Grooming for men has evolved a lot over the years.
These days, more men are paying attention to their skincare than ever before, but a lot of guys tend to favor body washes over bar soap.
Of course, everything old eventually becomes new again, and recently guys have started to shift back to bar soap, which – much like shaving soap before it – has taken on a kind old-school, retro feel.
Today, the best bar soaps come in enough different shapes, sizes, colors and fragrances to rival even the best body washes, and are versatile enough to work for any skin type.
Plus, they’re much more eco-friendly, since they don’t require a plastic bottle that has to be discarded.
To help you get the most of the switch back to bars, in this post I’ve rounded up some of the absolute best bar soaps for men, along with a few thoughts from online reviewers who explain what makes each one stand out.
The Best Bar Soap for Men
Rounding Up The Must-Have Men’s Bar Soap
The Overall Best Bar Soap for Men ↓
Dr. Squatch Pine Tar Soap
- 4.6 Stars on Amazon
- 51,834 ratings
Dr. Squatch wants you to “feel like a man, smell like a champion,” and its Pine Tar soap will help you do both.
Founded in 2013, the brand has made a name for itself in the world of men’s grooming thanks to its use of natural ingredients.
The biggest selling point of the soap bar is its scent. Want to feel like Jason Mamoa stepping out of the water in Aquaman? This soap was designed to give you that robust, masculine musk.
While there are nine great scents available, the Pine Tar featured here is the flagship bar, and it’s hard to find much fault in it. (And we would know — we subjected to it to a thorough review.)
Promising Review:
“If you wanna feel like you just stepped out of a log cabin to a crisp dewey forest morning and jumped in the river to wash off after chopping wood and swooning women, then look no further. This soap not only cleans better than anything I’ve ever tried previously, but it leaves a manly smell that lasts….” – Zachary StoddardExclusive Offer:
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Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar
- 4.7 stars on Amazon
- 4,140 ratings
What do you call a bar soap that’s basic but does its job very well? Your guess is as good as mine.
Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar is one for your face and body. With a minimalist design and nature, the soap is free of hard ingredients and is suited for all skin types.
The soap is excellently reviewed online and much loved, especially by people with sensitive skin and acne.
Promising Review:
“I’ve wanted to move away from plastic packaging, but I liked my body wash. I decided to give several bar soaps a try. This one is the winner. I feel clean but my skin isn’t dried out. The bar lasts longer and makes great lather.” – Sportster9
Best Exfoliating Bar Soap for Men ↓
MARLOWE. Men’s Body Scrub Soap Bar
- 4.6 stars on Amazon
- 11,320 ratings
An exfoliating shower gel is good, but have you tried an exfoliating bar soap?
If you’re someone like me that sweats a lot, you need a soap that’s going to lather well and scrub you off well without stripping your skin of necessary moisture. That’s exactly what Marlowe does for you.
Made from natural ingredients like Green tea, Willow Bark, Passionflower, Deep Sea Algae, it also keeps your skin moisturized and happens to smell like wood.
Promising Review:
“I am a plumber and can get dirty at times and this very rough soap gets me very very clean. Also I have seen that it’s been helpful with my dry skin on my feet too. ” – Ethan
Deep Dive:
Duke Cannon Men’s Soap Brick
- 4.6 stars on Amazon
- 489 ratings
Duke Cannon modeled their soap after the bar given to GIs during the Korean war, and a portion of the proceeds goes to supporting U.S military veterans.
Weighing half a pound, this is definitely a soap bar for men, not boys, and does an excellent job of scrubbing you down.
The bar is huge and lasts very long, but you might need to cut it down to bits to use it effectively.
Promising Review:
“My wife got this for me as a stocking-stuffer gift. It’s pretty good. The smell is distinct but not overpowering or like a cologne. It’s like burnt cedar. As far as soap, it gets the job done, and for a bar of soap, actually lathers up pretty well. Leaves my skin nice and clean without being dry and irritated.” – Austin
Best Smelling Bar Soap for Men ↓
Baxter of California Vitamin Cleansing Bar for Men
- 4.5 stars on Amazon
- 341 ratings
This is an award winning soap from an old school brand that has been making soap for men since the 1960s.
The soap looks good, especially with that stripe in the middle, and has a scent so nice you might be tempted to taste it (but, you know… don’t).
Using aloe vera, vitamins, essential oils and seaweed extract, this soap bar washes away all impurities from your skin.
The soap’s rich lather is amazing and you are sure to have a good time scrubbing.
