The Best Bar Soap for Eczema Skin

Living with eczema takes a toll, as it chips away at your comfort, confidence, and patience. The relentless itch, the redness, the sting after a hot shower. Even washing up becomes something you start to dread every day.

The good news? Relief is closer than you think. Sometimes, the smallest shifts can have the biggest impact on your symptoms. Upgrading to the best bar soap for eczema skin could make a profound difference in your condition.

A truly eczema-friendly soap goes beyond cleansing to calm flare-ups, preserve moisture, and support the skin barrier rather than stripping it down. It can turn your skin routine from a source of stress into a source of relief. We’re here to unveil the best soap for eczema sufferers.

But if you just want the quick answer on the #1 choice, look no further than goat milk soap at Oshun. We’ve brought together Mother Nature’s finest ingredients from across the world into a single bar designed to cleanse and restore simultaneously.

This is what your skin is screaming for, so swap the burn for balance. Try Oshun and feel the difference firsthand.

What is Eczema?

Eczema is what happens when your skin decides it’s done cooperating. It’s characterized by inflamed, reactive, easily irritated skin that feels like it’s constantly on the verge of a meltdown.

It shows up as patches of redness, itching, flaking, cracking, and sometimes even weeping or oozing (yes, it’s as unpleasant as it sounds - but you probably already know that). Unfortunately, living with eczema is a lifelong battle for so many. It’s not about curing it, but managing it.

Technically speaking, eczema (or atopic dermatitis) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that results from a compromised skin barrier. Your skin’s outer layer is meant to keep moisture in, irritants out. It doesn’t always do that job as well as it should, though. That lets triggers like allergens, sweat, soaps, fabrics, and even stress sneak in and wreak havoc.

Eczema can show up at any age, but it tends to rear its ugly, painful head in babies, kids, and people with allergies or asthma. It can be caused by genetics, immune system overactivity, and environmental stressors.

The silver lining is that although eczema doesn’t go away permanently, you can take simple steps to reduce flare-ups and get back to living a more comfortable life, without the constant redness and irritation. One of the easiest places to start? Your soap.

What to Look for in the Best Soap for Eczema 

So what’s the connection between eczema soap and relief? Unfortunately, the vast majority of soaps on the market are designed with things other than your skin in mind. 

That could be cost savings for the manufacturer, or it could be aggressive fragrances that make you think you’re getting clean. At any rate, these soaps cause more harm than good by exposing an already compromised (and inflamed) skin barrier to known irritants.

On the other hand, the best soap for eczema gives your skin what it needs to heal itself while avoiding all those other things that can contribute to flare-ups. That said, let’s quickly touch on what separates the best bar soap for eczema from the rest. 

Fragrance-Free and Dye-Free Formulas

Let’s start with the obvious: fragrance and dyes have no business near eczema-prone skin. Even “natural” scents like lavender or citrus oils can be irritating if your skin barrier is already compromised. Synthetic fragrance is even worse, and has no business in soap.

The problem is, these are in just about every soap you’ll encounter. It makes sense, people want to smell good when they step out of the shower. But these fragrances are notorious eczema triggers.

The same goes for dyes, whether added for aesthetics or branding. They serve zero purpose for your skin and plenty of potential for inflammation. Look out for anything that sounds like a color when reading labels: #5, Red 40, “CI” followed by a number. Your skin isn’t a coloring book!

Simple, Moisturizing Ingredients That Nourish

Minimalism is your friend in soap for eczema. Fewer ingredients = fewer chances to react. It’s really that simple! But don’t just look for a short list, seek out the best soap ingredients proven to add moisture and nourishment to skin that needs it more than ever:

• Goat milk: gentle, naturally rich in fatty acids and lactic acid.
• Colloidal oatmeal: soothes inflammation and locks in moisture.
• Shea butter or cocoa butter: deep, non-irritating moisturizers.
• Aloe vera: calming and hydrating, if your skin tolerates it.

This is obviously not an exhaustive list. There are plenty of wonderful ingredients out there that won’t leave you worse off after a rinse. Other oils that could support your skin are olive, coconut (in small amounts), sunflower, and jojoba.

No Sulfates or Harsh Surfactants

Sulfates are what make soaps foam like a bubble bath commercial. Similar to fragrance, they’re added to soap formulations to make you think you’re getting clean. People associate suds with results, but the truth is, they are yet another ingredient that causes more harm than good.

So, steer clear of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). These nasties can strip your skin and leave it feeling as if it’s been through a sandblaster. They’re harsh enough to damage the lipid layer that protects your skin. 

Remember, that barrier is already hanging on by a thread when you’re dealing with eczema. All it takes is a bit more irritation to send your skin into a spiral. Rely on milder cleansing agents like sodium cocoyl isethionate or just plain saponified oils, which cleanse without collateral damage.

pH-Balanced for Skin Barrier Support

Healthy skin is slightly acidic, usually around 5.5 on the pH scale. Many traditional soaps are way more alkaline, which disrupts your acid mantle and leaves you more vulnerable to irritation and bacteria.

