The 9 Best Bar Soaps for Men in 2025, Tested By Grooming Editors

Whether your skin's oily or dry, there's a bar for you.

By Joseph Cheatham and Sean ZuckerPublished: Mar 20, 2025 4:30 PM EDT

JASON SPEAKMAN

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BAR SOAP HAS become something of a lost tool in the average grooming arsenal. If you're a body wash devotee, you probably rarely give bar soap thought unless suddenly confronted with it in a hotel room shower or guest bathroom. Sure, it does seem to have a retro vibe, and may even harken back to something you used as a kid, but don't sleep on bar soap. There are bar soap options that are equally cleansing and revitalizing as body washes, and in some situations, we even prefer the bar alternatives.

Best Overall Bar Soap
Dr. Squatch Birchwood Breeze (3-pack)
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Best Body Moisturizing Bar Soap
Kiehl's Grooming Solutions Exfoliating Bar Soap
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Best Cleansing Bar Soap
Baxter of California Vitamin Cleansing Bar
Read more

Body washes may be exceedingly popular among men, especially those who struggle with dry skin, but the kind of clean you get from a bar soap is still second to none. While they are not self-cleaning as Joey Tribbiani once claimed, they get the job done with less mess and can last longer than a body wash.

Plus, bar soaps come with less waste. Think about it: they’re smaller, you can use them until they’re completely gone, and there is no plastic bottle to throw into the recycling bin when you’re done. Many soap companies are even changing their packaging now to double down on bar soaps as the greener option.

Regardless, bar soaps are incredibly versatile and can be great for you no matter your skin type. You can find a bar of soap for oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin and everything in between. So put your body wash on stand-by and pick up one of the eight best bar soaps below. Witness glorious results after one wash, then kick that plastic bottle away for good.

What to Consider

Fragrance

Whether you’re washing your face, body or both with a bar soap, the scent is going to linger on you throughout the day so it’s important to find one with a fragrance you enjoy. Similarly, if your skin is sensitive to fragrances in general you’ll want to stick with the bar soaps featuring more muted scents or ones that are entirely fragrance-free.

Skin Type

While the fragrance might be your most immediate consideration, skin type is the one that can help fight or, unfortunately, help produce the most long-term complications. Whether your skin tends to be oily, dry or sensitive, you’ll want to focus on a soap designed for that skin type to avoid any future irritation. For oily skin, look for cleansing bar soaps that work to remove excess sebum, while key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid help moisturize and combat dry skin.

Weight

The primary reason you’ll want to consider the weight of bar soap is to get an idea of how long it will last. This is not always the case, of course, as the ingredients and overall makeup of any given bar also impact its longevity, but weight is a good baseline indicator. Not to mention, bar soap makes for a perfect travel option if you’re a committed body wash guy as it's easier to pack and there's a much lesser (read: zero) chance of spillage. Worth pointing out that the TSA doesn’t limit the size of solid soap so if you see any bars promoting that they’re TSA-approved, don’t let that factor into your decision—you can fly with any bar soap, including all eight on this list.

How We Selected

For the past two years, we consulted with Men's Health's Grooming editors and writers on the top bar soaps for men. We put a number of bar soaps to the test and evaluated their ingredients, scent and value. We also considered top-reviewed bar soaps that had high customer ratings on e-commerce websites we trust. After all of this testing and research, we deemed the nine following bar soaps as the best available.

Best Overall Bar Soap

Dr. Squatch Birchwood Breeze (3-pack)

$24 at Amazon

Pros

Made from natural oils
Medium grit level
Sustainably-sourced

Cons

Might not be for you if woodsy scents aren't preferred

Dr. Squatch will take you on a ride through the wilderness with their natural bar soap. With leading ingredients such as birch bark and pumice powder, this woodsy option has a medium-intensity scrub that's easy on the skin and leaves you feeling smooth and revitalized. Plus, it boasts a fresh scent that is reminiscent of nature's finest creations. We also found it to be one of the longest-lasting bars we tested, which is especially exciting given its middling price point.

Read more: Best Shampoos For Men

FragranceWoodySkin TypeAllWeight5 oz

Best Body Moisturizing Bar Soap

Kiehl's Grooming Solutions Exfoliating Bar Soap

$20 at Kiehl's

Pros

Fortifying ingredients with moisturizing properties
Deeply cleanses away dirt and oil while exfoliating skin
Has a creamy lather

Cons

Not formulated for use on face
Over $15 a bar

Since 1851, Kiehl's has been a trusted source for delivering products that perfect the appearance of our skin. And their bar soap is a part of said transformation. It's responsible for sloughing off dead skin and dirt, while energizing the skin for a new feel. With key ingredients that include pumice, jojoba seed powder and pracaxi oil, it'll leave your body feeling moisturized throughout the day.

