Best Men's Bar Soap: How to Choose the Right One for You

Let’s be honest: for years, most men grabbed whatever generic brick of soap was on sale, scrubbed down, and moved on. But if you’re dealing with dry, itchy skin or a beard that feels like steel wool, that bargain-bin bar is likely the culprit.

If you’re searching for the best men's bar soap for your skin and beard, this guide will help you choose the ideal option. This article is designed specifically for men looking for the best bar soap, covering how to select the right bar soap for different skin types and grooming needs. Choosing the right bar soap matters because it can improve your skin and beard health, help you avoid irritation, and upgrade your entire grooming routine.

Your skin is your body’s first line of defense, and your beard is the shield that covers your face. Treating them with cheap detergents disguised as soap is a rookie move. The right bar soap doesn’t just clean you; it upgrades your entire grooming game. It conditions your hair, hydrates your skin, and leaves you smelling like a man that all women want.

If you are ready to ditch the detergents and step up to premium grooming, this guide will help you choose the ideal men's bar soap—whether for your body, your beard, or both.

Introduction to Bar Soaps

Bar soap isn’t just a relic from your grandfather’s medicine cabinet—it’s a grooming essential that’s stood the test of time. In a world full of flashy body washes and endless bottles, bar soap is making a serious comeback. Why? Because it’s simple, effective, and delivers a rich, luxurious lather that leaves your skin and beard feeling clean and refreshed. Whether you’re after a moisturizing bar soap to battle dry skin, an exfoliating bar soap to keep your skin smooth, or a natural bar soap packed with real ingredients, there’s a perfect bar soap out there for every guy. Bar soaps are easy to use, eco-friendly, and offer a straightforward way to upgrade your daily routine—no nonsense, just results.

Ready to see how bar soap can transform your grooming routine? Let’s dive into the benefits.

Benefits of Using Bar Soap

Switching to a quality bar soap can transform the way your skin feels after every shower. Unlike many liquid soaps that can strip away your skin’s natural oils, a good bar soap is gentle and helps maintain your skin’s moisture barrier. Ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil are powerhouses for hydration, making a moisturizing bar soap the best defense against dry skin. The result? Skin feeling soft, smooth, and healthy—no more tightness or flakiness. Plus, bar soaps tend to last longer and are more cost-effective than their liquid counterparts, giving you more bang for your buck. With a creamy, luxurious lather and natural, gentle formulas, bar soap is the smart choice for guys who want their skin to look and feel its best.

Now that you know the benefits, let’s explore the different types of bar soaps and which one is right for you.

Types of Bar Soaps

Not all bar soaps are created equal—each type is designed to tackle different skin needs. Here’s what you need to know:

• Exfoliating bar soap: Exfoliating bar soaps can help clear away dead skin cells while also providing cleansing and hydrating benefits. These are ideal for men who want smoother skin and to prevent buildup.

• Moisturizing bar soap: Moisturizing bar soaps are essential for hydrating the skin and preventing dryness after washing. They’re perfect for men with dry or sensitive skin.

• Traditional soap: Traditional bar soaps, like Ivory Original, are made through saponification, where fats and oils react with lye to create soap. These soaps usually have a higher pH, which can disrupt the skin's natural acid mantle, potentially causing dryness and irritation, especially for sensitive skin. They often lack added moisturizers and may feel harsher compared to modern cleansing bars. Additionally, some traditional soaps like Ivory may contain ingredients like Tetrasodium EDTA, a chelating agent that can break down the skin's barrier, potentially allowing other chemicals to penetrate, and is linked to nitrosamine contamination, a carcinogen.

• Cleansing bar: Cleansing bars, often called syndet bars, are formulated with synthetic detergents rather than traditional soap ingredients. They typically have a pH closer to that of the skin, making them gentler and less likely to cause dryness or irritation compared to traditional soaps. However, syndet bars can sometimes contain synthetic surfactants and preservatives that may cause sensitivity or allergic reactions in some individuals. Additionally, their synthetic nature means they may lack the natural moisturizing glycerin found in cold-processed soaps, potentially leaving skin feeling less nourished. While effective at cleansing, some users find syndet bars less satisfying in terms of lather and scent compared to natural or handmade options.

• Natural bar soap: Natural bar soaps like Mad Viking's Ingen Doft Beard & Body Soap are typically handmade or cold-processed using plant-based oils and butters like shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. They retain natural glycerin, a humectant that attracts moisture to the skin, providing a nourishing and hydrating cleanse without harsh chemicals. These soaps are ideal for men seeking a gentle yet effective cleansing experience with natural ingredients.

For Dry Skin

If you’re dealing with dry skin, reach for a moisturizing bar soap loaded with shea butter, coconut oil or aloe to lock in hydration. These bars help keep your skin soft and prevent flakiness.

