The best natural and organic soap is made from natural ingredients and is good for your skin type, toxin-free and good for the planet. Soap should not dry out your skin, it should cleanse naturally and support radiant, beautiful skin.
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We have created a list of the best organic and natural soap that are also sustainable, planet-friendly and made from natural ingredients. When choosing a soap it’s also important that the packaging is not harmful to the environment and at the very least made from easily recyclable materials. We’ve noted any products wrapped in plastic, but this may vary when ordering online.
Our list also contains a few organic liquid soaps if you prefer those over traditional bar soap. Note that unfortunately, most liquid soaps still come in plastic packaging.
Many mass-produced soaps contain additional additives, fragrances with unlisted compositions, preservatives and other harmful chemicals. As you will be putting the soaps directly onto your skin, it’s important to know what goes into these products so that you can protect your family and provide those closest to you with an option that contains fewer harmful ingredients.
Our Picks for the Best Natural & Organic Soap
1. O Naturals Moisturizing Organic Soap with Coconut Oil, Shea Butter
Soap Info | Vegan, Organic and Natural Ingredients, Contains Sustainable Palm Oil, Cold-Pressed, PH Balanced, Recyclable Packaging, Cruelty-Free, Paraben Free, Made in the USA
Skin Type | Oily, Combination, Dry, Normal
Fragrance |Hint of Coconut
This O Naturals bar is a luxury coconut and Shea butter soap bar filled with natural oils and chemical-free ingredients. The Coconut Oil and Shea Butter within this bar softens and deeply moisturises dry skin while the antioxidant properties within the soap help to keep skin looking and feeling rejuvenated and young.
O Naturals is made in the USA and the scent of this soap is created with therapeutic essential oils. It’s also PH balanced which means it cleanses without stripping your skin of its protective barrier.
What’s to Love:
- Made in the USA
- Doesn’t leave a residue
- Gentle on skin
- Suitable for most skin types
What Could be Better:
- The fragrance is very mild
2. Aspen Kay Naturals Organic Turmeric Soap
Soap Info | Organic, All Natural Ingredients, Contains Sustainable Palm Oil, Cold-Pressed, Recyclable Packaging, Not tested on Animals, Paraben Free, Made in the USA
Skin Type | Oily, sensitive, all skin types
Fragrance | Turmeric
The Aspen Kay Naturals Turmeric Bar is infused with turmeric root powder as well as root extract (100% pure essential oil). All the ingredients in these little bars are natural and the bars are suited for all skin types, even sensitive skin. It’s a super versatile soap and can be used for face and body.
Aspen Kay started as a small kitchen operation in 2012. Today they still produce small batches of soap in the USA so is not mass-produced, making sure there is no compromise on quality. The company provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee so if you’re not happy with your purchase you can return it for a full refund, completely risk-free.
They also make a shampoo bar if you’d like to find out more visit our post about zero waste shampoo.
What’s to Love:
- Doesn’t dry your skin out
- Good for reducing dark spots
- Slows breakouts
- Earthy Scent
What Could be Better:
- Could work better on red spots
3. Little Soap Company Hand and Body Solid Bar
Soap Info | Organic and Natural Ingredients, Contains Sustainable Palm Oil, Cold-Pressed, Recyclable Packaging, Cruelty-Free, Paraben Free, Made in England
Skin Type | Oily, sensitive, all skin types
Fragrance | Coconut Blend
The Little Soap Company makes an extensive range of natural soaps and is definitely worth a try. We’ve written about their shampoo bars previously. The company was started by Emma Heathcote-James, as a one women operation out of her kitchen. From selling soap at markets in subzero temperatures, Emma committed herself to get clean skin soap into supermarkets so that you can pick it up as part of your weekly shop.
There is no plastic packaging involved in any of their bar soap products so rest assured that it’s truly a zero-waste soap. These bars are perfect for everyday use on both the body and face and comes in a range of fragrances suitable for most tastes.
What’s to Love:
- An affordable price
- Leaves your skin clean and non-greasy
- Doesn’t dry out your skin
- Great fragrance
What Could be Better:
- Can leave a residue in the shower if you live in a hard water area
4. O Naturals 6-Piece Black Bar Soap Collection. 100% Natural
Soap Info | Vegan, Organic and Natural Ingredients, Contains Sustainable Palm Oil, Cold-Pressed, Recyclable Packaging, Cruelty-Free, Paraben Free, Made in the USA
Skin Type | Oily, Sensitive, Mature, Dry, Normal
Fragrance | 6 Variants
If you’re looking to try a range of soaps including the African Black soap then this bundle by O Naturals is a great starter pack. These soaps are made to give your skin a clarifying home-spa experience and are filled with only natural soap ingredients.
In this collection, you’ll find African Black Soap, Bud & Green Clay Soap, Activated Charcoal & Peppermint, Black Tea and Tea Tree, Dead Sea Mud and Salt and a Black Coffee Soap. Each of these soaps has its own unique qualities. The African Black Soap for e.g. has good healing and anti-ageing properties whereas the Black Coffee Scrub Soap is good for exfoliation and circulation.
