Best Bar Soap for Men: We Tested a Million So You Don’t Have To
Finding the best bar soap for men has been so much fun! Why’s that, you might ask? Because I was able to take off my beauty editor hat for once and put it on the three most important men in my life. I asked my husband, father, and brother to test out a bunch of bar soap and tell me their thoughts. In this best bar soap for men review, the guys share their likes and dislikes for nine bar soaps that they tested firsthand.
During the 2024 summer, my whole family was able to get together in our favorite place (Rhode Island) and spend a few weeks soaking up the sun at the beach. As you can imagine, everyone was showering after the beach almost every day. This gave my family countless opportunities to try out a bunch of different bar soaps.
As you will probably see below, my father is very passionate about bar soap. He’s always been a bar soap guy over body washes. He’s tried about a million and one bar soap brands in his day. And is really thorough when describing to me his likes and dislikes. My husband and brother, on the other hand, aren’t as well-versed in bar soap talk. So they won’t be as thorough. However, I still think they did a great job of telling me what they liked and didn’t like about each soap that they tried.
Below, please find the best bar soap for men, according to the men in my life!
Best Men’s Bar Soap: All The Ones They Loved (And Some They Didn’t)
8 Best Bar Soap For Men
Best Bar Soap for Men with Dry Skin: Yardley London Nourishing Bath Soap Bar in Cocoa Butter
Available at Amazon ($2)
This cleansing bar was a fan-favorite of my dad’s. He loved the subtle scent and said that it felt like you’re washing with a creamy soap that felt moisturizing and non-drying. He felt refreshed after using it, and even washed his hair with it. This pick rinses off nicely, doesn’t feel super soapy, and comes in a variety of scents, too.
My dad said he would definitely buy this soap again. We love that it can easily be found at most drugstores nationwide, and only costs $2 per bar.
Best Natural Bar Soap for Men: Dr. Squatch Men’s Natural Bar Soap in Wood Barrel Bourbon
Available at Amazon ($24 for 3-pack)
My husband, Curtis, really liked this bar soap for a few reasons. First off, he liked the smell a lot, which was a masculine (but subtle) bourbon scent. He loved that it lathers really nicely and rinses off easily, too. It has a bit of an exfoliating component to it as well, thanks to the Jimmy red cornmeal that’s added into the formula.
This bar soap is shaped in a square. Curtis said that he typically prefers the rectangular bars, rather than the square ones. He likes them because they fit into his hand better, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Additionally, he noticed that this formula didn’t leave his skin feeling as soft and “lotiony” as the Dove Men’s Bar Soap that he tested for this story. But on the flip side, he was convinced that you’d probably get twice as many showers out of the Dr. Squatch Men’s Natural Bar Soap compared to the Dove bar soap. That’s because the Dove option disintegrated so quickly. So, I guess the Dr. Squatch Men’s Natural Bar Soap will last a while in your shower, making it worth the higher price tag.
If you’re interested other natural body care products, check out my blog post about my favorite non-toxic body wash picks.
Best Men’s Bar Soap for Oily Skin: Every Man Jack Cold Plunge Men’s Bar Soap in Pacific Dive
Available on Amazon ($12 for 2-pack)
My brother, Austin, tested this one out and liked it enough to consider purchasing it again. He said it smells earthy, salty, and fresh, and he really loved the scent that he tested (Pacific Dive). He noted that it lathered fairly well. There weren’t too many bubbles but it seemed to cover the surfaces well with a solid foam. After he used it and dried off, he said that his skin felt good, although a tiny bit dry. Finally, he thought the color of the bar was cool and the packaging was a nice touch, too.
Best Men’s Bar Soap for Body Odor: Jack Black Charcoal Body Bar Massaging Soap
Available at Amazon ($16)
Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this one before Curtis used it all up! If you’re looking for an exfoliating bar soap that’s, like, really exfoliating, this one is it. This pick has pretty large jojoba beads to exfoliate your body while the charcoal gently cleanses and the glycerin hydrates. When I asked Curtis what he thought about this pick, he said he loves exfoliating soap bars because the exfoliation elements help guide him on where he has and hasn’t cleansed his body. “It kinda feels good on my itchy back, too,” he explains.
One thing he questioned was the shape of the bar. “It’s not like I didn’t like the bumps at the bottom, it’s just that I didn’t really understand them,” he said. He’s referring to the raised numbs that work to massage your body as you glide the soap along your skin.
All-in-all, he liked this bar soap. However, he said he probably wouldn’t spend $16 of his own money on a bar of soap. I think if you’re a man who likes to invest money in your bodycare, this is a good option. But obviously, if you’re trying to save money and want a more affordable option, you should choose another bar on this list.
