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Best Non-Toxic Bar Soap in 2024
Updated:
Nov 26, 2024
Written by Camille May
Cofounder & Product Curator
+ 1 more
Medically reviewed by Olushola Awoyemi
PhD Environmental Toxicology
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What you should know when choosing non-toxic bar soap on Welpr:
- Only the cleanest products make it onto Welpr.
- We use a score called the Welpr Rating to rank each product.
- The Welpr Rating is based on math, not opinion, ensuring it's free from human bias.
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Find Non-Toxic Bar Soap
Third-party certifications are key indicators of a product's safety, ethics, and environmental impact. Click the icon to verify the certification.
Highlights aren't always verifiable, so you're trusting the brand when they say "lead free", etc. If the highlight icon is "clickable", it means we've verified the highlight.
User satisfaction is calculated using online reviews and a Bayesian average across all personal care and cosmetic products on Welpr.
All-One Hemp Almond Pure-Castile Bar Soap - Dr. Bronner's
Certifications
User Satisfaction
Est. Price
$6.19
Product Details
- Packaged in a 100% post-consumer recycled wrapper.
- Made with cruelty-free ingredients that are not tested on animals.
- Formulated with certified fair-trade ingredients and organic U.S.-grown hemp oil.
- Offers a soft and luxurious lather without drying the skin.
- 100% biodegradable and composed of all-natural, vegan ingredients.
- Environmentally-friendly, gentle, and mild for use on face, body, or hair.
- Creates a rich lather that keeps skin smooth and soft.
- Includes the purest certified organic oils.
- Free of chelating agents, dyes, whiteners, synthetic fragrances, synthetic preservatives, thickeners, or foaming agents.
- Features a warm, sweet almond fragrance reminiscent of marzipan and amaretto.
Pros & Cons
Pros Mentioned
- Gentle
- Scented
- Long-lasting
Cons Mentioned
- Pricey
Ingredients
Ingredients can vary by product variation and may change at any time by the manufacturer. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.
To analyze individual ingredients, use INCIDecoder.
Ingredients: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Aqua, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, [[Disclosed Fragrance]]**, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene **Components: Benzaldehyde
Third-party certifications are key indicators of a product's safety, ethics, and environmental impact. Click the icon to verify the certification.
Highlights aren't always verifiable, so you're trusting the brand when they say "lead free", etc. If the highlight icon is "clickable", it means we've verified the highlight.
User satisfaction is calculated using online reviews and a Bayesian average across all personal care and cosmetic products on Welpr.
Jake's House Bar Soap - Henry Rose
Certifications
Highlights
Est. Price
$67.93
Product Details
- Creates a rich lather that leaves skin feeling smooth and cleansed.
- Features notes of watery freshness, honeyed neroli, and soft musk.
- Contains vegetable glycerin, a plant-based moisture binder that comforts and relieves dry skin.
- Incorporates avocado, plum kernel, and sunflower seed oils, which are rich in antioxidants and fatty acids for moisturization.
- Includes vitamin E, a moisturizing antioxidant that soothes and softens the skin.
- Designed with a unisex scent.
- Non-drying formula allows for daily use.
- Creates a creamy lather once wet, conducive for daily use to promote hydrated, clear, and even skin.
- Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.
Ingredients
Ingredients can vary by product variation and may change at any time by the manufacturer. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.
To analyze individual ingredients, use INCIDecoder.
Ingredients: Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Palmate, Water, Potassium Palm Kernelate, Palm Kernel Acid, Disclosed Fragrance, Potassium Palmate, Sodium Gluconate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Glycerin, Palm Acid, Sodium Chloride, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Components: Ethylene Brassylate, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Oxacyclohepadec-10-EN-2-One, Dodecahydro-Tetramethylnaphthofuran, Propanedioic Acid,1-(3; 3-Dimethylcyclohexyl)Ethyl Ethyl Ester, Ethylene Dodecanedioate, Dipropylene Glycol, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Benzyl Acetate, Triethyl Citrate, 2-Acetonaphthone, Phenethyl Alcohol, Beta-Ionone, Isoeugenol Acetate, Methylbenzodioxepinone, Ethyl 2,2-Dimethylhydrocinnamal, Methyl Dihydroxy-Dimethylbenzoate, Benzoic Acid,2-Methyl-Methyl Ester, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil, Vanillin, Undecylenal, Meth-2(2-Pentenyl)2-Cyclopenten-1-One/3-, Cis-3-Hexenyl Acetate, 3-Hexenol, Methyl DI-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Methylbenzyl Acetate, Ionone,Alpha-, Tocopherol, Ethyl Benzoate, Ethyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Geraniol
Third-party certifications are key indicators of a product's safety, ethics, and environmental impact. Click the icon to verify the certification.
