To be classified as soap, a product must be comprised of the alkali salts of fatty acids. Glycerin, which is a natural moisturizer, is a natural byproduct of traditional soap, but it is not always included in today’s products. In fact, if you see the term “beauty bar” instead of soap on the label, read the ingredients carefully. That bar is likely categorized as a detergent by the FDA and cannot call itself a soap.
Here’s a list of bars that can proudly call themselves soap in the traditional sense. We like these products, and we think you will, too.
A well-executed clean
Smell like a tree instead of a flower with Dr. Squatch’s manly scent bar soaps. Made with all-natural skin-nourishing plant oils, this exfoliating bar offers a variety of earthly fragrances like bay rum, cedar citrus, and pine tar. This is a great soap for men who don’t like the fruit and floral scents that dominate today’s soap market. You’ll feel clean. You just won’t smell like a daffodil when you dry off.
Quad-milled
Shea butter is not only a great moisturizer for the skin, but it also contains anti-inflammatory properties. Honey is antibacterial and antiseptic and helps to keep your skin moist but not oily. Almonds are rich in vitamin E which protects skin from sun damage. We appreciate that it’s free of chemical additives like parabens, ethyl alcohol, and sodium lauryl sulfate and that Pre de Provence enriches its bars with pure and natural ingredients. You may not feel like a lumberjack when you dry off. But you will feel great.
Clean as a whistle
Whistle or hum that familiar tune from the old sod, while you’re washing off some undesired newer sod with this tried and true product. The original soap for men – “Ah, but I like it too!’’ – Irish Spring still boasts the 12-hour deodorant protection that was its calling card when first introduced in the late 1960s. There’s a reason Irish Spring has been around this long without ever changing its recipe. Because it’s still as fresh as the day it was born.
A delicate balance
Made with certified vegan and cruelty-free ingredients and packaged in fully biodegradable paperboard boxes, this 6-pack set is the perfect gift for the environmentally aware man on your list. Comprised of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, 100 percent certified sustainable source palm oil, avocado oil, and plant extracts, it still manages to create a rich lather while leaving skin fully moisturized and clean.
Variety and dependability
Yardley London is one of England’s oldest traditions in soaps and perfumes, dating back more than 200 years. The long-lasting brand makes its name with a long-lasting soap that doesn’t soften up when it gets wet. One bar lasts quite a while. We know the skin is our largest organ and our body’s first line of defense, but it’s easy to take it for granted. These soaps will help you remember to give your skin a little something extra, and you’ll feel like a million while doing it.
S. Ruxton is a contributing writer to Florida Travel & Life, an online brand that inspires active, affluent travelers, providing them with insider information on discovering the best of Florida. Informative and engaging, the website showcases travel destinations, arts and cultural venues, vibrant dining scenes, recreational activities, the great outdoors and the revitalized real-estate market. A former baseball writer, S. Ruxton loves to revisit the smaller Gulf towns of Clearwater, Dunedin, and Bradenton. Historic Winter Park is also a favorite destination.