For Oily Skin

For men with oily or acne-prone skin, exfoliating bar soaps with ingredients like activated charcoal or kaolin clay are best. They help remove excess oil and clear out pores without being harsh.

For Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin requires gentle care. Look for natural bar soaps made with olive oil and essential oils, free from irritating chemicals. These are less likely to cause redness or discomfort.

For Normal Skin

If you have normal skin, you can choose based on scent preference or explore bars that offer different qualities. Natural bars will still improve the overall softness of your beard and skin over time.

Now that you know the main types, let’s look at why choosing the right bar soap really matters for your skin and beard.

Why the Right Bar Soap Matters

You might think soap is just soap, but there is a massive difference between mass-produced commercial detergent bars and handcrafted, natural options.

Commercial soaps are often stripped of their natural glycerin—a byproduct of soap making that attracts moisture to the skin—so companies can sell it separately in high-end lotions. What’s left? A hard bar of harsh detergents and synthetic lathering agents. These are often referred to as traditional soaps, which typically have a formula with a higher pH that can disrupt your skin’s acid mantle, leading to dryness and irritation, especially for sensitive skin. This is why your skin feels tight and your beard feels brittle after a shower.

On the other hand, natural, cold-processed soaps, like those from Mad Viking Beard Co., retain all that natural glycerin. This process ensures that while you wash away dirt and grime, you aren’t stripping away the essential oils your skin and beard need to stay healthy. The result is a deep clean that hydrates rather than destroys.

Understanding the importance of ingredients and processing methods will help you make the best choice for your grooming routine. Next, let’s break down how to match your skin type to the right bar soap.

Top Recommended Men's Bar Soaps

Here are some of the best Mad Viking men's bar soaps, each suited for different skin types and needs:

• Axe & Oak Beard & Body Soap: Strong exfoliating properties and a pleasant scent. Best for men who want deep exfoliation and smoother skin.

• Mad Viking Blackout Bar: Uses charcoal, tea tree and peppermint essential oils for deep cleansing. Ideal for oily or acne-prone skin.

• Drengr Beard & Body Soap: Features Aloe and other hydrating ingredients to soothe and moisturize. Good for dry or normal skin.

• Fjord Beard & Body Bar: Refreshing and aquatic cologne vibe. Best for men who want a classic, invigorating scent.

• Ingen Doft (Unscented) Beard & Body Soap: Creamy, fragrance-free formula. Popular for sensitive skin and lasting moisture.

• Odins Rok Beard & Body Soap Bar (Aloe): Feels moisturizing and non-drying. Recommended for dry skin. Cherry and tobacco scented!

• Hammer & Throne Men's Bar Soap: Suitable for oily skin and has a woodsy, earthy scent. Deeply cleanses pores by absorbing excess oil (sebum) and impurities, acts as a gentle exfoliant to remove dead cells, helps regulate oil production, tightens pores, and soothes inflammation, leading to clearer, smoother, less greasy skin

With these top picks, you can find the best men's bar soap for your specific needs and preferences.

Question #1 — What’s Your Skin Type?

Before you grab the first bar that smells good, you need to know what you are working with. Men’s skin is generally thicker than women’s, but it still falls into specific skin types that require different care. Understanding your skin type is a crucial part of effective skin care.

For Oily or Acne-Prone Skin

If your skin tends to be greasy or you deal with body acne (bacne is a real struggle), you need a soap that can detoxify without drying you out and help control excess oil.

The Fix: Look for bars containing Activated Charcoal. Our Blackout Beard & Body Soap is specifically engineered for this. It uses charcoal to draw dirt and toxins out of clogged pores like a magnet, while tea tree and peppermint oils keep bacteria in check. Another great option is the Axe & Oak Beard & Body Bar, which uses Rooibos Tea Leaves and Kaolin Clay to remove dead skin cells and excess oil.

For Dry or Sensitive Skin

If you leave the shower feeling itchy or seeing flakes in your beard, your current soap is too harsh. You need maximum hydration and a hydrating bar, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin.

The Fix: Stick to bars heavy on nourishing oils like olive, coconut, and sunflower and aloe. These ingredients mimic your skin’s natural sebum, locking in moisture so you don’t dry out. A hydrating bar is ideal for locking in moisture and keeping your skin soft and refreshed. For those with sensitive skin, the Mad Viking Odins Rok Beard & Body Bar is a popular choice due to its creamy, moisturizing formula.

For Normal Skin

If you’re one of the lucky ones with resilient skin, you have the freedom to choose based on scent preference or explore other bars that offer different scents, sizes, and qualities. However, switching to a natural bar will still improve the overall softness of your beard and skin over time. Our Ingen Doft Beard & Body Bar provides a (scentless), but all natural moisturizing clean, while still adding a little grit with all natural oats.

