Men's Soap Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Bar Soap

Getting clean and smelling fresh can boost your mood and make you feel confident and ready to take on the day. Although everyone soaps up in the shower, many men don’t know which type of soap to use for their skin. Men’s soap comes in all shapes and sizes, from luxury liquids to classic no-nonsense bars, and it can be tough to find the one that works best for you.

Why Use Bar Soap?

Bar soaps need fewer ingredients than liquid body washes, making it easier to find clean formulations in bar form. If you’re looking for a natural soap that’s kind to the planet, bar soaps are often the best way to go for a no-waste lifestyle. They don’t contain much water, allowing soap makers to skip the preservatives for a more natural ingredient list. Plus, they tend to last longer than liquid soaps.

Choosing a Soap for Your Skin Type

Understanding what your skin needs can help you choose a better bar soap. Once you know your skin type you can check a soap’s ingredient list to ensure you’re buying something that will suit your skin.

  • Dry skin: If your skin feels tight and itchy after a shower you may be using something too harsh that’s drying it out. Look for naturally moisturising ingredients such as coconut oil, shea butter, and colloidal oatmeal to relieve irritation and soothe dry skin. If you have rough, flaky skin you can make it feel smoother with an exfoliating soap.
  • Oily skin: If your skin looks slick and shiny and you tend to get acne on your upper back and neck, you may have an oily skin type. Using rich, creamy soaps can clog your pores and make matters worse, so you should avoid avocado, olive, and coconut oils in soap. Look for antimicrobial soaps with cleansing ingredients like rosemary and tea tree instead.
  • Sensitive skin: If your skin often burns and looks inflamed after a shower you should avoid scented soaps and irritating ingredients. Natural soaps with gentle formulations are best for sensitive skin and often contain soothing ingredients like honey, oatmeal, and calendula.
Woman Bathing using Natural Soap

If your skin never really feels irritated and mostly behaves after a shower, you are one of the lucky ones! People with a “normal” skin type can get away with using almost any soap, so you can just choose one that smells good and leaves you feeling clean.

Choosing a Soap Scent

A soap that smells good makes your shower more enjoyable and leaves you feeling extra fresh. The most popular scents for men’s body soap are cedarwood, rosemary, basil, lemongrass, bergamot, and patchouli. Bright, herbal scents are best for uplifting morning showers, while rich, woody or floral fragrances are perfect for a relaxing evening cleanse.

Buy Handmade Men’s Soap in Australia

Squeaky Clean Soapery ships handmade, bar soaps across Australia. Shop our range online or contact us to learn more about our natural bath and shower products.