12 Best Dr. Squatch Soaps, According to a Scent Expert (2024)

Weird confession: I have a problem.

I’m obsessed with soap.

Choosing a soap can be confusing—all soaps are made with similar ingredients, and most of them do a good job of cleaning and softening your skin. Fragrant soaps, however, have scented oils added to them, so when you wash with one, you’ll smell fresh for hours.

My husband and I recently became big fans of Dr. Squatch—my partner is a longtime fan—so you can trust us when we say we know what works and what doesn’t. Today we’re going to focus on our favorite scents of soap from their collection.

Table of Contents

Why Should You Use an Organic Handmade Soap?

Most soap products contain chemicals that can be harmful to your skin and your health if you’re exposed to them over long periods.

Organic soap is a great alternative for these reasons:

It’s completely handmade, so each piece is unique and made with care.
The ingredients used are natural and safe from allergies as they’re free from any synthetic chemicals.
Many of the ingredients in these products are biodegradable, making them friendlier to the environment than conventional soaps.
It’s cruelty-free, meaning no animal testing is done on the product.
If you’re concerned about living more sustainably or reducing your environmental footprint, using natural soap is a great way to go.
Finally, natural soap is highly moisturizing and rich in antioxidants, which helps to keep your skin elastic and smooth.

The Dr. Squatch Promise

Dr. Squatch’s products are meant to be an answer for men who want to use skincare products but don’t want to risk irritating the skin or harming the environment with harsh chemicals.

The idea for Dr. Squatch came to founder Jack Haldrup when he realized there had to be other guys out there who wanted better products with natural ingredients and manly scents.

So Jack set out on a mission to create the best possible products for men—products they would be proud to use and that would help them live bolder, more adventurous lives.

Using ISO 16128 methodology, they’ve determined that all of their products are at least 98% natural origin (sometimes more). Their line of products now includes deodorants, colognes, soaps, and shampoos—all made with the highest-quality ingredients.

Dr. Squatch soaps use a base of vegetable oils instead of tallow or animal fat, which is more commonly found in soaps. They don’t use harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, sulfates, DMDM hydantoin, synthetic coloring agents, mineral oil, MIT/CIT, nitro & polycyclic musks, petrolatum, or PEGs.

Dr. Squatch soaps have the added benefit of containing glycerin — a natural byproduct of the soapmaking process — because many commercial soap manufacturers remove it and sell it as a separate product rather than including it in their soaps. Glycerin is great for your skin because it attracts moisture and helps keep your skin hydrated.

What are the Best Smelling Dr. Squatch Soaps?

When I first washed my hands with Dr. Squatch’s soap, I knew I had found something special. But which soaps are the best?

I’ll tell you right now—there’s no wrong answer. They’re all fantastic.

But if you’re looking for a place to start, here’s my ranking from favorite to least favorite.

1. Pine Tar

You know that feeling after a good workout when you feel like your whole body is buzzing with energy? That’s what this soap makes me feel like! It’s amazing for exfoliation and has such a wonderful, invigorating scent.

It smells like pine trees (we know because we went to a forest and sniffed some). And it feels great! The pine tar has some grit to get you clean after a day of working outside, but it’s also super moisturizing—so you’ll feel refreshed and clean, not scoured to the bone like most supposedly “scrubbing” soaps make you feel. We think this is one of the best pine tar soaps on the market!

That said, we kinda wish the scent lasted longer. We’re not sure why it doesn’t stick around—maybe your skin absorbs the smell into your pores, which would be an interesting use for pine tar (we’ll have to look that up). But alas, if you want to smell like fresh pine sap all day long, you’ll have to make do with reapplying frequently. Also, we think the size of the bar is inadequate—it should be bigger so it can last longer!

To help you get more use out of your soap, we suggest reading this article on how to preserve it properly.

2. Frosty Peppermint

YES! It smells great. The peppermint feels really strong in a pleasant way. If you like peppermint this is a product you’ll enjoy using. I think it works best in summer but it could be an all-year soap for you.

This soap is pretty moderately moisturizing, so it won’t leave your skin feeling overly dry, but it also won’t leave behind an oily residue, either. It’s perfect for getting all of the grime off without leaving your skin feeling too dried out or slick (unless you want it to!).

It’s a cheaper alternative to Soap Guy’s Candy Cane soap, but it smells just as lovely—and it has that same icy-cool feeling that comes from the menthol in the peppermint.

Some downsides: be careful not to let the soap get into your eyes—it stings like crazy! Also, the size of the bar is inadequate; I’ve found they wear down very quickly because they’re so soft.

