Bar soap isn’t necessarily at the forefront of the beauty industry (after all, evidence has been found that ancient Babylonians understood soap making as early as 2800 B.C.), but the classic skincare staple is making a comeback.
Today’s iterations aren’t just for washing your hands and lathering up in the shower, though; believe it or not, there are lots of incredible cleansing bars on the market that are formulated specifically for washing your face. Plus, it’s important to note that a bar soap produces much less waste than a plastic bottle.
We did some scrubbing to find the best solid picks to lather up for a moisturising cleansing experience during your next shower. Whether you’re tickled by the nostalgia of bar soaps, are a skincare minimalist, or are trying to buy products with less wasteful packaging, there’s an option on our list for you.
DV tip: As with any cleanser, pay attention to the key ingredients, especially if you have sensitive skin or a particular skin concern.
Aesop Body Cleansing Slab
This oversized vegetable-based soap smells equal parts citrusy and sexy, thanks to a blend of bergamot, ylang-ylang, and lime.
When mixed with water, the pH-balanced bar produces a barely-there lather that cleans the skin without stripping it.
This retails for S$31. Check the link below to shop.
Aveeno Moisturizing Bar
Featuring powder-fine oat, this fragrance-free cleansing bar nourishes and soothes sensitive skin as it cleanses away dirt and oil.
This retails for S$4.91. Check the link below to shop.
Bio-essence Bio-Treasure Ayurvedic Herbs + Coconut Oil Purifying Cleansing Bar
This bar soap counts wild ginger, patchouli oil, sandalwood, and coconut oil among its cocktail of pure Ayurvedic herbs, but it also boasts a proprietary formula called Bio-Energy Complex, which boosts the skin’s ability to repair, renew, and replenish itself, improving skin health and reducing the appearance of acne marks and rough skin.
This retails for S$16.90. Check the link below to shop.
Byredo Vetyver Fragranced Soap
With whiffs of bergamot, pear, lily of the valley, amber, and plum (to name a few), the solid hand soap is packed with skin-loved ingredients that help to clean, nourish, and subtly scent the skin.
Oh, and it’s packed into minimalist packaging too – what’s not to love?
This retails between S$40 and S$43. Check the links below for the latest promotions.
Cetaphil Cleansing Bar
Just like its liquid cleanser counterparts, this soap-free cleansing bar is a godsend for dry, itchy skin as it lathers without stripping skin of its natural oils, and you won’t find any semblance of residue once you rinse it off.
Plus, it’s formulated for all skin types and features a mild, non-polarising scent.
This retails for S$16.50. Check the link below to shop.
Christian Dior Gris Dior Solid Perfumed Soap
This bar soap makes one chic shower if you ask us.
Not only does it look elegant atop a soap dish (or really anywhere), but it also smells divine like the floral Gris Dior fragrance.
This retails for S$55. Check the link below to shop.
Dove Beauty Cream Bar
This cult classic looks like soap and smells like soap – but it contains zero traces of the stuff.
Instead, it relies on a much milder cleanser, sodium lauroyl isethionate, to wash away grime without stripping the skin.
What’s more, this beauty bar leaves the skin feeling soft and supple, thanks to its composition of one to four moisturising milk.
This retails for S$3.95 (for a pack of three). Check the link below to shop.
Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Castile Bar Soap
Made from 100% natural ingredients like certified organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba, and other essential oils, you can count on this eco-friendly bar soap to provide you with a nourishing and refreshing bath experience.
We especially like the tea tree variant which can help keep back acne (bacne) at bay.
This retails for S$8.90. Check the link below to shop.
Fresh Mangosteen Oval Soap
Fresh offers a range of good-looking vegetable-based body soaps that can easily pass off as mini presents with its gorgeous packaging.
The one we like here is infused with moisturising shea butter and a lush addictive scent.
This retails for S$25. Check the link below to shop.
Gallinée Perfume Free Cleansing Bar
Rich in lactic acid, this nourishing and protecting solid cleanser is crafted to support your skin’s microbiome.
It’s also so gentle that you can use it on your face, body, nether regions, as well as on babies.
This retails for S$19. Check the link below to shop.
Herbivore Botanicals Bamboo Charcoal Deep Cleanse Detoxifying Soap Bar
If body blemishes are an issue, opt for this little black bar soap, which harnesses the pore-purging powers of charcoal.
Plus, it’s laced with tea tree and bergamot essential oils, which not only give it a pleasant herbal scent but also aid in balancing skin’s oil production.
This retails for S$19. Check the link below to shop.
L'Objet Bois Sauvage Bar Soap
For an artisanal soap that’ll look Insta-cute on your basin, look no further than this one by L’Objet.
It looks good and is packed with lots of good stuff too, including walnut and Moroccan argan oil to give you clean, moisturised, and nourished skin.
This retails for S$43. Check the link below to shop.
