Cedar Citrus Natural Bar Soap
Universal Crowd-Pleaser
Verified reviewer
Pros & cons.
- +Universally popular scent that most people find enjoyable and wearable
- +Bright orange-over-cedar profile that feels fresh without being aggressive
- +Standard Dr. Squatch cold-process build with real shea butter and olive oil
- +Continuously produced for over a decade with substantial user validation
- +Plastic-free kraft paper packaging from a transparent brand
- +Vegan formulation with no animal-derived ingredients
- +Lathers more creamily than most coconut-heavy natural bars
- −Essential oils contain fragrance allergens limonene, linalool, and citral
- −Alkaline pH typical of cold-process bars is less barrier-friendly than syndets
- −Premium price at $7 per 5oz bar compared to drugstore alternatives
- −Bar dissolves faster than commercial synthetic soaps
- −Unsuitable for facial use or for any compromised skin barrier
The full review.
If you ask a Dr. Squatch devotee which bar to try first, the answer is almost always Cedar Citrus. This matters, because Dr. Squatch’s scent lineup spans an unusually wide range — from the apocalyptic campfire of Pine Tar to the speakeasy warmth of Wood Barrel Bourbon to more polarizing releases that come and go with seasonal drops. Cedar Citrus has been in continuous production since the mid-2010s, which is practically forever in the DTC grooming category, and it’s earned that longevity by being the scent that almost nobody actively dislikes. That’s not the same thing as being the best — but it’s a genuinely useful piece of information if you’re standing in front of a display of bars wondering which one to pick up.
The scent itself is a pretty straightforward idea executed cleanly. Orange peel oil up top for brightness, cedarwood essential oil grounding the middle and base, and a whisper of peppermint and rosemary adding a subtle herbal lift. Together they read as fresh-outdoorsy in a way that works for spring and summer mornings but doesn’t feel out of place in December. The scent throw is moderate — you’ll smell it for two or three hours on your skin after showering — but it never crosses into cologne territory the way some of the heavier Dr. Squatch bars can.
Under the fragrance story, the formulation is the brand’s standard cold-process oil blend: sustainable palm, coconut, and olive oils saponified into actual soap, with shea butter added for emollient survival past the saponification reaction, and kaolin clay for dense lather. Nothing revolutionary here, but nothing lazy either. The olive oil inclusion is what separates this from the cheaper coconut-oil-heavy cold-process bars that strip the skin uncomfortably; the shea butter is what keeps the wash from feeling squeaky. You can tell this was made by people who’ve been doing cold-process soap for a while and understand the tradeoffs.
The texture in the shower is pleasant. The bar lathers quickly into a dense creamy foam with warm water, rinses cleanly without the weird film that budget natural soaps sometimes leave behind, and delivers a finish that feels clean rather than tight. First-time cold-process users sometimes describe it as ‘soap-ier’ than what they’re used to from body wash, which is accurate — this produces more lather and a different sensation than a syndet liquid cleanser. Some people love that. Some people find it old-fashioned. Neither opinion is wrong.
Where Cedar Citrus — and the entire Dr. Squatch cold-process lineup — runs into its honest limitations is skin chemistry. Traditional cold-process soap sits at a pH around 9 or 10, considerably higher than the skin’s natural 5.5. That’s fine for normal, resilient body skin used daily with follow-up moisturizer, but it’s a real problem for sensitive skin, eczema, or a barrier that’s already compromised from climate or other irritants. The essential oil fragrance in this particular bar adds another layer of consideration: limonene and linalool are two of the most common contact allergens in the cosmetics industry, and they’re unavoidable in a cedarwood-and-orange formulation. If you have a history of reacting to fragrance — even natural fragrance — Cedar Citrus is not the bar for you.
The value conversation is similar to every other premium natural soap. Seven dollars for a five-ounce bar is a lot by drugstore standards, and if you’re comparing strictly on cents-per-ounce of cleansing, you’re not going to win this argument. What you’re paying for is the scent quality, the transparent ingredient list, the plastic-free packaging, the brand experience, and the knowledge that the shea butter and oils are actually there in meaningful quantities rather than listed as trace ingredients for marketing copy. Whether that’s worth it depends on how much you enjoy the ritual of your shower — and how many other places in your life you’re willing to spend $7 on a small pleasure.
