15 Best Cleansing Soap Bars For All Skin Types – 2023 Update
Protect your skin with hydrating products infused with natural ingredients.
Shiboli Chakraborti Certified Skin Care Coach
Expertise: Skin Care & Hair Care
Experience: 3 years
Shiboli has a master’s degree in English literature from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and is a certified skincare coach with three years of experience. As an editor, she ... more
Image: StyleCraze Design Team
Cleansing bars have always had a bad reputation for drying your skin out and stripping it off all its essential oils. Currently, some of the best cleansing soap bars out there have done a solid job of erasing the bad reputation that precedes them. They are free of harsh chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate and instead infused with natural emollients and humectants that counter the dryness. Plus, these bars come packaged in small cardboard boxes and are more affordable than their liquid counterparts. Not only is this a good way of preserving space, but they also add a pop of color to your bathroom due to their vibrant colors. Be it oily, dry, or acne-prone skin, there are cleansing bars for all. Check out our list of cleansing bars that are safe to use. Scroll down for more information!
In This Article
Are Cleansing Soap Bars Good For The Skin?
The skin care market has evolved in making soaps with luxurious ingredients that contain a lot of beneficial properties. They are just as good as your regular face wash or shower gel! They may help hydrate and brighten your skin and also may help fight signs of premature aging and acne. The key is to carefully select a bar of soap that meets your skin’s needs and suits your skin type. Pick from the following list of the 15 best soap bars for all skin types.
15 Best Cleansing Soap Bars For All Skin Types – 2023 Update
Best Scent: Pre de Provence Artisanal French Soap
This artisanal soap by Pre de Provence is traditionally crafted using old French methods. This soap contains only a few impurities and has a super-smooth texture. The luxurious soap creates a rich and creamy lather. It softens and moisturizes your skin. The premium quality ingredients like lavender essential oil give you an aromatherapeutic scent that lasts all day. The soap is also available in various fragrances, including persimmon, lemon, green tea, pomegranate, mint, lily, raspberry, rosemary, and coconut.
Key Ingredients: Shea butter and Lavender essential oil
Pros - Natural ingredients
- Rich lather
- Lasts long
- Intense hydration
- Cruelty-free
- Paraben-free
- Ethyl alcohol-free
- SLS-free
Cons
None
Acne breakouts can cause a lot of discomfort and pain. This all-natural African black soap by Wonderfully Natural helps fight acne. This authentic African recipe contains essential oils like coconut oil that rejuvenate your skin and help clear blemishes. The vitamin E in this soap helps protect your skin against environmental damage. It promotes cell renewal and fades acne scars, dark spots, fine lines, and pigmentation. In addition, this soap treats dandruff, eczema, and psoriasis.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, organic Shea butter, organic Cocoa pod, Coconut oil, and Palm kernel oil
Pros
- Organic ingredients
- Treats dandruff
- Reduces inflammation
- Evens out your complexion
Cons
- Dissolves too quickly
Pro TipBest Brightening Soap: Koji White Kojic Acid & Papaya Skin Brightening Soap
Say goodbye to all skin imperfections with this skin-brightening soap by Koji White. This soap uses a unique formula of papaya and kojic acid that naturally induces a radiant complexion. In addition, it has a refreshing tropical scent that gives you a spa-like experience at home. The papaya enzymes gently remove dead skin cells while improving your skin texture. It also reduces the appearance of scars, pigmentation, and dark spots, and leaves your skin feeling super smooth. It also contains hyaluronic acid that deeply hydrates your skin and improves its elasticity. This non-drying formula also has a pH of 8.5 and offers a gentle cleanse. This soap is suitable for individuals with sensitive, oily, dry, or combination skin. Learn more about this product in this video.
