The Best Bar Soaps To Use On Your Face
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We're forever on a quest for the perfect face cleansers to add to our skincare arsenal, whether on the nourishing side or deeply-exfoliating with AHAs. Your face wash can make or break your skincare routine, setting the stage for your other products. A cleanser should balance your complexion, scrub away impurities, boost your glow-factor, and never make it dry or oily. Even more crucial? The best face washes keep your skin's barrier intact, which protects it against pollutants and irritants (via Healthline). Keeping a few different kinds of effective face cleansers in tow is always a good idea, but you might have never thought about buying a facial bar soap next.
While you might be imagining the harsh soap bricks of years past, there's a new kind of bar soap in town and it's way cooler. The new wave of facial bar soaps are heavy on hydration, injecting your complexion with antioxidants, vitamins, and the highest quality oils. Bar soaps also help save the environment, using far less packaging than their liquid cleanser counterparts. When it comes to bar soaps for your face, you just need to know what your specific skin concerns are. As dermatologist Purvisha Patel, M.D. explained to Shape, "are you washing your face and you want to moisturize? Then you want to make sure your soap has [an ingredient such as] rosehip seed oil... You have to look at what your endgame is." Luckily, we've found the absolute best facial bar soaps for every skin concern under the sun.
The best facial bar soaps for sensitive skin
No good list of cleansers is complete without thinking about sensitive skin concerns, whether you deal with rosacea or dermatitis on a daily basis — or just suffer from mild irritation every now and then. If your regular cleanser is doing more harm than good, look no further than these best-selling, gentle, sensitive-skin-approved bar soaps. Your skin will love them.
Lanolips Lanolin + Egg White Cleansing Bar ($10.95) is priced at just around the cost of a morning coffee. Even better? The most sensitive of skin types will find themselves on cloud nine when using this cleanser, formulated with the creamiest of goat milk, skin-strengthening egg whites, pore-cleansing sulfur, and lanolin to lock in all your natural moisture. As per Mind Body Green, this wash is perfect for fortifying your skin's barrier.
Another soothing option? Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar ($3.22), named by Bustle as the "all-around best" facial bar soap. As per the outlet, this drugstore cheapie is deeply effective, a hypoallergenic, detergent-free, fragrance-free option that uses stearic acid instead of soap to clean skin. Oil and impurities are washed away while never making your complexion feel overly-tight or dry.
La Roche-Posay is a dermatologist-approved mainstay, and their Lipikar Surgras Cleansing Bar ($9.99) is no exception. As recommended by Independent, this fragrance-free soap bar is tailor-made for easily-irritated skin, and has a "cleansing milk" texture that won't strip oils. It's great for calming redness, too.
Battling acne? These bar soaps will get rid of pimples STAT
If you suffer from acne, whether hormonal, stress-induced, or at just anytime it chooses to appear, your cleanser should work to control sebum and calm pimples. Even more, it's equally important for your wash to balance your complexion, since too much dryness can lead to more acne. While finding the right cleanser can be complicated, we've found all-star bar soaps that will make breakouts a thing of the past.
Herbivore is a clean-beauty brand making waves in the skincare world, and the brand's Natural Pink Clay Cleansing Soap Bar ($12) is a powerhouse. As per Bustle, this soap is made out of French pink clay, which effectively draws out dirt and sebum from pores, while also controlling oil and shine (no loose powder necessary). Antimicrobial coconut oil, soothing geranium, and blood orange all round out the formula, which just happens to be silicone, paraben, and fragrance-free. Win!
Typology Purifying Cleansing Bar With Nettle ($14.70) is another soap that will get even the peskiest pimples in check, regulating sebum with 8% fatty acids and clean, all-natural ingredients like eucalyptus, spearmint, and nettle powder. According to Independent, this will curb your breakouts and might even make your pores look smaller.
We also love Clinique's Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar For Face and Body ($16.50), a purifying soap that's perfect for sensitive skin types. As per Shape, this formula contains salicylic acid for a serious deep clean, while still keeping things nourishing with glycerin.