Thus, the best bar soap for eczema is pH-balanced or slightly acidic, helping support your skin’s microbiome and natural defenses. It won’t sting or leave your skin tight. As you’ll learn below, the pH of goat milk soap is perfect for eczema skin - which is just one of many reasons we use it as the base in Oshun soap. 

Non-Comedogenic and Dermatologist-Tested Options

Non-comedogenic means something won’t clog your pores and cause breakouts - but it matters even if you aren’t acne-prone. After all, you want clean, breathable skin - not buildup.

Dermatologist-tested isn’t a guarantee of safety by any means (marketing can be sneaky), it does give you a bit more peace of mind when buying soap for eczema. At least some level of 3rd party review went into the formula.

Bonus points if it’s also labeled hypoallergenic, or better yet has actually been tested on eczema-prone individuals, not just “sensitive skin” in general. While your options are few and far between, the best bar soap for eczema skin is just a few clicks away. 

What is the Best Bar Soap for Eczema Skin?

“Good enough” doesn’t cut it when you’re dealing with eczema. You need the absolute best soap for eczema relief. A bar that goes beyond avoiding triggers and actively supports your skin, working with its natural rhythms to find relief. 

While there are a few great eczema soap options at your fingertips, your search for the best soap for eczema ends here at Oshun.

Oshun’s Goat Milk Soap

We believe in soap as ritual - intentional, nourishing, and rooted in respect for your skin’s biology. Our goat milk soap is handmade in small batches with ingredients your skin can actually recognize and respond to without any synthetic fillers or marketing fluff.

So, why is goat milk soap good for eczema? It’s packed with lactic acid, fatty acids, and natural vitamins like A and D. This is the foundation of every bar we make at Oshun. It helps exfoliate gently while replenishing moisture deep in the dermis. Then comes the rest of the good stuff:

• First Press Cold-Pressed Olive Oil (Spain): Rich in oleic acid for deep hydration without clogging pores.
• Virgin Coconut Oil (Philippines): Adds a lush, creamy lather while cleansing gently.
• Grade A, Unrefined Shea Butter (Ghana): Delivers long-lasting moisture and helps soothe flare-ups.
• Organic White Willow Bark Extract (India): Its natural salicylic acid calms inflammation and supports skin turnover without being harsh.
• Manuka Honey UMF 10+ (New Zealand): A natural humectant with antibacterial properties, exactly what eczema-prone skin needs.
• Fine Powdered Himalayan Pink Salt (Pakistan): Gently exfoliates while restoring crucial trace minerals.
• Food-Grade Citric Acid (Philippines): Balances pH and softens the water for a more luxurious cleanse.
• Premium Kaolin Clay (France): Draws out impurities without over-drying or disrupting the skin barrier.
• Pearl Powder (Philippines): Adds a silky feel and brings amino acids and minerals to help support healing.
• Sodium Lactate (Global): Locks in hydration and helps your bar last longer without cracking.
• Mica Powder (UK): Gives the soap its signature shimmer - because eczema care can be elegant, too.

What you won’t find in our soap is any filler oils, harsh surfactants, or mystery fragrances. Just thoughtful, functional ingredients formulated with care. 

The pH aligns with the skin’s natural balance, and the bar is intentionally unscented to avoid irritation (though many say it smells softly of clean linen and earth, in the best way).

Here at Oshun, you’ll discover skincare that doesn’t treat eczema like a problem to hide, but a condition to care for deliberately, gently, and beautifully. Relief is within reach. Grab it today. 

Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar

Dove has become a household name for a reason, and while most of their products fall short of what you’d consider eczema-friendly, they do have a sensitive skin beauty bar that’s not a bad choice. It’s dermatologist and pediatrician recommended.

It has no added fragrance or sulfates, and the hypoallergenic formula is designed to gently cleanse without compromising skin integrity. While most soaps leave skin feeling squeaky clean (AKA stripped), Dove uses 1/4 moisturizing cream in its formula to keep things soft and nourished.

Still, the ingredients list is far from minimalist - so we can’t in good faith say this is the best bar soap for eczema. You’ll still find synthetic surfactants and chelating agents like Tetrasodium St, which aren’t ideal for purists.

Is it better than the vast majority of soaps on the market? Definitely. Is it the best soap for eczema in comparison to something like Oshun? Definitely not. We’re the Dove soap alternative your eczema-prone skin is craving right now. 

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Syndet

Now, this isn’t a bar soap - but it is one of the options we see recommended a lot for eczema soap. La Roche-Posay Lipikar Syndet is a creamy, soap-free body and face wash that delivers long-lasting hydration from the moment it hits your skin.

Its postbiotic and antioxidant-rich formula includes La Roche-Posay’s Prebiotic Thermal Water, shea butter, niacinamide, and glycerin. It’s fragrance-free, paraben-free, and suitable for anyone two weeks and older.

One thing this soap does a really good job of is protecting skin from the drying effects of water, something you won’t get in most soaps. And although it contribute to plastic waste being a liquid formulation, it makes up for it in therapeutic performance.

Here’s the thing, though: it’s not soap. La Roche-Posay even says so right on their website. So, can it really be the best soap for eczema if it’s soap-free? We think not.

Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar

You’ll find Cetaphil’s Gentle Cleansing Bar in dermatologist offices and drugstore aisles alike. It’s formulated with over one-third moisturizing ingredients and has been tested to be non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and gentle on sensitive skin.

Be clear, this is not the best luxury soap. It’s all about function for Cetaphil, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing - just something to keep in mind if you want more from your daily ritual. 

This bar defends against five signs of sensitivity: a weakened barrier, dryness, tightness, irritation, and roughness. The ingredient deck includes some petroleum-derived components, though - a few red flags pop up when you take a closer look.

Cetaphil gets the job done if you need something widely available, affordable, and generally reliable, but it’s certainly not going to transform your skincare routine into a sensory experience that you look forward to. It’s more utilitarian than luxurious.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar

CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser Bar was developed alongside dermatologists and straddles the line between mainstream and skin-science-forward. 

It’s soap-free, fragrance-free, and loaded with ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and CeraVe’s patented MVE Technology for 24-hour moisture retention. The bar is gentle enough for daily use and accepted by the National Eczema Association, so it’s a solid eczema soap.

It has all the bases covered from a barrier-repair perspective. The synthetic ingredient list is long, but the science behind it is sound. The appeal is obvious for people who want something backed by clinical research but don’t want to switch to a liquid cleanser. 

However, we know a lot of people looking for the best bar soap for eczema are looking for something a bit simpler and more plant-derived than lab-formulated. This soap feels more pharmaceutical than personal, and that matters to your skin. 

How to Use Soap for Eczema Relief 

There you have it, the best bar soap for eczema. Plenty of dependable options are well within reach, but we feel strongly the goat milk soap benefits speak for themselves. But understanding how to use soap for eczema relief is an important piece of the puzzle, too.

Wash Gently, and Sparingly

Eczema-prone skin isn’t a fan of friction or overexposure. Treat your bar of Oshun like a fine bottle of wine, something you use sparingly and with reverence.

You don’t need to scrub every inch of your body like you’re trying to erase your sins. Focus on the areas that genuinely need washing - underarms, groin, feet - and let the gentle lather do its thing. Less really is more when you’re working with skin that’s already in distress.

Pat, Don’t Rub

Resist the urge to towel off like you’re late for a fire drill after rinsing. Rubbing can aggravate inflammation and undo all the good your soap just did. 

Instead, gently pat your skin dry with a soft, clean towel. Think of it like blotting delicate silk. Same energy. Leaving a bit of moisture on the skin also helps your moisturizer go on more smoothly and absorb better. Speaking of moisture…

Lock in Moisture Fast

The moment your skin feels dry is the moment your barrier function is taking a hit. Apply a nourishing, eczema-friendly moisturizer within 60 seconds of patting your skin dry. This locks in hydration and helps reinforce your skin’s defenses. 

Oshun plays well with barrier creams, body oils, and balms, so layer up however you see fit. For what it’s worth, this is also one of the best moisturizing bar soap formulations in the world, so you don’t need to get carried away.

Just don’t wait too long. Timing is everything when it comes to trapping moisture.

More Ways to Manage Eczema 

Starting your eczema relief regimen with a soap upgrade is an excellent first step - but there are so many other things you can do to manage eczema and its frustrating flare-up symptoms. Here are some more tips to round out your ritual.

Identify and Eliminate Personal Triggers

Eczema’s not a one-size-fits-all condition. One person flares from dairy, another from polyester, another from stress, and someone else from all three at once - fun. 

All of this is to say you need to turn into a detective and identify the root cause of your flare-ups. Everything in your life needs to be put under a microscope: laundry detergents, diet changes, fabrics, weather, or even new skincare products.

A simple journal (digital or paper) can help you spot repeat offenders and start weeding them out.

Manage Stress to Minimize Flares

Your skin can sometimes be a mirror for your emotional health. Elevated stress levels release cortisol, and cortisol, unfortunately, doesn’t care about your skincare routine.

So, incorporate calming rituals: gentle movement, breathwork, baths, journaling, therapy - anything that keeps your nervous system in check. Eczema might not be caused by stress, but it definitely throws gas on the fire

Support Skin From the Inside, Too

Eczema’s not just skin-deep, it’s a whole-body conversation. Anti-inflammatory foods (think: salmon, flaxseed, leafy greens), staying hydrated, and possibly supplementing with things like omega-3s or vitamin D (check with your doctor) can help keep your baseline calm.

Gut health also plays a surprising role, so keep fermented foods or a quality probiotic on your radar. It sounds cliche, but if you take good care of your body from the inside, it’ll reflect on the outside. 

Final Words on the Best Bar Soap for Eczema Skin

Living with eczema doesn’t mean you have to settle for scratchy compromises or clinical routines stripped of pleasure. The best bar soap for eczema goes beyond “safe.”  It should nourish, support, and bring a bit of joy to your ritual.

The #1 soap for sensitive skin is just a few clicks away at Oshun, ready to breathe relief into your skin like you’ve never felt before. So, get the upgrade you deserve today.