The Best Natural Soap Guide 2024
Written by:
Maia James
When it comes bar soap, the good news is that there are tons of safe options for organic soap. The bad news is that many of these soaps are difficult to find, as they are produced by small manufacturers and not sold in most drug or grocery stores.
Thank goodness for Dr. Bronner’s (see review below), which you can find almost anywhere.
Bar soaps were much easier for me to review than shampoos and other products; unless a soap really dries out my skin or smells offensive, I feel that it’s done its job! So the main criteria for evaluating the best natural soap really comes down to the quality of the ingredients.
Read on for my picks for the best natural soap.
1. Tandi’s Naturals / 2. Farmaesthetics / 3. Christina Maser / 4. Dr. Bronner’s / 5. Poofy Organics / 6. Soapwalla / 7. Attitude /
8. Little Seed Farm / 9. Pure Haven / 10. Canary / 11. FatCo / 12. Chagrin Valley
What’s Wrong With Conventional Bar Soap?
Depending on the brand, conventional bar soaps might contain any number ingredients we’d prefer you avoid. Look out for the usual Bad Stuff like BHT and PEG chemicals. As always, we give extra points to brands that use organic ingredients.
That said, the biggest concern with most soap is the way it is scented. Here is what to look for.
- Fragrance. Unless the label specifies that it’s scented with essential oils, you should avoid bar soap that has “fragrance” or “parfum” listed in the ingredients. IT probably contains synthetic fragrance, which means it contains phthalates.
- Certain essential oils. There are some essential oils that are of mild to moderate concern. Citrus oils, such as those from orange and lemon peels, are linked to skin irritation, allergies, and even immunotoxicity. These include geraniol, limonene, and linalool. You’ll find most of the brands with these oils listed under Okay Stuff, below.
What Is the Best Natural Soap?
Below, we recommend 14 brands of soap that we consider among the best natural soaps. My personal favorite bar soaps are those made by Tandi’s Naturals. They are affordable, produced with local organic ingredients, and produce the creamiest lather.
Good Stuff: Best Natural Soap
Aspen Kay Natural Soap
A bunch of you asked about this brand, and I’m pleased to find that it’s Good Stuff. Aspen Kay soaps are made with only organic ingredients, all of which are 100% natural.
Ingredients: Organic RSPO Sustainable Palm Oil, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Calendula Extract, Organic Chamomile Extract, Organic Turmeric Root Extract, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Organic Aloe Vera, Kaolin Clay, Essential Oil Blend, Sodium Hydroxide (key element to making soap, none remains in finished product).
Cost per ounce: $2.10
Attitude Leaves Bar
Attitude is one of those brands that is great across the board, and their bar soap is no exception. It’s EWG-verified, vegan, and more environmentally friendly than body washes or shower gels because it lacks any plastic components.
Ingredients: Sodium cocoate, propanediol, aqua/water/eau, sodium stearate, glycerin, sodium avocadate, sucrose, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium shea butterate, sodium chloride, nasturtium officinale (watercress / cresson) extract, tropaeolum majus (Indian cress / capucine) extract, gamma-decalactone, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, hexyl salicylate, raspberry ketone, triethyl citrate, fragrance (parfum) from essential oils
Cost per ounce: $2.17
Canary Clean Bar Soap
We love Canary’s super simple ingredients list. If you want to be extra cautious, you can avoid the citrus blend as it has some of those essential oils that get higher scores from EWG.
Ingredients: Saponified Oils (Olive Oil, Organic Palm Oil*, Organic Coconut Oil*, Organic Shea Butter*) *Fair Trade, Peppermint Essential Oil, Peppermint Leaves
Cost per ounce: $1.55
Chagrin Valley Soap
All of their bars are made of natural ingredients, without any of the essential oils that can be of concern.
