My Honest Review of Lever 2000 Original Bar Soap (2025)

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Lever 2000 Original Bar Soap has been a recognizable name in my bathroom for as long as I can remember. It was always known for its fresh scent, generous lather, and ability to leave skin feeling truly clean. However, in recent years I’ve noticed some big changes. What was once a staple for my family has started to feel like a different product entirely. In this review, I’ll share my full experience with the current Lever 2000 Original Bar Soap—the good, the bad, and everything in between—so you’ll know exactly what to expect if you’re thinking of buying it.

Packaging

The packaging for Lever 2000 has changed several times over the years. Today, the bars usually come in multi-packs with a cardboard box or paperboard sleeve. Some still have each bar individually boxed inside, which I personally find to be wasteful extra packaging, even though it does keep the bars cleaner before use. Recent packages feature the how2recycle.info logo, which is a small but welcome nod to environmental responsibility. The branding has also been refreshed with a bold white-on-blue logo and a “New Look” banner. Unfortunately, for many long-time users like me, this “New Look” has become a visual cue for the reformulated version we don’t like as much. I even noticed the country of origin shift to “Made in Indonesia,” which feels like another subtle sign of how much this soap has changed from the one I grew up with.

Ingredients

One of the most confusing things about Lever 2000 Original is that it’s not actually just one soap anymore. There are at least three different formulations currently being sold under the same name. Some are based on sodium tallowate with corn starch, others on palm oil with shea and almond oil, and another variation includes sunflower seed oil with synthetic detergents. This inconsistency makes it hard to know what you’re getting. Across all versions, the soap is free of parabens and dyes, and it’s rated as 91% top allergen free by SkinSAFE. It also consistently contains glycerin, which helps with moisture retention. Still, for those of us who used the old tallow-based formula, the new blends feel softer, dissolve faster, and don’t lather the same. When I first noticed corn starch on the label, I thought it was a typo—but it wasn’t. That change alone explained why the bar no longer felt like it used to.

Scent

The scent used to be one of my favorite parts of this soap. The old version had a crisp, clean fragrance—like a mix of ocean breeze, baby powder, and a hint of lavender or lemon. It was subtle but memorable and tied to a lot of personal memories, including my dad keeping it in the bathroom when I was a kid. The current bar, however, smells very different. It’s described by the brand as “classic” and “refreshing,” but to my nose it comes off as overly perfumed and chemical-like, with some batches even smelling rancid. Some people still find it light and fresh, but for me the fragrance has lost the nostalgic charm that once set Lever 2000 apart. That loss of its signature scent felt like losing a small part of my own history with the product.

Lather and Application

The way a bar soap lathers can make or break the experience. With the old Lever 2000, I could count on a creamy, stable lather that felt both cleansing and gentle. The newer bars often produce a thin, weak foam that just doesn’t feel as effective. I’ve even had a bar create such a slippery residue in the tub that it felt unsafe—like an oil slick—something that never happened with the old formula. The soap still rinses off easily, which is nice, but the overall lathering experience has clearly declined compared to the original formula. It’s frustrating to watch a once-great product lose the qualities that made it special.

Effectiveness

Despite all the changes, Lever 2000 still cleans reasonably well. It’s marketed as a deep yet gentle cleanser that can be used on hands, body, and even face. On days when my skin isn’t overly dry or sensitive, it leaves me feeling clean without harshness. It’s also formulated to wash away bacteria, though it no longer makes any antibacterial claims—a detail you’ll notice if you compare older and newer boxes side by side. One thing that has stayed consistent is its moisturizing quality—thanks to the glycerin and added oils, my skin doesn’t feel stripped after using it. This mildness is probably the soap’s strongest remaining feature, and it’s what keeps me from writing it off completely.

Size and Lifespan

Lever 2000 bars are sold in 3.75 oz and 4 oz sizes now, but older bars were larger—4.5 or even 5 oz. This shrinkage is noticeable. What bothers me more is how fast the new bars dissolve. The old formula gave me weeks of daily use per bar, but now I’m lucky to get three or four showers before it becomes a mushy sliver. The newer bars also tend to crack or split after a couple of uses, which reinforces the feeling that the quality has declined. Between the smaller size and the softer texture, the cost-per-use has skyrocketed even though the shelf price looks low. I even caught myself thinking they’d made the bars softer on purpose to make me buy more frequently—a suspicion echoed by other long-time users.

Brand Reputation

Lever 2000 was once a trusted American household staple, but its reputation has taken a hit. Average ratings on big retail sites hover around 2.6 to 3 out of 5, with nearly half of the reviews being one-star. The overwhelming theme is frustration from long-time users who feel the brand ruined a beloved product and is being misleading by calling it “Original.” Even though Unilever, the parent company, has a strong corporate image and a commendable stance against animal testing, that doesn’t seem to help Lever 2000 at the product level. People blame Unilever directly for the decline and feel betrayed. Even their customer service responses online come across as generic apologies, which does little to restore trust.

Price and Value

On paper, Lever 2000 is still one of the cheapest soaps in its category, often costing between $0.58 and $0.72 per bar when you buy multi-packs. That’s less than many competitors like Dial, Zest, or Irish Spring. But when a bar only lasts a few showers, the real value disappears. A slightly more expensive bar from another brand may actually save you money in the long run because it lasts twice as long. The low shelf price has become a kind of illusion, masking the higher cost-per-use caused by the soap’s softness and fast wear. What once felt like a bargain family soap now feels like an expensive disappointment.

Availability

One thing Lever 2000 still has going for it is its ubiquity. You can find it at Walmart, Target, Kroger, Safeway, Dollar General, and many other chains. It’s also easy to order online with same-day pickup or delivery, and even in bulk for commercial use. Vintage bars of the original formula show up on eBay for nostalgic buyers like me who occasionally go hunting for the “real” Lever 2000. This wide distribution shows Unilever’s market power, but it also means that many shoppers still stumble on the new version without realizing it’s different from what they remember.

Overall Rating