Going Travelling? Take One One These Handy Face Body and Hair Soap Bars With You.
Sadaf Razi is Adore Beauty's Senior Beauty Editor.
She's a former fashion editor (who worked at various glossy mags) and stylist-turned digital beauty and lifestyle writer. She has been in the lifestyle/media industry for over 10 years and her work has also been featured on international covers like Elle France and Vanity Fair Mexico.
Some of her fave Adore Beauty products include Cicaplast B5, CeraVe Cleansing Oil and Lancôme Renergie Triple Serum.
When I say the words ‘soap bar’ I know what you’re probably imagining…
Dry, tight, stripped skin.
And If I say soap bars for your face? I can feel you wincing through your screen.
But, didn’t almost everyone’s Nan say all they used to use back in the day was soap and water for skin care?
*Insert nervous laugh.
I recently caught my dad using a supermarket hand soap on his face, and I nearly slapped it out of his hand.
Hand soap for face? Dad, don't be silly.
But I’m not talking about those kinds of soap bars.
I've noticed the humble bar of soap is back, but not as you remember.
Now, you can find soap bars (also known as beauty bars) for your body, hands, hair, scalp and even... your face.
Just quietly, Queen Rhianna just released a Fenty Skin soap bar product, and she knows what's up.
Beauty bars are small, light, sustainable, easy to travel with and best of all, they're just as good as your favourite bottled beauty products.
Feeling the nostalgia?
I've rounded up some of the best beauty bars on Adore Beauty, from luxe fragrance bars and the best soap bar for body acne, to the best shampoo soap bar for your hair and scalp.
Best Face Soap Bar (Yes, Really).
What:
Why they're great:
OK, so can you use bar soap on your face? Yes.
When I saw this video of the Clinique skincare soap bars, I was honestly shook.
Clinique have created three hand-milled soap bars that are tailored to three different skin types.
The formula lathers beautifully, and removes dirt, excess oil and debris, leaving skin feeling clean and comfortable!
I'll be adding the Clinique Facial Soap Bar 150g - Dry Combination to my next staff order for my dad.
Shop the Clinique Facial Soap Bars here:
Best Soap for Body Acne.
What:
Why it's great:
Looking for 'best bar soap for acne on body'?
Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face and Body might just be it.
The soap bar formula contains salicylic acid, which sounds very appealing to my bumpy arms.
The mild but effective soap works to purify your face and body of pore-clogging debris, while also removing dirt and excess oil.
It’s also paraben, phthalates and fragrance free.
Oh, and the 5-star AB customer reviews speak for themselves:
"Literally life changing. I've tried so many products for my back-ne and nothing worked. After like 3 days of using this, it cleared up so much. I am so happy I could cry. I can now wear backless dresses again, my confidence is back." - AJ.
"I’ve tried everything to combat my back acne, it’s been years and nothing helped. This Clinique soap bar fixed my problem immediately within one week. Definitely a holy grail for me. Hot tip: You can cut a fraction of the soap as needed and use as you go. Highly recommend this soap." - KN.
Best Smelling Bar Soap.
What: The Glasshouse Fragrances many body bars.
Why they're great:
When you think of delicious smells, I’m sure Glasshouse Fragrances comes to mind.
And if you don't already own a Glasshouse candle, what are you doing? Hop to it!
So it only makes sense Glasshouse have equally delicious-smelling, French-milled soap bars in their range.
Formulated with almond oil and vitamin E, the skin on your body and hands is left nourished, soft, and smelling like a citrus dream, caramel sweet, or a seaside getaway.
Oh, and these definitely win the 'best body bar soap for smelling amazing' award.
Glasshouse Fragrances MONTEGO BAY RHYTHM 180g Body Bar is my pick if you’re after something citrusy with a dash of vanilla and coconut.
For a fresh take on floral, the Glasshouse Fragrances MARSEILLE MEMOIRE 180g Body Bar has notes of gardenia, neroli, cardamom and casaba melon that may tickle your fancy.
Glasshouse Fragrances A TAHAA AFFAIR 180g Body bar is literally the cult candle in a body bar.
And after compiling this article, I think Glasshouse Fragrances LOST IN AMALFI 180g Body Bar is the body bar I'll be adding to cart.
