Dr. Squatch is a soap brand that claims to be "formulated for men" (meaning it's free of estrogenic compounds) and free of harmful ingredients.
But is Dr. Squatch soap really healthier than regular drug store soap or are these just marketing claims? Does it contain any research-backed ingredients for improving skin quality? Is it really free of harmful ingredients? And how do real users rate its smell and experience?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Dr. Squatch bar soap (the brand's most popular product), Dr. Squatch deodorant and Dr. Squatch shampoo.
We'll share real user reviews of each product and explain the cheapest place to buy Dr. Squatch products.
Dr. Squatch Soap Ingredient Review
Soap is the core product offering of Dr. Squatch, and is well-formulated. In their ads they mention how many questionable ingredients exist in commercial soaps and they’re mostly right. The ingredient list above is from the Pine Tar version of Dr. Squatch bar soap, and contains a number of research-backed ingredients.
Coconut oil is one of the most effective moisturizing plant oils, as detailed in a medical review published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine.
Pine tar has been used in cosmetic formulations for thousands of years, is soothing to skin, and may be effective for treating common skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis according to a 2017 meta-study.
Oatmeal has skin-hydrating properties, as we documented in our review of another popular skincare brand called Dermalogica.
Unfortunately, Dr. Squatch soap contains fragrance, and there are documented toxicity concerns related to fragranced consumer products. We recommend avoiding fragranced soaps.
Overall we consider Dr. Squatch soap likely to improve skin quality given several research-backed ingredients, and we consider the brand to be significantly healthier than most commercial soap brands found at a drug store. We do not recommend the product due to the inclusion of fragrance.
One of the most popular YouTube reviews of Dr. Squatch soap comes from a creator called Gerald Undone. The video is unsponsored and quite entertaining. It includes issues with free shipping, a product unboxing and a real review of the scent:
We Tried Dr. Squatch – Our Take
As one of the authors of this article (Calloway), I wanted to purchase and try Dr. Squatch soap myself to share my thoughts on its scent and the overall product experience.
The first thing worth pointing out is that the packaging is brilliant, as the cut-out allows you to smell each bar in the store to pick your favorite scents.
I don't know why more soap brands haven't adopted this, but I've never seen it before purchasing Dr. Squatch.
I bought and used three different soap bars, and the Birchwood Breeze was my favorite of the three. The scent was fresh, with floral and citrus notes, but also had a more natural "soap" smell than the other two which had a more overpowering artificial-type scent to me.
One thing I didn't like about the Bay Rum and Wood Barrel Bourbon soaps was that the small was so strong that it scented almost the whole bathroom (or at least the shower part). I like a more subtle scent profile.
Another benefit of Dr. Squatch is the texture is a bit rugged and allows for a better lather than soaps with a smoother exterior. I typically use Dr. Bronner's soap and it takes a lot longer to lather than Dr. Squatch.
Overall, I'd rate this brand a 6.5 out of 10.
I wouldn't buy these products again because I personally avoid soaps with fragrance and prefer Dr Bronner's from an ingredient perspective.
How Dr. Squatch Went Viral
Dr. Squatch initially went viral due to an unbelievably successful commercial. Their ad has over 173 million views on YouTube and is quite entertaining:
Where to Buy Dr. Squatch Soap
Dr. Squatch soap is available for sale on a wide variety of online retailers. Here's the price breakdown at the time of updating this article:
Amazon: $7/bar (link)
Brand website: $6.55/bar (link)
Walmart: $5.98/bar (link)
Surprisingly, Walmart has the best prices for Dr. Squatch soap even while the soap bars are available for individual sale (which is typically more expensive). On Amazon, you need to purchase in bulk to get down to the $7/bar price listed above.
Dr. Squatch Deodorant Review
Deodorant, much like soap, is a product category that has legitimate health concerns depending on formulation. A recent medical review found potential health concerns with many ingredients in commercial deodorants, including aluminum, antiseptics, fragrances and certain essential oils.
Dr. Squatch’s deodorant (ingredients shown above), like their soap, has a great formulation except for the inclusion of fragrance.
Coconut oil has proven antibacterial properties.
Charcoal may reduce body odor according to a 2008 clinical trial.
We do not recommend Dr. Squatch deodorant overall due to the inclusion of fragrance, but we do consider it a healthier alternative to most commercial deodorants.
A YouTube creator called Natural Soap Man reviewed Dr. Squatch deodorant and provided info on how long the products last, how well they absorb moisture, did a scent review and more:
Dr. Squatch Shampoo Review
Dr. Squatch shampoo contains rosemary leaf extract, which is clinically shown to promote hair growth as we documented in our Olaplex review article.
Honey was proven to be a natural anti-dandruff treatment in a medical review published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
We already determined oat to be an effective skin and hair hydrator in a previous section.
However Dr. Squatch shampoo contains not only fragrance but also synthetic preservative sodium benzoate, so we don't recommend the product overall.
Our Clean Soap Pick
The soap brand we recommend is Dr. Bronner's Hemp Citrus Pure Castile Bar Soap.
Like Dr. Squatch, this soap is primarily made from safe botanical ingredients like organic coconut oil, organic olive oil and organic jojoba oil (which is proven in clinical research to hydrate skin and improve skin elasticity).
The main difference from a health perspective is that Dr. Bronner's soap is fragrance-free, using organic lemon oil and organic orange oil as natural fragrance compounds. We personally have used these soaps and they smell amazing.
Dr. Bronner's soap is also cheaper than Dr. Squatch, costing under $5 at the time of writing this article, for the same sized soap, while Dr. Squatch is currently $5.98 at the cheapest online retailer.
Interested consumers can check out Dr. Bronner's Hemp Citrus Pure Castile Bar Soap at this link to its Amazon listing.
Dr. Squatch Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Dr. Squatch as a brand in our opinion.
Pros:
- Effective plant-based ingredients
- Healthier than commercial products
- Great branding
- Relatively affordable
Cons:
- Contains fragrance
- Shampoo contains synthetic preservative
- Slightly more expensive than similar brands
