It's been a little over 6 months since I have done the switch from body wash to bar soap, and I couldn't be happier! If I'm being completely honest, I'm starting to have a slight soap problem... I'm now on a purchase ban so I can finish all the lovely soaps I have. Baby steps right? I still managed to test a good few soaps, and I'm happy to report back on my experience. Let's get into it, here are the soaps I've been testing :
OLIVA PURE OLIVE OIL BAR SOAP - 125G - €1.89
This is the best choice for people on a budget. The bar comes simply packaged in a box, and I didn't really expect anything special from it. I will admit it didn't have the best scent, nothing bad but nothing great. The great thing about this though is that it left a rich feeling on my skin, and I found it amazing for shaving. I've also used it to wash my face and although it burns the eyes, it didn't break me out at all! The bonus with this is that is lasts forever, since olive oil soaps don't melt as fast. All in all this is a great basic and affordable soap, and it's perfect if you don't want to scent to interfere with other products!
MOOGOO FRESH MILK GROUND OATMEAL BAR - 130G - €6.75
This MooGoo soap was in the first batch of soaps I tested and I have to admit I instantly fell in love with it. I love milky soaps, but obviously they are not vegan so be aware. The scent of it is very delicate and doesn't linger. It does have fragrance in the ingredients but it's phthalate-free. Like many other soaps you get a bit of that "squeaky clean" feeling afterwards but I've gotten used to it. The soap comes in a simple cardboard box. What I do love about this one is that it's got oat particules inside the soap. It's amazing for exfoliating and the buttermilk nourishes the skin. MooGoo soaps are a bit on the pricier side but they definitely give you that luxury feeling. I'm looking forward to trying more of their range.
PALM FREE ROSEWATER SOAP - €2.95
I met the founders of Palm Free Irish Soaps back in November and had such a nice talk with them! When I saw their bars available package-free at my local health store, I had to try it out. They have loads of different scents and soap options but the one I went for is Rosewater. Rose products usually agree very well with my skin, and I wasn't disappointed! The one thing I will say though is that their products are scented with essential oils, and I usually don't like the smell of that as it's too strong for me. However that is personal opinion! Their soaps are available online and in a lot of irish health food stores so it's easy to go and give them a sniff yourselves. For me this is a good soap at a great price point so of course I would recommend. They also put small exfoliating particles into their mix and their soaps look stunning!
TRADITIONAL MARSEILLE SOAP - 300G - €8.50
This is the absolute best multitasker! I won't go on about it too much since I wrote a whole blog post about it, but Marseille Soap can do no wrong. I decided to keep it for uses that are not skin related even though it's a great shaving soap. My favourite uses for it are as a makeup brush cleaner and for delicate laundry. This kind of soap usually comes in a massive block, but it's also available in liquid form. It pretty much smells like nothing which I think is a good. Also since it's mostly made of olive and vegetable oils, it takes a long time to melt and lasts for ages!
FAITH IN NATURE ALOE VERA BAR SOAP - 100G - €2.49
I had seen the Faith in Nature soaps in multiple shops before, but it was always wrapped in plastic. I finally found a packaging-free box of them at the Dublin Food Coop and was more than happy to try it. All in all it's a very nice soap. It has a delicate flowery scent coming from natural fragrance, it smells good but doesn't linger, which is perfect. It leaves a nice feeling on the skin, with minimal "squeaky" effect. The ingredient list could be a little scary but if you look carefully, their Palm oil is from Certified sustainable Origin and their colouring is from natural origin. To me, this is the soap that feels the most like a "conventional" bar soap.
AB STUDIO OAT COCOA SOAP - ~€10
I had the pleasure of visiting AB Soap Studio in Wicklow a few months back. On top of the owners being absolutely lovely and so helpful, their soaps are definitely the most beautiful I've seen so far. Also everything they sell is zero waste. I bought a lot of their soaps to try but this one really stood out. This soap is made with cocoa butter and almond oil. It's gently exfoliating and very nourishing, and great for sensitive skin. I was also surprised because most "artisan" soaps I've tried leave a "squeaky" feeling on the skin, but this one doesn't. It has a light cocoa/vanilla scent that smells delicious and doesn't linger. Their soaps are a bit pricier but also pretty giant. You also get the certification that it was made in an eco friendly and zero waste environment. You can purchase their soaps on their Etsy shop, I highly encourage you to see what they offer!
AB STUDIO SPICY BAR - ~€5
I bought so many soaps from AB, I had to include more than one on here. This spicy soap is very different than anything else I've tried before. It contains cinnamon, cloves and anis seeds and so is very fragrant, but it's still suitable for frequent use. I've used it multiple times but I would recommend using it more as a hand soap, as the scent is a bit strange all over the body! It would also be a great soap if you have a cold and need help clearing your airways. Again you can be assured it's made in eco friendly and zero waste facilities. AB soaps feel so nourishing on the skin, I would recommend all the ones I've tried. Their offering changes often with new soaps coming out, so if you visit their Etsy shop you can see all that's currently available.