Promising Review:
“Love this soap…a bar lasts me a month…lathers up great & love the scent. Yes it’s pricey but for me it’s worth it. I doubt I ever go back to typical bar soap” – D.L. Ward
Best Natural Bar Soap for Men ↓
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Bar Soap
- 4.8 stars on Amazon
- 1,140 ratings
Another old school brand, Dr Bronner’s was founded in the 1800s and still makes soap with 100% natural ingredients that are free of harsh chemicals.
The soap is made from organic hemp oil and can be used to clean skin on both your face and body.
And not only is the soap all natural, but the packaging is 100% biodegradable and made entirely from post-consumer recycled wrapper.
Want a natural soap that’s eco-friendly and multi-purpose? This is definitely your go-to soap bar.
Promising Review:
“This soap is just the best. My skin is super sensitive and pretty much everything in this whole damn world causes me to break out. Except this soap. I love it.” – Summer
Oliver Rocket Pine Tar Soap
- 4.5 stars on Amazon
- 2,255 ratings
Oliver Rocket Pine tar Soap is a good all-purpose men’s soap bar that you could hope to buy for your skin.
It’s great for all body types thanks to the high quality moisturizing natural ingredients infused, like shea butter, coconut oil and soybean oil. Your skin is bound to ask for more and continue to soften and moisturize.
Promising Review:
“Okay, this soap is AWESOME! I waited & waited for their competitor to deliver but sadly, after a lengthy process I gave up & tried this brand. Suffice to say, I’ll be buying solely from ‘Oliver Rocket’ here on out! Highly recommend it! 5 Stars!” – Bodie
Jack Black, Turbo Body Bar
- 4.6 stars on Amazon
- 884 ratings
This is another soap bar that lives up to its name – scrubbing.
Crafted with lava rock and blue lotus, the bar is prominent for its energizing and deep-cleansing scrubs, as it removes dirt and dead skin cells, exfoliating the body.
It also smoothens and shines your skin and leaves around you that crisp and rugged pine scent. Worthy to note is that it’s a big bar and would last you well.
Promising Review:
“Seriously, a great smelling bar of soap and the scent lasts! The lather was super consistent and thick with this bar of soap, too, and these are both the most important qualities I look for. Some of the reviews I read weren’t great and I don’t understand why – I’ve tried a ton of different bars of soap because that’s my thing; I highly recommend this purchase for anyone who’s into self-care and likes bar soap.” – Brandon Fransik
Best Bar Soap for Oily Skin Men ↓
Southern Natural Activated Charcoal Soap Bar
- 4.5 stars on Amazon
- 781 ratings
You can never go wrong with activated charcoal on your skin, and the Southern Natural Activated Charcoal soap bar is one.
This dark colored organic soap is formulated to remove excess oils from your skin.
Buoyed with organic ingredients, including Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Activated Coconut Charcoal, Dead Sea Mineral Mud, Goat Milk, Peppermint Oil, Rosemary and Eucalyptus Essential Oils, it will make your skin feel clean and healthier.
Promising Review:
“Excellent product ! I have sensitive skin and recently experienced my first outbreak of eczema. After using this soap for 2 weeks my skin is clear and healthy looking. The soap also has a nice scent and leaves your skin feeling clean” – Dude McDude
Aspen Kay Dead Sea Mud Soap Bar
- 4.4 stars on Amazon
- 4,183 ratings
The Aspen Kay Deep Sea Mud bar contains certified essential oils that your skin will just love.
The soap is completely organic, with no preservatives and contains natural oils like Unrefined Shea Butter, Virgin Olive Oil and Castor Oil that your skin will love.
It also boasts of a super fresh scent and is definitely a best-selling mud soap that has seen massive success.
Promising Review:
“I have been looking for a natural soap and this is it! Some of the other soaps I’ve used just didn’t smell good to me….always a little to earthy for me. I really missed the clean smell of my toxic soap that I previously used so I was thrilled to find this has such a nice fresh citrus scent and activated charcoal to top it off. I have been gradually switching all my personal products to organic or as natural as I can get. This is a keeper for sure.” – Teresa Lee
Old Spice Swagger Scent Bar Soap
- 4.5 stars on Amazon
- 531 ratings
Its packaging makes it look like a pack of cigarettes, which is appropriate because after washing with this soap, you’ll be smoking.
(I’m not really sure what that means, but it sounds like the sort of vaguely masculine thing Old Spice would include in a commercial, doesn’t it?)
In any event, this is a solid product that’s available in a range of masculine scents.
No list of the best bar soaps would be complete without it, and if you’re still a bar soap doubter, this could be the one that gets you to ditch liquid soaps and switch back to bars.