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Oil*, Organic Canola Oil, Organic Palm Oil (Sustainable), Organic Sunflower Oil, Distilled Water, Sodium Hydroxide^, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Castor Bean Oil, Organic Virgin Shea Butter*, Organic Honey, Organic Turmeric, Organic Cornstarch, Organic Chamomile, Organic Calendula, Organic Chickweed, Organic Rosemary Oil Extract (ROE)
Cost per ounce: $1.95
Christina Maser Handmade Goats Milk Soaps
This line of handmade soaps are crafted from food grade olive, palm, coconut, sweet almond and castor oils, natural clays, goat’s milk, honey, herbs, grains and natural pigments, and scented with only pure essential oils. They contain no synthetic ingredients, no phthalates, no chemicals of any kind. These soaps are hand poured in small batches, cut, and wrapped by hand.
Ingredients: Honey, Milk, & Oats, Lavender Milk, Signature, Almond Cream, Cinnamon Milk, Espresso Kitchen, Gardeners, Grapefruit, Lavender Eucalyptus, Lavender Oats, Lemon Wasabi, Citrus Basil, Patchouli, Patchouli Citrus, Rosemary Mint, Lavender Clay, Lavender Rosemary, Lavender Citrus, Sage, Tea Tree Citus, Spa Bar, Geranium Citrus, Fir Needle, Citrus Eucalyptus, Citrus Clay
Cost per ounce: $1.87
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Bar Soap
Dr. Bronner’s is a great go-to soap because of its wide availability. All the varieties score a 1 on Skin Deep. The yummy scents include almond, lavender, rose, peppermint, tea tree, citrus orange, and eucalyptus.
Ingredients: Saponified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm & Organic Olive Oils (W Retained Glycerin), Water, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Peppermint Oil, Organic Mentha Arvensis, Salt, Citric Acid, Vitamin E.
Cost per ounce: $1.00
Farmaesthetics Bath & Beauty Bars
These bars are organic and handmade, which helps to explain the higher price point. I’m a sucker for the pretty packaging on these soaps, but more important is the short list of ingredients–they change their formulas seasonally, but I’ve never seen anything of concern in any of their soaps.
Ingredients: purified rain water, saponified oils of olive*, palm*, coconut*, essential oil, organically grown herbs* and/or flowers* for texture, color, and scent. *Certified Organic ingredient
Cost per ounce: $3.75
FATCO Fat Bars
These bars are made with grass-fed beef tallow, which makes them uniquely nourishing and among the most planet-friendly bars.
Ingredients: Grass-Fed Beef Tallow, Sodium Hydroxide (Lye), Colloidal Oats, Calendula*, Olive Oil*, Distilled Water, Sucrose, Sodium Lactate. *Denotes and Organic
Cost per ounce: $2.25
Little Seed Farm Milk Soap
These pretty natural bar soaps have the simplest ingredient list, and they seem to get all 5-star reviews.
Ingredients: Saponified Virgin Organic Olive Oil* and Organic Coconut Oil*, Grassfed Goat’s Milk**, Activated Charcoal.
Cost per ounce: $2.10
Moon Valley Herbal Soap Bar
Moon Valley uses organic ingredients in its simple bar soaps, which are also vegan .
Ingredients: Organic Safflower oil, Purified Water, Organic Coconut and Organic Sustainable Palm oils, Sodium Hydroxide*, Organic Vanilla flavoring, Organic Beeswax, Organic Castor oil, Organic Calendula, Organic Lavender, and Organic Patchouli essential oils.
Cost per ounce: $1.62
Poofy Organics Bar Soaps
Poofy’s line of vegan soaps include fun flavors like Creamsicle and Confetti Cake. The only ingredient that isn’t totally on the up and up is that vague “natural flavors.”
Ingredients: Saponified Organic Oils of Olive, Coconut, Sunflower & Palm, Organic Shea Butter, Vanilla Bean Powder, Organic Orange Essential Oil, Organic Brown Sugar Extract (organic cane alcohol, natural flavors)
Use code: MAIAJAMES for 10% off
Cost per ounce: $2.00
Pure Haven Cocoa Bar Soap
Pure Haven is one of those special brands where every single product is best-case in terms of zero toxicity. Their bar so is no exception, and each ingredient has been chosen with care.