3. Cool Fresh Aloe

First off, the aloe scent is unlike any other. It feels very fresh and smells just like real aloe. The green and white swirls also make it visually appealing.

I used this soap in the shower, and it lathered well! It smells similar to Irish Spring, which I like. But the bar literally lasted about a week, which is definitely not worth the price. The soap also got a little sticky and gooey after a couple of uses—it was hard to get out of the dish.

The scent lasted all day without being too strong. I also loved how moisturized my skin felt. I’ve used other soaps in the past that have made my skin crack and dry, but this soap was really good at keeping my skin feeling hydrated.

Overall, we think you should try the Cool Fresh Aloe and experience that incredible scent for yourself!

4. Bay Rum

This Dr. Squatch soap definitely lives up to its name—it makes me feel like I’m on vacation on a tropical island whenever I use it in the shower. It is also a very masculine-smelling soap that will be great for those who are looking for something with a distinctly manly scent.

I was surprised at how easily it lathers up—even with a loofah! Plus, the scent is strong enough to penetrate the packaging (which is saying something). I don’t know what makes this “cool” bay rum, but it’s got a distinct smell of citrus. And it’s more like an island scent than the bay rum-scented cologne you might wear to work.

However, it should be noted that this soap may not last as long as some other bars of soap, as mine lasted only about 2 weeks before I was ready to purchase another one.

Furthermore, if you are going to buy this soap and store it in a soap dish or holder, you may have trouble finding a space for it because the bars are wider than average.

5. Fresh Falls

When this soap was temporarily out of stock on their website, I felt slightly disheartened—even though I still had a few bars remaining in my collection. It had a nice rough-hewn quality that made me feel like I was washing with something actually handmade.

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First off, I love the scent. It reminds me of the deodorant they sell in the same scent, and it’s got a nice shade of blue that goes along with it. The fragrance also reminds me of their Cool Fresh Aloe soap but with a hint of a more cologne-type scent. I like the way it smells on my skin, though I don’t find it particularly long-lasting—I’d say about 3 hours or so before it fades away.

I’ve found that the soap lasts about two to three weeks, depending on how often it’s used. I’m glad they’re keeping these bars around—they’re permanent now!

6. Cold Brew Cleanse

The first thing I noticed was how great it smelled. It’s advertised as having a sweet sugary coffee scent, and that’s exactly what it smells like. It’s really pleasant, but you’ll want to make sure you don’t get any in your eyes—it may sting a bit!

It creates a great lather, similar to Bay Rum. It’s just a little too rough for my sensitive skin—especially on my face—but if you’re not too picky about your soap’s texture, you’ll probably love this feature.

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They have a handmade feel to them, which puts me at ease because I know I’m getting a quality product made with care.

But there are some cons… The scent doesn’t last long after you use it, which is a bummer. Also, it’s a little expensive for one bar of soap.

Overall I’d say this is an above-average bar of soap, and I would definitely recommend it!

7. Cedar Citrus

First things first: the smell of this soap will knock your socks off. It has a very natural, woodsy scent with an incredibly powerful note of orange to it, so much so that it actually reminded me of peeling an orange out in the woods, believe it or not.

The soap foams up well and leaves a nice lather on your skin, but it washes off fast, so if you’re looking to have that lingering soapy smell throughout the day, this probably isn’t the product for you. It rinses off quickly and easily though, which is nice.

Overall, I like this soap a lot, especially because of its scent! It was the first Dr. Squatch product I ever tried and what got me hooked on the brand in general (But I’m more of a fan of Dr. Squatch Pine Tar soap).

8. Spartan Scrub

The Spartan Scrub’s scent is made of a blend of natural fragrances created by the Fragrance Team at Dr. Squatch. The soap itself has a super thick consistency, which allows for a more thorough exfoliation than most of the other soaps that I have tried.

It blends the scents of silver sage, cedarwood, and yuzu into a woody mix that smells fresh and masculine without being too overpowering or fruity. The scent alone makes you feel like a warrior preparing for battle, with the soap’s orange and green mix of color adding to the effect.

One more thing I want to mention is how thick the lather is with this soap! It’s the thickest out of all the soaps I’ve tried from Dr. Squatch and makes me feel like my body is getting super clean (which is important to me as a person who works out a lot and gets dirty often).

What’s more? The unique box this soap comes in will be a great addition to any bathroom or shower.

