The Best Bar Soaps Are Essential, Elevated and Anything but Basic

Perhaps no other brand on this list holds OG American luxury bar soap status like Caswell-Massey. Founded in 1752 in Newport, Rhode Island, it’s the USA’s original apothecary. Their bar soaps are iconic and exquisitely crafted — triple-milled with plant-based glycerin to leave your skin seriously hydrated. I’m a fan of their woodgrain Sandalwood and LX48 (a violet, tobacco, vintage leather vibe), but one of their most popular is the three-pack Presidential Soap Set, which rotates scents from their archives. George Washington favored the citrus blend introduced in 1772, Dwight Eisenhower stocked the White House with their Almond soap and JFK was a known fan of Jockey Club, a sophisticated, sporty scent. If these soaps were preferred by these historical iconic figures, chances are they’ll work wonders for you, too.

One of my favorite fragrance houses is Santa Maria Novella, a storied Florentine institution rooted in aromatic minimalism and centuries-old fragrance-making heritage. That old-world craftsmanship shines just as much in their luxurious soaps, which — whether scented with vetiver or patchouli — hydrate, nourish and smell fantastic as they cleanse. I have always admired the presentation, and Santa Maria Novella excels in that category. You can’t go wrong with any sudser, but I recommend starting with the Almond Soap for its old-world chic packaging and intoxicating, subtle gourmand notes.

One cannot make a luxurious soap list without including the revered Portuguese house Claus Porto. Since 1887, they’ve been crafting soaps, candles, colognes and grooming essentials (their Musgo Real shave cream is a cult classic). But the house is best known for their bar soaps (and soap-on-a-rope!) with its instantly recognizable, oversized, colorful art deco packaging. Every soap is stellar, but I’ve always been partial to their Deco “Incense” soap, which has a fragrance pyramid like a fine cologne. Galbanum and cypress are layered with elemi, eucalyptus and pine, resting on a base of cedar and juniper for this verdant, woodsy, morning forest walk vibe. Made with a 100% vegetable base and enriched with shea oil for a rich, foamy lather, Claus Porto is a must-try, and their soaps make stellar gifts, too.

Established in 1884, the Parisian fragrance house Carrière Frères is finally getting the buzz it deserves in the United States. Best known for their candles — crafted in a Normandy workshop and often centered around elegant single notes like lavender or sandalwood — the brand’s soaps are just as luxurious and refined. Each rectangular bar is packed with a nourishing blend of oils and butter to hydrate the skin, wrapped in beautifully illustrated botanical boxes. And the scents are just as stellar as you’d expect from a top-tier candle brand. My favorite, Bosci, is a mineral, verdant blend of cedar, silver fir, patchouli and galbanum with a hint of bergamot, a full-on fragrance pyramid: aromatic, elegant and every bit as fantastic-smelling as their candles.

While we’re on the topic of iconic and instantly recognizable, you’ve seen Fresh’s classic bar soaps before. And while they might not date back to the 19th century like some others, they’re every bit as iconic. Wrapped in their signature printed paper that’s great for gifting (Mother’s Day is coming up, folks), these oval-shaped bars lather beautifully and moisturize, too, thanks to a generous dose of shea butter. They’re triple-milled for a long-lasting formula, and while there’s a whole lineup of scents to choose from, the bright green citrus of Verbena feels especially apropos for spring.

Another acclaimed mainstay is New York-based LAFCO. Launched in 1992, the brand is renowned in the elevated home aroma scene for its amazing candles and diffusers (hey, if you specialize in scents, that’s already half the battle for stellar soaps.) Their award-winning bars range from the herb-infused rosemary and eucalyptus to the aquatic Sea Dune. Yet, woodsy fans should make a beeline for Feu de Bois, where sandalwood, leather, and frankincense transform your shower into something between a cathedral and a pine forest. Beyond smelling fab, these soaps also deliver a luxurious cleanse, using olive and argan oils to create a rich, moisturizing, indulgent lather.

Flamingo Estate’s cult-favorite bar soaps are instantly recognizable with their oversized square shape — more bathroom sculpture than basic soap — and they last forever, too. Honestly, they feel like mini works of grooming art (I’m not exaggerating). There’s an old-world charm to them, and if I had to sum them up in one word, it’d be “herbaceous.” Made with the estate’s own olive oil, they lather like a dream and leave your skin feeling soft AF, while the bold, botanical aromas are potent in the best way; just parking one by the tub will make your whole bathroom smell incredible. They’re all stellar, but the exfoliating Peppermint soap is a must for a rejuvenating cleanse.

I dig Wonder Valley so much that I wrote an entire profile on their perfect mix of indie California cool, natural ingredients and straight-up luxury. I’m obsessed with almost everything they make, and their Hinoki Bar soap is next level — it smells incredible, with crisp, woodsy notes of Japanese hinoki, Siberian fir and cedarwood (woodsy lovers, this one’s for us). It lathers like a dream and moisturizes beautifully, thanks to a nourishing blend of extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil. The retro ’60s pop art packaging opens to reveal dreamy purple cloud paper graphics worthy of aesthetic admiration.

