Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Grooming
  3. Evergreens

From Dove to Dr. Squatch, the best bar soaps under $20 to buy right now

If liquid body wash doesn't do the trick, grab one the best bar soaps and feel the difference

Environment-friendly grooming and bath products beside a plant on a surface.
Netrun78 / Shutterstock

The whole male grooming world has evolved so much within recent years, and now more than ever, men are starting to pay closer attention to their skin and the products they use on it. Although we have come so far, sometimes there’s something so incredibly satisfying about getting back to the basics. That’s right, we’re talking about good old-fashioned bar soap.

Bar soaps are still a staple for millions of men and have certainly changed (for the better) with the times. Some are great for hydrating, some are great for clearing body acne, and some are best for exfoliating the skin. All thanks to improved formulas, bar soaps now feel gentler and more luxurious. If you’re searching for your new favorite one, here are our picks for the best bar soaps to buy that will make your skin thank you.

Dr. Squatch bar soap.
Dr. Squatch

Best overall bar soap: Dr. Squatch Men’s Soap

It seems like Dr.Squatch is everywhere, and the brand has certainly made a name for itself in the world of men’s grooming. With the catchphrase, “Feel like a man, smell like a champion,” how could you not want to wash your masculine temple in all of this manly goodness? Made specifically with men in mind, this product was designed to change the way men think about hygiene by providing cleansing soaps enriched with robust masculine scents. all without those harsh chemicals that are horrible for your skin.

Buy at Walmart

Cetaphil cleansing bar soap.
Cetaphil

Best bar soap for sensitive skin: Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar

Cetaphil is one of the most popular brands for anyone who has sensitive skin anywhere on their body. This nourishing cleansing bar was designed specifically with those people in mind. The effective yet non-irritating formula is gentle enough to cleanse while protecting your skin’s natural moisture barrier.

Buy at Walmart

Dove men's bar soap.
Dove

Best bar soap for dry skin: Dove Men+Care Extra Fresh Body and Face Bar Soap

This Dove for Men 3-in-1 bar soap for body, face, and shaving is great for those with dry skin, and for those who want as few products as possible. Formulated with more moisturizing ingredients than the competition, this soap will not dry out your skin but will keep it feeling hydrated all day.

Buy at Walmart

Irish Spring bar soap 3 pack.
Irish Spring

Best scented bar soap: Irish Spring Deodorant Bar Soap

It should come as no surprise that this classic bar soap has made our list. If it “ain’t broke” and all of that. If you have a job that makes you a bit smelly at the end of your shift or you just struggle with staying fresh throughout the day, Irish Spring’s Deodorant Bar Soap will give you 12-hour odor protection. This one is best for an active person who needs a soap to keep up.

Buy at Walmart

MARLOWE. No. 102 Men's Body Scrub Soap bar.
MARLOWE Skin

Other bar soaps we love

MARLOWE. No. 102 Men’s Body Scrub Soap

Exfoliation, the process of removing dead skin cells on the top of the skin, is possibly the most important (and necessary) part of any shower routine. And we understand that for a lot of you gentleman, it’s an extra step you don’t want to deal with. Well, that’s where this bar soap comes into play. Not only will MARLOWE. No. 102 Men’s Body Scrub Soap make you squeaky clean and leave you smelling amazing, it but contains exfoliating beads to polish the body and reveal healthy skin.

Buy at Walmart

African Black Soap bar.
MGL Naturals

Organic African Black Soap

Ever heard of African Black Soap? Well, now you know about this best all-in-one soap. African Black Soap is 100% natural and infused with organic ingredients that rejuvenate the skin and help fight various skin ailments including psoriasis, rashes, and even dandruff. The real reason you’ll love it is that this soap works as a body and face wash and could even use it as a shampoo bar.

Buy at Amazon Buy at Walmart

Art of Sport Activated Charcoal Bar Soap.
Art of Sport

Art of Sport Activated Charcoal Bar Soap

This soap was created for active men, and it works just as hard as you do. It features botanicals to keep you smelling great, ingredients to give you a deep cleanse, but most importantly, activated charcoal. Activated charcoal draws out impurities and toxins from your skin, which makes this a great addition to your acne arsenal.

Buy at Amazon

Grandpa's Pine Tar Bar Soap.
The Grandpa Soap Company

Grandpa’s Pine Tar Bar Soap

The family-owned Grandpa Soap Co. offers a variety of soaps that are naturally crafted, 100% vegan, and gluten-free. Infused with Pine Tar oil, this versatile bar soap makes for a great beard and shampoo that will leave you smelling like the great outdoors.

