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Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

by | Nov 18, 2025 | General, Healthcare & Lifestyle

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Image credit: Lora Seis via Unsplash

It’s time to hop into the shower (or bath), what do Americans prefer to reach for to clean themselves between a bar of soap or body wash? New CivicScience survey data from over 26,000 U.S. adults with an opinion reveals 44% reporting they’d pick body wash, compared to 36% who lean towards a bar of soap. Meanwhile, one in five feels that either one is fine. But the data also reveal noteworthy demographic and behavioral differences. Keep swiping to see them.

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Background image credit: Getty Images via Unsplash+

When made to pick one or the other (excluding ‘no opinion’ and ‘either is fine’) it's clear that age plays a key role in shaping preferences. Seventy percent of Gen Z adults (aged 18-29) say they prefer body wash over bar soap. While 63% of those 65+ lean toward a bar of soap. A slim majority of male respondents (51%) prefer bar soap, while 64% of women prefer body wash.

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Background image credit: Caleb Wright via Unsplash

Honing in on showering habits, both body wash and bar soap fans are more likely to prefer showering in the morning compared to other times. That said, bar soap-leaning respondents over-index their body wash counterparts in preferring to show in the morning (56% to 49%, respectively). Meanwhile, body wash fans are twice as likely as soap fans to prefer an afternoon shower time.

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Background image credit: Max van den Oetelaar via Unsplash

More than half of soap bar fans (55%) feel that is 'easy' for them to relax, out-pacing body way fans by 15 points.

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Image credit: Kateryna Hliznitsova via Unsplash+

Speaking of the shower, do these segments ever brush their teeth while showering? Although this practice is not particularly common among either group, those who prefer body wash are more than twice as likely as soap fans to brush their teeth in the shower at least sometimes (26% to 11%, respectively).

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Bar Soap or Body Wash? Americans’ Pick Says More Than You Think

Image Credit: Count Chris via Unsplash

Those who pick bar soap over body wash are nearly 40% more likely than body wash fans to report feeling happy (63% to 45%). Conversely, those who lean body wash are twice as likely to say they’re feeling unhappy lately (10% to 6%), with the remaining percent feeling neutral.

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Image credit: Lora Seis via Unsplash

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