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Byrdie / Sabrina Jiang
While we wouldn't say bar soap is at the forefront of the beauty industry, the classic skincare staple undoubtedly paved the way for cleansing as we know it. And today's iterations aren't just for washing your hands and lathering up in the shower. Believe it or not, there are lots of incredible cleansing bars formulated specifically for washing your face.
We asked licensed esthetician Dana Murray of Babe + Beauty for insight. "Bar soaps for the face are tricky because they are usually alkaline in pH (around 7 to 8), which is a bit high for the skin," she tells Byrdie. However, she offered some recommendations and tips on what to look for. As with any cleanser, pay attention to the actives (key ingredients), especially if you have a sensitive complexion or a particular skin concern.
Whether you're tickled by the nostalgia of bar soap, are a skincare minimalist, or are trying to buy products with less wasteful packaging, there's an option out there for you. To help you narrow down your choices, 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.
Best Overall
Osmia Organics Facial Soap
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Amazon
Natural formula
Contains organic ingredients
Eco-friendly packaging
Expensive
According to Murray, 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.
Price at time of publish: $24
Key Ingredients: Pumpkin puree, clay, avocado oil, coconut milk | Size: 2.25 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Budget
Dove White Beauty Bar
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Walmart
Budget-friendly
Plant-based formula
Suitable for face and body
Contains fragrance
On a budget? You can't go wrong with a Dove Beauty Bar. This iconic cleanser contains a tried-and-true blend of gentle ingredients that moisturize and soften without stripping the skin. Even if it's not your everyday choice, you're wise to keep a bar or two in your arsenal.
Price at time of publish: $2
Key Ingredients: Sodium lauroyl Isethionate, glycerin | Size: 3.17 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Drugstore
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar
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Amazon
Budget-friendly
Fragrance-free
Moisturizing
Doesn't smell as good as other options
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, it's full of gentle yet effective ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and essential ceramides, to moisturize and reinforce the skin barrier.
Price at time of publish: $8
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides | Size: 4.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No
Best for Face
Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar
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Amazon
Exfoliating
Rich lather
Eco-friendly packaging
Expensive
Contains fragrance
The best option for washing your face 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.
Price at time of publish: $44
Key Ingredients: Charcoal, dead sea mud, glycerin, minerals | Size: 3.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No
Best for Body
DHC Coenzyme Q10 Body Soap
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Amazon
Budget-friendly
Soothing
Rich lather
Not ideal for eczema-prone skin
When sudsing up in the shower, reach for DHC Q10 Body Soap. 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.
Price at time of publish: $20
Key Ingredients: Coenzyme Q10, olive oil, castor oil, aloe | Size: 4.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Face and Body
Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar
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Walmart
Budget-friendly
Non-irritating
Suitable for face and body
Strong smell
Cetaphil's Gentle Cleansing Bar is formulated for head-to-toe use. The non-comedogenic formula cleans with glycerin and nourishes with ingredients like vitamins E and B5 without disrupting the skin's moisture barrier.
Price at time of publish: $12
Key Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamins E and B5 | Size: 4.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Nourishing
Nubian Heritage Soap Bar Indian Hemp and Haitian Vetiver
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Amazon
Budget-friendly
Generous size
Natural formula
Contains fragrance
We're also loving this budget-friendly bar from Nubian Heritage. Chock full of plant-derived ingredients like neem oil, shea butter, and cannabis sativa seed, it nourishes, moisturizes, and leaves skin oh-so-supple.
Price at time of publish: $10
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, neem oil, cannabis sativa seed | Size: 5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Exfoliating
Herbivore Bamboo Charcoal Detoxifying Soap Bar
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Dermstore
Gentle
Moisturizing
Suitable for face and body
Not ideal for sensitive skin
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 like charcoal and white clay, plus moisturizing coconut oil, this cleansing bar works hard to detoxify without stripping the skin.
