If, like me, you are trying to reduce your consumption of single-use plastic in the bathroom, then don’t go getting yourself in a lather over it. Here at Vegan Mum, you won’t be ‘soaprised’ to know that we can help you clean up your act…
Ok, I’ve got that out of my system now, so no more soap jokes, I promise. Not intentional ones anyway. This is a serious review of the best vegan soap bars after all…
I have been trying hard to reduce single-use plastic consumption in all areas of my life over the last few years and plastic shower gel bottles were quickly consigned to my ‘never-buy-again’ pile. So, I decided to go back to the good old bar of soap, but which one?
I hadn’t realised just how many soap brands there are available, and was blissfully unaware of the animal ingredients that soap bars often contain. Consequently, I had to do quite a bit of research before I was able to successfully make the switch to using cruelty-free, vegan soap bars.
And…did you know that some of the soap brands below also make shampoo for you furry pet friends? See my vegan dog shampoo review for more info on that.
What is vegan soap?
Vegan soap bars contain only plant-based ingredients and you will find products using castile, glycerine or tar as a base ingredient. It is these oils that contribute to the vegan soap’s cleansing, lathering and moisturising properties.
Castile and glycerine (also known as glycerol, its chemical source) are often obtained from plant-based oils but BEWARE – this is not always the case! Whilst castile generally comes from olive, coconut or almond oil, glycerine can sometimes be derived from animals. If the label says ‘vegetable glycerine ’, then the chances are it’s ok. However, even when something is derived from plants, that doesn’t always mean it’s sustainable – palm oil can be a villain of the peace in the ‘vegetable oil’ arena.
The moral of the story here really is to read the label – I tend to look for something on the product that definitively states that it is suitable for vegans. Even better is if it is approved by an organisation like the Vegan Society and has a Leaping Bunny accreditation to show it is cruelty-free.
It can be tricky keeping clean as an ethical vegan, can’t it? But worth it. As always, do your research and satisfy yourself that you are happy with the ingredients and their source. You won’t get it right every time because there is so much confusing and conflicting information out there, but you can only do your best!
Throwing out those plastic shower gels and hand soap dispensers, and changing over to solid vegan soap bars can make a real difference to our planet. That’s why I’m sharing this list of my favourite cruelty-free, vegan soap bars.
What makes a Soap Bar Vegan?
There are several ingredients in soap that can be derived from either animals or plants, and some – confusingly – cross over. Glycerine is an example of this, so you have to rely on the manufacturer stating its source.
This doesn’t always happen, so I have taken all this into account when selecting the best vegan soap bars to go into my favourites list below.
Here are the Best Vegan Soap Bars
Hopefully, the following list is going to help you out a little because these products are all cruelty-free, vegan soap bars, although I should add the brands themselves are not necessarily all vegan.
Wild Natural Soap Bars
Pros
- Good range of lovely fragrances
- Attractive, eco-friendly packaging
- Subscription available
- Made in the UK & Europe
Cons
- Some synthetic fragrance ingredients
Wild Deodorant are now also producing Wild vegan soap bars, and very lovely they are too. They lather well and smell wonderful.
Wild do say that they have used some synthetic ingredients in the soap to improve on fragrance.
However, all ingredients are still completely vegan, cruelty-free and packaging as ever, is planet-friendly and recyclable.
There are 3 scents available, and they are all very appealing:
- Fresh Cotton and Seasalt
- Jasmine and Mandarin Blossom
- Coconut and Vanilla
You can also read my Wild Natural Deodorant review here to learn about other products from this brand.
Amazon Aware Hand and Body Soap Bars
Pros
- Some organic ingredients
- No sulfates, phthalates or plastic packaging
- Good value
Cons
- Available in packs of 3 only
Containing organic aloe vera and fairtrade olive oil, these Amazon Aware soaps are vegan and cruelty-free.
They are also free of those commonly used, nastier chemicals, being formulated without phthalates and sulfates. These soap bars are also wrapped in recycled paper – so, not a bit of plastic in sight.
This brand is also good value for money, with this particular pack containing 3 x 100gm bars.
The 3 different fragrances, using organic oils, are refreshing and just perfect for that morning shower routine!
- energising orange
- refreshing mint
- purifying lemon
Little Soap Company
Pros
- Vegan Society approved and B Corp accredited
- All natural ingredients
- Environmentally friendly packaging and ingredients
- Made in the UK
Cons
- Some fragrances could be stronger
Another soap approved by the Vegan Society and it’s a B Corp too so certainly a brand that’s living its values.
There’s a good range of scents available, although some could be a little stronger. However, that, and the lathering of the soap, is down to the natural ingredients, and that’s got to be a good thing, right?
So, if sustainability is high on your list, definitely give these soaps a try. It’s a very nice product and NO plastic packaging at all.
Lots of natural scents and different ranges available too – Amazon has a good range of them.
Eco Warrior
Pros
- Made by the Little Soap Company
- Environmentally friendly packaging and ingredients
- Made in the UK
- Great variety of soaps
Cons
- Pricier than some
Another offering from the Little Soap Company, with a branding that looks like it is targeting a younger audience.
