The Best Soaps for Soft Water

Many purists prefer soft water in their showers and sinks because it doesn’t have hard minerals and contaminants. These lessen the chances of issues like lead poisoning and even a buildup of mineral deposits in your hair that weighs it down after wash day.

But soft water comes with some cons too. The most common complaint about soft water is that it’s difficult to wash soap off with it. The only way to efficiently shower with this type of water is to snatch up the best soap for soft water you can find.

With loads of soap options in the market today, it can be overwhelming to choose one that’s effective when paired with soft water. Let me help you cut down your research time. Here are some of my favorite soaps that are easy to wash off with soft water but still have amazing benefits for your skin.

What kind of soap is best for soft water?

1. Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar

Dove is known to formulate only the best and most mild beauty bars to clean and nourish your skin. This bar is designed for sensitive skin and doesn’t disappoint.

It washes away stubborn dirt and bacteria effectively, so your skin gets the thorough cleanse it needs at the end of a long day. That said, it doesn’t have those harsh sulfates that strip the skin of moisture, so it doesn’t leave your skin dehydrated.

Instead, it’s made with ¼ moisturizing cream, as with other signature soaps from the brand. This cream works to hydrate and condition the skin. It also locks moisture into your skin barrier, allowing it to stay strong, soft, and touchable for a long time.

This gentle soap is very versatile in that you can use it on both your face and all over your body. It’s a great multi-use product for those with sensitive skin.

It’s also formulated to be fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. That means it’s less likely for those with sensitive skin to be irritated by the soap or show adverse reactions.

The only issue with this soap is that because it’s formulated with cream, it’s quite soft and melts faster than others. Make sure your soap dish doesn’t have puddles of water so your Dove bars can last longer.

If you have dry, sensitive skin that needs both care and moisture, this Dove bar is probably the best bar soap for soft water out there for you. It’s effective at washing away dirt and grime while leaving your skin barrier moisturized.

2. Dial White Antibacterial Deodorant Soap

Dial’s antibacterial soap kills fungi, germs, and bacteria that could be lying on your skin after a long day sweating and working hard.

If you have issues with body odor, you might find this soap helpful too. It’s made with odor-protection technology to ensure you feel fresh all day long, without foul and distracting odors.

The soap leaves your skin with a pleasantly fresh, clean, and crisp scent to boost confidence and make you feel brand new. The fragrance is light, so it won’t be overwhelming for a sensitive nose.

It has a hydrating formula to make sure your skin is moisturized, never dry and parched.

It’s super easy to create that satisfying lather you love in the shower since the soap is very foamy when worked under running water.

But this soap does have its fair share of cons too. Like most other soaps, this Dial bar soap can sometimes leave behind a shiny, soapy residue on your bathtub or shower tiles. So while it’s easy to wash off your body with soft water, it may cause a new issue in your bathroom interiors.

If you want a basic yet highly effective soap for soft water, this Dial White bar set might be just what you’re looking for. It cleans, deodorizes, and protects you from bacteria and germs, all while leaving your skin hydrated after every wash.

3. Puracy Natural Body Wash

This Puracy body wash is 99% natural and is formulated with coconut and vegetable-derived oils and fragrances to be gentle on the skin. It helps soften and condition your complexion to leave it soft and radiant after your shower.

This soap rinses off quickly, leaving your skin squeaky clean even if you’re using soft water. It leaves you feeling fresh and renewed after a long, dirty day.

It’s formulated with Himalayan pink sea salt, which aids in purifying the skin and washing away all the stubborn gunk and grime lying all over the body.

The sea salt is paired with citrus extracts from pink grapefruit and other citric acids to create a scent reminiscent of a day at the beach. It’s a great soap to go for if you miss having your days vacationing at an island resort.

The formula is gluten-free and doesn’t have harsh ingredients that can irritate dry and sensitive skin, such as sulfates, parabens, and dyes.

However, if you have uber dry skin that needs intensely moisturizing products, you may not enjoy this body wash. While it helps condition and soften the skin, it doesn’t have deeply moisturizing products and may not be hydrating enough to quench your skin’s thirst.

If you shower with soft water and prefer liquid soaps over bar soaps, you’ll love this Puracy body wash. It cleans properly, conditions the skin, and leaves you with a fresh, sunny scent the beach-lover will fall head over heels with.

4. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Hand Soap

Soft water doesn’t run only in the shower—it goes through your sinks too! So you need to make sure you have the right kind of hand soap that will wash away quickly, like this one from Mrs. Meyer’s.

This hand soap is made with naturally-derived surfactants, none of those sulfates that are too stripping on the skin. It also has a blend of essential oils, including bergamot and cedarwood, to help purify the skin.

That said, your hands will never be left feeling dry and flaky after using this soap, even if it provides a deep and thorough wash. Instead, your skin will be moisturized and supple, thanks to olive oil, aloe vera extracts, and glycerin.

The soap leaves a unique scent that is light yet very nostalgic—rainwater and white flowers. You’ll be left with hands smelling fresh and floral for a while.

You get a great bang for your buck with this soap because each set gives you three 12.5oz bottles of soap, so you won’t be running out of it quickly.

But make sure to rinse your hands thoroughly after you wash with this soap. If not, you may suffer from sticky hands due to the oils and hydrating ingredients in the formula.

If you love aromatherapy and do a lot of handiwork every day, you’ll love this moisturizing, naturally-derived hand soap by Mrs. Meyer’s. It has a fabulous scent and does the job of cleaning your hands even in soft water.

5. Pre de Provence Rose Petal Soap

Soaps from Pre de Provence follow the traditional French way of creating soaps—milling them three times to create a smooth texture on the soap. This method also helps increase your soap’s longevity, so you can use them for a long time without them melting in your soap dish.

The soap creates a luxurious and creamy lather quite easily since it’s so finely milled. This is very useful for opulent and relaxing showers and those who love bubbles!

It’s formulated with thick and creamy shea butter to moisturize the skin, leaving your complexion radiantly glowy and soft to the touch. It never leaves a greasy residue on your skin, though, which is always good.

This soap also contains crushed rose petals to exfoliate your skin. This gets rid of dead skin cells and stubborn oils and dirt on your body. It also leaves your skin smelling like fresh roses, but the fragrance isn’t too strong or overwhelming.

But if you have skin that’s sensitive to exfoliating scrubs, watch out! The rose petals in this soap can be quite abrasive on the skin, which can lead to painful scratches. Make sure you scrub gently and mindfully so as not to be too harsh on your delicate skin.

If you love roses and luxury, there’s no better bath bar soap for soft water for you. This Pre de Provence soap screams of class and quality, as well as healthy exfoliation for your complexion.

6. Kirk’s Gentle Castile Soap

If you have sensitive skin, you’ll be familiar with Castile soap. This one by Kirk’s is formulated with premium coconut oil to lightly hydrate the skin, leaving it soft and smooth. It also helps soothe any inflammation or irritation on the skin.

The soap has a fresh and light scent that helps make you feel and smell clean and invigorated.

This soap rinses off easily and is compatible with both soft and hard water, so it’s great for any setting or city.

It’s also suitable for all skin types, whether you have dry, oily, or sensitive skin. That’s because it doesn’t contain potentially skin-irritating ingredients, including sulfates, unnecessary colorants, phthalates, parabens, and more.

However, if your skin is very dry, keep an eye on how much soap you use. While it’s rich in coconut oil, it can still be drying on the skin when you use too much of it. Just make sure to go easy on how much you pump from the bottle, and you’ll be fine.

This shower soap for soft water is perfect for anyone who loves coconut oil and Castile soap. It leaves the skin super fresh and is compatible with all water types and skin types, so anyone in the family can use it.

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7. Dove White Beauty Bar

Nothing beats the original Dove White bar when it comes to gentle cleansing that moisturizes the skin while it’s at it. It’s known to wash away dirt, oil, and all kinds of impurities efficiently without being too harsh on the skin, like other sulfate-heavy soaps.

This Dove soap is infused with moisturizing cream, making up a fourth of the formulation. This cream deeply nourishes your skin to leave you with a soft, luminous complexion while fortifying your natural skin barrier.

The soap creates a creamy lather in the shower. Although it might not be as bubbly as other soaps, the lather is rich and is easy to slather all over the body.

It’s highly recommended by dermatologists, especially if you have sensitive skin. It has a mild and gentle formula that cleans your skin properly while leaving it healthy and hydrated.

