VOESHGua Sha Cleansing Bar - Niacinamide, Vegan Probiotics, Rosemary Oil & Charcoal Powder - Cruelty Free, Clean Ingredients & Organic Extracts - (3.7oz Bar)

I had never heard of Gua Sha prior to seeing this soap and ordering it. If you haven’t either, the brief explanation is that it is an East Asian healing technique using a tool or massage to firmly stroke your skin in a way that can improve blood flow and reduce inflammation. In short, it unsticks the chi ,or energy, that flows throughout your body. It is also called skin scraping because of the Gua massage tool.But after reading several articles, I was still puzzled as to how a bar of soap could work. After all, you lather it up, soap up, and rinse off. It does have hills and gullies on the bar designed so that different areas of the bar will be best on specific sections of the body. (See the sixth picture at the top of this page.) But what is so puzzling is the obvious: soap bars wear down so what do you do after several uses when the bar has worn down sufficiently so the bar has lost its shape? I’d also question if a bar of soap could do what a Gua massage tool does. I guess you simply follow the steps they suggest:• Step 1: Moisten your body and the cleansing bar generously, then massage skin in an upward motion to enhance lymphatic flow.• Step 2: Apply your desired pressure on tense areas.• Step 3: After a thorough massage, rinse off with lukewarm water.I find those questions so unanswerable that I decided to review this simply as a unique bar of soap. (How often is soap black and shaped like that?) Its ingredients are clean, straightforward, something I especially appreciate for its honesty, made in the USA, and it is vegan and cruelty-free. It does have a very slight smell, perhaps from the charcoal powder. While a bit odd and unidentifiable, it is not unpleasant. I’d actually call it intriguing. And it is a hard bar, meaning it is going to last longer than you might think given its size. The foam that comes off appears gray, especially if you have white shower walls, but it does not stain anything and comes right off with a quick rinse. My skin was left with a very clean feeling and also a bit moisturized, not the least bit dry. I ended up liking this a LOT more than I thought I would and even at $19 per bar I may buy it occasionally as a special treat.Highly recommended.

If you think like I do, your first thought upon seeing this thing was something like "won't it become useless as I use the soap and it gets smaller?"Yes, probably, but the good news is, despite forming a pretty rich lather, this is actually a fairly hard bar of soap, so it doesn't shrink as fast as some other parts and should keep it's shape and use for a good number of washes.There's not much smell at all to speak of, and the soap feels like it does a good job on your skin. It does leave a sort of grey/black foam, but it rinses right off and doesn't seem to stain anything (unlike some bars I've used).As for the massage end of things - I can't speak to the efficacy of Gua Sha as a method, but I can see how the unusual shape of the bar could help you work out knots or tension if applied correctly. Personally, I didn't find it awkward to hold (I was worried I would), and some areas it did feel relaxing to use (neck and shoulders), while others I honestly don't think it was any different than a bar of regular soap (arms, legs, stomach).Still, if you're looking for something a bit different in your bathing routine, this bar makes an interesting option, esp. for those interested in Gua Sha.

I have to say up front, I can't see myself splurging on one of these, but I have been so happy to have the opportunity to use one and review it. I actually got it more for my wife, but I have enjoyed using it as much as she has. Actually, it may make a great stocking stuffer, since we can usually justify a splurge or two around the holidays, and in the end, while it's just a bar of soap in some ways, it's so much more in others and it's not a massive amount of money.As for use, since I get up super early and have to hustle for work and since we have two young kids who need to be bathed, I get about one shower a week to myself where I can take a little time. Using this bar has made those showers so perfect. It took me a couple of times to really maximize the benefits, but I have the hang of it now and still some of the bar left. Come to think of it, this will definitely be worth a splurge come Christmas time or maybe for some other occasion.All that said, it's not like magic or anything. But the shape of the bar does let you target certain areas while you clean, and you get a good, hydrating lather. I have dry skin in certain places and this doesn't irritate it at all. I get a good clean under my arms, where often that is difficult with even a few scrubs with regular soap, and the whole process just leaves me feeling sort of relaxed and refreshed. Like any of my better showers only more.

This bar of soap has a nice grip to it. It fits perfectly in your hands. Using it gives an amazing lather! Almost immediately the suds can be seen once rubbing on the skin begins. The smell is fine, not too strong. A great bar to wash with!

I’m absolutely loving this cleansing bar! It has such a pleasant, subtle smell that makes my skincare routine feel a bit more luxurious. The bar lathers nicely, creating a rich foam that cleans my skin thoroughly without drying it out. After each use, my skin feels fresh, soft, and balanced, not tight or stripped. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a gentle yet effective cleansing bar!