Now that you’ve identified your skin type, let’s move on to the ingredients that make a difference in your bar soap.

Question #2 — What Ingredients Matter?

Read the label. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, put it back. The best soaps for men are built on nature, not in a lab, and their formula is crafted to deliver effective cleansing, moisturizing, and a superior skin feel. The best bar soaps have also been tested for effectiveness, scent, and skin feel.

The Power of Cold-Process

We mentioned cold-processing earlier, but here is why it is non-negotiable: it keeps the ingredients active. Heat destroys the beneficial properties of plant oils. By using the cold-process method, ingredients like Shea Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, and Olive Oil retain their vitamins and moisturizing capabilities.

It's important to note that not all bars on the market are technically soap—some are classified as "beauty" bars with a neutral pH. Traditional cold-processed soaps stand apart because their manufacturing method preserves natural glycerin, a moisturizing agent that attracts and retains moisture in the skin. This process uses low heat, which helps maintain the beneficial properties of nourishing ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. As a result, cold-processed soaps provide a gentle yet effective cleanse that supports your skin’s natural balance, leaving it hydrated and healthy rather than dry and irritated.

Ingredients to Look For

(Key Hydrating and Cleansing Ingredients)

• Shea Butter & Vegetable Glycerin: The heavyweights of hydration. They coat the hair shaft to soften the beard and seal moisture into the skin.

• Natural Oils: Essential for nourishing and protecting your skin and beard. Look for olive oil, Abyssinian oil, sunflower oil, and castor oil, which help lock in moisture, soothe irritation, and support healthy skin and hair.

• Activated Charcoal: The ultimate deep cleaner for gritty jobs.

• Aloe & Botanicals: Essential for soothing razor burn or general irritation.

• Exfoliating Particles: Look for exfoliating particles such as Rhassoul Clay, Kaolin Clay or natural scrub ingredients, like Rooibos Tea leaves. These provide light exfoliation, helping to remove dead skin cells for smooth skin without causing irritation.

Exfoliating bar soaps can help clear away dead skin cells while also providing cleansing and hydrating benefits. Mad Viking's Blackout Beard & Body Bar is a prime example, expertly formulated with activated charcoal to deeply cleanse and detoxify the skin. It features gentle exfoliating particles that remove dead skin without irritation, making it ideal for normal to oily skin types. Additionally, this bar helps control excess oil and tackle body odor, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and your beard soft and manageable.

Ingredients to Avoid

(Common Harsh or Irritating Additives)

• Sulfates (SLS/SLES): Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate create lather but strip skin's natural oils, causing dryness and irritation.

• Parabens: Preservatives such as methylparaben and propylparaben have been linked to hormone disruption.

• Phthalates: Commonly found in fragrances, these chemicals can disrupt hormones and pose other health concerns.

• Triclosan: An antibacterial agent that may negatively impact hormonal health and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

• Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde-Releasers: Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen; watch for ingredients like quaternium-15 or methylene glycol that release formaldehyde.

• Methylisothiazolinone (MI): A preservative known to cause allergic skin reactions in some individuals.

• Propylene Glycol (PG): May cause skin irritation and allergic reactions in sensitive people.

• BHA & BHT: Synthetic antioxidants potentially linked to cancer and allergic responses.

With the right ingredients in mind, let’s talk about how scent and usage can further refine your choice.

Question #3 — How Strong Do You Want Your Soap Scent?

Your scent is your signature. It announces your presence and leaves a lasting impression. But you also don’t want to choke out the room. When choosing a men's bar or men's bar soap, signature scents are just as important as the cleansing experience.

Bold and Earthy: If you want to smell like you just carved a cabin out of the mountainside, look for scents with deep, woodsy notes. Hammer & Throne Beard & Body Soap is a fan favorite, delivering a rich, earthy woodsy profile that feels grounded and masculine.

Crisp and Refreshing: For a wake-up call in the morning, peppermint is king. Mjolnir combines mint with cedarwood for a scent that is cooling, sharp, and undeniably fresh.

The Strategy: Consider your cologne and beard oil. If you wear a heavy cologne, you might want a milder soap scent. If you rely on your grooming products for fragrance, go for the bolder options in the Mad Viking lineup. Just remember though that all of our soaps match our beard oils and balms. No more scent confusion.

Once you’ve chosen your scent, think about how you’ll use your bar soap in your daily routine.

Question #4 — How Will You Use It?

Are you a “15 bottles in the shower” guy, or do you want efficiency? When it comes to cleansing, you have options: a traditional soap bar, a liquid body wash, or a compact hand wash for quick cleanups. Each offers a unique sensory experience and caters to different preferences and routines.

