Shower-care routines have come a long way over the last few years. Not too long ago, we discovered everything showers and cocktailing, which made us all more mindful about cleansing below the neck. Recent innovations have elevated the experience even more with skin-care-based products that double as fragrance boosters. While we love a good body wash as much as the next person, body bars are becoming just as innovative. Bar soaps have always been a staple for cleansing and ease in the shower, but the latest formulas do so much more. Packed with skin-care ingredients and formulated to target the most common issues, they’ve become a staple in body-care routines for good reason. Like the serums in your skin-care routine, body bars offer targeted treatment and highly concentrated ingredients for visible results. They’re ideal for body acne, scrubbing rough areas and treating hyperpigmentation on a daily basis. While their humble functions still exist—think hydrating and soothing skin from shaving, there’s no denying the body bar boom that’s occurring. Ahead, we chatted with skin experts about the rise of the trend and the best bars to add to your shower routine.
Featured experts
- Sarah Akram is a celebrity aesthetician and skin-care expert
- Naana Boayke, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Hackensack, NJ and founder of Dr. Naana Beauty
- Kristyn Smith is an aesthetician and the founder of Practise NYC
The body bar trend
Seasonality is part of the reason we’re seeing an uptick in body bar launches right now. They’re the perfect way to achieve the naturally glowy look that’s popular come summer, and the bar format makes things even easier. Beyond that, body bars have evolved to include ingredients tailored to common skin issues. Aesthetician Kristyn Smith explains that this is a real shift. “The new crop of bars don’t just make you smell good. They’re also packed with actives like acids, peptides and ceramides,” she says. Many formulas also include lots of botanical ingredients, making them appealing to clean beauty enthusiasts. Body washes may have dominated the industry with their luxe aesthetic for a while, but today’s body bars are bringing the same rich qualities to your shower without the extra weight.
While washes are often water-based and generalized, celebrity aesthetician Sarah Akram explains that soap bars offer highly concentrated formulas dedicated to specific skin care issues—for example, sensitive skin types and those who are acne-prone. In bar cleansers, Hackensack, NJ dermatologist Dr. Naana Boayke notes that acids such as salicylic, glycolic and lactic are ideal for gently exfoliating the skin, while brightening acids, like kojic, can help with hyperpigmentation. Body bars also tend to be pH-balanced with moisturizing ingredients that provide long-lasting hydration without a greasy residue. According to Smith, sustainability also plays a role in the body bar boom. With less ornamental packaging, they cut down on waste and plastic use.
Targeted treatment
It’s best to think of a body bar as your own personal treatment and search for a bar based on your pressing issue at hand. “There isn’t just one type of body bar, so finding the one that works best with your skin is key. Many formulas can address concerns like keratosis pilaris (KP), eczema, hyperpigmentation and even fungal issues,” says Akram. Dryness and sensitivity are other issues that can be difficult to mollify with basic soap bars or washes. However, Dr. Boayke mentions that using a bar with barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, glycerin and shea butter helps seal moisture in even after you rinse off. The key is sticking to ingredients known for their skin benefits. “Niacinamide, AHAs, BHAs and nourishing lipids in solid forms can have the same effect as they do in facial serums and creams,” says Smith. If you have sensitive skin, she recommends skipping harsh alkaline bars with fragrances and looking for a formula containing oats or butters.
The best body bars to try
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