In the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community, you’d be hard pressed to find a grappler who hasn’t come across the Arm Bar Soap Company label with their promotional presence among the sport’s top athletes. But will a luxury soap make your jiu jitsu any better? The short answer is no; but it does promise to keep you in the game longer by preventing skin infections before outbreak–allowing you to stay on the mats and off the sidelines.

For the past month, I put one of Arm Bar’s ginormous mega bars–the Alpha & Omega Batch–to the test. As a BJJ practitioner and fitness enthusiast, I can admit there is no better feeling than getting squeaky clean after rolling around in sweaty gear (and other people’s sweaty gear) for hours at a time. And with the COVID pandemic the spotlight of the news, hygiene is on my mind more than ever. Here’s my detailed report on how the Alpha & Omega bar performed in my daily routine.

Scent

Although I typically prefer earthier scents in my self-care products, veering away from florals, I was pleasantly surprised at the subtlety of the sweetness from the Jasmine oil that is the strongest component of this bar. This is balanced by the fresh earthiness of the Manuka, Vetiver, and Tea Tree oils.

This bar is a welcome departure from the energizing, and at times, medicinal scents of overpowering Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, or Peppermint oils that tend to dominate fungal-fighting soaps on the market. I’m pretty sure that at a certain point, I started to smell like a tea shop after using so many after-training products.

The Alpha & Omega batch is a great option for those who prefer a sweet-smelling bar, but don’t want an overly fragrant soap.

Distinguishing Ingredients

Across the spectrum of Arm Bar Soap products, the Alpha & Omega batch is distinguished by its superior antibacterial properties; New Zealand Manuka is a potent multi-functional skin protector, effective in fighting Staph bacteria in particular. 

It also boasts a blend of Night Blooming Jasmine, Tea Tree, Vetiver, Cypress, Clary sage, and Jojoba essential oils to prevent fungal infection–Arm Bar’s founding mission. Next on the list, you’ll find Blueberry oil to nourish the skin, Kokum butter to moisturize, and Apricot seeds to exfoliate.

Quality

My primary personal concerns with soap products are their moisturizing capabilities. Especially in the winter months, I tend to suffer from dry skin that begins to crack at its worst. The frequency of my training sessions and needing to constantly wash up can overload my skin with harsh chemicals that lead to itchy patches of rough, dry skin that can be extremely uncomfortable. That aside, I want to use products that will promote clarity, smoothness, and health in my skin; healing breakage and preventing acne breakouts

LATHER

MOISTURIZING

I determined that drying properties of the essential oils in this bar were balanced by the Kokum butter in this recipe. While my skin wasn’t noticeably brighter or smoother, my skin also wasn’t dried out, patchy, or rough. I wouldn’t consider this bar a particular standout as far as moisturizing the skin.

EXFOLIATING

When using the bar directly against the skin, you can notice the small Apricot seeds embedded in the soap that gently brush away dead particles and refresh as you scrub away. When using a body scrubber or washcloth, I feel you may not experience the exfoliating effect quite as strongly; however because this bar is not a harsh exfoliant, it is safe for daily use without irritating the skin from the abrasion.

Efficacy

While I am happy to report a skin-disease-free month while using Arm Bar soap; I have to admit there was even a lower risk than usual for me coming in contact with fungi and bacteria. With fitness facilities closing operations locally mid-December, I shifted from training in a martial arts academy to one-on-one home drilling sessions.

Even prior to home training, I have been in contact with limited training partners due to our COVID-19 safety precautions, so I cannot say for sure if Arm Bar soap really fights infection any better than your average drugstore brand. The company stands behind its ingredients on its website and is formulated with the specific purpose to combat common mat-borne cooties ringworm & MRSA. However beyond using BJJ-specific care products, it’s important to follow general hygiene practices of washing hands frequently, wearing shoes while off the training mats, and showering as soon as possible after activity.

Size

• 

• 

• 

This 10 oz bar is behemoth against Arm Bar’s standard 4.25 oz after-training soap. However unwieldy, I actually loved this supersized version because I was able to stave off that annoying end-of-bar sensation of trying to wash with a thin, bending & breaking sliver for twice as long. Some customer reviews have mentioned cutting the bars into more manageable pieces if you find the mega size more cumbersome.

I began using this bar on November 15, and set a reminder to check back in 1 month later, and you’ll see pictured a thin, card-sized amount that lasted just a few more washes. I would need to track my use against other bar soaps to accurately compare the lasting power of this bar, but I would say that a month’s worth of washes performs typical for uses by weight.

Price

At $14.95 for this giant bar (roughly $1.50/oz) , this soap lands toward the higher-end of the antifungal soap bar category. Compare to Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Bar Soap at $0.90/oz and Defense Soap’s Original Bar Soap at $1.50/oz.

While Arm Bar Soap clearly is priced at a premium, it is unique for listing two-dozen diverse soap recipes on its menu, each featuring a distinct ingredient blend with an array of skin-protecting properties and scents. Most notably, Arm Bar is at the forefront of brands promoting the sport of grappling, its athletes, and academies.

If you are satisfied with your bulk-box of drugstore brand soap bars; this purchase may not be for you. But, if you are a connoisseur of body-care products and interested in supporting a company founded in the BJJ community; you’ll find Arm Bar soap a valuable treat for your post-training shower sesh. 

Packaging

Customer Care

Verdict

I will 100% continue purchasing products from Arm Bar Soap Company–although the price point is a bit of a barrier. The most economically-sound way to purchase their soaps is in bulk packs offered at a discounted rate; but I would still consider it as an ‘occasional splurge’ for my financial circumstances.

I likely would not purchase the Alpha & Omega Batch again, simply as the scent was not particularly in line with my personal preference; besides–I tend to swap out scents each time I finish a soap so that I can always try new fragrances & keep from getting bored.

Two products I would love to try next include the American Spring Batch mega bar, sourced entirely with U.S. ingredients and infused with Epsom Salt for muscle relief; and the Milk n’ Honey Batch bar, a regular-sized soap with a moisturizing formula that I hope may be the answer to my hopes & dreams.

You can shop the Alpha & Omega Batch at armbarsoap.com

---

Have you tried products from Arm Bar Soap Company? What are your favorite after-training soaps?