What’s to Love:
- It’s a great starter pack to try
- Lathers really well
- Good mix of fragrances
What Could be Better:
- Each individual soap is wrapped in plastic so this is not a zero waste option
- Some of the soaps can be slightly drying
5. Dr Squatch Mens Cedar Citrus Soap
Soap Info | Organic Oils, Natural Ingredients, Contains Sustainable Palm Oil, Cold-Pressed, Recyclable Packaging, Not tested on Animals, Paraben Free, Made in the USA
Skin Type | Sensitive
Fragrance | Cedar Citrus with a hint of Mint
Dr Squatch is hand made in the USA using a cold-press method. The scent is specifically formulated for men, you won’t find any flowery fragrances here. This is a full-body soap and can be used for shaving as well. They recommend it for activities such as bathing in the woods, but it works perfectly in a standard indoor shower as well if you’re not into outdoor showers.
The soap comes with a satisfaction guarantee so if it’s not to your liking you can get a full refund. Dr Squatch was one of the first natural soap companies specifically made for men and have perfected the making process for a more manly soap. Dr Squatch is a quirky brand that employs male-focused humour to both entertain and clean.
What’s to Love:
- Natural and refreshing fragrance
- Doesn’t dry out the skin
- Great lather
- Good for sensitive skin
What Could be Better:
- Gets slightly brittle with use
- Labelling states made with organic oils with little further information
6. Splendor Lavender Rosemary Bar Soap – Moisturizing Coconut Oil Soap
Soap Info | Organic Natural Ingredients, Vegan, Palm Oil Free, Cold-Pressed, Recyclable Packaging, Not tested on Animals, Paraben Free, No GMOs, Made in the USA
Skin Type | Sensitive, Dry
Fragrance | Lavender and Rosemary
Splendor Santa Barbara creates beautiful handmade soaps in the USA. Their soaps are hand-mixed, poured and cut the old fashioned way. Their bars have wavy tops and slight variations in appearance, making them original and one of a kind. Each box is packaged with recyclable materials.
If you live in the USA and would like to support a small business then this is a great option. They will be happy to offer you a refund if you’re not completely satisfied with your purchase.
What’s to Love:
- Handmade by a small family-owned business
- Doesn’t make your skin feel dry or tight
- Lingering scent
- Gentle enough for sensitive skin
What Could be Better:
- Slightly awkward shape at first
7. Bali Soap – Natural Soap Bars
Soap Info | Organic Oils, All Natural Ingredients, Contains Sustainable Palm Oil, Not Tested on Animals, Paraben Free, Made in Indonesia
Skin Type | All
Fragrance | Coconut, Papaya, Vanilla, Lemongrass, Jasmine, Ylang
Bali Soap is made using natural ingredients in the Indonesian archipelago. The soap bars are textured with natural botanicals for an exotic blend of ingredients and exfoliating scrub. These bars produce a creamy lather and come in a great little gift box style bundle.
The company was founded by two Americans in 2005 but the soaps are produced by a 40 plus strong Indonesian team of staff. As these are made in Indonesia they will have to travel quite a bit from the factory to your home – unless you live in Indonesia of course.
What’s to Love:
- Great range of fragrances
- Doesn’t dry the skin
- Lathers well
- Good value bundle
What Could be Better:
- Each bar is wrapped in plastic
- Has far to travel if you’re in the UK or USA
8. Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Body Wash and Shower Gel
Soap Info |No GMOs, Paraben Free, Uses Natural Fragrances, Vegan, Recycled Packaging, Liquid Soap, Made in the USA (as far as we can tell)
Skin Type | Dry
Fragrance | Lavender
Avalon Organics makes this body wash for extra dry skin. It’s a gentle plant-based bath and shower gel that blends botanical cleansers with vitamins and essential oils. If you’re not a great fan of bar soaps, this is a good alternative to consider.
This version contains aloe and has a beautiful calming lavender scent. As with the Avalon, hand wash further down, it is certified to the NSF/ANSI 305 Standard for Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients.
What’s to Love:
- Relaxing lavender fragrance
- Good option if you prefer liquid soap
- Gentle on skin
What Could be Better:
- Comes in a plastic bottle unfortunately
- The bottle can leak in transit
9. Naissance Natural Certified Organic Fragrance Free Liquid Castile Soap
Soap Info |Organic, Cruelty-free, Natural, Vegan, Recyclable Packaging, Liquid Soap
Skin Type | All
Fragrance | Fragrance-free
Naissance‘s Castile soap is certified by the Organic Soil Association and contains only natural ingredients. Castile soap is a great choice for vegetarians and vegans as the product do not contain any animal fats. It’s made with vegetable oils and doesn’t have added fragrances so smells like vegetable oils. This soap is extremely versatile and can be used for hand/body and hair.
If you’d like to add fragrance to this soap we recommend adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil to create your own customised scent.
