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As time passes and "It Girl" products of the beauty world evolve, it's inevitable that certain types of products rise to the top while others fade into near (or total) obscurity. In an industry once dominated by matte foundations and theater-grade contour kits, sheer skin tints and finger-painterly balms are makeup's soup du jour. The body care department is no different; you'd be hard-pressed to find a "bestsellers" section on any beauty brand's website with a bar of soap still at the top — at least, that is, for now.
Because all it takes to resurrect a bygone beauty moment is some vision, some follow-through, and, in this particular case, faith that handheld units of soap — or buffing bars (their exfloating alter egos) — deserve the spotlight again. And who better to bring them back to the forefront than two Glossier alums that spotted a gap in the market? A couple of body acne- and keratosis pilaris-busting formulations later, and the Soft Services Buffing Bar (yes, a not-so-humble bar of soap) has its first-ever Allure Best of Beauty Award. Soap, welcome back to the VIP section.
According to the brand's website, the Buffing Bar is a microcrystal exfoliant bar that provides moderate-to-intense physical exfoliation. Unlike chemical exfoliants, physical exfoliants (think body scrubs) use motion and friction to manually lift away buildup and dead skin cells. To avoid irritation, you should use the bar on rough areas that can handle more intense exfoliation, like heels, elbows, and knees. The Buffing Bar can also help fight buildup that leads to ingrown hairs and lessen the appearance of keratosis pilaris (KP) bumps on arms and legs. Since this bar really means business, the brand does not recommend it for sensitive, sunburned, or irritated skin — or on active breakouts.
The dermatologists I spoke to seconded this advisory. "In general, anything that has a physical exfoliant property should be avoided in those who have sensitive skin, acne, rosacea, eczema, or any other inflammatory skin condition that may result in a compromised barrier," writes Dr. Mona Gohara, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut and Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Morgan Rabach, an NYC-based board-certified dermatologist agreed, and also warned against using the bar on allergy-prone skin or your face.
That said, if you don't have any of these skin conditions, this body bar is a great way to tackle rough, dry areas from the comfort of your shower. "The magnesium oxide microcrystals provide grit needed to break down the 'glue' holding the cells together," writes Dr. Gohara. Once this "glue" breaks down, the dead skin cells are untethered and easy to slough away, leaving fresh, soft skin behind. Dr. Rabach pointed out that soothing ingredients glycerin and aloe in the bar hydrate and soothe the skin following the exfoliation treatment. The Buffing Bar is also fortified with nourishing shea butter, another moisturizing ingredient. These physical exfoliants and anti-inflammatory ingredients balance each other out so you never feel like you've taken a sheet of sandpaper to your body. Still, Gohara and Rabach both recommend testing on a small area and checking how the skin reacts before buffing all over.
One of the product's less important traits that I must mention nonetheless is the color. The bar's beautiful cornflower blue color instantly perked up my shower shelf in the windowless bathroom of my Brooklyn apartment and made me even more thrilled to try it out than I already was. I've had pretty consistent KP on my upper arms for as long as I can remember — plus the occasional breakout on my legs — so I jumped at the chance to finally put these red bumps at bay.
Following my initial patch test, I was a little shocked at the intensity of the exfoliation. The first pass was harsher than I expected, but once fully wet the bar became significantly softer, though I could still feel the microcrystals working in that satisfying physical exfoliant type of way. The second time I used the bar, I held it under the water to completely dampen it before taking it to my skin, and haven't had a scratchiness issue since.
Of all of the KP remedies I've tried, the Soft Services Buffing Bar is one is the easiest, most low-maintenance solutions I've come across. Exfoliating lotions never did quite enough, body serums left my skin feeling sticky, and scrubs made a giant mess in my tiny shower. A couple of swipes of this bar across my KP-affected areas left my skin softer and more even-toned for days at a time, with minimal effort added to my shower routine. When paired with a light layer of the brand's Carea Cream Daily Toning Lotion, I'm the most KP-free that I've been in years.
Remember though, that the Buffing Bar is not a cleanser, so we'd recommend following it up with your favorite body wash to complete your in-shower body care. The brand's newly launched Comfort Cleanse Ultra Soothing Shower Gel is an ideal follow-up, as it's packed with glycerin, a humectant that hydrates by attracting water to the skin like a magnet. Since testing it out, this shower gel has been a shaving staple for Allure beauty and wellness editor Taylore Glynne. "My calves were silky and soft, and there were no signs of razor burn or irritation whatsoever," Glynne wrote in her review.
While bar soaps, in general, may not be the "It Girls" of beauty, Soft Services' Buffing Bar most certainly is a staple for the ages. Pick up a pack of two Buffing Bars for $28, or snag a set with other products starting at $56 from softservices.com.
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