Buy at Walmart

Dr. Bronner’s All-One Hemp Peppermint Pure-Castile Bar Soap.
Dr. Bronner’s

Dr. Bronner’s All-One Hemp Peppermint Pure-Castile Bar Soap

Without a doubt, the most popular scent in Dr. Bronner’s collection. This Peppermint Castile Bar Soap will leave your body feeling so fresh and clean while literally leaving your skin tingling, in a good way. Their whole line is pretty awesome though, so feel free to browse it to find a match for your skin.

Buy at Walmart

Duke Cannon Big American Bourbon Bar Soap.
Duke Cannon Supply Company

Duke Cannon Big American Bourbon Bar Soap

Who wouldn’t want to bathe their skin with a soap that is made with 90-proof Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey? Or, who wouldn’t at least want to know what that feels like? This oak barrel-scented soap is ideal for normal skin, is paraben-free, and might be one of the more unique kinds of bar soap out there.

Buy at Walmart

Nudy Rudy Hunny Bunny soap bar.
Nudy Rudy

Nudy Rudy Hunny Bunny Soap

For those who find fragrances, chemicals, artificial ingredients, and most soaps irritate their skin nonstop, then Nudy Rudy Hunny Buny Soap (and the whole Nudy Rudy line) should be your next buy. With natural ingredients, a plant-based formula, and that good shea butter to leave your skin so soft that others will want to touch it, this soap bar checks all the boxes. We also love the price of this naturally enriched soap bar.

Buy at Walmart

Recommended Videos

Your skin makes a first impression before you even open your mouth. What you use to keep it clean should be a decision that involves more than looking at the price tag. The best bar soap for your skin will vary from person to person, so take the time to look through this list to find the one with the right ingredient lineup for your specific skin type.

Dannielle Beardsley
Dannielle has written for various websites, online magazines, and blogs. She loves everything celebrity and her favorite…
Grooming is on its biggest stage with World Cup 2026
Unilever launched its largest activation focusing on grooming at the biggest sports event happening right now
Ball, Football, Soccer

We don't talk enough about men's grooming. Skincare, haircare, nails, and teeth are all important for your personal appearance and overall health. Typically, we tend to put it on the back burner while we focus our time on things with a more measurable return on time investment. Sure, we used to get away with this because guys like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Paul Newman were regarded as examples of the rugged male aesthetic that didn't need the attention to moisturizing and conditioning. Nowadays, though, men like George Clooney and Brad Pitt are seen as sex symbols deep into their sixties, and it is largely thanks to skincare. Recently, if you have been watching the World Cup, you may have noticed a focus on the grooming marketing. That is because Unilever has launched its largest activation ever with a sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be the most socially connected and inclusive tournament in our history. Football today lives in real time, in culture and on social platforms – and this tournament is designed to be experienced, shaped and shared by fans wherever they are. - Romy Gai, Chief Business Officer, FIFA

Read more
Your dad’s favorite gift may be smelling good
Olfactory NYC let's you build your own fragrance
Bottle, Cosmetics, Perfume

As Father's Day sneaks up on you (hopefully it isn't sneaking up on you since we have been putting Father's Day gift guides and articles with ideas for a few weeks here), there is a tendency to go for the old faithfuls dads seem to have always gotten. Ties. Mugs. Tools. And, of course, the always classic Old Spice cologne. The same cologne his dad got. The same cologne his grandfather got when your dad couldn't figure out what to get him. It is time to do something different. Sure, a man wants to smell good, and buying him a cologne is a great gift. But you can do it the regular way, or you can go above and beyond by letting him make his own choices (I'm not talking about a gift card). Olfactory NYC is the kind of gift your dad is looking for this year.

A deeply personal experience

Read more
Solid cologne is the companion you need this summer
Duke Cannon solves a problem with solid cologne
Body Part, Hand, Person

A man's cologne is a very personal selection. You know me; I am all about first impressions. I believe there are five senses to the first impression. You need to look good, you need to give the right feel (please don't touch people when you meet them), you need to have taste, you need to say the right things, and you need to smell memorable. That looks different for every man. Every summer, I look for that lighter scent that will keep me up all day. For me, I like citrus fragrances during the day in the warm weather. But I hate carrying cologne with me. Except for the solid. It is compact, convenient, and discreet. I discovered Duke Cannon's solid cologne, and it was the perfect choice for 2026. Personally, I like Seawolf. But I reached out to my friends at DC to get some insight on what it is about solid cologne that is taking off right now, and how Duke Cannon caught my attention in the overstuffed landscape of men's grooming products.

I think we just hit the tone. It started with a soap that was based on the soap issued to GIs in the Korean War. There was something so utilitarian yet iconic about this big block of soap that just solved the job better. We tell it how it is. It's a big ass block of soap that is going to get you clean. - Jason Genseske, VP of Product Experience

Read more