Shop the Glasshouse Body Bars here:
The Best Does-Everything Soap.
What:
The cult Dr. Bronner’s castile soap bars that are literally called 'all in one'.
Why they're great:
For our vegan friends, these Dr. Bronner’s Fair Trade Organic Bar Soaps are biodegradable and vegetable-based.
The cult brand makes products with endless uses, and the soap bars are no different.
While they are mostly used for the body, these can also be considered as some of the best natural soaps for face.
You can use Dr Bronner's bars of soap to clean your makeup brushes, wash veggies, as a body wash, to wash your hands, on the scalp, and people on the internet are even grating their soap bars up and making DIY washing powder!
The best face soap for sensitive skin or a castile soap for face, Dr. Bronner's Castile Bar Soap - Baby Unscented is great for those with sensitive skin, and also gentle enough to use on babies.
AB staffer Mette loves the Dr. Bronner's Castile Bar Soap - Lavender for recreating a spa-like aromatherapy shower at home.
You can suss out the full soap bar range below:
Best Shampoo Bar for Oily Hair & a Flaky Scalp.
What:
Why it's great:
As far as best shampoo bars or the best shampoo bar for oily hair goes, O&M Charcoal Shampoo Bar 70g is a winner.
It deeply cleanses the hair and scalp from product build up, and is formulated with kakadu plum and activated charcoal.
If you’re on the go or travelling and don't want to take your plastic shampoo bottles with you, throw this detoxing shampoo bar in a zip lock and you're good to go.
This cruelty and sulfate-free shampoo bar is also Australian-made, vegan and carries the scent of sandalwood, cedar and frankincense.
Curly hair types usually favour sulfate-free shampoos, so this one could be added to your best shampoo bar for curly hair list.
Your refreshed hair and clean scalp will thank you!
Best Shampoo Bar for Dry, Damaged Hair.
What:
Why it's great:
Looking for the best shampoo bar for fine hair or best shampoo bar for dry hair?
I suggest trying the Christophe Robin hydrating shampoo bar.
Made with aloe vera, natural glycerin, coconut oil and castor oil, this Christophe Robin shampoo bar cleanses and hydrates the hair, without leaving it dry or stripped.
It can be used by all (so this could also be the best men's shampoo bar), but it is ideal for those with dry strands and fine, short or mid-length hair!
It’s also paraben, silicone and SLS free and 100% vegan.
Best Conditioner Bar.
What:
Why it's great:
Yep, soap bars even come in conditioners!
Fans of ELEVEN Australia Hydrate My Hair Moisture Conditioner 300ml will like this gentle, moisturising bar too.
After shampooing, run the bar over your lengths and ends of your hair then comb through with fingers (or a comb if you please). Leave for a few mins, then rinse!
Is it the best bar conditioner?
Well, it's suited to all hair types and it contains shea butter, olive oil, hydrolysed jojoba esters, argan oil and hydrolysed oat protein.
So it could definitely be the best best conditioner bar for curly hair, and the best conditioner bar for dry hair.
Best Body Exfoliating Bar.
What:
Why it's great:
One of Molton Brown’s best-selling scents 'Black Pepper' also comes in an exfoliating soap bar!
Infused with black peppercorns and Madagascan black pepper oil, this spicy, exfoliating soap is a great gift for someone who wants something invigorating that will help smooth and refine their skin.
I'd quietly say it's also one of the best-smelling bar soap for guys, too.
Made in England (ICYMI Molton Brown is a brand used by royalty), it’s gluten, nut, paraben, phthalate and cruelty free and is also vegan.
Final Thoughts...
So next time your (my) dad asks, "can you use soap on your face?" or "can you use soap to wash your face?", you can say yes and lead him to one of the above.
If your always-concerned mate in the group (me) asks, "is bar soap bad for your face?", you can show them one of the above.
Look, I know soap bars might be a beauty product that needs some getting used to, especially those for your hair because they work differently and feel different too.
But they are also great affordable, plastic-free, gifting and handy travel options!
If any of these are currently in your cart, make sure you also add a soap dish to save messiness, and always keep your soaps in a dry spot!
Looking for some more products to add to your shower routine? Check out these articles below:
