap is packed with these oils, though the the star ingredient is Coenzyme Q10 (aka CoQ10), which soothes stressed skin and tackles free radicals. It also contains aloe vera, one of Murray's favorites for sensitive complexions.

What We Like

  • Suitable for face and body

  • Non-irritating

  • Hydrating

What to Consider

  • Strong smell

Read Full Review: I Tried the Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar—Here’s My Honest Review

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamins E and B5 | Size: 4.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Cetaphil's Gentle Cleansing Bar is formulated for head-to-toe use. The noncomedogenic formula cleans with glycerin and nourishes with ingredients such as vitamins E and B5 without disrupting the skin's moisture barrier.

What We Like

  • Moisturizing

  • Generous size

  • Budget-friendly

What to Consider

  • Contains fragrance

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, neem oil, cannabis sativa seed | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We're also loving this budget-friendly bar from Nubian Heritage. Chock-full of plant-derived ingredients such as neem oil, shea butter, and cannabis sativa seed, it nourishes, moisturizes, and leaves skin oh-so-supple.

What We Like

  • Gentle

  • Moisturizing

  • Suitable for face and body

What to Consider

  • Not ideal for sensitive skin

Key Ingredients: Charcoal, coconut oil, white clay | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Bar soap might not be the first thing you think of when it's time to exfoliate, but after trying this beauty from Herbivore Botanicals, you'll be a convert. Calling on naturally absorbent ingredients such as charcoal and white clay, plus moisturizing coconut oil, this cleansing bar works hard to detoxify without stripping the skin.

What We Like

  • Acids and antioxidants prevent aging

  • Moisturizing

  • Enhances complexion

What to Consider

  • Can potentially clog pores

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, glycerin, olive oil, lactic acid | Size: 4.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If it's a healthy glow you're after, your best bet is Ose Gidi Soap. Flaunting a powerhouse medley of glycerin, plant oils, and lactic acid, this lavish cleansing bar is formulated to deliver a more radiant complexion. Not to mention the lactic acid and vitamins C, A, and E help prevent wrinkles and loss of collagen.

What We Like

  • Acne-fighting ingredients

  • Contains a pH-balanced blend of ingredients

  • Gentle yet effective

What to Consider

  • Might cause overdrying if not followed up with a moisturizer

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, Tea tree oil | Size: 3.15 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This bar of soap from Good Molecules is everything you need to address imperfections head-on. Loaded with key ingredients such as salicylic acid, tea tree oil, kaolin clay, cocoa powder, and more, this sudsy bar helps clarify existing breakouts and prevent future ones.

What We Like

  • Great for sensitive skin

  • Good lather

What to Consider

  • Can dissolve quickly in shower

Key Ingredients: Sorbitol solution, Propylene glycol | Size: 3.09 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you're looking for an option that nourishes the skin and leaves it baby-soft, you won't want to miss Vanicream's Cleansing Bar. Ideal for sensitive skin, this formula is free of dyes, lanolin, fragrance, parabens, and formaldehyde, and is even dermatologist-recommended for unmatched facial cleansing. It's mild, gentle, and noncomedogenic, yet foams well and leaves skin feeling squeaky clean but never tight or stripped.

What to Look for in Bar Soap

  • Ingredients: Aside from ingredients that will, obviously, wash your face, Nina Zilka, cofounder and CEO ofAlder New York, recommends seeking out soap bars that have hydrating ingredients, such as shea butter, glycerin, and other oils. Depending on your skin needs, you may also want to look for clarifying ingredients such as salicylic acid or anti-aging antioxidants.
  • Avoid All-Purpose: You should avoid all-purpose bar soaps, says Zilka, as they can be too harsh or dry on the skin.Instead, look for formulas that are intended for use on the face. All of the bar soaps on this list are safe to use on the face.
  • Texture: Hydrating bar soaps tend to have a smooth and creamy texture while exfoliating ones may be a bit more rough, however, you don't want to go overboard. "I would avoid using harsh scrubs that contain large exfoliating granules like sugar, ground fruit pits of any kind, walnut shells, etc," says 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 ofAlder New York, a queer- and woman-owned independent skincare line.
Raise the Bar: The 11 Sudsers That Made Us Bar Soap Converts (2024)
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