Can't live without luxurious foam? Try these lather-happy bar soaps
While many facial bar soaps don't foam, you might love a soapy lather. Nothing beats a bubbly wash that gives you that deep-clean feel — the problem is, most of the time, those cleansers are too drying. Not to fret: We've found bar soaps that give you the best of both worlds.
If you love the idea of a purifying clay soap that still lathers up, try Osmia Black Clay Cleansing Facial Soap ($24). Recommended by Who What Wear, this soap brings together clarifying mud from the Dead Sea, Australian clay, nourishing almond, avocado, castor bean oils, and coconut milk for a creamy, decadent lather. This bar is great for combatting redness and irritation.
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleansing Bar ($5.59) blends ceramides and niacinamide to lock in hydration while still giving you a thick lather. Perfect for normal to oily skin, this soap uses kaolin clay to reduce oil, while hyaluronic acid keeps your complexion supple. Dermatologist Melanie Palm, M.D. told Shape that this cleanser's foam "removes dirt, makeup, and debris, but the ceramides contained in the bar rebuild the skin's barrier function."
If you prefer to go for something downright-tingly, might we suggest Dr. Dennis Gross Botanical Cleansing Bar with Tea Tree Aloe ($24)? This makes a "luxurious foam" while deep-cleaning pores with antibacterial tea tree oil. As per Who What Wear, it contains moisturizing aloe and shea butter, vitamins A and E, and even exfoliating papaya extract.
We love a multitasker: Use these bar soaps for your face and body
Who doesn't love the idea of a product that does it all? Two-in-one skincare saves you money, time, and counter space, working to make your life easier. While many of the gentlest, skin-friendly bar soaps work solely for the face, there are a few that work just as well as a body wash. Here are our favorites.
Cetaphil will always have our skincare-loving hearts, and their Deep Cleansing Face and Body Bar ($9.28) is no exception. Suggested by Shape as one of the best options on the market, this bar won't break you out, is hypoallergenic, and uses glycerin and stearic acid to make sure your skin is never stripped of precious moisture.
Avène's XeraCalm A.D Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar ($12) works just as well for the face or body, blending soothing thermal spring water, nourishing evening primrose oil, and a postbiotic complex i-modulia. Great for sensitive skin, Dr. Palm told Shape that it's perfect for complexions that are "easily irritated or allergic to some skincare ingredients," with the thermal water serving "as a potent ingredient for fighting inflammation."
We're just as obsessed with Gallinée's Cleansing Bar ($18), supporting skin's microbiome with a no-soap, über-soothing formulation. At a perfect pH level of 5.8, this bar is great for the face or body, with Independent describing how its prebiotic, lactic acid formula moisturizes and strengthens the skin barrier. A true skin savior!
Oily skin? Go for these bar soaps for a shine-free complexion
Many of us have been there: After applying a face of makeup, you soon look in the mirror to find a dreaded shiny t-zone. While a quick powdering up can solve that problem stat, why not avoid the issue in the first place? We've cracked down on the best bar soaps for oily skin, stopping sebum right in its tracks and keeping skin glare-free.
DHC Pure Soap Cleansing Bar ($9) is a great option if you have overall-oily skin that tends to get dry in places, too. This do-it-all cleanser uses pure soap to clean pores deep-down and stop oil from appearing in the first place, while olive oil and aloe vera lightly-hydrate right where you need it. As per Who What Wear, this bar is fragrance-free and perfect as a deep-clean wash especially in the summer.
Herbivore's Blue Clay Cleansing Bar Soap ($14) is just what the doctor ordered for oilier skin types. This soap's Cambrian blue clay improves issues with texture and hyperpigmentation over time, with Bustle explaining that it also stops exacerbated oil production. Plus, vitamin E repairs the skin from the ground-up, while lavender oil makes this product super-calming to boot.
Also try Drunk Elephant Pekee™ Cleansing Bar ($28), one of the gentlest cleansers in the game that still manages to purify clogged pores. Independent explains that this bar combines antioxidant-rich blueberry extract, moisturizing marula oil, and antibacterial honey to clean skin while retaining hydration.
If you have dry skin, these deeply-hydrating options are perfect for you
Or, you might have the exact opposite issue: Dry skin that tends to get uncomfortably-tight and flake off. While naturally-dry skin can be caused by a plethora of issues, including cold weather, in-office A/C, or even skimping on your water intake, the right bar soap can offer your skin all the hydration it needs.
