The 10 Best Exfoliating Soap Bars
This wiki has been updated 23 times since it was first published in April of 2018. Exfoliating can be a great way to enhance your skincare regimen, especially if you deal with dry patches or an uneven complexion. Slough away dead skin cells and restore vitality with one of the soap bars on this list. We’ve selected formulas designed to brighten and buff, including organic, handmade solutions and recipes that help alleviate symptoms caused by psoriasis and eczema. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Crystal Peel Microdermabrasion
2. The Seaweed Bath Co. Vegan
3. Aspen Kay Oatmeal
Editor's Notes
October 26, 2020:
We’ve removed Noble Formula 2% from this list because of issues with availability, and also decided that while the Pre de Provence Artisanal is a great soap, there are others on the market that are more effective at exfoliating. We like Shea Terra Organics for not only its high quality and effectiveness, but also because of the way this company sources its ingredients internationally from individual entrepreneurs. Our other new addition to the list is from The Jack Black company, which makes body products geared toward men but has many female fans as well. They're based in the U.S., and we like how the Jack Black Charcoal has an innovative shape that supports sore muscles.
We also added a new special mention. Bearsville Soaps emphasizes craftsmanship and authenticity, and are a small-batch company making high-quality bars. Using old-world, cold-process techniques, they have two excellent exfoliating options using Cypress and Mint, and also a Cedar scent.
September 24, 2019:
This update saw the removal of the previous #10 Dr. Squatch and #7 Splendor Santa Barbara, not because there was anything inherently wrong with them, but more due to the fact that Dr. Squatch felt a bit overpriced considering how long the bar lasts, and the Splendor Santa Barbara wasn't as compelling as our new addition at #2, Seaweed Bath Co. Vegan.
When searching for exfoliating soap, every user will have their scent preferences and will react differently to ingredient combinations, so this list reflects a variety of soap types to appeal to a wide array of people. We prioritized products with natural ingredients, as well as ones that are made in small batches by hand for a higher standard of quality. You'll also find that our picks range in abrasiveness, with items like Dr. Woods Coconut Milk and Marlowe No. 102 Men's being on the harsher side, while choices like the Dove Beauty Gentle are more forgiving. It's important to note that rougher soaps can dry out your hands, but you can offset that by using a hand cream straight after showering.
We introduced the Crystal Peel Microdermabrasion and placed it at the top spot because of its proprietary formula that gives an extremely deep clean on par with professional microdermabrasion. It can be used daily and is capable of helping users who deal with persistent bumps, ingrown hairs, dry and flaky skin, and keratosis pilaris, among other skin issues.
Special Honors
Seshin Korean Scrub Soap Inspired by a popular scrubbing process in Korea known as seshin, this handmade, small-batch offering from Binu Binu is suitable for the body and face and boasts black sesame seeds that provide natural exfoliation. It contains ultra-fine washed blue clay derived from volcanic ash and remineralizing sea salt to help to draw out impurities for soft, clean skin. binubinu.com
Bearsville Soap Company Bearsville Soaps are high-quality artisan bars made in, naturally, Bearsville, New York, located in the rural Catskill mountains. The company makes two different exfoliating soaps that are ideal for outdoorsy types, and offsets carbon emissions for each shipment with an equivalent donation to forest conservation. bearsvillesoaps.com
4. The Yellow Bird
5. Jack Black Charcoal
6. Marlowe No. 102 Men's
7. Dove Beauty Gentle
8. Dr. Woods Coconut Milk
9. Oliver Rocket Pine Tar
10. Shea Terra Organics
Born in Arizona, Gia is a writer and autodidact who fled the heat of the desert for California, where she enjoys drinking beer, overanalyzing the minutiae of life, and channeling Rick Steves. After arriving in Los Angeles a decade ago, she quickly nabbed a copywriting job at a major clothing company and derived years of editing and proofreading experience from her tenure there, all while sharpening her skills further with myriad freelance projects. In her spare time, she teaches herself French and Italian, has earned an ESL teaching certificate, traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States, and unashamedly devours television shows and books. The result of these pursuits is expertise in fashion, travel, beauty, literature, textbooks, and pop culture, in addition to whatever obsession consumes her next.