Key Ingredients: Kojic acid, Papaya enzymes, and Hyaluronic acid
Pros - Natural ingredients
- Gentle exfoliation
- Cruelty-free
- Paraben-free
- SLS-free
Cons
None
Best For Sensitive Skin: Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar
The gentle cleansing bar by Cetaphil effectively cleanses your skin without stripping away its natural moisture barrier. It is formulated with a surfactant that can attract bacteria, germs, and other impurities that accumulate on the skin within 20 seconds. The ingredients in the formula replenish lost moisture and leave your skin soft and supple. The soap does not contain any harsh ingredients that may otherwise irritate or damage your skin. It is even safe enough for children. This soap can be used both on your face and your body.
Pros - Gentle on skin
- Dermatologist-recommended
- Clinically-tested
- Non-comedogenic
- Fragrance-free
- Hypoallergenic
- Paraben-free
- Soap-free
Cons
- Overwhelming fragrance
Best Soothing Formula: Aspen Kay Naturals Dead Sea Mud & Charcoal Soap
This handcrafted soap by Aspen Kay Naturals has a rejuvenating scent of peppermint, lemongrass, and eucalyptus. This gentle bar is infused with activated charcoal that helps pull impurities from the skin’s surface and profoundly detoxifies. The dead sea minerals in the formula have a concentration of 21 different nutrients that nourish and fortify your skin. The organic olive oil in this soap is rich in antioxidants that help repair your skin’s natural barrier. The unrefined shea butter helps cleanse your skin while offering superior moisturization. This soap is ideal for those dealing with eczema, psoriasis, and acne.
Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, Dead sea mud, organic Shea butter, organic Sunflower oil, organic Olive oil, organic Castor oil, and activated Charcoal
Pros - Calms down irritation
- Rejuvenating fragrance
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Soap-free
Cons
- Abrasive
If your skin feels super dry and stretchy, this cleansing bar by Ambi Skincare is a must-have! It forms a rich, creamy lather that effectively washes away dead skin cells and surface impurities to reveal smooth, even-toned, and clean-looking skin. In addition, the cocoa butter in the formula helps condition and soften your skin while restoring its natural moisture balance.
Key Ingredients: Cocoa butter
Pros
- Lathers well
- Gentle on skin
- Soothes eczema
- Fades body acne scars
- Pleasing fragrance
- Cruelty-free
Cons
None
Pro TipBest For Lightening Your Skin: Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar
This cleansing bar by Urban Skin is formulated with clear tone advanced technology that gives you an even skin tone by enhancing your complexion and diminishing dark spots. This 3-in-1 treatment has licorice and tea tree oil and can be used as an exfoliator, cleanser, or brightening mask. In addition, the formula’s conditioning oils deeply moisturize and nourish your skin, leaving it super soft and supple!
Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, Palm oil, Soybean protein, Safflower oil, Black Tea leaf extract, Kojic acid, Niacinamide, Witch Hazel extract, Licorice root, and Tannic acid
Pros - Calms irritation
- Rejuvenating fragrance
- Deep exfoliation
- Prevents acne
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Soap-free
Cons
None
Best Soap-Free Bar: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar
Be it acne-prone, sensitive, oily, eczema-prone, or dry skin, this cleansing bar by CeraVe works wonders on all skin types! The formula contains a 5% moisturizing cream that hydrates your skin while cleansing it. The ceramide in this cleansing bar helps maintain healthy skin and restores the protective barrier. In addition, it does not contain any harsh ingredients or toxic chemicals – and is safe for kids!
Pros - Gentle on skin
- Dermatologist-recommended
- Clinically-tested
- Non-comedogenic
- Fragrance-free
- Hypoallergenic
- Paraben-free
- Soap-free
Cons
- Overwhelming fragrance
Best Organic Formula: Aspen Kay Naturals Oatmeal Milk & Honey Soap Bar
This is yet another soap that has made our list from Aspen Kay Naturals. This soothing skin formula is specifically designed for sensitive skin. The organic oatmeal gives you gentle exfoliation, while the organic honey draws moisture into the skin. The organic olive oil in this soap is rich in antioxidants that help repair your skin’s natural barrier. The unrefined shea butter helps cleanse your skin while offering superior moisturization. This soap is ideal for people dealing with eczema, psoriasis, and acne.
