What’s the Difference Between Pine Tar and Coal Tar Soap?

(Los Muertos Crew/pexels)

If your experience with soap has been limited to that sleek white bar that smells like “cool rain” or “warm vanilla butter,” we’re here to broaden your horizons. Soap can be so much more! It can be tough, rugged, and straight out of nature… and it can be called “tar soap.”

Did we lose you there? When you think of tar, you probably think of road surfaces, pothole repairs, and inhumane punishments like tarring and feathering.

Turns out, tar’s good for cleaning skin and soothing skin conditions, too.

What’s Tar Soap Anyway?

Tar soap is soap made from…well, tar. And tar is the dark, thick liquid extracted from coal or wood. It’s extracted through a process called carbonization. Basically, you heat the coal or wood to very high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, then extract the liquid and gaseous products to get a tarry substance. (Don’t try this at home.)

Then, you mix the tar into a liquid soap base, adding essential oils, pour it into a soap mold, and let it cool and harden.

Tar soap is no newcomer. It has been used since ancient times for cleaning and soothing skin conditions.

Why Would I Want Tar Soap When I Could Have My Pretty Drug Store Bar?

Looks ain’t everything! Tar soap offers a lot more than the fancy-smelling stuff you can buy at big box stores.

For one, the best tar soaps are au naturel. They contain premium-grade tar and natural oils. They offer an invigorating deep clean and are free of chemical irritants (like sulfate and paraben) that can dry out the skin.

What’s more, they don’t smell like a sissy. Tar soaps can have a rugged, earthy smell that separates the men from the boys.

And finally, not only do these soaps get you clean, they can offer relief from various skin conditions.

What Skin Conditions Are Tar Soaps Used For?

Both coal and pine tar soap demonstrate the following properties:

• Antimicrobial (protects against microorganisms like bacteria and viruses)
• Antifungal (helps with fungal infections like athlete’s foot, jock itch, etc.)
• Anti-inflammatory (may soothe redness and swelling due to allergies, infections, autoimmune diseases, etc.)
• Anti-itch

Given these properties, many customers use tar soap to find relief from:

Eczema

Eczema causes red, itchy patches on the skin. These patches can be scaly and can ooze and crust over.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an immune system problem that manifests with a rash on the skin. Skin cells build up and form thick, scaly, dry patches.

They’re not only unsightly, but they can itch, sting, and burn. Some people equate the sensation of psoriasis patches to getting bitten by fire ants. While both eczema and psoriasis skin patches are red and scaly, psoriasis patches tend to be even thicker and more inflamed.

Seborrheic Dermatitis (Dandruff)

A flaky scalp can develop due to dry skin, fungal growth on the scalp, or a reaction to hair products. Regardless of the reason, I think we can all agree that no one likes the shoulder snow.

Poison Ivy Rashes

These rashes start with urushiol, which is an oil found in poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac. Tar soap has been found to help neutralize urushiol and soothe the skin irritation it causes.

Bug Bites

Mosquitoes, horseflies, sandflies, ants, fleas…they’re all fans of your blood, but when their saliva gets into your blood, your body registers it as an allergen and releases a chemical known as histamine. Trouble is, histamine causes your skin to swell, hurt, and itch.

Tar soaps may help relax the inflammation from these bites, but that’s not all. It can even help prevent these bites. For example, Packer’s Pine Tar Soap is known for being a DEET-free bug repellent. In fact, the Army Corps of Engineers made Packer’s Pine Tar Soap their bug repellent of choice leading up to World War II.

But How Do They Smell?

Let’s just say that coal tar soap is an acquired taste…er…smell. It’s strong and medicinal. Think “eau de dentist’s office.”

Pine tar has a rugged, outdoorsy smell. It has been described as “woodsy and smoky with the essence of a pine forest.” It does not stain, and the smell doesn’t linger on the skin. Your shower experience may transport you to an evening around the campfire, but you’ll leave the forest by the time you’re dried and dressed.

Which One Is Best? Pine Tar or Coal Tar?

Naturally, we’re partial to pine tar. Coal tar can contain some carcinogenic substances, but pine tar does not. Also, we have found that pine tar is not as prone to staining skin, clothing, or bedding, and pine tar smells better. Would you rather smell like a coal mine or a pine forest?

Do Brands Matter?

Yes! You want premium ingredients–not diluted tar. A rich, chocolatey color (vs. simply a light tan) can help vouch for the fact that there’s enough tar in the soap to have legitimate benefits.

Check out the ingredients and avoid chemical additives like sulfates or parabens. Avoid chemical fragrances. (Trust us, soap base does not smell like warm vanilla butter, so if your soap does, there are probably chemicals involved.)

Look for tar soaps that contain natural oils (like shea butter and essential oils) that can help with a natural scent and skin hydration. And seek out reputable brands with a long track record and lots of good reviews.

Your manly lifestyle deserves a manly soap, and tar soap delivers.