Buzzy Parisian grooming brand Horace has quickly earned a spot in my routine, thanks to its luxe, effective products that punch well above their weight. Case in point: The bar soaps (made in France) are free of parabens and sulfates and composed of 92.3% natural ingredients. They smell and lather like they should cost twice as much, and I love their minimalist packaging. There are a few verdant scents, but Orange Blossom and Petitgrain is currently in my shower; it’s floral in a green, leafy sort of way, citrusy and subtle. I also love the retro hue of the soap itself. Horace is still relatively new to the U.S. market, but with grooming products so stellar and with accessible prices, expect to hear much more about them soon.

Oh Aesop, of course you make a stellar, luxe bar soap with your signature twist and that now-iconic apothecary-esque typeset. These bars are formulated to either exfoliate or hydrate, and I’m especially partial to the Nurture Bar. It’s loaded with shea butter to soften and moisturize, but the verdant blend of rosemary leaf, cedar atlas and rosemary stem makes it a fantastic spring soap. It left my skin super soft and lives up to its “nurturing” name, which is especially clutch if you’re dealing with dryness as the weather warms up. Buy this one for yourself or as a gift — Aesop is always a win.

Baxter of California is well known for its effortless and luxurious (yet accessible) grooming products, including hair styling, shaving creams and deodorants. And while I dig the grit of their exfoliating bar, I have to shout out the fantastic Vitamin Cleansing Bar. With a colorful, scented strip running through the center, these are perfect summer soaps. They lather just enough and offer a light, refreshing cleanse, thanks to ingredients like aloe, a marine complex and sunflower seed oil to soften and hydrate. The fragrances are fresh and bright, with scents like Italian Lime and Pomegranate or the crisp Citrus and Herbal Musk.

Ursa Major’s Morning Mojo Bar Soap is a spring wake-up call, an exfoliator, minty aromatic and sudsy lather all in one. The mint and eucalyptus scent is super invigorating — not in that over-the-top, Irish Spring commercial variety, but in a chic herbal and tingling way. It uses volcanic rock to exfoliate and scrub away dead skin cells, prepping you for the sweaty days ahead, while a blend of coconut, honey and shea butter keeps things balanced and moisturizing. Despite the grit, it still lathers like a dream. Sudsing wins all around.

This is where we get to the kind of soap you might find at Target (btw, have you seen how legit their men’s grooming aisle is lately?). Duke Cannon makes no-nonsense, everyday grooming products for guys, and their Big Ass Brick of Soap is one of the longest-lasting bars out there. All their products are formulated with function in mind — there’s military heritage behind the brand — and these bars are triple-milled with natural oils to moisturize. Some scents might not be for everyone, but fresh, marine options like Midnight Swim, Naval Diplomacy and woodsy Sawtooth smell much better than your average drugstore soap. Duke Cannon sticks to a no-frills, get-the-job-done ethos that makes guys feel good about stepping up their grooming game.

Another brand in the accessible yet elevated grooming space that’s blown up over the past several years is Dr. Squatch, and I’ve had their bar soap in my rotation for years. They’re packed with hydrating oils and shea butter, and some include targeted ingredients like soothing aloe vera or kaolin clay to absorb excess oil and impurities. The scents have fun, approachable names — like the aquatic Coastal Mist, the rugged, woodsy Pine Tar, the cypress-lavender Alpine Sage, and the crisp, clean Cool Fresh Aloe. Pro tip: Grab a four- or six-pack, not just for the better deal and backup stock but to sample a variety of scents so you always have a few options on hand. You’ll be happy to have them, especially with summer around the corner.

With its distinct wood-paneled packaging, Every Man Jack has become a department store aisle mainstay, offering an approachable yet niche vibe that resonates. The brand covers all kinds of skincare, but I’m especially into their bar soaps because they smell great and are high-performing. These cold-processed bars have a smooth, consistent texture, with some featuring exfoliating grit that still delivering a rich, satisfying lather. With scents like Yosemite Falls (eucalyptus, pine and moss), Pacific Dive (sea salt, citrus and kelp) and Northern Lights (glacial clay and peppermint), there’s a soap for every guy. And at around $7 a bar, you can feel good about testing a few to find your favorite.

Cremo might be well known for their smooth-glide shave creams, but don’t sleep on the heritage brand’s new body bars. I smelled the Palo Santo bar at a recent preview and was genuinely impressed by how much thought went into the scent pyramid—it’s a woodsy-sweet blend with notes of papyrus, cardamom, and Palo Santo that evolve throughout the shower like a sensory experience. The bar itself is a multitasker, too: lava rock and oat kernel gently exfoliate, shea butter moisturizes, and the formula cleans without stripping your skin. Best of all, they are available in your local aisle or online at a very accessible price.