They do a wide range of soaps for bathing, shaving and face-washing, so covering all bases really.
Again, lots of commendable, eco-friendly credentials so a great choice if sustainability is top of your list.
I’m not a fan of the coconut scent, but I don’t generally like it in body care products of any description, so don’t let that put you off. I think the charcoal bar is great though.
This is a good product, although definitely one of the more expensive products on this list.
Body Shop Soap Bar
Pros
- Lovely Body Shop scents
- Most are Vegan Society approved
- Packaging is recyclable
Cons
- Only 90% natural ingredients
Body Shop have a fabulous range of vegan soaps (you can filter for vegan products on their website). They come in a wide range of scents too, including:
- satsuma
- olive
- shea
- moringa
- almond milk
and many more.
This soap lathers well, smells divine and is really good value for money too. The soap is packaged in a paper material that is increasingly recyclable too.
Faith in Nature
Pros
- Good range of scents
- Very good value for money
- Ethical product, cardboard packaging
Cons
- Some scents could be stronger
This soap is lovely and with its price range, it is good value for money too. I find it doesn’t lather as well as some of the others – this may be something to do with the ingredients being ‘natural’, but that doesn’t prevent it from making you clean and smelling better! There is a great choice of different scents too. Overall, you’re buying a good product from an ethical company, and I do love the fact that they have appointed ‘Nature’ as one of their Directors! See my Faith in Nature Products Review for more info about this brand.
The soap is packaged in cardboard, so fully recyclable.
Man Soap's 4-in-1 Charcoal Bar
Pros
- Charcoal good for impurities
- Moisturising
- Handmade
Cons
- A little pricey
Charcoal helps to draw out impurities from the skin and this charcoal soap is no exception.
The cold press method used to make this soap means that it retains the naturally-occurring glycerine so it has great moisturising properties for your skin.
There’s also something quite primal about using charcoal soap…
This vegan, cruelty-free, and environmentally friendly handmade soap by ‘Man Soap’ can be used for:
- hands
- face
- body
- shaving
Dr Bronner’s
Pros
- Lovely range of scents
- Sustainably made
- Organic ingredients
Cons
- Price
Dr Bronner’s soap bars have unusual and gentle scents, good moisturising properties, and ‘latherability’.
They are at the more expensive end of this list, but in addition to a quality product, you are paying for their sustainability credentials, organic ingredients and recycled packaging.
This is a nice product that lasts well.
Original Source
Pros
- Good value for money
- Natural fragrances
- Made in the UK
Cons
- Awkward edges and shape
I really like the Original Source soap bars. The scent lasts all the way to the end and lathers well. The soap bar is very ‘square’ with hard edges when it first comes out of the packet but becomes more comfortable to use after a few washes.
Comes in a recyclable cardboard box, is good value for money and is a frequent purchase in the Vegan Mum household.
Pears
Pros
- Good value for money
- Recyclable packaging
- Not too drying
Cons
- Long list of ingredients
- Owned by Unilever
Now for a soap with a real heritage – about 200 years to be precise, although with Unilever as its current parent company. It is an example of a soap bar that uses glycerine and it doesn’t feel as ‘drying’ as some other soaps I’ve tried.
Pears state that it is a vegan-suitable product, so we can assume it is a plant-based glycerine, and they also confirm that all their packaging is fully recyclable too, so perhaps not a bad option.
There is quite a list of ingredients though, and not all of them recognisable, but it is by far the cheapest vegan soap bar on this list so good value for money in that respect.
If you want to try their other scents, use the link to Amazon below.
FAQs about vegan soap bars
I hope you have found this guide to the best vegan soap bars helpful. I have also tried to answer some of the more commonly-asked questions about soap below.
If you would like to see more of my product reviews and guides, please visit my Lifestyle page.
In a lot of soap bars, yes there is. Unless your soap brand states that it’s vegan, I’d suggest you steer well clear. Many contain sodium tallowate, an animal-derived fat that is a popular ingredient with soap-makers because it tends to:
- be hypoallergenic (depending on what else the soap contains, obviously)
- make the soap lather well
- last for longer because the animal fat doesn’t break down easily
You can read more about the use of animal fats in soap manufacturing on Healthline.com if you’re interested. However, if you’d prefer to hang out with me, my guide to vegan soap bars tells you which are:
- cruelty-free
- eco-friendly
- contain no animal ingredients
Dove soap does not claim to be vegan, and contains ingredients that may be derived from animals. For example, the ingredients include glycerine, but the source (vegetable or animal) is not stated.
Not finding anything on their website that refers to vegan products, I submitted a contact form to them to ask. To date, I have not had a response and so am not able to confirm.
Whilst there is now a lot of ‘noise’ on the internet about their cruelty-free status, that does not mean that their products are vegan, so I avoid them.
Another successful change I’ve made on the single-use plastic front is switching to a sustainable deodorant – read my review of Fussy Deodorant to find out more.
There are several ingredients in soap that can be derived from either animals or plants, and some – confusingly – cross over. Glycerine is an example of this, so you have to rely on the manufacturer stating its source.
This doesn’t always happen, so I have taken all this into account when selecting the best vegan soap bars to go into my favourites list below.