L'Occitane Almond Scrubbing Soap
A round-up of bar soaps won’t be one without mentioning L’Occitane, possibly one of the biggest fan-favourite brands for bar soaps.
This one contains fine almond crushed shells and has two sides: a smooth side to gently cleanse and exfoliate, and the other with nubs to help stimulate skin microcirculation by massage.
This retails for S$20. Check the link below to shop.
L'Occitane Relaxing Body Soap
An elegant touch for any home, this calming bar soap features a blend of lavender and sweet orange essential oils in a creamy formula.
This retails for S$20. Check the link below to shop.
L'Occitane Shea Butter Extra Gentle Soap - Milk
This 100% vegetable-based bar soap doesn’t provide much lather – or a super-strong scent, for that matter – but it does leave dry skin quenched and supple, thanks to its high concentration of organic shea butter.
This retails for S$18. Check the link below to shop.
L'Occitane Verbena Soap
Enriched with organic verbena extract from Provence, this bar soap cleanses the body while enveloping it in a subtle fresh citrus scent.
We also absolutely love its unique leaf design that’ll look good in any bathroom.
This retails for S$12. Check the link below to shop.
Lush Fresh Farmacy Facial Soap
In order to make this soap gentle enough to use on your face as well as your body, part of the soap base has been replaced with a beautiful selection of essential oils.
Chamomile blue oil is soothing on the skin while lavender oil calms the mind. There’s also the mildly antiseptic tea tree oil and rebalancing rose absolute.
This retails for S$25. Check the link below to shop.
Mild By Nature African Black Soap
Made from African black soap, which primarily features ashes from the likes of plantains and cocoa pods, plus an infusion of aloe, oats, and vitamin E, this multi-purpose bar soap simultaneously soothes skin and targets acne blemishes with a thick lather.
This retails for S$4.24. Check the link below to shop.
Mira Hello Sunshine Artisan Soap
Perfumed with a rejuvenating blend of orange and frankincense, this block of olive oil, cold-pressed coconut oil, and raw cocoa butter will definitely have you looking forward to your shower every morning.
This retails for S$12.90. Check the link below to shop.
Mira Turmeric Saffron Artisan Soap
This luxurious facial bar soap is crafted with saffron-infused olive oil, naturally coloured with turmeric powder to provide skin-brightening benefits, and scented with an invigorating mix of lemon and frankincense.
This retails for S$12.90. Check the link below to shop.
One with Nature Dead Sea Mud Triple Milled Mineral Soap Bar
This hefty, fragrance-free bar soap is made with a unique combination of salts and 21 essential minerals for a gentle and moisturising formula that cleanses without drying out the skin.
This retails for S$5.64. Check the link below to shop.
Sebamed Cleansing Bar
This soap-free cleansing bar has a very mild formulation that cleanses thoroughly without drying out the skin.
On top of having a pH value of 5.5 for better skin health, it contains a complex of amino acids, lecithin, vitamins, and panthenol to maintain the balance of the skin’s hydrolipidic system and regenerate the skin.
This retails for S$9.55. Check the link below to shop.
Sephora Collection All-Over Face & Body Solid Cleanser
Formulated with moisture-retaining cactus, this solid bar soap helps exfoliate and smooth the skin so it’ll feel thoroughly clean and uber-soft after each use.
This retails for S$10. Check the link below to shop.
Skin Sapiens Cleansing Bar for Face & Body
If streamlining your morning shower appeals to you, give this two-in-one pH-friendly bar soap a go – it contains activated charcoal and nourishing jojoba oil that work to wash away daily pollution without drying out even the most sensitive of skin.
What’s more, it’s free from artificial perfume and essential oils so you can wave goodbye to flare-ups, too.
This retails for S$19. Check the link below to shop.
Sulwhasoo Herbal Soap Set
A soap with a skin relaxing formula carefully made with high-quality Korean herbal medicinal ingredients that have been carefully aged.
What it does:
Not only is this formula chock full of Korean herbal medicinal ingredients including Korean red ginseng and Chinese peony, but it’s also made with a special 40-day ageing process to give you a rich and nourishing lather that spreads easily to whisk away impurities without upsetting the skin’s moisture balance.
This retails for S$55. Check the link below to shop.
The Body Shop Moringa Soap
Infused with handpicked moringa leaves, this bar soap will leave you smelling like a fresh flower bouquet as it deeply cleanses your skin for a clean, soft, and hydrated afterfeel.
This retails for S$6. Check the link below to shop.
Wavertree & London Ylang Ylang & Tahitian Lime
the Wavertree & London Frangipani Gardenia Moisturising Soap is made from a blend of exotic, tropical, white flower fragrances of opulent Gardenias and Island Frangipani.
Using the traditional French Triple Milling process, this Australian-made bar soap is enriched with pure organic shea butter that leaves your skin soft and moisturised while delicately scenting it with a relaxing and purifying aroma of exotic ylang-ylang and refreshing lime.
This retails for S$12.90. Check the link below to shop.
