Some of the best soap bars are handmade soap.
While many of us once exclusively used bar soaps in either hotel bathrooms or at our grandparent’s house, soap bars are undoubtedly making a comeback.
The main reason for this is that we’re all much more conscious about our impact on the environment and are attempting to take better care of the planet and its climate. Soap bars are an effective way to do this, as they don’t lead to as much plastic waste as bottled liquid soap.
The best soap bars are also vegan soap, as these offer natural alternatives to harsh chemicals.
The best soap bars should benefit your skin as much as they do the environment, swapping out chemicals and unnatural, abrasive ingredients for natural ones that won’t damage your skin or the world around you. They should come in eco-friendly packaging, and offer a great lather.
If you’re looking to make your bathroom a greener space, the switch from bottled soap to natural soap bars is a simple but impactful one. There are even dish washing soaps featured in our range of eco friendly cleaning products.
Is soap bad for your skin?
Many conventional soaps can be bad for your skin due to some of the ingredients used – the harsh ingredients can strip away your skin’s natural oils and leave skin feeling dry and sore.
Friendly Soap’s soap bars are created with all-natural ingredients, reducing the risk of developing dry, itchy skin patches from soap use.
How we chose the best soap bars
When selecting the best soap bars, we focused on a few factors to ensure that each truly was the best on the market:
Ingredients: Everyday soap bars should include no harsh chemicals, opting for natural alternatives instead.
Scent: We’ve included a range of different scented options (including a fragrance-free soap bar for more sensitive skin). Each scent is added to the soap by using a natural essential oil, as opposed to a fragrance.
Price: All of the best soap bars on our list are great value for money.
How to choose the best soap bars for you
There are hundreds of different soap bars on the market with unique smells, ingredients and even with the ability to treat certain skin conditions. Choosing the right soap for you is all about prioritising what features are the most important to you. It’s also important to first consider ingredients and your skin type.
Ingredients
Soap bars don’t contain water, meaning they generally don’t require any artificial preservatives. By choosing a natural soap bar, you can be sure that it has been made with a multitude of beneficial ingredients.
Skin type
Different types of soaps work best for different skin types.
If you have dry skin, opt for a soap bar that includes moisture-rich ingredients, such as aloe vera and castor oil. Meanwhile, those with sensitive skin should avoid harsh scents and look for ingredients such as vitamin E and jojoba oil.
If you have oily skin, natural antibacterials such as lavender can be incredibly beneficial, while glycerin-based soaps are great for combination (dry in some spots, oily in others) skin.
Best soap bars
Fragrance Free Aloe Vera Soap Bar
Our fragrance free Aloe Vera soap bar contains only the gentlest of ingredients and uses no artificial colourants. This makes this soap bar great for dry, sensitive skin, as it can be used regularly without leading to dryness or itchy, sore patches.
Peppermint & Poppy Seeds Soap Bar
Our Peppermint & Poppy Seeds soap bar has effective natural exfoliation properties thanks to the inclusion of poppy seeds. The super fresh scent of this soap bar is lively and energising, making it perfect to use during your morning shower when you need a little help waking up, making it one of the best soap bars. This is one of our favourite natural men's soap bars, too.
Rosemary & Lime Detox Soap Bar
This Rosemary & Lime Detox soap bar has restorative properties, with antisceptic, antiviral and antioxidant ingredients. It will also leave your skin feeling cleaner and healthier thanks to the inclusion of active charcoal, which absorbs toxins from your skin.
Patchouli & Sandalwood Soap Bar
The warm and woody scent of the Patchouli & Sandalwood soap bar makes it the perfect summer soap bar. Patchouli is included for its healing properties, treating skin conditions like dermatitis and acne and leading to cleaner, healthier skin overall.
Tea Tree & Turmeric Soap Bar
This Tea Tree & Turmeric soap bar has a wealth of natural benefits and can be worked into a silky-smooth lather, making for a pleasant cleansing experience. Turmeric has been used as it can bring a noticeable glow and lustre to your skin, thanks to its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components.
Orange & Grapefruit Soap Bar
The energising scent of this Orange & Grapefruit Soap Bar is perfectly complimented by its moisturising ingredients, such as shea butter and coconut oil. The fresh citrus ingredients also mean that this soap bar offers plenty of antioxidant protection, helping to protect against sun damage, ageing and inflammation. This was an easy addition to our list of the best soap bars, due to its rejuvenating scent and skin benefits.
Cinnamon & Cedarwood Soap Bar
The Friendly Soap Cinnamon & Cedarwood Soap Bar is beautifully relaxing, with its warming scent perfect for the cosy autumn weather and the run-up to the Christmas season. This fragrance, alongside its classic cleansing and soothing qualities, make this bar a great all-rounder.
Travel Soap Bar
Featuring some of our favourite all natural ingredients, including lemongrass, lavender, tea tree and peppermint, the Travel Soap Bar has been designed for effective all-in-one washing when you’re on the move. We’ve created this bar to be used as a shampoo, soap and body wash, with naturally antisceptic and anti-fungal properties.
Lemongrass & Hemp Soap Bar
With the mood-boosting scent and natural deodorant of lemongrass essential oils and the moisturising properties of hemp, our Lemongrass & Hemp Soap Bar can help to protect the skin against ageing, fine lines and wrinkles.
Lavender Soap Bar
The Lavender Soap Bar is a classic favourite for a reason. The relaxing scent of this bar and calming properties make this the perfect soap to use during a late night shower to ensure a peaceful night’s sleep, making it a firm favourite on our list of the best soap bars.