This particular Dove bar set offers excellent value for money because you get 14 beauty bars in a single pack.

Because this soap is formulated to be creamy on the skin, it’s a bit softer than other bar soaps in the market. That makes it easy for it to melt and fall apart over time, especially if you tend to accidentally leave water in your soap dish.

Dove is a no-brainer when it comes to nourishing your skin while you wash away dirt and grime. This original White bar is the gold standard for its ability to clean your skin while leaving it soft too.

8. Dr. Squatch Men’s Soap Variety Pack

If you or your man enjoys spicy, masculine scents that remind you of the woods, try out this Dr. Squatch soap variety pack.

You get to try three different soaps in cool scents, from pine tar to cedar citrus to gold moss. These soaps smell masculine and revitalizing. All three scents are herbal and reminiscent of the great outdoors, so they’re perfect for anyone who loves nature and excursions in the woods.

The soaps are cold-processed in small batches, which means that none of the good, plant-based ingredients are cooked in the making. You’ll only get the ingredients in their most premium and potent form to care for your skin properly.

Some of these soaps contain sandy grains and bits, which help exfoliate your skin. This allows for a smoother complexion since you can scrub away dirt and debris building up all over.

They don’t contain hazardous chemicals that can be too harsh on the skin, such as sulfates and parabens. So if you have sensitive skin, this would be a great pick.

However, if you were hoping these scents last forever on the skin, you’ll be disappointed. While the scents linger on the skin, they become weaker throughout the day, so the fragrance will have completely faded away after a few hours.

If you use soaps with masculine scents exclusively, you’ll find this variety pack by Dr. Squatch enthralling. You get to try not one but three different scents, and can exfoliate your skin for the most thorough wash possible.

Soaps for Oily Skin

9. Ivory Coconut Water Body Wash

This Ivory body wash is super hydrating, so it’s a great purchase if you have sensitive and dry skin. It always leaves your complexion soft and supple, never dehydrated and with dry patches all over.

The soap lathers up nicely on your loofah or puff without much effort, so you can enjoy those big bubbles and suds you love seeing in the shower.

I also love how it leaves a sweet coconut water scent on the skin, leaving it smelling fresh, tropical, and scrumptious.

This body wash is dermatologist-tested to ensure that it’s suitable for sensitive skin. It has a mild and gentle formula that shouldn’t irritate delicate skin. It also doesn’t contain heavy, artificial perfumes and other unnecessary vanity ingredients, like colorants and dyes, which can irritate the skin.

Each bottle of this body wash comes in a huge 30oz bottle with a pump. That means you never have to worry about running out of soap, since this amount can last you and your family a long time.

One downside to this body wash is that the consistency is a bit watery. You may be forced to use more soap than you need because of this.

This is one of the best soaps for soft water, gentle soap to use with soft water because it’s light and washes off super easily. It doesn’t hurt that it also leaves your body smelling sweet, fresh, and delicious.

10. Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Pure Castile Bar Soap

Dr. Bronner’s is the gold standard for Castile soap, and this bar version of their popular liquid soap is just as effective and pleasant to use.

It’s made with super moisturizing oils, such as coconut, jojoba, olive, and hemp seed oils—all popular for their ability to deeply nourish the skin and hair. That’s why it’s a great soap to use on super dry skin.

The soap produces a thick, bubbly lather with lots of suds. The great thing is that it doesn’t contain any harsh foaming chemicals typically found in sudsy soaps, like sulfates that strip the skin of healthy moisture.

This soap has a peppermint scent that leaves the skin feeling lively and refreshed. Its cool fragrance makes it a good soap to use in the summertime.

It’s also super versatile and can be used from head to toe. You can use it as a shampoo, facial cleanser, pet soap, and even laundry detergent for hand-washing clothes.

The soap is wrapped up in only recycled, post-consumer packaging, so you know that your purchase is good for the environment.

The only issue with this bar soap is that because it’s made of rich oils that are very soft, the soaps don’t last a long time. They melt relatively quickly compared to other bar soaps in the market.

If you’re looking for a gentle yet highly moisturizing soap that you can use from head to toe, this Dr. Bronner’s soap is terrific for you. It’s mild and nourishing, and will be great paired with your soft water.