Who’s this for? Normal, combination, or oily skin types who want a fresh masculine scent for daily showers and appreciate the traditional bar soap format. First-time Dr. Squatch buyers looking for a crowd-pleaser that won’t be too polarizing. People who care about plastic-free packaging and transparent ingredient disclosure. Who should skip? Anyone with sensitive skin or fragrance allergies. Anyone with eczema, psoriasis, or an active skin condition. Budget-conscious shoppers who need effective cleansing at the lowest cost. And anyone who prefers unscented products — this is many things, but subtle is not one of them.
Who’s this for?
Normal, combination, or oily skin types who want a fresh masculine scent for daily showers and appreciate the traditional bar soap format. First-time Dr. Squatch buyers looking for a crowd-pleaser that won’t be too polarizing. People who care about plastic-free packaging and transparent ingredient disclosure.
Who should skip?
Anyone with sensitive skin or fragrance allergies. Anyone with eczema, psoriasis, or an active skin condition. Budget-conscious shoppers who need effective cleansing at the lowest cost. And anyone who prefers unscented products — this is many things, but subtle is not one of them.
Ingredient analysis.
Full INCI list · pH 9.5
Saponified Oils of: Elaeis Guineensis (Sustainable Palm) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil; Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaves, Kaolin, Sea Salt, Fragrance (Natural)
Skin match.
The science.
The Science
Cedar Citrus uses the same cold-process chemistry as the Dr. Squatch lineup. Saponification of sustainable palm, coconut, and olive oils produces sodium fatty-acid salts that act as surfactants. Glycerin remains as a byproduct, and shea butter adds unsaponifiable lipids that survive the reaction. The bar has an alkaline pH around 9-10, which is typical for traditional soap and higher than the skin's natural acid mantle pH of approximately 5.5. Research in journals like Contact Dermatitis and the International Journal of Dermatology shows that alkaline cleansers disrupt the stratum corneum more than well-formulated syndet cleansers at skin-compatible pH, especially with repeated use on sensitive or atopic skin. The essential oil fragrance content requires the most dermatological scrutiny. Cedarwood essential oil contains cedrol and thujopsene, while orange peel oil is dominated by d-limonene. Both oils place this bar on the higher end of the fragrance-allergen spectrum under EU cosmetics ingredient labeling rules, which require disclosure of 26 specific fragrance allergens. Limonene and linalool — both present here — are common contact allergens in patch-test registries. Shea butter and kaolin are skin-friendly in wash-off applications and cause no concern. Cedar Citrus is an acceptable choice for healthy, non-sensitive body skin users who apply lotion afterward. For anyone with a history of fragrance reactions, the ingredient profile is a clear warning.
Dermatologist Perspective
Dermatologists generally recommend syndet cleansers at skin-compatible pH for patients with dry, sensitive, or compromised skin. Traditional cold-process bar soaps like Cedar Citrus are typically acceptable for body use on healthy, normal skin types with good barrier function. The essential oil fragrance content is worth flagging — dermatologists note that patients with suspected or confirmed fragrance allergies should avoid products containing bergamot, cedar, citrus, or peppermint oils, whether labeled 'natural' or 'synthetic.' For a middle-aged adult with normal body skin and no contact dermatitis history, using Cedar Citrus as a daily body cleanser and following up with a ceramide-based body moisturizer is a reasonable, low-risk routine. Dermatologists also note that this type of bar should not be used on facial skin, where the alkaline pH and fragrance load more likely cause problems, especially in acne-prone or rosacea-prone patients.
Where it fits in your routine.
Wet the bar with warm water. Lather it on damp skin, in your hands, or on a washcloth. Apply from the neck down to your full body, but avoid the face and broken skin. Rinse well with warm water. Keep the bar on a well-draining soap dish; standing water makes it dissolve faster. Use a body moisturizer after, especially after hot showers or during dry winter months. One bar lasts 3-4 weeks with daily use.
At $7 per 5-ounce bar, Cedar Citrus costs more than average body soap but matches the price of other premium natural cold-process bars. Dr. Squatch offers no larger-format option for this variant, but subscription discounts and multi-pack bundles lower the per-bar cost. This soap costs three to four times more per use than drugstore body wash at roughly $0.25 per ounce of cleansing. It sits in the normal price range for similar natural cold-process brands. The value depends on how much you value the scent experience, the brand ritual, and the plastic-free packaging — if those things do not matter, the value is weak. If they do, the price is honest.