As the package says, “Smellcome to Bar Soap.” (Again, Old Spice’s marketing is very weird.)
Promising Review:
“I bought this over a month ago, and the bars really last longer then other brands, the scent is great, the value is great, would definitely reccomend.” – D.Burg
Kiehl’s Ultimate Man Body Scrub
- 4.7 stars on Amazon
- 128 ratings
This is another hefty piece of bar soap and packs a lot of punch for the ingredients it’s made up of.
Kiehl’s Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap produces an amazingly rich, foamy lather that washes clean with no residue and does a good job at exfoliating and stripping your body of dead cells.
However, there’s a twist to this cleaner as it is said not to be suitable for your face. But hey, you can use this on those tough spots on your body and get cleaned up.
Promising Review:
“Smells good, and leaves me feeling cleaner then my normal bar soap does.” – Justin
Dove Men+Care
- 4.8 stars on Amazon
- 4,111 ratings
Want a big bang for your buck? Dove it.
This face and body bar deeply cleans and hydrates your skin, leaving skin feeling smooth and comfortable. This all purpose bar also helps with shaving.
Really, it doesn’t get better than this.
Promising Review:
“You can literally shave with this stuff. Throw away your expensive shaving creams and lather this stuff up on your face. I haven’t bought shaving cream in three years. It does get smaller faster because it’s so creamy and moisturizing. Works far better than all those high priced fancy soaps. Buy it. You’ll love it.” – Brewster
Mistral Sandalwood Bamboo Bar Soap
- 4.6 stars on Amazon
- 410 ratings
Here’s a glycerin-based bar soap fused with Warm sandalwood layered with florals, spices and Italian bergamot to create a clean wood-driven classy scent with contemporary freshness.
Thanks to the vegetable glycerine, this is an effective bar soap to combat dry skins and gives you that luxury feel.
Promising Review:
“Well worth the price; have tried many different soaps and this is absolutely the best sandalwood. Makes you feel fresh and clean and the scent lasts longer than any soap I’ve tried. Definitely a buy again.” – Hugh A. Jones
The Yellow Bird Tea Tree Soap Bar
- 4.5 stars on Amazon
- 1,035 ratings
Like all natural bar soaps, the Yellow bird tea tree soap bar doesn’t just clean.
Its ingredients also allow it to provide relief to rashes and dry itchy skin conditions.
Essential oils like tea tree oil, cajuput oil and other vegetable oils also help it eliminate odors and keep your skin clear.
Promising Review:
“I was extremely pleased with the product because it does not have any overwhelming smells and it seems that the ingredients are all natural. The packaging was designed to also be recyclable which was another reason for my choice. I am extremely pleased with this product and how it leaves me feeling once I exit the shower.” – Michael
Art of Sport Body Bar Soap
- 4.5 stars on Amazon
- 1,979 ratings
What’s cooler than staying cool and fresh? Staying cool all day.
That’s exactly what the Art of Sport bar soap offers.
Specially formulated for Athletes, this soap bar comes with a cool eucalyptus scent that cleanses well thanks to the addition of activated charcoal, moisturizing shea butter, and tea tree oil.
Promising Review:
“The soap smells great and lasts a really long time. I’ve been using the same bar for about 3 weeks, and I still have about 2/3 of the bar left. I’m using a wooden soap holder, which seems to be helping. Overall this is a really quality product. Great scent, good lather and long lasting.” – Squilky
Caswell-Massey Triple Milled Luxury Bath Soap Men’s Sandalwood Explorer
- 4.7 stars on Amazon
- 2,691 ratings
Like Dr. Bronner, Caswell-Massey has been producing soaps and fragrances for 100s of years – since the 1700s.
The Woodgrain Sandalwood bar gives off a dark, warm, woody aroma and produces a rich, creamy lather, giving credence to the ‘luxury’ in the soap bar’s name.
Fortified with cocoa and amber, the Sandalwood bar has a unique scent that gives it a sensual and masculine kick.
Promising Review:
“This is just plain lovely soap, period. After trying so many brands in all price ranges, organic, natural and not, I finally found a soap to use in the shower that does not make my skin itch! My skin did not get dry nor irritated… It felt wonderful. And left my skin soft, silky and smooth. I will be buying this again . Give it a try, you’ll love it. Bonus…. it smells nice too.” – Twopups
Frequently Asked Questions
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Oluwadamilare Akinpelu
Oluwadamilare Akinpelu is a writer that mines emotion bred from words. He also doubles as a gamer and techie while supporting Arsenal. You can connect with him on Twitter @hakdown07