Ingredients: sodium palmate*, sodium cocoate, water, glycerin (vegetable, non-gmo), persea gratissima (organic avocado) oil, theobroma cacao (organic cocoa) seed butter, ricinus communis (organic castor) seed oil, goat milk, allantoin, avena sativa (organic oat) kernel oil, sodium chloride, sodium citrate
Cost per ounce: $2.66
Soapwalla Bar Soaps
Soapwalla soaps are formulated for the face, but which work beautifully for the body as well. These are hands down the best-smelling natural soaps I’ve found, and well worth higher price point.
Ingredients: (*: certified organic, +: food-grade) Distilled water, saponified oils (sunflower, palm kernel, rice bran, coconut)*, Shea Butter (Ghana); kosher vegetable glycerin*+, sorbitol*+, sodium cocoate, palm and coconut fatty acids, sodium chloride (kosher salt)+; Titanium Dioxide (non-nano); Cinnamomum Cassia (Cinnamon) Powder*+; essential oil blend, including: Cinnamomum Cassia (Cinnamon) Leaf Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergaptene-free Bergamot)*; Non-GMO Tocopherol (Vitamin E)*+.
Cost per ounce: $4.50
Tandi’s Naturals Soaps
Tandi’s uses local ingredients–including beef tallow, although she does offer vegan options as well. Tandi’s soaps contain no concerning ingredients, are scented with essential oils, and come in delicious flavors like Minty Cocoa Swirl.
Ingredients: Lancaster County tallow, water, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, lye, castor oil, non-GMO Lancaster cornmeal, unrefined shea butter, raw sugar, essential oils of rosemary, basil, and lemon eucalyptus, sage, arrowroot powder
Cost per ounce: $1.64
Okay Stuff
100% Pure Bar Soap
This beautiful bar has a pretty clean ingredient list with things like virgin coconut oils and shea butter. We are not especially worried about the essential oils found in this soap–geraniol, limonene, linalool–but we appreciate that some of you may want to avoid them.
Ingredients: Saponified Oils of Cocos Nucifera (Virgin Coconut), Olea Europaea Fruit (Extra Virgin Olive), Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed, Vitis Vinifera (Grapeseed) Seed, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado Butter), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Lavandula Augustifolia (Lavender) Essential Oil, Geraniol*, Limonene* and Linalool* *Component of Natural Essential Oil
Cost per ounce: $3.33
Crunchi Body Bar
While I would personally feel totally fine using this soap, this is another case where the specific essential oils used–including tea tree–are slightly higher concern from EWG.
Ingredients: Sodium Palmate (Organic Palm Oil & Sodium HydroxideΔ), Sodium Cocoate (Organic Coconut Oil & Sodium HydroxideΔ), Water (Aqua), Glycerin*, Citrus Aurantium Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Oil*, Charcoal Powder, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Sodium Citrate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Powder*, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil*.
Cost per ounce: $3.66
Wellnesse Body Bar
These are nice chunky bars and they smell great. I’m putting them in Okay Stuff because of those citrus oils.
Ingredients: Sodium Palm Kernelate, Aqua, Sodium Palmate, Potassium Palm Kernelate, Palm Kernel Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Glycerin, Potassium Palmate, Sodium Gluconate, Palm Acid, Sodium Chloride, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Linalool, Limonene
Cost per ounce: $1.60
Bad Stuff
Dial is perhaps not quite as bad as Lever, but does contain fragrance, and several other mildly concerning ingredients, such as PEG-12 and PEG-9.
Lever 2000 bar soap gets an 8 from Skin Deep because of fragrance, retinyl palmitate, and BHT.
Sneaky Stuff
Lots of you ask about Dove bars, because it seems a lot of dermatologists recommended it. While it’s better than most conventional soaps, it contains cocamidopropyl betaine, which is on my personal Never list.
Fresh soap is expensive and it smells nice, but it has a bunch of gross ingredients, including BHT.
Although Ivory claims its soap is”clean and simple, and free of unnecessary ingredients,” it contains fragrance and–in some cases–artificial dyes.
Mrs. Meyers bar soaps–like the rest of the the Mrs. Meyers line–contains synthetic fragrance, making it Sneaky Stuff.