Ethique's Bliss Bar ($14.85) is one of the most moisturizing cleansers on the market, coming from a company that's deeply committed to helping the environment and reducing plastic waste. While Ethique offers a 100% sustainable product line, with zero-waste, compostable packaging, the soap is just as good: As per Bustle, its mix of coconut butter, glycerin, and kaolin clay deliver delicious moisture and a serious clean.
It doesn't get more classic than CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar ($16.47), and that's a good thing. Perfect for the face and body, this bar is specifically formulated for normal-to-dry skin, comprising ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and 5% CeraVe moisturizing cream to lock in hydration. The best part? As per Stylecaster, if you also deal with acne, this non-comedogenic, fragrance-free formula will actually improve it.
SheaMoisture Bar Soap for Troubled Skin ($6.99) is another mainstay we can't live without, perfect for "severely" dry skin by wrapping it in nourishing shea butter, aloe leaf juice, cocoa, and oat. This is also ah-mazing for pimple-prone complexions, with Bustle explaining that its tamarind extract and plantain peel cut down acne while moisturizing skin.
The best exfoliating facial bar soaps
Who doesn't love a good scrub? There's nothing better than a bar soap that gives you that squeaky-clean feel while also washing away impurities — especially through a dose of physical exfoliants. We rounded up bar soaps that are great for when your skin is feeling particularly congested, but also work for reviving everyday use.
The perfect refreshing cleanser can make your a.m. wake-up calls easier than ever, and Ursa Major Morning Mojo Bar Soap ($14) is definitely one of them. With tingly peppermint that will make you want to seize the day in no time, this cleanser features bacteria-fighting honey, hydrating coconut, thick shea butter, and volcanic rock for exfoliation. Great for moisturizing your complexion, Cosmopolitan says this bar leaves both face and body skin perfectly "soft" and "smooth." Now you're ready to take on the day.
Seaweed Bath Co.'s Purifying Detox Facial Bar ($5.99) is another top-notch option, with Grove Collaborative describing it as a face-or-body soap that clears skin of stubborn impurities like blackheads and whiteheads. Volcanic ash makes for a surefire scrub, while seaweed and green tea extract are super-soothing. Charcoal naturally deep cleans the pores, too.
Pink and crystal-infused? Count us in. Biore Rose Quartz plus Charcoal Facial Cleansing Bar ($6.99) is everything we want in a bar soap, with a "revitalizing" charcoal-based formula that attacks dirt and sebum to make sure your skin is as clean as can be. As per Cosmopolitan, the "ground-up" quartz is calming and slightly exfoliating.
The most environmentally-friendly bar soaps for your face
One of the main reasons bar soaps are getting more popular is their environmental-soundness, with several companies making it their mission to protect nature and reduce waste. Here are the absolute best facial bar soaps that focus on recycled materials.
First up, Ethique SuperStar!™ Solid Face Cleanser & Makeup Remover ($17) is a must-try for anyone wanting a two-in-product that saves time, money, and the environment with compostable packaging. This bar soap removes heavy makeup in a jiffy, cleansing the skin with oil-fighting sweet orange, and moisturizing with cocoa butter, kokum butter, coconut, and castor oil. As per Independent, this multi-use bar is the "best eco-friendly buy" out there, plus it has an energizing scent and can even be used as a full-blown moisturizer. Packing a suitcase just got a whole lot easier!
Meow Meow Tweet's Tea Tree Charcoal Facial Soap ($12) is another great option, blending oil-fighting charcoal and nourishing oats and cocoa butter to clean and hydrate the skin. As recommended by Shape, this bar contains tea tree and eucalyptus to deliver a cooling effect, and can be used as the perfect morning wash for your whole body. Plus, the packaging is recycled and completely compostable.
If you want the most environmentally-friendly facial soap out there, go for Codex Beauty Labs Bia Air Soap ($12). It's made out of slivers of upcycled soap cuttings from the brand's other products, mixed in with cleansing French clay and shea butter.
