It's true that germs are going to get onto bar soap, and will temporarily be transferred to the next person who uses the bar. But when you rinse off the soap you also rinse off the germs. That's how soap works. You may think it's "icky" to use soap covered with germs from other people, but the chances of you getting sick from the germs on a bar of soap are very low, unless maybe you're eating it or something, and probably not even then.
Besides, most people who use body wash apply them with those "poof" things, which hang out in your shower, wet and filled with bacteria, dirt, and dead skins cells. I seriously doubt that they are much more sanitary that a wet bar of soap sitting in the soap dish.
Personally, I'd rather use a nice, smooth bar of soap on my genitals and ass crack, than go digging around down there with one of those poofs. The bar is easier to rinse clean.
As a general rule, I prefer bar soap. Body washes are made from detergents and all kinds of chemicals. Bar soaps and made from fat and alkaline salts, and are therefore safer and more biodegradable. Bar soaps are also generally "greener" and more economical as they use less packaging, they are lighter (therefore less costly to ship), they last longer, and they are less toxic.
I also find it easier and quicker to just grab a bar, lather up, rinse off, and go. The time it takes to open the bottle and mess around with the poof means more time in the shower and more water wasted.
Here are some articles in favor of bar soap:
Tip of the Day: Go back to the bar - Green Daily
Liquid soap vs. bar soap
Body wash for sure! Way more sanitary and more foamy too!
Have you ever tried using a regular bar of soap with a poof? I have, and I've gotten a richer, creamier lather than I ever got with a body wash.
Antibacterial soaps are really unnecessary and possibly harmful. Other soaps won't kill germs, but they will wash them off your body, which is really all you need to do. Triclosan, the active ingredient in most antibacterial soaps, is toxic and very harsh and drying to skin. Plus it gets into the environment and may kill the good, beneficial bacteria as well as generally contributing to water pollution. Read the linked article for more info.
Just say no to triclosan - Green Daily
Yes, they do, although I find it prohibitively expensive. Personally, I don't like the peppermint variety. I know some people like the cool, tingly sensation. I do not, especially in certain areas. Peppermint is known to be a skin irritant for many people, and I guess I'm one of them. They do make other varieties, however (e.g., tea tree, lavender, etc.).
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps All-One!
