10 Best Soaps for Men 2022
When you wash your hands before preparing a meal or you hop in the shower to scrub away the daily dirt and grime, what are you putting on your skin?
Now that you’ve decided to start paying more attention to the products you use on your skin (good for you!), you’ll probably feel a little overwhelmed at all of the choices.
Liquid or bar soap?
Anti-bacterial or… what else do they make these days?
Your goal as a human being is to clean your skin, so in order to choose the best soap for men, we’ll be providing you with some healthy options that won’t leave you smelling like grandma’s favorite rose bush.
Choosing Your Soap
You have choices. Many choices.
Here are a few tips to help you decide:
- Solid or Liquid. There’s always been a hot debate as to which is better, and when it comes down to choosing; to each his own.
The important thing it to know what you’re putting on your skin (in terms of ingredients) and to take into consideration a few other factors, such as liquid soap requiring more plastic and packaging or the fact that bar soap can harbor bacteria on the surface.
Whichever you choose, just make sure that it is quality and that it’s not full of skin irritants (we’ll discuss these later).
- Skin Type. This is of utmost importance, because what one man raves about on his skin may cause another one to break out.
If you have sensitive skin, opt for unscented soaps that are free of alcohol. If you have a fungal issue (athlete’s foot, ringworm, etc.) then you might look for a soap with tea tree oil. It is a natural antifungal treatment (and for acne!)
- Where You’ll Use It. Anti-bacterial soaps are favored for washing the hands, so in the kitchen or at the bathroom sink.
For showering, decide if you prefer a bar soap or liquid. Liquids will require some sort of loofa or gentle scrubbing utensil, so make sure you have something to help you work it into your skin.
Top 10 Men’s Soaps Ultimate Table
Ingredients to Avoid
When it comes to choosing the best soap for men (or anyone, for that matter), there are a few ingredients that you should avoid.
If you see these on the label, then leave the product on the shelf!
- Sulfates. You know all of those suds and bubbles you get when you lather? These are a result of the sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate).
What those suds are really doing is stripping the skin of natural oils, so do your skin a favor and avoid them.
- Parabens. Methylparabens, propylparabens, butylparabens etc. These unhealthy preservatives are slowing being weeded out of skin care products.
The public is much more conscious about them these days, which is why you see products that shout it loud and clear from the beginning that they are “Paraben-free!”
- Fragrance/Parfum. Artificial fragrances and parfum that have been added to products will irritate the skin. Yeah, they may smell nice, but they aren’t doing your skin any favors.
If a label just says “fragrance” or “parfum” and doesn’t tell you where it came from, assume that it is artificial.
These shouldn’t be confused with the natural scents that the natural ingredients in a soap give off! Those are the ones you want.
All-In-One? Some liquid soaps may claim to be an all-in-one solution in the shower, telling you to use it as a shampoo and body wash.
If you shave your head or if you’re bald, this might be OK, but if you have hair, don’t let the soap double up as your shampoo. Buy an appropriate shampoo that will help you with separate hair/scalp issues!
Top 3 Best Soap for Men Reviews
1. Bonner’s Castile Liquid Soap or Castile Bar Soap
Dr. Bonner’s is an awesome brand, so whether you want the liquid soap or a bar, they make the best soap for men, women and babies alike! (we figured you didn’t want the baby unscented stuff so showed you the Hemp/Eucalyptus and Hemp/Almond scents instead).
LIQUID INGREDIENTS:
BAR INGREDIENTS:
Honestly, this soap is good for pretty much anything (except for shampoo!). Use it as a body wash or hand wash and it safely and effectively cleans your skin. Choose whether you prefer the bar or liquid (or get both!)
2. Pre De Provence Honey Almond Bar Soap
One of the things we love about this soap is that it comes in many scents and two different sizes (150 gram or 250 gram).
We liked the Honey Almond bar personally, but a few other manly scents you might like include Green Tea, Mint Leaf, Lemongrass or Lime Zest.
This is a soap with shea butter base, which is very nourishing for the skin, although we weren’t able to find their full ingredient listing.
We did see that they are cruelty-free and they don’t use parabens, ethyl alcohol or sodium lauryl sulfate.
This is a good soap. Try it and you’ll see!
3. Santa Monica Soap Co. Handmade Soap
Citrus smells are often present in many of the best men’s cologne, so if you’re looking for a fresh, natural and manly scent, you probably already wear it anyways!
This soap contains very few ingredients, which is a good thing (less is more!)
Take a look:
It is a mixture of oils with a hint of orange essential oil, which will help you cleanse the skin safely without over-drying or leaving a residue on your skin.
Nice scent, nice lather and it will clean you up real good.