Highlights aren't always verifiable, so you're trusting the brand when they say "lead free", etc. If the highlight icon is "clickable", it means we've verified the highlight.
User satisfaction is calculated using online reviews and a Bayesian average across all personal care and cosmetic products on Welpr.
Organic Soap - Makes 3 Organics
Certifications
User Satisfaction
Est. Price
$26.99
Product Details
- Incorporates shea butter that acts as a superior moisturizer and aids in preventing wrinkles and promoting a healthy complexion.
- Features a blend of lavender and vanilla essential oils, providing calming aromatherapy benefits for relaxation and improved sleep quality.
- Multi-use as a body soap in the shower or bath, a hand soap at the sink, and also suitable for shaving.
- Contains antioxidants from organic virgin coconut oil and organic shea butter that soften skin, enhance smoothness, and promote a youthful glow.
- Made with USDA certified organic ingredients, ensuring the soap meets strict health and safety standards.
- EWG VERIFIED™, indicating the product surpasses environmental working group's health and safety requirements.
- Designed for long-lasting use, effectively cleanses, balances, and refreshes the skin while retaining glycerin for soothing moisture.
Pros & Cons
Pros Mentioned
- Moisturizing
- Non-toxic
- Gentle
Cons Mentioned
- Expensive
Ingredients
Ingredients can vary by product variation and may change at any time by the manufacturer. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.
To analyze individual ingredients, use INCIDecoder.
Ingredients: Organic Safflower* Oil, Organic Coconut Oil*, Palm Fruit* Oil (Always RSPO Certified Sustainable), Organic Shea Butter, Water, Sodium Hydroxide**, Organic Oatmeal*, Coriander Seed Essential Oil, Ginger Essential Oil * USDA Certified Organic Ingredient ** None Remains After Saponifying Oils Into Soap And Glycerin
Third-party certifications are key indicators of a product's safety, ethics, and environmental impact. Click the icon to verify the certification.
Highlights aren't always verifiable, so you're trusting the brand when they say "lead free", etc. If the highlight icon is "clickable", it means we've verified the highlight.
User satisfaction is calculated using online reviews and a Bayesian average across all personal care and cosmetic products on Welpr.
Unscented Goat Milk Soap - Honey Sweetie Acres
Certifications
User Satisfaction
Est. Price
$8.99
Product Details
- Made using raw milk from Nigerian dwarf goats raised on the manufacturer's farm.
- Includes organic shea and cocoa butters.
- Suitable for sensitive skin and can help alleviate skin conditions such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis.
- Free from commercial soap bases, powdered milk, goat milk extract, and canned goat milk.
- Ingredients are hand weighed, mixed, and poured; soap is aged for a minimum of 6 weeks to ensure quality.
- Uses sustainably sourced, organic ingredients including extra virgin olive oil and palm fruit oil.
- Fragrance oils are alcohol, diethyl phthalate, GMO, formaldehyde, and paraben free.
- Colorants derived from clays, herbs, spices, and real fruit and vegetable botanicals, avoiding FD&C dyes.
- Milk used in products is raw and unpasteurized.
- Soap formulation designed for both men and women.
- Handcrafted, avoiding the use of commercially prepared goat milk soap bases.
Pros & Cons
Pros Mentioned
- Lovely
- Smells
- Soft
Ingredients
Ingredients can vary by product variation and may change at any time by the manufacturer. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.
To analyze individual ingredients, use INCIDecoder.
Ingredients: Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Organic Eleais Guineensis (Palm Fruit) Oil, Raw Goat Milk, Sodium Hydroxide (Reagent), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Organic Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Honey, Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
Third-party certifications are key indicators of a product's safety, ethics, and environmental impact. Click the icon to verify the certification.
Highlights aren't always verifiable, so you're trusting the brand when they say "lead free", etc. If the highlight icon is "clickable", it means we've verified the highlight.
