The 15 Best Bar Soaps of 2023

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The 15 Best Bar Soaps of 2022

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

Osmia Pumpkin Exfoliating Facial Soap

Amazon

What We Like
  • Natural formula

  • Contains organic ingredients

  • Eco-friendly packaging

What We Don't Like
  • 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

dove white beauty bar

Walmart

What We Like
  • Budget-friendly

  • Plant-based formula

  • Suitable for face and body

What We Don't Like
  • 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

4.5
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar

Amazon

What We Like
  • Budget-friendly

  • Fragrance-free

  • Moisturizing

What We Don't Like
  • 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

Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar

Amazon

What We Like
  • Exfoliating

  • Rich lather

  • Eco-friendly packaging

What We Don't Like
  • 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

DHC Coenzyme Q10 Body Soap

Amazon

What We Like
  • Budget-friendly

  • Soothing

  • Rich lather

What We Don't Like
  • 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

4.3
Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar

Walmart

What We Like
  • Budget-friendly

  • Non-irritating

  • Suitable for face and body

What We Don't Like
  • 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

4.5
Nubian Heritage Soap Bar Indian Hemp and Haitian Vetiver

Amazon

What We Like
  • Budget-friendly

  • Generous size

  • Natural formula

What We Don't Like
  • 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

Herbivore Bamboo Charcoal Detoxifying Soap Bar

Dermstore

What We Like
  • Gentle

  • Moisturizing

  • Suitable for face and body

What We Don't Like
  • 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

4.8
l'occitane extra-gentle lavender soap

Amazon

What We Like
  • Natural formula

  • Rich lather

  • Generous size

What We Don't Like
  • 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

Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face and Body

Amazon

What We Like
  • Generous size

  • Clears and prevents acne

  • Suitable for face and body

What We Don't Like
  • 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

Naked Bar Soap Co. Charcoal Facial Soap

Naked Bar Soap Co.

What We Like
  • Natural formula

  • Moisturizing

  • Dissolves makeup

What We Don't Like
  • 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

Liha Beauty Ose Gidi Soa

Liha Beauty

What We Like
  • Contains organic ingredients

  • Moisturizing

  • Enhances complexion

What We Don't Like
  • 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

Good Molecules Bar Soap

Amazon

What We Like
  • Gentle yet effective

  • Contains a pH-balanced blend of ingredients

What We Don't Like
  • 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

Vanicream Cleansing Bar for Sensitive Skin

Walmart

What We Like
  • Great for sensitive skin

  • Foamy

What We Don't Like
  • 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.


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.

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.

  • Does bar soap expire?

    Bar soap does expire, says Zilka. But, if stored correctly, it can last for years. 

  • 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 L'Occitane, Clinique, CeraVe, DHC, and Dove. Theresa has been contributing to Byrdie since 2020, where she covers skincare, makeup, and fitness gear.

Updated by Caitlyn Martyn
Article Sources
Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
  1. Salwowska NM, Bebenek KA, Żądło DA, Wcisło-Dziadecka DL. Physiochemical properties and application of hyaluronic acid: a systematic review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2016 Dec;15(4):520-526. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12237. Epub 2016 Jun 21. PMID: 27324942.

  2. Meckfessel MH, Brandt S. The structure, function, and importance of ceramides in skin and their use as therapeutic agents in skin-care products. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 Jul;71(1):177-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2014.01.891. Epub 2014 Mar 20. PMID: 24656726.

  3. Knott, A, et al. Topical treatment with coenzyme Q10‐containing formulas improves skin's Q10 level and provides antioxidative effects. Biofactors. doi: 10.1002/biof.1239

  4. Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;19(1):70. doi:10.2147/CCID.S144180

  5. Woodruff, A, et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of a 2% salicylic acid cleanser for improvement of acne vulgaris. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

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