We see people compare bar soap vs body wash as if they’re interchangeable. They’re not two means to the same end. The only similarity we see is that they’re both considered cleansing products. But the way they work is totally different, and you need to know that.

Body washes are usually water-heavy blends with detergents, synthetic fragrance, and thickeners that leave skin tight, itchy, or coated in a film that never fully rinses away. You think you’re getting clean, but are you really? Oftentimes, the answer is no. Shower gels only leave the skin dry, irritated, and in desperate need of moisture.

Our bar of goat milk soap is the polar opposite. It’s a cold-processed, nutrient-dense block made from Nubian Goat Milk, Manuka Honey (UMF 20+), Pearl Powder, and other skin-supportive ingredients that actually stay on the skin long enough to make a difference. It rinses clean, keeps moisture where it belongs, and calms the areas that usually flare up after harsh cleansers. 

So, is bar soap better than body wash? We think so, but you should experience the difference yourself. Grab a bar of Oshun today and feel what real soap is supposed to be.

Bar Soap vs Body Wash Comparison Chart

Benefits of Bar Soap

Bar soap is made from oils, butters, and natural actives rather than detergents. A true bar is created through saponification, where those ingredients cure into a solid cleanser that supports the skin instead of stripping it. It’s soap as it was meant to be. Here’s why we love it:

It cleans without roughing up your skin barrier. A well-made bar uses naturally occurring fatty acids that lift dirt without leaving your arms and legs tight afterward.

• A hydrating lather: Ingredients like Nubian Goat Milk, Manuka Honey (UMF 20+), and Ghanaian Shea Butter moisturize while you wash. Your skin feels buttery soft after rinsing off and patting dry - no need to follow up with lotion!
• No mystery blend of detergents: You know exactly what’s touching your skin, because a real bar has a short, recognizable ingredient list - not a label filled with SLS, PEGs, dyes, or synthetic fragrance.
• Better for sensitive or reactive skin: People prone to itchiness, patches, or redness often find relief when they switch from bottled cleansers to a nutrient-dense bar.
• No filmy residue: A solid bar rinses clean, leaving skin soft instead of coated (you know what we’re talking about if you use body wash!).
• Concentrated, long-lasting, and low-waste: You’re not paying for water in a plastic bottle; you’re getting a dense bar that lasts weeks and creates almost zero trash.

Body wash just can’t match the level of skin comfort and purity that bar soap provides. But not all bar soap is made equal. Whether you’re looking for the best soap for aging skin or the best soaps for sensitive skin, your search ends at Oshun.

What’s the Problem With Body Wash?

How could your shower gel possibly be causing you harm? You’ve used it your whole life just fine. But the truth is, it’s doing you more of a disservice than it’s worth. Most people don’t even realize it until they’ve made the switch to bar soap. That’s when they have their “ahhh” moment.

These liquid cleansers are made up of detergents, thickeners, fragrance, and preservatives. Body wash pumps easily, spreads fast, and creates tons of suds - so you think you’re getting clean. But that sudsing effect is more of a gimmick than anything. Bubbles do not translate to better cleansing!

Still, most people grew up using body wash so it feels automatic. Just grab the bottle, squeeze, lather, move on. The scents are familiar, the textures are light, and the brands behind them spend years perfecting fragrances people recognize instantly.

We get the convenience. But you can start to see why it’s not really worth it when you take a closer look at the problems body wash is notorious for:

• It’s mostly water: That means you’re buying a diluted cleanser that runs out quickly and often requires preservatives to stay shelf-stable.
• Harsh detergents: Ingredients like SLS, PEGs, and synthetic foaming agents strip the skin barrier, leaving your arms and legs dry before you even towel off.
• Fragrance is a major irritant: The heavy scent that seems appealing in the shower is one of the biggest triggers for itchiness, redness, and body acne.
• The “silky” feel is often from silicones: That slip doesn’t mean moisturized skin - it’s a coating that rinses off and leaves you dry again minutes later.
• It’s packaged in plastic: One bottle turns into another and another, creating waste for a product that disappears quickly.

Body wash might be familiar, but familiarity doesn’t make it the better choice for your skin. So, is bar soap better than body wash? Let’s take a closer look at bar soap vs body wash below and let you make your own conclusion.

Body Wash vs Bar Soap: Which is Better?

The decision between body wash vs bar soap is a no-brainer when you have a stronger understanding of what you’re really putting on your skin and what it actually does. So, we think it’s fitting to start with a breakdown of ingredients. 

Ingredient Breakdown

Bar soap can be made from a variety of things, but we’ll just talk about when it’s made the right way. It starts with oils, butters, and natural actives that turn into a solid cleanser through saponification.

Take Oshun, for instance. Every bar is a beautiful concoction of Nubian Goat Milk, Manuka Honey (UMF 20+), Pearl Powder, and First Cold Pressed Olive Oil (≥400 polyphenols) along with many more. Each of our 11 ingredients has a very specific purpose that serves your skin.

It’s also important to note that we’re intentional in where and how we source our ingredients, because that matters just as much as the ingredients themselves. We adhere to halal beauty standards, practice fair trade sourcing, and stay ethical in everything we do.

