Bars vs. Bottles: Are Bars Really Hygienic?

We love our eco-friendly bath soaps, and eco-friendly shampoo bars, and so do our customers! They’re sustainable, toxin-free, and plant-based.

Switching from bottles to bars is one of the simplest ways to reduce plastic waste in your personal care routine. However, one question keeps coming up: “Are bars hygienic?”

When used and stored right, bars are not only hygienic but also long-lasting, travel-friendly, and planet-friendly.

Let’s break it down.

1. Keep It Dry Between Uses

• Bars last longer, and stay cleaner when they’re allowed to dry out between uses.

• Use a draining soap dish, one that allows water to flow away instead of collecting at the bottom.

• If you’re using the bar in the shower, keep it away from direct water flow.

2. Lather Smartly, Don’t Share Direct Contact

• For shampoo and conditioner bars:

• Rub the bar between your hands to create a rich lather, then apply the lather to your hair.

• Alternatively, glide the bar gently over wet hair for a few seconds and massage with your fingers, just like liquid shampoo.

• Avoid letting multiple people use the same bar directly on hair or body. Sharing bars can transfer bacteria, so it’s best to keep one bar per person (just like your toothbrush).

3. Store It Right

A little care goes a long way. When traveling, carry your bar in a reusable tin or bamboo case, but make sure it’s dry before sealing it. At home, choose a breathable spot with good airflow instead of a damp corner or closed container.

4. Clean Occasionally

• You can give your bars a quick hygiene refresh:

• Rinse the surface of the bar under running water.

• Pat dry with a clean towel.

• Leave it out in the open to air-dry completely before the next use.

Bare Necessities Bars Are Naturally Cleaner 

Here’s something most people don’t realize. Unlike loofahs or plastic bottles, bars dry out quickly, which makes it hard for bacteria to survive. Solid shampoo, conditioner, and soap bars are concentrated and self-preserving , without the need for chemical stabilizers.

At Bare Necessities, our bars are plant-based and toxin-free, formulated with natural oils, essential oils, and clays that have their own antimicrobial properties.

Our soap bars, for example, the Annatto Spa Bar and Basil Rosemary Spa Bar, are made using time-tested oils such as coconut oil, sesame oil, and castor oil.

• Coconut oil is a powerful natural cleanser, castor oil supports gentle lathering, and sesame oil is known for its skin-protective qualities.

• Neem oil, long used in traditional skincare, brings its naturally antibacterial and antifungal properties to the formula, while essential oils like lavender, patchouli, basil, and rosemary help keep the bars fresh-smelling and skin-balancing.

Our shampoo and conditioner bars are equally intentional.

• They use plant-derived cleansers that are mild on the scalp, combined with nourishing ingredients like cacao butter, and hydrolysed proteins that support hair strength and moisture.

• Ingredients such as cranberry extract, oat protein, moringa, flaxseed oil, and seaweed extracts add antioxidants and nutrients that care for both scalp and hair health.

The Love is in the (h)air Conditioner Bar goes a step further with deeply nourishing oils like seabuckthorn and cacao butter, along with vitamin E and botanical essential oils, to hydrate without weighing hair down.

Because bars contain less water, fewer fillers, and more functional ingredients, they stay stable, last longer, and remain hygienic with simple care, just let them dry between uses.

Why It’s Worth It

By switching to bars, you’re saving countless plastic bottles from ending up in landfills or oceans. Each bar is proof that sustainability doesn’t have to compromise on hygiene or performance , it just needs a bit of mindful use.

So next time someone tells you bars aren’t hygienic, you’ll know exactly what to say, and how to show that clean can be green, too.