9. Area 51 Bricc

Ahh, the desert. It’s hot and dry, but there’s something about it that just feels right. Maybe it’s the cacti or the sun on your skin, but there’s a kind of peace you can only find in the desert.

With Dr. Squatch Area 51 Bricc Soap, you get to experience that feeling with every shower. This soap is green, like a cactus in bloom, and smells strongly of prickly pear fruit—not too sweet, not too sour. It has a nice foamy lather to it, but it’s also slightly gritty, so you’ll feel extra clean when you’re done scrubbing down with it.

I enjoy the light exfoliation, it is perfect for an everyday soap. The texture is creamy, which makes it really easy to use. You don’t need a lot of soap for a good lather, it goes a long way. The green color is so pretty.

Overall, I enjoy using this soap and would recommend it to anyone who likes cactus-type scents or just wants something different to try out!

10. Drunk’n Pumpkin

My first impression of Dr. Squatch Drunk’n Pumpkin Soap is that it looks like a delicious pumpkin pie dessert. It’s a black-colored soap with orange swirls in it that really do give it a sweet treat look. The scent reminds me of fall and the holidays. It has a spicy and woodsy smell that is very strong and masculine so I know my husband will enjoy this soap as well.

It lathers up quickly and has kind of a foamy grey-colored lather to it that I guess is because of the charcoal in it. I also like the light exfoliating aspect of the charcoal—I don’t think it would be appropriate for daily use on my face, but it would definitely be great for more thorough once-a-week exfoliation.

My only two complaints about the soap are that I wish the scent lasted longer (though this could just be something personal) and that my washcloth got stained black from using it (again, I’m not sure if this was from the charcoal or mica—or both). Overall, though, an excellent product!

11. Grapefruit IPA

I like the smell of this soap, but it doesn’t leave a noticeable scent on your skin or hair after you leave the shower. A perfect brew of refreshing grapefruit and crisp, hoppy beer. But their funny commercial was the reason why I bought them.

You can smell the grapefruit, which is cool at first but kind of gets annoying after a while. If you like citrus scents, though, I think you’d LOVE this one! It lathers nicely and has a light exfoliation because of the oatmeal in it.

Overall, this soap is ok but doesn’t last long. It smells good on your skin while you are in the shower and afterward, it leaves no scent at all on your skin or hair after you leave the shower. The only thing I don’t like about this soap is that it falls apart really easily, so you can only use half of it before having to throw it away because it’s too small to use.

12. Gold Moss

I like this soap the least out of all the soaps on my list.

The scent is woodsy, but not overpowering. It has hints of oakmoss and shea butter that lend to an earthy tone. If you prefer a very strong smell, this may not be for you—but if you’re like me and like your soap to have some subtlety, Gold Moss will be perfect for you.

The smell is exactly what you’d expect from the description: very earthy, with just a hint of musk.

I’ve used this on my sensitive skin without any problems. It leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized without leaving behind any residue or causing any irritation—and it lathers really nicely too!

As with all cold-processed soaps, it is important to allow the soap to dry between uses. Cutting the bar into quarters makes it last longer. A loofah or exfoliating mitt is an easier way to get a better lather than rubbing the bar directly on your body.

What To Consider Before Buying Dr. Squatch Soaps

Before buying Dr. Squatch soap, there are a few things you may want to consider:

Price point: If you’re looking at a “natural” soap these days, be prepared to shell out a pretty penny. While Dr. Squatch’s soaps are definitely on the higher end of the spectrum price-wise, they’re still cheaper than other natural soaps out there.
Size: The bars are about 5 oz., which is smaller than some other soaps on the market. Personally, I don’t like super large bars anyway because they get mushy and gross when you can’t store them properly, but it’s something to keep in mind if you need a larger bar of soap.
Subscription service: Dr. Squatch offers customers the opportunity to sign up for a subscription service where you can get their products at a discounted rate and have them delivered right to your door on a regular schedule.
Shipping policies: Free shipping on orders over $50 is nice, and they also offer expedited shipping.

Our Final Thoughts

In summation, if you’re looking for a good-smelling, premium-quality soap that will last a long time, Dr. Squatch is an excellent choice.

As noted in my explanations for each, every one of these soaps is a great choice for use in your home, but my favorite scent is Pine Tar, closely followed by Frosty Peppermint. On the other hand, I found Birchwood Breeze to be my least favorite scent among Dr. Squatch’s soaps.

The one downside to the soap is its price, but ultimately that is expected from such high-quality items. Overall, Dr. Squatch soaps are great products for men of all ages who want to step up their grooming game.