The Specialist Approach: Some men prefer a dedicated beard wash for facial hair and a separate soap bar for the body. This is a valid strategy if your beard requires specialized treatment, but it adds time to the routine. With this approach we recommend our Mad Viking Biotin Beard Wash & Conditioner for your beard and the same scent in our Bar Soap for the rest of your body.

The All-In-One Solution: Mad Viking Beard & Body Soaps are designed for the man who wants efficiency without sacrificing quality. Because they are free of harsh sulfates, they are safe to use from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. You can lather up your beard, wash your face, and scrub your body with a single bar, knowing it will cleanse and condition everything it touches. Bar soaps can also be more environmentally friendly than body washes, as they typically come with less packaging and fewer synthetic ingredients. Note if you go with this approach we recommend pairing with a good conditioner no matter what, unless you are using beard oil and or balm, butter after the shower.

Thinking about value? Let’s see how to get the most out of your purchase.

Question #5 — Are You Buying for Value or Experience?

Let’s talk economics. Premium soap costs more than the generic stuff, that’s a fact. But like good boots or a quality axe, you get what you pay for. Plus, using bar soap can help reduce the risk of skin irritation and allergic reactions compared to body washes with synthetic fragrances and preservatives.

The Single Bar: Perfect for testing the waters. Grab a single bar of a new scent to see if it vibes with you.

The Bundle Strategy: Once you find your go-to, stop buying one at a time. Buying in bulk is the smartest way to shop if you want to save money. Mad Viking offers 3-packs, 5-packs, and even 10-packs of soap. Not only does this drop the price per bar significantly, but it also ensures you never run out mid-shower before a big night out. You can also save 20% off your orders if you subscribe as well!

Before you make your final decision, use this quick checklist to ensure you’re picking the best men’s bar soap for your needs.

Quick Buyer’s Checklist

• Skin Check: Does this soap match my skin type (Oily vs. Dry)? Look for the best bar soaps for your specific skin needs.

• Ingredient Check: Is it cold-processed and natural? (Yes, if it’s Mad Viking).

• Scent Check: Will I actually enjoy smelling like this every morning? Does it match my other grooming products?

• Utility Check: Is it safe for my beard?

• Value Check: Am I saving money by grabbing a bundle?

With your checklist in hand, let’s make sure you get the most out of your bar soap.

Bar Soap Tips

• Always store your bar soap in a well-drained soap dish—this keeps it dry between uses and extends its life.

• For a richer lather and a bit of exfoliation, use a washcloth or loofah to work up a good foam and help remove grime.

• Rinse thoroughly to avoid any residue that could irritate your skin.

• For the best results, choose a bar soap made with natural ingredients—think handmade soap with coconut oil or other nourishing oils. These not only cleanse but also help keep your skin feeling soft and hydrated, making every shower a little more luxurious.

Now that you know how to care for your soap, let’s avoid some common mistakes.

Common Bar Soap Mistakes Men Make

• Buying for Lather: Big foam usually means big chemicals. Natural soap has a creamier, richer lather, not the airy, bubbly foam of detergents. Natural ingredients = Natural lathering properties.

• Ignoring the Face: Using body soap on your face is fine if it’s natural. Using commercial body soap on your face is a recipe for irritation and a higher likelihood of clogged pores because of non comedogenic ingredients.

• Over-washing: Even with the best soap, scrubbing your beard two to three times a day is overkill. Once a day is usually sufficient. To prevent dryness, use a moisturizing bar soap. We recommend only washing your beard 2-3 times per week, maybe more depending on your lifestyle or job.

If you’re considering alternatives, here’s what you need to know.

Bar Soap Alternatives

While bar soap is a classic, there are other options if you’re looking to switch things up. Body washes and hand washes can be a good fit for guys with sensitive skin or those who prefer a quick, mess-free cleanse. Shower gels and exfoliating scrubs offer a deeper clean and help remove dead skin cells, but they can be pricier and less eco-friendly than a traditional bar.

Bar soap is often made with natural ingredients that can nourish the skin, while body washes may contain harsh chemicals that strip natural oils. Additionally, bar soaps can be more environmentally friendly than body washes, as they typically come with less packaging and fewer synthetic ingredients.

Ultimately, the best choice comes down to your skin type and personal preference. If you want a gentle, effective, and environmentally conscious way to keep your skin clean, a high-quality bar soap is often the better option—but don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for your routine.

Choose Your Weapon

Your morning routine sets the tone for your day. Don’t start it with compromise. Whether you need the deep-cleaning power of Blackout Bar or the woodsy aroma of Hammer & Throne, choosing the right bar soap is the first step toward a healthier beard and better skin.

Stop settling for the standard. Explore the full Mad Viking Beard & Body Soap collection and wash like a legend.