Body wash is almost the opposite. It’s mostly water paired with detergents, synthetic fragrance, dyes, silicones, and stabilizers to keep the liquid from separating. The ingredient list is usually long, full of lab terms, and built for texture, scent, and economy rather than skin nourishment.

The key takeaway here: YOU are the priority with bar soap. That’s not the case with body wash.

How Your Skin Feels Afterwards

You’ll feel the difference between bar soap vs body wash almost immediately. 

A well-made bar rinses clean and leaves your skin feeling soft, balanced, and calm. You won’t get that tight, squeaky feeling because a real bar contains natural fatty acids that help your skin hold onto moisture.

On the other hand, body wash feels smooth while you’re scrubbing yourself - but as you know now, that slip comes from silicones or synthetic conditioners. Dryness, itching, or a filmy layer that never fully rinses off are all common complaints we hear about post-shower. 

In some cases, brands do this purposefully. This way, they can sell you a moisturizer, a toner, and all the other products that crowd your skincare routine. But with bar soap, you don’t need any of these things. One bar literally does it all.

Convenience

We get it - body wash is super familiar. Pump, squeeze, lather, repeat. But bar soap can be just as convenient. Pick it up, work up a lather, and rinse. It doesn’t leak, spill, or run out quickly. It travels much better than body wash ever could, too. 

Impact on Sensitive Skin

The differences between bar soap vs body wash are extra important if you have sensitive or reactive skin. After all, most shower gels are chock-full of fragrance and detergents, which are common triggers for people with eczema, dryness, or redness.

Bar soap made with real ingredients is almost always the safer choice. Goat milk, shea butter, and olive oil are naturally soothing. There’s no synthetic fragrance to set off irritation. Just ingredients your skin remembers.

Hydrating Properties 

Bar soap is the best moisturizing soap, not just because of what’s in it but also because of what’s left out. Goat milk fats, honey, and plant oils all sit on the skin during the wash. Your skin is receptive to them and soaks them in gladly. That’s why you don’t need a lotion after drying off.

Body wash rarely includes these types of moisturizing ingredients. And even when it does, their benefits are offset by the detergents that strip moisture out of your skin. You never really get the hydration you need. 

The Environmental Side of Things

In looking at bar soap vs body wash, it’s not just about which is better for YOU, but the ENVIRONMENT as well. Bar soap is more minimalist. No plastic, pumps, or wasted energy on shipping water. It’s also more concentrated, so it lasts longer.

In contrast, body wash creates plastic waste bottle after bottle. Even “recyclable” packaging rarely gets recycled, and most pumps can’t be processed at all. That’s not to mention the toll that rinsing detergents, fragrance, and preservatives down the drain can have on water ecosystems, either. 

Cost Per Use

Oshun isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for: a dense, nutrient-rich bar that lasts weeks and replaces the other products you’d have to buy. It ends up being the smarter purchase when you zoom out. But even if it wasn’t - we still think it’s worth the splurge just because of how much better it is for your skin. 

Body wash might look affordable at first, but you’re mostly paying for water. Bar soap is the stronger value for your money, not just in terms of ingredient concentration but also real results.

So, is bar soap better than body wash?

So, Is Bar Soap Better Than Body Wash?

We think the choice is clear, and you probably do too after reading our bar soap vs body wash comparison. Better ingredients, better results, better value, and better for the planet. What more could you ask for?

Don’t just take our word for it, either. See (and feel) the difference for yourself at Oshun.

Feel the Difference Firsthand With Oshun

Experience what your skin feels like when you wash with ingredients that actually support it. Our bar is cold-processed in small batches, made without fillers, fragrance, or the detergents that leave most people dry after a shower.

Every single part of the formula comes from a place of intention - nutrient density, comfort on sensitive skin, and a clean rinse that leaves you soft before you even reach for a towel. Try one shower with Oshun and you’ll understand why so many people switch for good. 

Here’s what you’re lathering up with:

• Nubian Goat Milk: creamy fats that keep skin calm and hydrated.
• Manuka Honey (UMF 20+): draws in moisture and helps smooth dry areas.
• Pearl Powder: adds amino acids that support a softer skin texture.
• First Cold Pressed Olive Oil (≥400 polyphenols): rich antioxidants that cushion and condition the skin.
• White Willow Bark (Salicin 25%): gentle, natural exfoliation for clearer-looking skin.
• Ghanaian Shea Butter: seals in moisture and comforts flaky spots.

• Virgin Coconut Oil: lifts debris while supporting a hydrated finish.
• Food Grade Citric Acid: balances pH for a comfortable, clean rinse.
• Kaolin Clay: clears buildup without stripping.
• Mica Powder: mineral color with zero irritants.
• Himalayan Pink Salt: mild exfoliation and trace minerals for smoother skin 

We get asked all the time, can you wash your face with bar soap? 100%. You can wash your whole body and even your hair with our soap. It’s so versatile. We mean it when we say Oshun replaces everything you use. Make the switch today.

Bringing Our Bar Soap vs Body Wash Comparison to a Close

In closing, is bar soap better than body wash? We think so, and you probably will too once you replace your shower gel with something more intentional - something loaded with real ingredients your skin remembers.

We hope this bar soap vs body wash comparison inspires you to make a change, not just because it’s better for you and your skin but because it’s better for the environment as well. Upgrade at Oshun and find out how real soap is supposed to leave you feeling!