User satisfaction is calculated using online reviews and a Bayesian average across all personal care and cosmetic products on Welpr.
Bath and Shower Body Soap Bar - Attitude
Certifications
User Satisfaction
Est. Price
$10.88
Product Details
- Enriched with plant-based and mineral ingredients such as antioxidant-rich olive oil and skin-softening coconut oil.
- Scented with a reviving orange cardamom scent.
- Eco-friendly packaging from responsibly sourced FSC-certified cardboard.
- EWG Verified, containing no ingredients of concern according to EWG standards.
- PETA certified: Vegan, cruelty-free, and never tested on animals.
Pros & Cons
Pros Mentioned
- Smells
- Lathers
- Non-toxic
Cons Mentioned
- Melts
Ingredients
Ingredients can vary by product variation and may change at any time by the manufacturer. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.
To analyze individual ingredients, use INCIDecoder.
Ingredients: Sodium Cocoate, Propanediol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Olivate, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sucrose, Sodium Chloride, Nasturtium Officinale (Watercress) Extract, Tropaeolum Majus (Indian Cress) Extract, Gamma-Decalactone*, Ethyl Hexanoate*, Ethyl 2-Methylbutyrate*, Hexyl Salicylate*, Raspberry Ketone*, Triethyl Citrate*, *Fragrance (Parfum)
Third-party certifications are key indicators of a product's safety, ethics, and environmental impact. Click the icon to verify the certification.
Highlights aren't always verifiable, so you're trusting the brand when they say "lead free", etc. If the highlight icon is "clickable", it means we've verified the highlight.
User satisfaction is calculated using online reviews and a Bayesian average across all personal care and cosmetic products on Welpr.
Organic Natural Soap Bar - Chagrin Valley
Certifications
Highlights
User Satisfaction
Est. Price
$12.75
Product Details
- Handmade using the cold processed method to ensure freshness and perfection.
- Each bar has its own unique recipe developed with care and attention.
- Uses sustainable, eco-friendly, fair-trade, cruelty-free, natural and organic ingredients.
- Loaded with natural glycerin, providing a mild, skin-nourishing soap that results in a long-lasting lather.
- Leaves skin feeling clean, soft, and healthy.
- Scented with pure botanical essential oils and colored with natural clays and organic botanicals like herbs, spices, flowers, and root powders.
- Free from synthetic ingredients, artificial fragrances or perfumes, artificial colors, detergents, preservatives, and GMOs.
- Certified “Made with Organic Ingredients” by OEFFA, a USDA Accredited Organic Certifying Agent.
Pros & Cons
Pros Mentioned
- Gentle
- Moisturizing
- Exfoliating
Cons Mentioned
- Unscented
Ingredients
Ingredients can vary by product variation and may change at any time by the manufacturer. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.
To analyze individual ingredients, use INCIDecoder.
Ingredients: Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Palm Oil (Sustainable), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Goat Milk, Organic Virgin Shea Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Organic Cocoa Butter, Water, Organic Canola Oil, Organic Castor Bean Oil, Organic Oatmeal, Organic Oat Flour, Organic Honey, Organic Cornstarch, Organic Rosemary Oil Extract (Roe)
Third-party certifications are key indicators of a product's safety, ethics, and environmental impact. Click the icon to verify the certification.
Highlights aren't always verifiable, so you're trusting the brand when they say "lead free", etc. If the highlight icon is "clickable", it means we've verified the highlight.
User satisfaction is calculated using online reviews and a Bayesian average across all personal care and cosmetic products on Welpr.
Cleansing Body Bar - Alder New York
Certifications
Highlights
User Satisfaction
Est. Price
$13.00
Product Details
- Gently exfoliates with 1% glycolic acid and crushed jojoba seeds
- Hydrates skin using jojoba oil and shea butter
- Boosts collagen with nutrient-rich sea kelp
- Features ultra-rich creamy lather using a coconut-derived cleansing system, free from palm oil
- Certified vegan by Vegan Action
- Environmental Working Group Verified as safe
- Unscented and fragrance-free, suitable for sensitive skin
- Awarded by Self Magazine’s Healthy Beauty and Tree Huggers Best of Green Beauty
Pros & Cons
Pros Mentioned
- Exfoliating
- Lathering
- Hydrating
Cons Mentioned
- Pricey
Ingredients
Ingredients can vary by product variation and may change at any time by the manufacturer. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging.