Need some relaxation? Try these aromatherapy-infused options
Sometimes, what you really need is a jolt of aromatherapy to take your cleansing game to the next level, whether going the invigorating citrus route or for calming before-bedtime essential oils. If a great scent is your thing, we've found the best bar soaps that combine skin-saving benefits with signature smells you'll love.
If you want something invigorating, may we present you to Rocky Mountain Soap's Aloe There Bar Soap ($5.95)? This cleanser brings a refreshing peppermint scent that's perfect as a morning face wash, while still hydrating your complexion with shea butter. Aloe vera rounds out the formula, soothing even the most sensitive skin, while Mind Body Green says this makes for an unbeatable anti-inflammatory soap.
Grove Collaborative recommends Terra's Marble Activated Charcoal Facial Bar with Brazilian Yellow Clay ($14), a paraben and sulfate-free bar soap that isn't just visually beautiful but offers purifying yellow clay and charcoal to deep-clean pores. It also has a sweet orange scent you'll look forward to every day. This is a balancing cleanser that's great for all skin types, with avocado and castor seed oil also making it hydrating.
Soapwalla's Lavender & French Clay Cleansing Bar ($18) is the epitome of a nighttime bar soap, sending you to slumber with a spa-like scent. French green clay gives you an impressive clean feel, and can improve discoloration. Mind Body Green explains that this formula can be used as a shaving cream, and its lavender oil component makes it deeply-relaxing.
Charcoal-infused facial bar soaps
We love a great charcoal-infused soap, wildly-effective at purging your pores and giving you the smooth, supple complexion you're craving. As per Cosmopolitan, charcoal works like "a magnet" to remove impurities from your skin, washing them away and leaving you with the cleanest feeling of all. We're obsessed, so naturally, we scoured the internet for the absolute best charcoal bar soaps on the market right now.
Yes, we love Herbivore, and with good reason: While the brand's clay-based bar soaps are great for cleansing sensitive to oily skin types, their Natural Bamboo Charcoal Cleansing Soap Bar ($12) is the absolute best for fighting acne and diminishing pores. Stylecaster wholeheartedly recommends this cleanser option, prizing its "all-natural" ingredient list including purifying activated bamboo charcoal, tea tree oil, and sweet-smelling bergamot. As per the outlet, this soap is gentle, and will never leave your skin feeling parched.
A super-luxe option is Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar ($40), a cleanser that combines the acne-fighting benefits of charcoal with Dead Sea mud that "firms, tones" and "tightens" skin. Glycerin keeps moisture in, while Who What Wear says this soap may also decrease the size of pores.
Independent suggests Carbon Theory's Facial Cleansing Bar ($9.99) as another great charcoal-infused option, naming it the "best for oily skin." While it lifts impurities, it also moisturizes with shea butter and fights bacteria with tingly tea tree oil. As per the brand, it is "dermatologically proven" to keep acne at bay, too.
The best facial bar soaps for treating eczema
And lastly, you might just be on the market for an effective bar soap to combat eczema or atopic dermatitis. As a condition that makes skin red, irritated, itchy, and inflamed, according to Mayo Clinic, you need a cleanser that will give you a dose of gentle moisture and a fresh, clean feeling all at once.
Vanicream Cleansing Bar for Sensitive Skin ($7.77) is a top bar soap contender, especially if you have a delicate skin type that's easily irritated. As per Shape this works for both eczema and psoriasis to deliver immediate soothing benefits. The outlet explains that this soap was awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, so you don't really have to worry about possible flare-ups. Gentle to a tee, it is non-comedogenic and free of fragrance, parabens, and dyes.
Joanna Vargas is the skincare guru for the stars, and her line's Cloud Bar ($22) is everything we ever wanted in a cleanser. Perfect for sensitive complexions, it soothes both psoriasis and eczema through hydrating vegetable glycerin, shea butter, and refreshing chamomile water. It also pumps up collagen (always a plus!), and as per Who What Wear, it also calms inflamed skin.
Avène Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar ($8.99) delivers just the right amount of moisture for eczema-prone skin, made simply with thermal water, white beeswax, and paraffin oil to nourish and moisturize. According to Independent, it is "ideal" for redness, acne, and eczema.