When Dr. Erno Laszlo, dermatologist to the stars, launched his eponymous brand in 1927, the lineup included an expertly crafted black soap bar—the beauty product that, by all accounts, birthed the skin-care step of the double cleanse.
Still a bestseller more than 97 years later, as of this week, the Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar ($44) is getting a major upgrade, and dry skin types should be excited.
Once a favorite of Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn, the famous “double-cleanse” black bar soap was even featured in Woody Allen’s movie Annie Hall by name.
Hepburn had one famous tongue-in-cheek quote about her own beauty that featured the brand, “I owe 50 percent of my beauty to my mother, and the other 50 percent to Erno Laszlo.” Monroe shared similar sentiments. Dr. Laszlo created his Phormula 3-8 specifically for the star to heal a scar on her stomach; Monroe, in turn, was quoted as saying, “Dr. Laszlo not only heals my skin, but he soothes my soul.”
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Dr. Laszlo himself knew the power of the bar in particular, famously telling patients, “If you do nothing else, wash your face.”
Today’s celebrities like the O.G., too, including Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, shared that she takes the bar with her when she travels.
Known for purifying, unclogging pores and absorbing excess surface oil without stripping the skin, the Cleansing Bar uses charcoal and Dead Sea mud to draw out toxins and replenish nutrients, bringing skin back into balance. As part of the 2.0 version, the bar will now be infused and balanced with 5 percent more glycerin for added hydration. According to the brand, the new formula will deliver the same deep detox “but with a gentler touch, removing impurities without stripping skin.”
Besides its long history, the company is proud of some eco-friendly updates. Each Cleansing Bar is housed in parchment paper with no plastic to ensure the packaging is fully recyclable.