5 best shaving bar soaps, tested and reviewed by editors
Dermatologists say to look for shaving bars with ingredients like glycerin, which help retain moisture in the skin.
Smoosh Unscented Shave Soap
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$10.95
When choosing a shave bar, whether as an alternative to a plastic or pre-bottled shaving cream or gel, there are a few important aspects you should consider. Here’s everything I kept in mind when making the list of shave bars below:
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All of the shave bars below are ones that NBC Select staff tested themselves and/or have at least a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon, or at least 100 reviews on their brand sites.
The brand sent me a sample of this shave bar to try and I used it in the shower both before and after shaving. I really loved this one because it was the perfect size and shape for grasping and lathering onto my skin. The bar is around the size of a small hockey puck. The soap lathered up the most like real shaving cream gel compared to all the other ones I tried and it left my freshly shaven skin moisturized. I used the unscented version, though the brand also sells a Mediterranean fig-scented version, too.
Notable ingredients: glycerin, hydrogenated soybean oil and kaolin clay | Fragrance: unscented
Smoosh, which is made by the same company that produces Leaf, sent me a sample of this shave soap to try. This is a lot thicker and more textured than the Leaf bar. It has the brand’s name etched onto it and a round indentation lining. This is partially meant to help secure the soap to a silicone exfoliating scrubber (a safer alternative to a loofa), which the brand also sent me to try. You can press the bar of soap into the compartment in the pad to keep it in place and then use it to rub on your body to create a lather. I loved this aspect of the soap, especially because it felt like I was exfoliating my skin while also shaving.
Notable ingredients: glycerin, hydrogenated soybean oil and kaolin clay | Fragrance: unscented
NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin tried out a sample of this shave soap bar from Megababe, and loved how well it lathered up without getting too bubbly or slippery. “I want it to lather so it spreads well across my skin, but I need to be able to see where I’m shaving, and big bubbles can get in the way,” she says. “The bar makes my skin very soft so the razor easily glides along the surface, and I’ve never had issues with nicks or razor burn while using it.” The squared-shaped bar, which resembles most traditional bar soaps, contains shea butter, which helps to hydrate the skin and provide a layer of protection against shaving blades, according to the brand. If you’re susceptible to razor bumps, the brand also recommends using the Aprés Shave roll-on solution to soothe freshly shaved skin.
Notable ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, soybean oil, cacao seed butter and sunflower oil | Fragrance: unscented
L’occitane sent me a sample of this solid shaving soap bar, which has the name of the brand and the product etched onto the side. It’s rounded on one side and the flat on the other (the side with the name etched into it). I like this because I could easily lay it flat on a surface around the edge of my tub without worrying that it would wobble or slide off. The soap has a scent, but it’s very subtle and pleasant, so it’s a good choice if you do appreciate a fragranced soap.
Notable ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil and cade essential oil | Fragrance: scented
At NBC Select, we’re huge fans of Kitsch’s extremely popular silk pillowcase, especially since it’s beneficial for skin and hair. This solid shave bar from the brand, which has a 4.5-star average rating from 1,262 reviews on Amazon, also helps protect and hydrate skin, thanks to the shea butter. The ingredients from the bar moisturize the skin to prevent it from becoming red or experiencing irritation from your razor post shave, according to the brand. It’s also suitable for all skin types, including extremely dry, sensitive or oily skin. It has a white tea-based scent and is square shaped rather than rectangular or circular.
Notable ingredients: shea butter, white tea and sodium sunflowerate | Fragrance: scented
When shopping for a solid shaving bar soap, both Campbell and Lieb recommend keeping a few priorities in mind prior to making a purchase. Here’s everything to consider before:
Ingredients in a shave bar are the most important, since they will come in contact with your skin. Campbell recommends looking for shave bars that contain glycerin, which is a humectant that helps improve skin’s moisture barrier by pulling in water from the outside in. Additionally, many shave bars contain shea butter, which is an emollient that protects the skin. Shea butter can also potentially cause acne, so Campbell encourages consumers to keep this in mind.
While some shave bars have ingredients like glycerin, which help attract and maintain moisture in the skin, some have ingredients that you could be sensitive to, according to Campbell. “In reviewing some of the popular bar brands, many of them contain fragrances, essential oils and lanolin which are common contact allergens,” she says. With this in mind, if you have a history of sensitivity to these ingredients and/or are very acne prone, Campbell doesn’t recommend using a shave bar.
In addition to a shave bar, you’ll have to find a compatible razor to use it with. Lieb recommends maintaining a razor between uses. “I always advise my patients to clean their razor before and after use with rubbing alcohol to avoid skin infections due to contaminated blades,” she says. “Furthermore, after a few shaves, a new razor should be used to avoid imperfections on the blades that naturally develop over time.”
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I cover a range of topics, including wellness and home life. I spoke with two board-certified dermatologists and tested shave bars for this article.
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