FragranceSandalwood, eucalyptus, cedarSkin TypesDry to normalWeight7 oz

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Best Cleansing Bar Soap

Baxter of California Vitamin Cleansing Bar

$18 at Amazon

Pros

Pleasant citrus scent
Rich lathering
Soft on the skin
One bar lasts a long time

Cons

More expensive than other bars on this list

One of the biggest complaints about bar soap is that it can make your skin feel dry, but not this one. Baxter of California's Cleansing Bar contains sunflower oil and glycerin to keep your skin hydrated and smooth all over. Plus, the citrus and musk fragrance produces one of the best-smelling soaps we've tried. Not to mention, we found that one bar lasts multiple weeks, although this is reflected in the price.

Read more: Best Face Washes For Men

FragranceCitrus and muskSkin TypesAllWeight7 oz

Best Charcoal Bar Soap

Oars + Alps Charcoal Bar Soap

$9 at Amazon

Pros

Dermatologist-Tested
Shea Butter offers moisture for dry-dehydrated skin
Charcoal helps remove dirt and grime to keep skin clear
Formulated to help regulate oil production

Cons

Doesn't last as long as other bars on this list

For guys with oily skin or who sweat a lot, the charcoal in this soap helps soak up excess oil, purges dead skin cells and leaves you feeling fresh without that telltale tight feeling. Not to mention, it will help eliminate breakouts, leaving your skin clear. Also, it delivers a woodsy outdoor scent and contains shea butter, so it’s gentle on even dry skin. Not to mention, it's been tested—and approved—by dermatologists so you know it's quality.

FragranceShea butter and charcoalSkin TypesAllWeight6 oz

Malin + Goetz Rum Bar Soap

$16 at Amazon

Pros

Contains dark rum eau de toilette
Throughly cleanses and hydrates the skin
Vegan

Cons

Some testers found the scent to diminish over time

If "you smell good" was a bar soap, it would be this rum-scented version from Malin+Goetz. The product effectively purifies and balances the skin—leaving behind traces of the most divine fragrance. Not to mention, it hydrates while rinsing free of residue without irritation, drying or stripping.

Read more: Best Colognes

FragranceDark RumSkin TypesAllWeight5 oz

Best Bar Soap For Oily Skin

Atwater Charcoal Facial Cleansing Bar

$19 at Amazon

Pros

Long lasting for its size
Fragrance free for those sensitive
Formulated to help regulate oil production

Cons

Some testers found it to have an overpowering charcoal scent

Despite only being 5 ounces, we found this bar to be as long-lasting as other larger options on this list, and in many cases, it had even better longevity. Its core ingredients of charcoal and kaolin help to remove excess buildup on the skin to reduce oiliness, while its glycerin moisturizes and restores balance to the skin's barrier. The end result is skin that feels hydrated and smooth.

FragranceNoneSkin TypeOily to combinationWeight5 oz

Bravo Sierra Solid Cleanser (2-Pack)

$23 at Amazon

Pros

All-in-one cleanser for hair, face and body
Sulfate-free and non-drying
Coconut-derived cleanser
Carbon neutral manufactured

Cons

Over $10 per bar

Bravo Sierra offers the most versatile soap bar on this list as it can be used on your face, body and even hair. If you're thinking that you'd never use a bar soap on your hair, we had similar reservations but can confirm this works as well as a quality shampoo. This no-nonsense cleanser from Bravo Sierra works into a rich lather with ingredients like coconut and oat flour added to hydrate and soften the skin. You can also pick from several scents, although we like Sandalwood and Fig the best.

FragranceSandalwood and figSkin TypeAllWeight7 oz

Best Natural Bar Soap

Ursa Major Morning Mojo Bar Soap

$14 at Amazon

Pros

Rich, creamy lather and gritty texture
Free of gluten and toxins
Gently exfoliates

Cons

Smaller than other bars on this list

After trying this bar soap from Ursa Major, we quickly understood why it's called Morning Mojo, because the peppermint and eucalyptus fragrance in this soap gives you a jolt of clarity in the morning, even before you have your first cup of coffee. It has grit to it, but doesn’t feel rough on your skin, thanks to moisturizing honey and coconut. Plus, the lather is super creamy and a little goes a long way.

FragranceMint and eucalyptusSkin TypeAllWeight5 oz

Western Republic Hyper Foaming Bar Soap (2-Pack)

$25 at westernrepublic.com

Pros

One of the strongest lathers on this list
Incredible, masculine scent
One bar last a very long time
Paraben- and sulfate-free
Includes anti-aging ingredients

Cons

Over $12 per bar

When searching for bar soaps, you don't often come across anti-aging options, but that's exactly what Western Republic has devised with this wonderfully scented bar. Thanks to classic ingredients like aloe vera and glycerin, this bar soap not only cleanses skin and smells great, it also helps reduce signs of aging by softening and hydrating the skin.

Not to mention, it's called hyper-foaming for a reason. This soap is by far the foamiest on this list, with an incredibly strong lather that not only feels soothing on the skin, but also helps the bar last for an absurd amount of time—which helped offset the higher price compared to others on this list.

FragranceTropic Rum and Nautical Sea SaltSkin TypeAllWeight6 oz

ProductJames GouldApril 3, 2025mens skin, grooming, bodycare, bar soaps, fragrance, skincare, skincare routine, exfoliating, vitamin cleansing bar, soft, charcoal bar soap, hydrating