Like veganism, Abba and Mr Vladimir Tretchikoff, the humble bar of soap has undergone something of a reputational reappraisal of late. After years of being dismissed as old-fashioned, skin-drying and, well, generally a bit naff, it’s once again back in fashion thanks to improvements in formulation – the addition of moisturisers and better pH balancing mean modern soaps no longer act like paint stripper for skin – and because of its surprising eco-credentials. (A bar of soap’s carbon footprint is up to 25 per cent smaller than that of liquid soap, there’s minimal packaging, no plastic and very little water is used in their formulation.)

Soap appeals on an emotional level, too; there’s something oddly reassuring about holding a bar of this most traditional of grooming tools in your hand. In doing so you’re plugging in to a history that stretches back to 2,800BC, when the very first soaps are thought to have been made.

To get the best bang from your bar, go for soaps containing glycerine if you have dry skin (it’s a humectant so has moisturising properties). Also look for triple-milled varieties (they’re generally higher quality and longer-lasting). And protect your asset by investing in a soap dish to ensure it dries off properly. All you have to do now is choose the right one for you.  Here are five worth getting into a lather over.

Not so much a soap as a luxury facial in the form of a bar, this high-spec, triple-milled facial cleanser by Erno Lazlo has been carefully pH balanced so it removes grease and grime without causing dryness. Glycerine, safflower seed oil and fatty acids, meanwhile, help mimic skin’s naturally protective oils and lock in moisture, making it perfect for dry or normal skins. (If your skin’s oiler or you need a deeper, detoxifying cleanse, try the brand’s Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar instead.) For maximum effectiveness, apply the dampened bar to your face using the narrow end to massage skin, whipping up a lather in the process, before rinsing with plenty of warm water.

With plastic shampoo bottles one of the biggest ocean polluters, solid shampoo bars like this one from Christophe Robin are essential if you’re aiming for a zero-waste grooming regimen. Designed to cleanse your hair and scalp while keeping both healthy and hydrated, it’s formulated with moisturising, nutrient-packed aloe vera to reduce scalp irritation and ensure hair stays in tip-top condition. If you’ve never used a solid shampoo, a brief instructional: just gently rub the moistened bar onto wet hair, massage in and rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Most of us are pretty good about exfoliating the skin on our faces, but not so vigilant when it comes to removing the dead skin on the rest of our bodies. Haeckels’ exfoliating body soap makes smoothing out the rough spots a cinch and is good for minimising ingrown hairs if you’re a chest shaver, too. Vegan and non-drying, it uses finely crushed coriander seeds and peppercorns to slough off dead skin and features seaweed, tea tree and aloe vera to ensure skin remains soft and supple. Like many modern soaps, it’s free of foaming agents, making it low-lather – so don’t panic if your shower doesn’t instantly resemble an Amnesia foam party.

Perfect for travel (they take up virtually no space in your wash bag and don’t require a soap dish) and handy for guest rooms, too, these wafer thin soap sheets from Buly 1803 are great for those times when soap isn’t available – or looks like it might be army issue when it is. Keep a pack in your gym bag, jacket pocket, work bag or officer drawer and just add water to create an earthy masculine smelling froth whenever you’re on the go.

Think of soap on a rope and images of hirsute, medallion-wearing men from the 1970s spring to mind. And yes, it is retro, but retro doesn’t mean redundant – this iconic twist on the traditional bar of soap has a place in every modern man’s bathroom. As well as being plastic-free, soap on ropes can be hung in the shower to dry out naturally, extending their life and keeping your bathroom mess-free. This one from Claus Porto, with notes of zingy lemon and energising ginger, isn’t just a convenient cleanser, it’s the ultimate morning wake-up call – bar none.