Price at time of publish: $14
Key Ingredients: Charcoal, coconut oil, white clay | Size: 4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Key Features
"I would avoid using harsh scrubs that contain large exfoliating granules like sugar, ground fruit pits of any kind, walnut shells, etc." — Licensed esthetician Dana Murray of Babe + Beauty
Best Natural
L'Occitane Extra-Gentle Lavender Soap
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Amazon
Natural formula
Rich lather
Generous size
Contains fragrance
If you're partial to natural formulas, you'll appreciate L'Occitane. With a base of plant oils, plus glycerin and shea butter, this luxurious French soap boasts a rich, creamy lather and an invigorating aroma.
Key Ingredients: Plant oils, shea butter, glycerin | Size: 8.8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Acne-Prone Skin
Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face and Body
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Amazon
Generous size
Clears and prevents acne
Suitable for face and body
Can be drying
If you're battling breakouts, you can count on Clinique to not only clear pimples but also help prevent more from cropping up. This medicated bar soap contains salicylic acid, an effective over-the-counter ingredient for targeting acne and unclogging pores.
Price at time of publish: $19
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycerin, caffeine | Size: 5.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No
Best for Oily Skin
Naked Bar Soap Co. Charcoal Facial Soap
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Naked Bar Soap Co.
Natural formula
Moisturizing
Dissolves makeup
Not ideal for sensitive skin
While it sounds counterintuitive, using oil-based products can actually help prevent your skin from over-producing oil. With this in mind, this Naked Bar Soap Co.'s facial soap absorbs greasiness with activated charcoal, then moisturizes with a blend of plant-derived oils.
Key Ingredients: Charcoal, olive oil, coconut oil, neem oil, tea tree oil | Size: 3.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Complexion-Enhancing
Liha Beauty Ose Gidi Soa
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Liha Beauty
Contains organic ingredients
Moisturizing
Enhances complexion
Expensive
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.
Price at time of publish: $21
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, glycerin, olive oil, lactic acid | Size: 4.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Clarifying
Good Molecules Clarify & Cleanse Bar
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Amazon
Gentle yet effective
Contains a pH-balanced blend of ingredients
Might cause overdrying if not followed up with a moisturizer
This bar of soap from Good Molecules is everything you need to address imperfections head-on. Loaded with key ingredients like salicylic acid, tea tree oil, kaolin clay, cocoa powder, and more, this sudsy bar helps clarify existing breakouts and prevent future ones.
Price at time of publish: $5
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, Tea tree oil | Size: 3.15 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Hydrating
Vanicream Cleansing Bar for Sensitive Skin
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Walmart
Great for sensitive skin
Foamy
Not as clean as other options
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 non-comedogenic, yet foams well and leaves skin feeling squeaky clean but never tight or stripped.
Price at time of publish: $8
Key Ingredients: Sorbitol solution, Propylene glycol | Size: 3.09 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Final Verdict
Our number one pick is Osmia Organics Facial Soap, an esthetician-approved cleansing bar with three natural formulas to accommodate different skin types and concerns. For something more wallet-friendly, go with Dove Beauty Bar, a classic choice that moisturizes as it cleanses your face, body, or hands.
Meet the Expert
- Dana Murray of Babe + Beauty is a licensed esthetician 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. She became director of corporate education for a San Diego-based beauty brand in 2016 and started working as a beauty product developer in 2018.
- Nina Zilka is the co-founder and CEO of Alder New York, a queer- and woman-owned independent skincare line.
What to Look for in Bar Soap
Ingredients
Aside from ingredients that will, obviously, wash your face, Zilka recommends seeking out soap bars that have hydrating ingredients. The Nubian Heritage soap bar, for example, contains shea butter, which can keep the skin feeling soft and supple. If you're looking to eradicate breakouts, check out the Good Molecules Clarify & Cleanse Bar; it's loaded with salicylic acid and tea tree oil to clear existing imperfections and prevent new ones from popping up.
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.
Care Instructions
Keep an eye out for each product's care instructions. Since bar soaps can harbor bacteria when not cared for properly, you'll want to make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure you get the most out of your bar.
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 L'Occitane, Clinique, CeraVe, DHC, and Dove. Theresa has been contributing to Byrdie since 2020, where she covers skincare, makeup, and fitness gear.
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