Soap without chemicals makes you feel like a man and smell like a champion—without subjecting your body to the dangerous ingredients you’ll find in that other stuff you call soap. Join the Squatch Nation and see why so many dudes like you stand by soap without chemicals and only honest, adventurous ingredients for you to lather up like you’re in the forest.
Why All-Natural Soap? What’s Wrong with Commercial Soap?
Soap making was going great—the Babylonians were making soap without chemicals as far back as2800 B.C.—until World War I, when commercial soap came into the picture. While synthetic ingredients helped to scale soap manufacturing so that bars could be mass-produced to treat soldiers’ wounds, the end product set the stage for soap to spiral into something it was never meant to become.
The problem with commercial soap today is that beneficial, moisturizing glycerin is extracted and saved for higher-margin products, like lotions, creams, and salts. Big brands tend to treat soap like a bottom-of-the-barrel product, literally removing the good stuff before selling it to you. In place of natural glycerin, you’re getting non-natural fillers—some of which are potentially harmful.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t even allow these types of products to be called “soap.” They’re instead defined as detergents, which brands often disguise as “body bars.” If you have ever used bar soap or a body bar and thought it felt a little harsh on your skin, it was probably a detergent.
Commercial Soap: The Bad Stuff
If you see any of these ingredients in a bar of soap, stray away, friend.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – Dries and irritates the skin. Also linked to cancer, liver damage, and depression.
- Dioxane – A contaminant and suspected carcinogen produced from sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) known to irritate the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin.
- Triclosan – Classified as a pesticide by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Linked to bacterial resistance, weakening of the immune system, thyroid hormone imbalance, allergies, and reproductive toxicity.
- Parabens – Potentially disruptive to natural hormones. Believed to mimic estrogen and contribute to decreased sperm levels in men.
- Ureas – Capable of releasing the dangerous chemical formaldehyde, a known carcinogen and environmental toxin.
- Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) –Directly linked to cancer and organ toxicity.
All-Natural Soap: The Good Stuff
When you see ingredients like these, with none of the additives above, you know you’re on the right track.
- Olive Oil – Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing properties in one.
- Coconut Oil – Used in the treatment of various skin conditions, including dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. Hemp Oil – Helps the skin’s ability to retain moisture.
- Hemp Oil – Helps the skin’s ability to retain moisture.
- Essential Oils – Fragrant, cleansing, and hydrating oils like lavender, cypress, and sandalwood.
- Shea Butter – Smoothing and moisturizing, with anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Pine Tar Extract – Often used to treat skin irritation and/or bug bites. The real MVP in Dr. Squatch’s woodsy, refreshing Pine Tar soap.
- Oatmeal – Gently cleansing and pH balancing. An unsung hero in our Pine Tar soap.
- Oak Moss – An earthy, rustic base note than can be found in our Gold Moss Scrub.
- Sea Salt – A subtle, affordable means of using salt as a scrub for its many skin benefits.
- Sage – Known for increasing pulmonary circulation. Discover sage soap here .
- Mint – Believed to reduce acne and breakouts. We use mint leaves in our Spearmint Basil Scrub .
- Sand – An underrated natural exfoliant that is as refreshing as a day at the beach.
Raising the Bar for Soap Without Chemicals
Dr. Squatch has been perfecting the science of all-natural soap making since its humble beginnings, when our founder, Jack, began creating his own recipes out of his garage. We make soap the right way: by hand, using the traditional cold process to retain the glycerin and nutrients in each bar without the need for harsh preservatives. Step up your shower with manly, natural scents delivered to your door. Shop our natural handmade soap today.