Key Ingredients: Oatmeal milk and Honey
Pros - Moisturizing properties
- Rejuvenating fragrance
- Gentle exfoliation
- Prevents acne
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Soap-free
Cons
None
Best Hypoallergenic Bar: Neutrogena The Transparent Facial Bar
Image: Neutrogena The Neutrogena facial cleansing bar is ideal for a gentle and soothing daily cleanse. It lathers well and effectively removes excess oil, dirt, and impurities without stripping away the natural moisture of your skin. The formula contains glycerin that attracts water and leaves your skin soft and plump. Unlike regular cleansing bars, this formula does not contain any heavy ingredients and does not clog your pores or leave any residue. As a result, this soap bar helps you get healthier, clarified, and radiant skin with regular use.
Key Ingredients: Glycerine
Pros - Hypoallergenic
- Dermatologist-recommended
- Clinically-tested
- Non-comedogenic
- Fragrance-free
- Paraben-free
- Soap-free
Cons
None
Ethique Bliss Bar Solid Facial Cleanser
Ethique is a well-known brand that creates sustainable and ethically sourced products made from effective and natural ingredients. This facial cleanser is luxuriously creamy and targeted explicitly for normal to dry skin types. It is infused with coconut butter, clay, and glycerin for a gentle and non-stripping cleanse.
Key Ingredients: Coconut butter and Glycerine
Pros - Vegan
- pH-balanced
- Fragrance-free
- Deep moisturization
- Treats cystic acne
- Soap-free
Cons
None
The Seaweed Bath Co. Purifying Detox Facial Bar
This rich cleansing bar by The Seaweed Bath Co. is enriched with seaweed and therapeutic ingredients that improve the look and feel of your skin. It gently cleanses your skin with a moisturizing lather, leaving it refreshed, hydrated, and renewed. The bladderwrack seaweed in the formula contains over 65+ minerals and vitamins that replenish and detoxify your skin. It also contains shea butter, which softens, soothes, and moisturizes your skin. In addition, the green tea in the formula is fortified with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and purifies your skin to keep acne flare-ups at bay.
Key Ingredients: Maine Seaweed, Shea butter, and Green Tea extract
Pros - Hydrates skin
- Lathers well
- Doesn’t leave residue
- Non-greasy
- Non-irritating
- Long-lasting moisture
- Gluten-free
- Paraben-free
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Unpleasant fragrance
This charcoal soap by Herbivore can be used both on the face and body and is very gentle on the skin. It is made with 100% pure oils and natural ingredients that help balance and cleanse your skin while hydrating it. The charcoal soap naturally exfoliates your skin and eliminates dead skin cells and blemishes. The coconut and olive oil in the formula are rich in antioxidants, nutrients, and vitamins that keep your skin moisturized and healthy. The refreshing smell of this soap leaves your skin and senses feeling fresh all day. The tea tree oil in this formula effectively fights blemishes, while the bergamot essential oil helps balance your skin’s oil production. It also helps unclog pores and eliminates tan, dark spots, acne, psoriasis, eczema, and pigmentation.
Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, Tea Tree essential oil, Bamboo Charcoal, Bergamot essential oil, Vitamin E, and Olive oil
Pros
- Eliminates excess sebum
- Gentle exfoliation
- Mild fragrance
- Prevents acne
- Paraben-free
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Colorant-free
- Mineral oil-free
Cons
- Melts too quickly
Clinique Facial Soap
The mild beauty soap provides a gentle cleanse while instantly soothing and softening your skin. It is specifically formulated for dry and combination skin types. The formula leaves your skin feeling perfectly clean while enhancing its complexion. Regular use of this soap bar will ensure healthy, glowing, and flawless-looking skin.
Pros - Moisturizes skin
- Soothing formula
- Calms irritation
- Rejuvenating fragrance
- Gentle on skin
Cons
- Expensive
Drunk Elephant Juju Bar
This 3-in-1 bar by Drunk Elephant is formulated with a unique bamboo powder and thermal mud duo, forming a creamy lather to dissolve pore-clogging impurities and unwanted oils. It gently removes dead skin cells from the skin’s surface to reveal smooth and soft skin. The formula has an ideal pH of 6.34 and does not strip your skin’s natural moisture. However, regular use of this soap reverses skin damages while promoting an even-toned and brightened complexion.