To analyze individual ingredients, use INCIDecoder.
Ingredients: Sodium Cocoate, Water/Eau, Glycerin, Coconut Acid, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Powder, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Chloride, Laminaria Digitata Powder, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Citric Acid
Our Product Rating System
First, Camille (co-creator of Welpr) hand picks cleaner product options from a variety of sources.
Next, we collect information about each product's safety, consumer satisfaction, and eco-ethical standing.
Finally, we run all this information through an algorithm that calculates the Welpr Rating.
Welpr Rating:
5.0/5
Part 1: Product safety
We evaluate safety information from 3rd party organizations (e.g. EWG, Made Safe, etc.). Instead of relying solely on any one of these companies for safety information, we assess all of them.
Part 2: Consumer satisfaction
We scour the web for consumer ratings and reviews to verify products are not only cleaner options, but also effective. Products can either be Above Average, Average, or Below average for their respective category (e.g. cleaning products).
Part 3: Ethics & Environment
When you buy a product, you’re supporting that company with your dollars. We believe it’s important to support ethical companies, so we pool together certifications that verify a company's ethics and environmental impact.
Common Harmful Chemicals in Bar Soap
Chemical Name
Why it’s harmful
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas with a pungent smell that's naturally produced in small quantities in human bodies and is also known as methanal amongst other names. It's used in the production of various items such as fertilizers, paper, plywood, and urea-formaldehyde resins as well as in some foods and household products like antiseptics, medicines, and cosmetics. Exposure to formaldehyde, which can occur through breathing contaminated indoor air, tobacco smoke, or ambient urban air can lead to respiratory symptoms, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat and has been linked to lung and nasopharyngeal cancer as well as leukemia. The EPA considers formaldehyde a probable human carcinogen (Group B1) and inhaling it can cause bronchospasm and pulmonary edema. Commercially, it's sold as formalin in solutions of 37%, 44%, or 50% and long-term exposure can cause first-degree burns, skin sensitization, squamous cell nasal cancer, and chronic pulmonary obstruction.
Sources:
Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk, Cleaning Products & Indoor Air Quality, No More Toxic Tub, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Preservatives, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Formaldehyde And Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives, Formaldehyde may be found in cosmetic products even when unlabelled, Formaldehyde Found in Popular American Beauty Products, Hair Salons - Formaldehyde in Your Products, Formaldehyde in cosmetic products
Phthalate
Phthalates, linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, and cancer, are banned in the European Union but remain prevalent in U.S. cosmetics. They are widely used in personal care products, such as nail polish, fragrances, and eyelash glue and other products. A significant loophole allows phthalates to be added to fragrances without disclosure. Health concerns include endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and potential carcinogenicity.
Sources:
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Phthalates, Product Profile: Hand Sanitizer, Phthalates in Cosmetics, Phthalates in cosmetic and personal care products: concentrations and possible dermal exposure, A Survey of Phthalates and Parabens in Personal Care Products from the United States and Its Implications for Human Exposure, Phthalates Factsheet, BPA and Phthalates: Chemicals found in our homes
1,4-Dioxane
1,4-Dioxane is a clear, water-soluble liquid that is primarily used as a solvent in chemical manufacturing and laboratory reagents. Other uses leverage its solvent properties, including cosmetics, detergents, and shampoos. However, manufacturers generally reduce 1,4-Dioxane to low levels in these products due to its potential health risks. Acute exposure can result in symptoms such as vertigo, drowsiness, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. Chronic exposure may lead to liver and kidney damage, and the substance is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA. Notably, severe kidney and liver damage, CNS effects, and even death have been recorded after heavy or prolonged exposure.
