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The 10 Best Natural Soaps for Men in 2023, According to Grooming Experts

You don't have to book a backpacking trip to enjoy the benefits of natural soaps.

Headshot of Cristina MontemayorBy Cristina Montemayor
soaps
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BAR SOAPS get a bad rap because a lot of them strip your skin of moisture and leave your skin feeling dry, but natural soaps are the exception. Natural soaps are entirely made from a moisturizing blend of oils, fats and other moisturizing ingredients that nourish and hydrate the skin. These ingredients come from nature and are turned into soap without the use of any synthetic compounds or artificial fragrances, which can be detrimental to your health and the environment.

The best natural soaps are primarily plant-based and made from a base of natural oils and butters like cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, almond oil or avocado oil. Natural soaps may not lather up as much as your average body wash, but that doesn't mean it's not working. The addition of essential oils not only adds a refreshing scent to natural soaps but it also lends antibacterial properties to your bar of soap, which helps eliminate harmful bacteria and give you that fresh-out-of-the-shower clean feeling.

  • Moisturizing Alps Bar Soap

    Best Overall

    Oars + Alps Moisturizing Alps Bar Soap

    $11 at oarsandalps.com
    Read more
  •  African Black Soap Cleanser

    Best Natural Soap for Body Acne

    SheaMoisture African Black Soap Cleanser

    Read more
  • Morning Mojo Bar Soap

    Most Refreshing Natural Soap

    Ursa Major Morning Mojo Bar Soap

    Read more
  • Flor de Mayo Cactus Soap

    Best Cleansing Natural Soap

    Nopalera Flor de Mayo Cactus Soap

    Read more
  • Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter Bar Soap

    Best Smelling Natural Soap

    FarmHouse Fresh Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter Bar Soap

    Read more

Traditional body wash typically contains harsh synthetic ingredients that may irritate sensitive skin, but it's often hard to tell which ingredient is causing the reaction because the list of ingredients is long and filled with chemical-sounding names you've never heard of before. With natural soaps, you know exactly what you're getting. Most natural soaps contain just a few ingredients, all of which are found in nature. This makes natural soaps a great choice to take with you on your next camping or backpacking adventure since it's naturally biodegradable.

You don't have to book a backpacking trip to enjoy the benefits of natural soaps. If you're ready to make the switch from body wash to something more earth-friendly, here are the best natural soaps to pick up now.

Best Grooming Products for Men | Best Biodegradable Soaps | Best Body Wash for Acne | Best Shampoos

Best Overall

Oars + Alps Moisturizing Alps Bar Soap

Moisturizing Alps Bar Soap
Best Overall

Oars + Alps Moisturizing Alps Bar Soap

$11 at oarsandalps.com
Pros
  • Hydrates dry skin
Cons
  • Minimal lather

This natural soap puts the sad sliver of Irish Spring sitting in your shower right now to shame. Made with organic, fair trade and handcrafted shea butter, it delivers a surprising amount of hydration for a bar soap. Crushed juniper berries sourced from the mountains of the Pacific Northwest give this moisturizing bar a slightly gritty texture and helps buff away dead skin cells.

IngredientsShea butter, crushed juniper berries, Amazonian clay
Size6 oz.
Recommended forDry and dehydrated skin
Best Natural Soap for Body Acne

SheaMoisture African Black Soap Cleanser

 African Black Soap Cleanser
Best Natural Soap for Body Acne

SheaMoisture African Black Soap Cleanser

Now 14% Off
Pros
  • Gently exfoliates
Cons
  • Strong fragrance

African black soap is a traditional soap that comes from West Africa that's known for its ability to clear common skin conditions including breakouts, fungal acne, and even eczema. While some skin types may find it drying, if you have oily or acne-prone skin, it may be the miracle you've been hoping for. If you experience body acne in the warmer months, keep this soap in your shower at all times.

IngredientsShea butter, oats, aloe
Size8 oz.
Recommended for Dry skin
Height4
Most Refreshing Natural Soap

Ursa Major Morning Mojo Bar Soap

Morning Mojo Bar Soap
Most Refreshing Natural Soap

Ursa Major Morning Mojo Bar Soap

Pros
  • Gritty texture gently exfoliates
Cons
  • Expensive

If you're a morning person, you'll love the cooling and energizing effect of this all-natural soap from Ursa Major. If you're not a morning person, this soap is just the thing you need to wake you up and get your morning started. The secret is the blend of peppermint, eucalyptus and rosemary, which will invigorate your senses as the cooling suds gently cleanse and hydrate.

IngredientsShea butter, peppermint, honey, coconut
Size5 oz.
Recommended forOily and acne-prone skin types
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Best Cleansing Natural Soap

Nopalera Flor de Mayo Cactus Soap

Flor de Mayo Cactus Soap
Best Cleansing Natural Soap

Nopalera Flor de Mayo Cactus Soap

Pros
  • Safe for sensitive skin
Cons
  • Not as moisturizing as other natural soaps

The black color of this soap comes from activated charcoal, which has been proven to reach deep into your pores to remove impurities. This powerful ingredient is balanced out by a gentle plant oils and butters including coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter to leave your feeling incredibly clean and soft.