Best Exfoliating Bar Soap for Men: MARLOWE. No. 102 Men’s Body Scrub Soap
Available at Amazon ($10)
Curtis really loved this bar, especially because it was so exfoliating. He also really loved the scent (he tested the “Warm Santal” scent), and said that it was nice but also not overpowering at all.
“The bar seemed to be firm as well and didn’t deteriorate quickly,” he said. “I’m almost questioning if I am losing out on some actual soap because there seems to be so many exfoliating bead things in the bar.”
One thing to note about this bar is that it is very exfoliating. Probably the most exfoliating/rough bar that he tried. Curtis seems to love exfoliating bar soaps (I’m not a huge fan of them as I have a sensitive skin type and my skin can’t really handle them). But if you aren’t into exfoliating bar soaps, you won’t like this option. Also, if you have acne-prone skin and have a lot of breakouts on your chest, back, or butt, I wouldn’t recommend this pick.
Best Smelling Bar Soap for Men: Ursa Major Morning Mojo Natural Bar Soap
Available at Amazon ($14)
Curtis tested this bar out and said that he really liked the smell “[The scent] was calming, and the best part was that the smell was very mild,” he explained. “It wasn’t an overwhelming smell like most [bar soaps that I’ve tried].”
Curtis noted that he wanted to see how well the bar soap holds up after sitting in the shower for a while. “I hate when [bar soaps] disintegrate, but this one felt firm, which is good,” he said. “I liked the light exfoliation and the size was easy to hold and wash myself with.”
Most Basic Bar Soap for Men: Basis Bar Soap
Available at Amazon ($12 for 6-pack)
This is an affordable, basic bar soap that is really great for those with sensitive skin. And even if you don’t have sensitive skin, you will like this formula. Curtis said that there was nothing super special about this bar soap, but he did like the simplicity. “The smell was a little baby powdery/standard soap smell, but not over-powering,” he explained. “The bar cleaned and washed well—if this is a cheap and clean (low chemicals) bar, I would snag it.”
Best Budget-Friendly Men’s Bar Soap: Dove Sensitive Skin Bar
Available at Amazon ($21 for 14-pack)
Even though this beauty bar is fragrance-free, Curtis still didn’t love the scent. He said it wasn’t terrible, but also didn’t smell as good as the other body soaps he tested for this story. He said it smelled faintly of baby powder, which I personally disagree with. I think it smells exactly like what a fragrance-free bar soap should smell like.
“If you told me the soap was ‘cleaner’ because it didn’t have a fancy scent, I could potentially be sold on that,” he said. “I do like the soap shape for washing my body and it lathers well, but the bar does feel significantly smaller than all of the other bars I tested. These bars also bother me the most because it feels like it deteriorates very quickly.”
Personally, I think that if you are going to purchase a Dove bar soap, you should opt for the Dove Sensitive Skin Bar. This is because it doesn’t have the overwhelming baby powder scent that the Dove Original Beauty Bar has. However, I think they are better bar soap options on this list that, yes, may be more expensive, but also will last longer, too.
Soap They Didn’t Love
Duke Cannon Supply Co. Big Brick of Soap
Available at Amazon ($8)
So, I got mixed reviews about this bar soap from the guys. My dad didn’t like it because he said it was way too big in his hand. He didn’t like that it was difficult to maneuver around his body in the shower. Plus, he was frustrated that he “couldn’t fit the bar in my crack!” LOL! He said the scent was fine, and that it rinsed off pretty well, but I don’t know if he would purchase it himself.
My brother and husband said it was a fine bar, but they also weren’t in love with it. I would say that if you want a bar of soap that will last you a super long time, then go with this one. Otherwise, I think you can probably skip it.
Dove Men + Care 3-in-1 Bar
Available at Amazon ($14 for 8-pack)
My husband tested this one out and didn’t really love it. He said that his skin felt moisturized after using it, and he liked the shape of the bar. “It has a rounded contour which makes it easy to hold and move it across my body,” he explains.
However, he hated the scent (thought it was way too strong) and also felt like the bar disintegrated way too fast. “I’d be worried about where I set the bar,” said Curtis. “If you set it somewhere in your shower that it could get wet constantly, then it’ll probably disintegrate and be too soft.”
He also said that it lathers really quickly. “It feels like it’s overdoing it with the lathering,” he said. I think these bar soaps are affordable, but I don’t think they smell good, nor do I think they will actually last, which makes them not worth the money.