Key Ingredients: Wheat starch, Birrea seed oil, Bamboo powder, Thermal mud, Sunflower seed oil, and Marula oil
Pros - Rich and luscious lather
- Natural ingredients
- Gentle exfoliation
- Reduces dark spots
- Pleasing fragrance
- Moisturizing properties
Cons
- Expensive
Here are a few points to look out for while choosing a bar soap.
What To Look For In A Soap Bar
- Avoid Harsh Ingredients
The ingredients play a significant role in the effective outcome of the soap. Steer clear of any harmful chemicals or harsh ingredients like parabens, sulfates, silicones, phthalates, and mineral oils that can damage your skin. Also, look for ingredients that you are allergic to. For example, witch hazel is a nourishing ingredient but may cause irritation and inflammation if you are allergic to it. Always do a patch test before using any soap.
- Steer Clear Of Artificial Fragrances
Few soaps melt our hearts with their fruity and floral fragrance, but these soaps may contain artificial fragrances that irritate and damage our skin. Instead, you can opt for soaps that have natural fragrances derived from essential oils and fruit extracts.
- Check The Reviews
Check for the pros and cons in reviews before buying a product. The best way to know about a product nowadays is simply through the internet. This will help determine if the product is the right for you.
- Your Skin Type
There is a wide array of soaps for each skin type and texture. Get to know your skin type first: is it oily, mature, sensitive, or dry? Choose a soap that benefits your skin’s needs to ensure optimal results. For instance, if you have oily skin, avoid soaps loaded with essential oils as it can cause breakouts.
Bar soaps offers various benefits for your skin and it is necessary to store them properly. Read the next section to know more.
How Do You Store A Bar Soap?
Soap bars can last long, and the trick is to keep them as dry as possible between uses. Water breaks your bar down, and keeping it in the direct stream of your shower will shorten its life. Instead, store it outside of the shower on a soap dish (the one with holes) to let it dry.
Infographic: Cleansing Soap Bars: Tips To Buy And Key Ingredients
The market is overflowing with multiple brands selling different variants of bar soaps. Choosing one that suits your skin is challenging. Worry not! We are here to help you!
Check out the infographic below to know what kind of soap is required to cleanse your skin and treat it from within properly.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
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Download Infographic 
Old school cleansing bars have regained popularity in the market with their unique formulations. Nowadays, many cleansing soap bars are available that are free from harsh chemicals like sulfates and are enriched with natural ingredients that do not strip off the natural moisture from your skin. They can hydrate, brighten, and moisturize your skin while preventing acne and premature aging. The reviewed options in the list are enriched with organic ingredients. Before buying a cleansing soap bar, ensure it is free from harsh ingredients and artificial fragrances. Also, remember to go through the reviews and consider your skin type.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
Shiboli Chakraborti, the author of this article, is a certified skin care coach, and she relies on products that are safe for the skin and made of premium quality ingredients. She browsed online to check the user feedback on various forums and went through hundreds of reviews. The cleansing soap bars listed above are long-lasting, hydrate your skin, and improve elasticity. They are also free of any harmful chemicals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What skin type are cleansing soap bars best for?
Cleansing bars come in all types of formulations and cater to all skin types!
Is a bar soap better than face wash?
If you’re looking for a eco-friendly and sustainably-made product to cleanse the dirt from your skin, an essential bar soap works fine. But if you need skin hydration, serious exfoliation, or acne treatment, a face wash might be a better choice.
What cleansing soap bars do dermatologists recommend?
Cetaphil cleansing bar is one of the most popular dermatologist-recommended cleansing soap bar.
What is the difference between a cleansing bar and soap?
Soap can be abrasive; they can remove your skin’s natural oils, whereas cleansing bars are gentle, and do not strip natural oils away from your skin. They also contain substances that help maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier.
What is the oldest bar soap brand?
The oldest bar soap brand is Pears. It first came on the market in the year 1789.
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