IngredientsEucalyptus , prickly pear cactus, charcoal
Size4 oz.
Recommended forOily and acne-prone skin
Best Smelling Natural Soap

FarmHouse Fresh Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter Bar Soap

Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter Bar Soap
Best Smelling Natural Soap

FarmHouse Fresh Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter Bar Soap

Pros
  • Leaves your skin feeling clean and soft
Cons
  • Doesn't exfoliate

The scent of this all natural soap will transform you daily shower into a spa-like experience. The intoxicating smell of mint-julep, cream, and lavender has a calming effect, which is why we love it for an evening shower. The whipped texture of this formula lathers up so well that some guys even like to shave with it.

IngredientsShea butter, mint-julep, lavender.
Size5.25 oz.
Recommended forSensitive skin
Most Moisturizing Natural Soap

Pre de Provence Artisanal French Moisturizing Soap Bar

 Artisanal French Moisturizing Soap Bar
Most Moisturizing Natural Soap

Pre de Provence Artisanal French Moisturizing Soap Bar

Now 13% Off
Pros
  • Removes dead skin cells
Cons
  • Can be rough on the skin

This classic bar soap has a base of shea butter, honey, almond, which is not only deeply moisturizing but also gives it a wam, sweet aroma. Each bar is traditionally crafted in the French Provence using old-world methods, which produces a completely uniform and smooth soap, which means it lasts longer n your shower or on your bathroom counter than other natural soaps.

IngredientsShea butter, honey, almond.
Size5.3 oz.
Recommended for Normal to combination skin
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Best Natural Soap for Sensitive Skin

Beekman 1802 Goat Milk Soap Bar

Goat Milk Soap Bar
Best Natural Soap for Sensitive Skin

Beekman 1802 Goat Milk Soap Bar

Pros
  • Gentle formula
Cons
  • Pricey

What makes this natural soap special is that it has the same pH as human skin, which means it won't irritate those with sensitive skin. Made from creamy goat milk and soft shea butter, it gently cleanses and moisturizes without disrupting your skin's microbiome, leaving your skin feeling soft and supple.

IngredientsHoney, oats, goat milk
Size9 oz
Recommended for Sensitive skin
Best Affordable Natural Soap

Tom's of Maine Natural Beauty Bar Soap

Natural Beauty Bar Soap
Best Affordable Natural Soap

Tom's of Maine Natural Beauty Bar Soap

Pros
  • Mild fresh coconut scent
Cons
  • May leave behind a thin film on the skin

Let this natural soap transport you to a tropical island with every swipe. The coconut oil base helps your skin retain its natural moisture rather than stripping it away like a lot of other body washes.

IngredientsCoconut oil,
Size5 oz.
Recommended forNormal to sensitive skin
Best Luxury Natural Soap

Joanna Vargas Miracle Bar

Miracle Bar
Best Luxury Natural Soap

Joanna Vargas Miracle Bar

Pros
  • Alleviates acne
Cons
  • May dry out your skin

With a name like Miracle Bar, it has to be good, and in our opinion, this soap lives up to the hype. Charcoal plunges deep into the pores to remove any excess dirt and oil while olive oil and shea butter provides your skin barrier with the fatty acids, nutrients, and hydration it needs to defend its newly cleansed pores and keep them functioning properly.

IngredientsCharcoal, olive oil, shea butter
Size3.52 oz
Recommended for Normal to oily skin
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Best Unscented Natural Soap

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Bar Soap

Pure Castile Bar Soap
Best Unscented Natural Soap

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Bar Soap

Pros
  • Produces a rich lather
Cons
  • May dry out dry skin

For some people with extremely sensitive skin, even soaps with natural fragrances from plant-based essential oils can give them a reaction. In that case, Dr. Bronner'sUnscentedPure Castile Bar Soap is your best bet. The ingredients are so clean and simple that anyone can use it, including babies.

IngredientsCoconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, hemp oil, jojoba oil
Size5 oz.
Recommended for Sensitive skin

What Is The Healthiest Soap For Your Body?

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If you're concerned about your health—or the health of the planet, for that matter—natural soaps are a great option. Some studies and research suggest that synthetic ingredients like parabens and phthalates can interfere with normal hormone function. If you're concerned about toxic ingredients in your personal care products or if you want to be on the safe side, making the switch to natural soap is a fairly easy way to make sure that what you're putting on your body every day is safe.

Is Natural Soap Actually Better?

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Natural soap cleanses and moisturizes your body just as well as other soaps, so one could say they are equally as effective. The only different is that natural soaps are made from natural ingredients and don't contain any hormone-disrupting chemicals, which for some people, makes them better than other soaps. Soap is a personal preference, so the best one for you is the one you look forward to using everyday.

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Which Soap Is The Purest?

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Natural soaps have a smaller ingredient list compared to other synthetic soaps, with many natural soaps containing fewer than ten ingredients. If measuring purity by the number of ingredients, Dr. Bronner's and Toms of Maine are the most pure natural soaps. In terms of ingredient quality, all natural soaps would be considered pure since they're all made from ingredients that are found naturally in nature.

Headshot of Cristina Montemayor
Cristina Montemayor

Cristina Montemayor is a freelance writer and journalist living in Austin, Texas, covering beauty, grooming, style, and culture. Her work has appeared in Very Good Light, BRIDES, Elite Daily, among others. 

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