Neutrogena is the brand most recommended by dermatologists, but contains fragrance, cocamide DEA, and triethanolamine.
I hope this guide makes finding the best natural soap easier. You’ll be doing the planet a favor by using bar soap instead of body wash (in a plastic bottle!), too!
We are so appreciative of those of you who will support us by buying soap in our online store. If you’d prefer to shop on Amazon, you can find our curated picks of the best natural soap in our Amazon shop here. Thanks for supporting our work and helping us keep all of our content free!
Please comment below with bar soap brands you’d like us to review in the future.
Maia, Founder & CEO
Note: This article contains affiliate links or sponsored content, which means that if you make a purchase, we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that meet our strict standards for non-toxicity and that we use (or want to use!) ourselves. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Good Stuff!
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112 responses to “The Best Natural Soap Guide 2024”
Do you have any opinion on Kiss My Face Olive Oil Bar Soap?
I would consider this Good Stuff!
What about Caprina Goats Milk Soap?
I don’t know this brand, but will add to our list for a future investigation!
What can you say of honest liquid hand soap and bar soap? Thank you!!!
I’m not a big fan. They have sodium benzoate and cocamidopropyl betaine listed as ingredients.
Hi Maia,
Noticed you have some goat milk soaps on the Good Stuff list, what do you think of this Goatboy brand? They are local to my state, and seem reasonably priced. We love the unscented. Would you consider this Good Stuff?
http://www.goatboy.us/ – shows goats milk, sodium hydroxide, olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil and shear butter.
Thanks!What are your thoughts on Tom’s of Maine bar soap? Specifically the Daily Moisture with Olive Oil and Vitamin E?
Thank you very much!
I think Tom’s bar soaps are fine.
When I was getting rashes in the shower long ago, I was not sure what was going on. I thought maybe the water was too hot. Then I figured out the shampoo and soap I was using were to blame.
When I found Dakota free soap , that fixed half my problem. It is made by someone who was also having multiple sensitivities. The other bar soaps she has on her site, came out fairly recently.I am still struggling trying to find a shampoo. I will find one, that I do not seem to react to, then I read if it lathers it is a chemical, so I quit using shampoos that lather. I hate shampoo bars. So I just gave up and using honey to shampoo with. I person just recently told me about Rhassoul Clay. His wife is severely sensitive, so she can not live in a house. She lives in a teak boat. I still have not tried the clay.
Hi Mary,
Did you ever try the Kirks with aloe?I seem to be having the same problem. We get a bad rash when we use Kirks or Dr Bonner’s. Have you ever heard of anyone else having this problem?
Castile soaps are recommended for people with skin issues so it’s odd that I’d develop a skin issue when using one. I can use any other soap, including Dial, and have no problems.
Hand made soap made with coconut oil or castor and many other healthy oils will generate a wonderful full lather. So what you read is wrong. Using Kirk’s or Dr Bonners, they are factory produced chemical soaps. Also not 100% olive oil. Olive oil does not lather in bubbles, more so then a slimy like lather. If you want real information talk to a authentic hand made soaper. Talk to several. Never take info at the only truth by reading one thing. Read everything, then pick the real out of that. Also the ingredients must be listed in full on everything, even small time crafter’s soaps. SLS, Phthalates, Parabens, are all bad. Citric acid is not needed in soap at all, and unscented is the way to go if your unsure whether it’s really an essential oil or fragrant oil.
Oh and for the record. I have been tested for allergies and am allergic to pretty much everything. I live in a real house with real pets and real kids and real dirt, that must be cleaned. I make all of our soaps, shampoos, deodorants, cleaners etc. So I know the difference between good and bad chemicals.I’m not sure if I can ask you here, but where can I find your soaps?
What soap bar would you recommend? Is 100 pure Olive oil soap what I should look for? Is kiss my face okay? I’m very interested in what you said and would like your opinion or ask if you sell your soaps??
I’m currently detoxing and this was so helpful! I was looking for a bar soap to make my own laundry detergent & this is perfect!
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