Getting Clean: The Return Of Bar Soap

In the world of male grooming, every major brand has heavily invested in liquid body washes. On any given visit to your local store in search of soap, you are likely to find hundreds of liquid options. If you actually want some good old fashioned bar soap, you may not be able to find any. But, if you wander into one of those specialty men’s grooming stores or look around online, you will see a plethora of new bar soaps. Of course, these are not the same old soaps your dad used. This new breed of bar soaps are specially formulated to deal with many different skin types and contain ingredients you can actually pronounce. Moreover, bar soaps are more environmentally friendly as they don’t come in plastic bottles, which lets you upgrade your cleaning regime and help the environment all at once.

Here is a rundown of our favourite bars soaps perfect for any man:

Bliss Mammoth Minty Scrub Bar is not only a mouthful to say but this bar takes the saying ‘size matters’ to heart. Weighing in at an impressive 11.1oz, this oversized bar barely fits into your hand. Studded on one side and filled with jojoba beads, this bar soap not only exfoliates but massages as well. Due to the minty extracts, your shower will fill with the invigorating scent and awaken your senses early in the morning. Recommended for all skin types, $22 for 11.1 oz bar.

Detox by The Good Bar is the perfect soap for anyone who wants more cleansing power in the all over body soap.  Don’t be taken aback from the black colour, that colour is due to the charcoal content. Activated charcoal, used in many natural skincare products, helps to cleanse the body of toxins and impurities. Therefore, use this soap every day if you want to clear up any problem skin or as prevention to ensure you never get the dreaded ‘bacne’. The addition of grapefruit oil and lavender will banish redness and revitalize your skin. This Toronto-based upstart offers a wide variety of all natural soap. $8 for 100g bar.

Anthony’s Exfoliating + Cleanser Bar is the only bar soap in the Anthony line of skincare. If you are unfamiliar with the Anthony brand, you should check out their offerings. This is a skincare line designed specifically for men (and borrowed by women). Why? Because men have unique skin concerns and issues. This bar is chock full of ingredients to improve your skin: jojoba beads to exfoliate; coconut oil to nourish; shea butter to soften; and cucumber extract to soothe. This is a bar your partner will steal when they stay over for the night. Stock up. $17 for a 7oz bar.

Consonant Skincare Organic Olive Oil Body Bar is the answer to all your winter dry skin woes – trust me, it works. Especially relevant, this bar contains 10% unsaponified organic olive oil which makes it incredibly hydrating. You won’t believe how soft your skin feels after regular use. Moreover, this bar contains only 3 ingredients: olive oil, water and naturally occurring glycerine, making it the perfect soap for guys with sensitive skin. $12 for a 115g bar.

If you are ready to switch up your cleansing routine with some bar soap, check out your local specialty and department stores for the above suggestions. Most also list their stockists online. Just don’t call this a comeback, many men never stopped using bar soap. They just switched to these new breeds of soaps that won’t ever leave your skin feeling dried out.