What’s to Love:
- Calms irritated skin
- Doesn’t dry skin
- Can be used as a shampoo
- A mild Castile soap
What Could be Better:
- The Scent is not for everyone so will need a few drops of essential oils to spice it up
10. Dr Bronner’s 946 ml Organic Citrus Castile Liquid Soap
Soap Info |Certified Organic, Cruelty-free, Natural, Vegan, Recycled Packaging, Liquid Soap
Skin Type | All
Fragrance | Citrus
No list of natural and organic soap will be complete without a mention of Dr Bronner. It’s a popular and trusted soap brand that has been around since 1948. They make good old fashion soaps without the frills and marketing gimmicks. Even the packaging is plain and unassuming, but that doesn’t mean that the performance of these soaps is not on par.
Dr Bronner is certified organic and fair trade and they don’t test on animals. Castile soaps are very versatile and can be used as a body wash, shampoo and general cleaning. It’s often used as a base for soap making. This soap comes in a range of fragrances and there is even a tea tree option for acne-prone skin.
What’s to Love:
- Doesn’t dry skin
- Versatile product
- Trusted brand
What Could be Better:
- Very mild scent
- Comes in a plastic bottle
11. Avalon Organics Rejuvenating Rosemary Glycerin Hand Soap
Soap Info |No GMOs, Paraben Free, Uses Natural Fragrances, Vegan, Recycled packaging, Liquid Soap, Made in the USA (as far as we can tell)
Skin Type | All
Fragrance | Rosemary
The Avalon Organics hand soap is a gentle cleanser made with organic botanicals and essential oils. They use a plant-based formula that hydrates and nourishes your skin. It’s gentle enough for frequent hand washing. This is certified organic made with non-GMO ingredients.
This is a good option if you prefer liquid hand soap to bar soap. Avalon Organics products are certified to the NSF/ANSI 305 Standard for Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients.
What’s to Love:
- A great strong scent that lingers
- Cleans without leaving your hands dry
- Fragrance is Unisex and suitable for men and women
What Could be Better:
- It comes in a plastic bottle that can leak during transit if you order online
What are the Options When Choosing Natural and Organic Soap?
Similar to Zero Waste Shampoo bars most soaps can be divided into Syndet-based (surfactant) and Saponified soaps. Syndet-based soap contains surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfoacetate and Soap based products are made using a saponification process and will usually contain sodium hydroxide or lye. Liquid soaps are generally syndet-based and will need an added preservative as it contains water, on occasion you may find a liquid soap made with potassium hydroxide a type of lye. Bar soaps on the other hand do not contain water and can therefore be made without preservatives. Bar soaps can be Syndet or Saponified soap.
Liquid vs Bar Soap – Which is Best?
When choosing a natural soap there are advantages to both options. Natural bar soap will often have fewer chemicals than its liquid counterpart and overall bar soap produces less waste as it uses less packaging.
You might also be surprised to learn that bar soap does not harbour germs the way we were lead to believe as studies have shown that these two soap options wash equally well. Bar soaps also do not need an added preservative as it doesn’t contain water, whereas liquid soap will contain a type of preservative to ensure the product does not harbour or breed germs. Some studies have also shown that liquid soap has a higher carbon footprint than bar soap.
But when choosing a soap it will come down to personal preference in the end. If you’re set on a liquid soap we’ve included a few natural options to consider further down the list.
Soap, especially if used on your face, should be non-drying to ensure your makeup sits beautifully on your skin and doesn’t flake off.
If you are looking for a better and more sustainable soap to use every day, here is our list of options:
For the best natural body washes see our related article.
A Note on the term Organic in Soap Product Labelling
If you’d like to know how organic your soap is, pay close attention to the product labelling. When it comes to labelling of ingredients there are usually three variants of the word Organic used, note that the way the word is used can give you an indication around the number of organic ingredients in a product. In America, the USDA defines organic as:
100% Organic: When a label says 100% organic it will mean just what it says.
Organic: If it doesn’t say 100% but just lists the term organic then it means that 95% of the product contents by weight is organic. Usually, these are products that contain a natural preservative that will prevent them from using the 100% organic label on their product.
Made with Organic: When a product label includes the wording made with organic this means that the product contains a minimum of 70% organic content. So in essence products labelled with “made with organic” can contain anything between 70% and 94% organic ingredients.
Sometimes soap will just say made with organic oils as some of the ingredients within soap isn’t organic or perhaps can’t be labelled organic. The term organic can only be used for agricultural products. To give an example Lye used in soap can’t be labelled organic per se, but it is an allowable non-organic ingredient listed in the USDA organic standards.
FAQs
What is the best natural soap for dry skin?
Natural soaps with vegetable oils such as olive oil, cocoa butter, jojoba and avocado work really well for dry skin.
Some of the soaps listed contain palm oil, can that be sustainable?
Yes, the soaps listed that contain palm oil is to the best of our knowledge all sustainably sourced. Palm oil can be devastating to the rainforest, but can also be produced sustainably without causing deforestation.
What is the healthiest soap?
Natural soaps that contain organic ingredients and is toxin-free are the healthiest soap.
Is organic soap better?
Yes, we’d say so. Organic soap contains natural ingredients, and fewer harmful preservatives, it’s better for you and the planet. They contain natural fragrances in contrast to other soaps where the fragrances can be made up of a range of harmful chemicals often not listed as fragrances are generally seen as propriety information. So companies can put a range of harmful ingredients in the fragrance alone.
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