Sources:
What Is 1,4-Dioxane in Laundry and Cleaning Products?, Effect of ethoxylation and lauryl alcohol on the self-assembly of sodium laurylsulfate: Significant structural and rheological transformation, Final Risk Evaluation for 1,4-Dioxane, Ongoing and Completed Chemical Risk Evaluations under TSCA, Preliminary Information on Manufacturing, Processing, Distribution, Use, and Disposal, TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW OF 1,4-DIOXANE, 15th Report on Carcinogens, 1,4-Dioxane, Determination of residual 1,4-dioxane in surfactants and cleaning agents using headspace single-drop microextraction followed by gas chromatography–flame ionization detection, 1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics: A Manufacturing Byproduct, An integrated assessment of the 1,4-dioxane cancer mode of action and threshold response in rodents, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: 1,4-DIOXANE, Product Profile: Hand Sanitizer, Occurrence of 1,4-dioxane in cosmetic raw materials and finished cosmetic products, Chemical Profile: 1,4-dioxane
Triclosan
Triclosan is a synthetic pesticide with antibacterial properties commonly added to detergents, soaps, and various personal care products such as deodorants and toothpastes. Although it lacks the ability to combat viruses causing colds and flus, it's used in products like body washes, disinfectants, and some toothpastes to resist bacterial growth. In 2016, the FDA limited its use in antibacterial soaps, but the compound is still permitted in other products. The European Union prohibited its presence in food-contact items in 2010. Exposure to triclosan has been associated with hormone disruption, increased breast cancer risk, liver damage, and the development of resistant super-germs.
Sources:
Triclosan Exposure, Transformation, and Human Health Effects, Are antibacterial products with triclosan fueling bacterial resistance?, Antimicrobial agents, triclosan, chloroxylenol, methylisothiazolinone and borax, used in cleaning had genotoxic and histopathologic effects on rainbow trout, The Effects of Triclosan on Puberty and Thyroid Hormones in Male Wistar Rats, Triclosan is a potent inhibitor of estradiol and estrone sulfonation in sheep placenta, The in Vitro estrogenic activities of triclosan and triclocarban, Antibacterial Soap? You Can Skip It, Use Plain Soap and Water, Environmental Exposure of Aquatic and Terrestrial Biota to Triclosan and Triclocarban, Triclosan: Environmental Fate and Effects, Chemical Profile: Triclosan / Triclocarban, 5 Things to Know About Triclosan, Underarm Harm? Whats So Bad About Antiperspirants?, Some flame retardants and the antimicrobials triclosan and triclocarban enhance the androgenic activity in vitro, Triclocarban Enhances Testosterone Action: A New Type of Endocrine Disruptor?, Triclosan, a commonly used bactericide found in human milk and in the aquatic environment in Sweden
Methylisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone can reportedly cause allergic contact dermatitis in workers who interact with products containing it. This substance is recognized as a contact allergen for consumers using cosmetics that include it. It can cause skin burns and sensitization, and inhaling it may lead to corrosive injuries in the upper respiratory tract and lungs. Ingesting this substance is harmful, and inhalation is toxic. This preservative is linked to the category of isothiazolinones.
Sources:
Antimicrobial agents, triclosan, chloroxylenol, methylisothiazolinone and borax, used in cleaning had genotoxic and histopathologic effects on rainbow trout, Methylisothiazolinone toxicity and inhibition of wound healing and regeneration in planaria, Methylchloroisothiazolinone and/or methylisothiazolinone in cosmetic products, Isothiazolinone Biocides: Chemistry, Biological, and Toxicity Profiles, Methylisothiazolinone and isothiazolinone allergy, Analysis of isothiazolinones in environmental waters by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, Methylisothiazolinone induces apoptotic cell death via matrix metalloproteinase activation in human bronchial epithelial cells, EU REGULATIONS , Methylisothiazolinone contact allergy: a review, Effects of methylisothiazolinone and octylisothiazolinone on development and thyroid endocrine system in zebrafish larvae, Two Cases of Chloromethylisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone-associated Toxic Lung Injury, An update of the risk assessment for methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) with focus on rinse-off products, Effects of a mixture of chloromethylisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone on peripheral airway dysfunction in children, Isothiazolinone preservative: cause of a continuing epidemic of cosmetic dermatitis, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is recognised as a skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant according to ICSC. It may cause allergic reactions and eye irritation as stated by the HSDB. Exposure may even result in eye burns, as per CAMEO. Depending on its form - which may range from a solid (90-98% purity), to a paste (30-41%), or an aqueous solution (28-50%) - it can significantly irritate skin and eyes, with adverse effects escalating with increased concentration. Despite these hazards, it is not a skin sensitizer according to CHEMINFO, while eChemPortal: ERMA and MSDSonline endorse its classification as an irritant.
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