As I think about what more I can do to stop buying and using plastic in my day to day life, I wondered, when did we all stop using bar soaps? Are these once old school beauty necessities really as drying as we were taught to believe?

Going against everything we’ve been told for decades, bar soaps have come a long way. We now have a plethora of different soaps on offer from luxury soap bars to bars targeting skin concerns formulated with results-driven ingredients, many of which come in plastic-free, environmentally conscious packaging.

It’s no wonder people are beginning to make the switch from liquid soaps to bars.

But with so many on the market, it’s an impossible task to choose which is really the best in their class. 

We’ve tried and tested a selection of soaps in the current market and here are our top 5 worth considering as your next shower beauty must-have. 

1. BEST ORGANIC SOAP

Peggy Sue’s organic soap bars come in three beautiful scents, Woodlands, Rise & Shine and Resurrection.

My personal favourite has to be Woodlands, which is a blend of cedar-wood, orange and mint.

Their handmade bars are made in small batches and beautifully packaged free of SLS, parabens, sulphate, artificial colours or fragrances.

They come packaged plastic-free, whilst maintaining a low carbon footprint due to the brands solar-powered production.

Made with a combination of Shea and Cocoa Butter, these bar soaps are anything but drying to the skin, as they won’t strip your skin of its natural oils leaving your skin feeling hydrated and soft.

Shop here

$18.00 at peggysuesoaps.com

2. BEST FRAGRANCED SOAP

Call me biased as I love woody notes, especially sandalwood, but you be the judge when it comes to calling Palm Beach’s Clove and Sandalwood bar a favourite in terms of fragrance.

Australian made, and hand-poured, Palm Beach bar soaps are free from sulphates and parabens.

As soon as you take the soap out of the wrapper you’re greeted with the deliciously warm woody scent.

I like to leave this bar in a soap dish by the sink, working the soap in a lather, mainly using it to wash my hands finishing off with the same hand cream. 

Shop the bar 

$12.95 from palmbeachcollection.com.au

3. BEST FACIAL SOAP

You’d be lucky to grab yourself a bar of Carbon Theory’s Charcoal and Tea Tree Oil Soap as it’s often sold out everywhere you look.

Made from activated charcoal, tea tree oil and shea butter, this cult facial soap is lab tested and dermatologically proven to prevent acne breakouts. 

As you lather the soap with water, the awakening smell of the tea tree oil doesn’t just smell divine but once used, makes your face feel extremely clean. You can thank the activated charcoal as it draws out bacteria, toxins, excess dirt and oil for the super clean and fresh feeling. 

The shea butter in the bar not only has hydrating properties to leave your skin feeling moisturised but it’s also rich in antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Shop the soap

$14.99 from priceline.com.au

4. BEST SOAP WITH A MISSION

Known for their French only ingredient skincare range, L’Occitane is so much more than an iconically French brand and it’s their philosophy at the heart of everything they do.

From humble beginnings, L’Occitane’s commitments diversify from protecting and conserving the environment through to fund-raising for helping cure preventable blindness (have you ever noticed the Braille on their packaging?).

This generously sized bar soap is made from ingredients found in Provence with the only exception of Shea Butter to help hydrate and nourish your skin. 

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 $17.00 from au.loccitane.com

5. BEST LUXURY SOAP BAR

Chanel is unequivocally a symbol of luxury and prestige and their bar soaps are no exception.

The Coco Mademoiselle scented bar soap is fragranced just like the perfume, with its signature floral-oriented notes.

If you plan on hiding from the world one evening, lather up this bar soap in a long bath and I promise if you close your eyes, you’ll feel like Coco Chanel herself. 

Shop the soap

$34.00 from kianabeauty.com.au