Right now, we’re all feeling the ripple effects of economic uncertainty. Prices at my local grocery store haven’t skyrocketed—yet—but I keep hearing stories from others about rising costs, and it’s got me thinking: should I start budgeting more intentionally?
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not quite ready to give up my favorite coffee drink or that one makeup product I swear by. But I started looking for other areas where I could save without sacrificing too much. One of the easiest swaps? Body wash.
I’ve never been one to splurge on fancy body wash, though I did once receive a bottle of Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Body Wash as a gift. At $52 a bottle, the scent is undeniably luxurious—but the ingredients? Not so much. According to the Yuka app, it scored a dismal 0/100 and contains a list of harsh chemicals I can’t even pronounce. Yikes.
So, for the sake of both my budget and my health, I decided to go back to basics and try out good old-fashioned bar soap. Honestly, I didn’t expect much—but I was pleasantly surprised. Most of the bars I tested were just a few dollars each, and many of them had “clean” ingredient lists. Although it is soap, so you’d think that would be a given… turns out, not always.
Take Coast Soap, for example. It contains pentasodium pentatate, an ingredient flagged as hazardous in the Yuka app. It’s actually banned in cosmetics in the EU because of potential risks to fetal development. That’s a serious red flag. Why is this still on store shelves in the U.S.? And more importantly—are there safer alternatives?
Yes, there are! I tried a bunch, and here’s what I found:
Bar Soap Showdown: What I Tried and How They Rated
Dove Original Beauty Bar
- Yuka Score: 69/100
- The Takeaway: Classic for a reason. Creamy lather, moisturizing feel, and a reliable clean. A solid option.
Lever 2000 Original
- Yuka Score: 69/100
- The Takeaway: Nearly identical to Dove in performance, but with a more pronounced “fresh” scent.
Ivory Original
- Yuka Score: 76/100
- The Takeaway: No frills, no fuss. Just a good, basic clean. At just over $1 a bar, it’s the ultimate budget pick.
Olay Age Defying with Vitamin E
- Yuka Score: 76/100
- The Takeaway: Slightly pricier than Ivory, but you get a bit more luxury. Still under $2 a bar—totally worth it.
Antibacterial Options (for the Gym Lovers)
- Dial Antibacterial, Dial Spring Water, and Safeguard Antibacterial
- Best Score: Safeguard (69/100)
- The Takeaway: All three lathered well and felt effective, but Safeguard came out on top for ingredient safety and affordability.
Final Thoughts: Big Wins for Small Bucks
In the end, I picked up a 12-pack of Olay Age Defying for $28 and a 14-pack of Safeguard for just over $20. That’s 26 bars of clean, non-toxic soap for less than one bottle of the Jo Malone body wash.
And honestly? I feel great about the switch. My skin’s happy, my wallet’s happier, and my shower routine just got a lot more intentional.
So if you’re looking for an easy way to cut costs and clean up your ingredients, maybe it’s time to give bar soap another shot.