Normal, combination, or oily skin types wanting a fresh cedar-and-citrus scent for daily showers and a traditional cold-process bar format. First-time Dr. Squatch buyers seeking a broadly appealing scent, and users who value plastic-free packaging and transparent ingredient lists from an established natural grooming brand.
People with sensitive skin, eczema, active contact dermatitis, or fragrance allergies should avoid this bar because of its essential oil load. This bar works for budget-conscious shoppers needing effective cleansing at the lowest price and anyone preferring unscented or low-scent products.
Product details.
Dense cold-process bar with a dense, creamy lather
Rustic cedarwood base with bright orange citrus top notes and hints of peppermint and rosemary
Recycled kraft paper box with matte printing — fully plastic-free
Warm water turns it into a creamy foam. The scent starts with bright citrus and ends with woodsy cedar. This scent stays on skin for 2-3 hours after showering. There is no purging or adjustment period; the results show on first use.
3-4 weeks with daily full-body use if stored in a draining dish
12 months
spring summer
The backstory.
Cedar Citrus was one of Dr. Squatch's earliest scent releases after the brand's 2013 founding and has remained in continuous production ever since — a rarity in a category where scents frequently rotate. It's widely cited as the gateway scent that introduced many Dr. Squatch customers to the brand through their early YouTube ad era.
About Dr. Squatch
Established Brand (5–20 years)Dr. Squatch launched in 2013. Cedar Citrus has been an original scent in the brand's lineup since its early years. The brand is not dermatologist-developed, but it has a large market presence due to transparent ingredient lists and a consistent cold-process formulation approach.
Common myths.
Citrus bar soaps will cause photosensitivity
Bergamot oil causes furocoumarin-related phototoxicity if it stays on the skin. Rinse-off cold-process bars with orange peel oil wash away before meaningful exposure, but sensitive users still need sunscreen when going outdoors.
Dr. Squatch bars use natural ingredients for sensitive skin.
Natural essential oils contain common contact allergens. Cedar Citrus contains limonene, linalool, and citral at fragrance-allergen levels, so it is not for sensitive skin.
FAQ.
What does Cedar Citrus smell like?
Bright orange citrus top notes meet rustic cedarwood, with subtle peppermint and rosemary accents. This is one of the most universally-liked scents in the Dr. Squatch lineup. It smells fresh yet masculine, and is less aggressive than heavier variants like Pine Tar or Wood Barrel Bourbon.
Is Cedar Citrus good for sensitive skin?
Not recommended. The essential oils contain limonene, linalool, and citral, which are documented fragrance allergens. Sensitive skin types should use unscented options or Dr. Squatch's Cool Fresh Aloe, which has fewer essential oils.
Can I use this bar on my face?
No. The alkaline pH of cold-process bars and the essential oil fragrance make this too harsh for facial skin. Use a dedicated pH-balanced facial cleanser and use Cedar Citrus from the neck down.
How does Cedar Citrus compare to other Dr. Squatch scents?
Cedar Citrus sits in the middle of the scent spectrum. It is bright enough to feel energizing in the shower but lacks the aggressive projection of a cologne. Brands recommend Cedar Citrus to first-time Dr. Squatch buyers as the most broadly appealing scent before they try heavier options.
How long does the bar last?
Daily full-body use lasts about 3-4 weeks if you use a well-draining soap dish. Cold-process bars dissolve faster than commercial synthetic soaps, so storage between showers affects longevity.
Is this worth $7 per bar?
The formulation is honest and the scent quality beats most drugstore alternatives. It is reasonable if you enjoy the shower ritual and want a traditional bar soap experience. If you only need effective cleansing at the lowest price, this is harder to justify.
Community
What the community says.
"Bright, fresh scent that isn't overpowering"
"One of the most universally liked Dr. Squatch scents"
"Doesn't feel stripping despite being a cold-process bar"
"Long-lasting scent throw on skin"
"Bar dissolves faster than commercial soaps"
"Too expensive compared to drugstore alternatives"
"Scent fades more quickly than heavier Dr. Squatch variants"
