Primally Pure Soothing Bar

A gentle, nourishing facial cleansing bar formulated to soothe and calm skin while cleansing, making it a good choice for sensitive, irritated, or reactive skin. The Soothing Bar is designed to cleanse without stripping, helping maintain skin balance and comfort.

Ingredients

This cleansing bar is made with organic palm oil (RSPO certified), organic and fair trade coconut oil, organic olive oil, sodium hydroxide (used in the saponification process), organic tamanu oil, essential oils of organic blue tansy, organic spike lavender, and organic sandalwood, plus organic lavender flower and organic rosemary extract.

Certifications & Standards

  • Made in the USA

  • Small-batch production

  • Free from petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, phthalates, and plastic-derived ingredients

What I Like

  • EWG Rating: 1 — based on adding the ingredient list into the EWG Skin Deep Analyzer to assess overall ingredient safety.

  • Formulated with saponified organic oils rather than synthetic surfactants, providing a gentle, skin-barrier-friendly cleanse.

  • Includes tamanu oil, known for its soothing and skin-calming properties, which can help with redness or sensitivity.

  • Essential oils of blue tansy, spike lavender, and sandalwood — along with lavender flower and rosemary extract — offer botanical support and a calming aromatic experience.

  • Leaves skin feeling clean, smooth, and soothed rather than tight or irritated.

  • I love using this as the second step after one of their oil cleansers for a simple double-cleanse routine. The oil cleanser breaks down makeup, sunscreen, and buildup, and this bar finishes the cleanse, leaving skin calm, clean, and balanced.

Things to Keep in Mind

  • This bar does contain essential oils (blue tansy, spike lavender, sandalwood), which may still cause sensitivity or reactions in very reactive skin — even if the overall formulation is gentle.

  • Sodium hydroxide is necessary for soap-making and is neutralized during saponification, but some users sensitive to soaps may prefer a cream or lotion cleanser instead.

  • As with all solid cleansing bars, allow it to dry thoroughly between uses to preserve its longevity.

Sensitive Skin & Pregnancy Considerations

The base oils in this bar — including palm, coconut, olive, and tamanu — plus calendula, lavender flower, and rosemary extract are generally considered low risk for topical use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

This formula also contains essential oils such as blue tansy, spike lavender, and sandalwood. These are not linked to confirmed hormonal or developmental concerns at cosmetic-use levels, but some people experience increased scent or skin sensitivity during pregnancy, and aromatic essential oils can feel more stimulating on reactive or hormonally shifting skin.

There is no confirmed evidence that this bar is unsafe when used as directed during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you know you tend to react to essential oils or notice heightened sensitivity during pregnancy, patch testing can be helpful.