11. Tom’s of Maine Orange Blossom Soap

This soap by Tom’s of Maine is formulated with moisturizing oils like palm oil and argan oil of Morocco. These oils work together to moisturize the skin and condition it to give it some luminosity and shine.

Even if it’s highly hydrating, it also does a great job of purifying the skin. It cleanses so deep that it rids the skin of any trace of dirt and impurities.

This soap leaves your skin smelling like sweet, fruity, and zesty orange blossoms to make you feel alive and vivacious for the day ahead.

It’s triple-milled for the highest level of class and quality so that your soap doesn’t melt easily in its soap dish. This method also allows for a dense and smooth soap for easier use.

The formula doesn’t contain potentially irritating ingredients that can harm your skin, such as artificial fragrances and parabens.

However, this soap isn’t exactly the best at creating a rich, foamy lather of bubbles in the shower. Because it’s made with natural oils, it’s kind of challenging to create suds in running water with it. Nonetheless, it still does a great job cleaning your skin, whether or not any big bubbles are formed.

This soap is fabulous for rehydrating parched and tired skin and leaving it smelling like gorgeous orange blossoms. Because it’s made with gentle, nourishing oils, it’s super easy to wash off with soft water.

12. Softsoap Fresh Breeze Hand Soap

This Softsoap liquid soap is super effective at washing away dirt, debris, and bacteria on your hands after running some errands. It helps keep your hands squeaky clean and germ-free.

It’s formulated with some lightly moisturizing ingredients, which help hydrate your skin. This helps soften your hands, making them smooth and supple to the touch.

The soap has a crisp and airy scent, reminiscent of a fresh breeze of air with no pollution. This aroma lingers on your skin for many hours, so your hands will continue to smell fresh long after you’ve washed with this soap.

You also get terrific value for money when you purchase this hand soap. You get six 7.5oz bottles of soap in one pack, and while that size may seem a bit small, you’ll never have to worry about running out quickly since you have additional stock on hand.

But if you have a sensitive sense of smell, you may not like this hand soap. The scent can be strong, like a rich cologne, and it can be overbearing if you are used to lighter scents that fade throughout the day.

If you love fresh scents and want to get into the habit of cleaning your hands more often, this hand soap by Softsoap is excellent for you and the whole family. It washes your skin effectively while leaving it lightly moisturized, which is good for your skin’s overall health.

What to Look for When Buying a Good Soap for Soft Water

• Easy to wash off the skin with soft water
  Soft water is notorious for making it difficult to wash soap off of the skin. So if you have soft water running in your pipes at home, it’s best to look for a soap that is formulated to wash off easily without much effort or an insane level of water pressure from the shower.
  
  Gentle soaps made with naturally derived surfactants and nourishing oils are usually easier to wash off than other soap formulations.
  
  
• Doesn’t leave a sticky, soapy residue on the skin after rinsing it off
  You want to make sure your soap won’t leave a sticky film on your skin. This is one of the most annoying things about soft water—having to tolerate sticky skin with a soapy residue after the shower. Make sure your soap leaves you feeling fresh and clean, not uncomfortable and waxy.
  
  
• Cleanses thoroughly but hydrates the skin deeply too 
  Above all else, ensure that the soft water soap you pick will wash your skin thoroughly. Showers are meant to clean and rinse away all the dirt, sweat, and impurities on your skin, so it’s non-negotiable in your soap of choice.
  
  That said, you still want one with hydrating benefits. Check out soaps with moisturizing ingredients such as coconut oil, aloe, honey, and more to keep your skin supple and soft.

Why is It Hard to Wash Soap off With Soft Water

Unlike hard water, soft water is purified and doesn’t have hard minerals laced in it. Its ions find it hard to bind themselves to soap molecules, making it a bit more challenging to rinse off your skin.

It’s also much easier to lather up soap in soft water, which means you can use more suds and bubbles than you anticipate. This also plays a role in having issues washing soap off, since you may be working with more than you’re used to.

Conclusion

Soft water can be tricky to work with because soap doesn’t seem to want to wash off with it. But as long as you have the best soap for soft water sitting on your bathroom shelf, you’ll do just fine.

You can hardly go wrong with any of the soaps on this list, seeing as how they’re highly raved-about by those who live in areas with softer water.

See how different your showers can feel once you have a soap that suits your soft water. Purchase one of these soaps and feel the world of difference in your bath today!