February 17, 2014

Bath & Body Works Relaunches Hand Soaps for Spring 2014

Bath & Body Works New Hand Soap Spring 2014

Bath & Body Works has revamped their Hand Soap Collection for Spring 2014. The newly packaged Deep Cleansing Hand Soap and Gentle Foaming Hand Soap are newly formulated and now come in a brand new packaging as well that’s more of a square shape and a slightly larger size at 8.75 oz versus the old 8 oz. With the new size there is also a dollar price raise at $6.50 versus the old price of $5.50.

And of course, most important, there are new scents available for Spring like Fresh Lemon Mint, Honolulu Sun, and Island White Pineapple.

Take a look!

Bath & Body Works Hand Soap Spring 2014

The new formula on the Deep Cleansing Hand Soap is marketed as a “60 second manicure” for your hands with a new formula that contains skin renewing microsphere as well as Aloe and Vitamin E. The most interesting news about this new formula is they dropped “antibacterial” from the name. Of course, the antibacterial ingredients, mainly alcohol, was what was very drying in the old formula so perhaps the new one will be more gentle on hands!

The new Bath & Body Works Hand Soaps Collection is available now in store and online.

Anyone try them as of yet?

Do share!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

    • Isabella Muse

      I never had a prob with the foaming ones but the gel ones always were bitchy when opening them! some were just plain faulty and had to be returned!

  • Marisa

    They truly are more moisturizing! The deep cleaning isn’t as goopy and lathers even better! And the foaming pump has been upgraded so you don’t have anymore accidental foam splatter 🙂

  • Tina

    Hi Wierd question even though they removed anti-back from the name
    Does anyone know if it still has some anti back properties because that’s what makes it a huge seller in my house

      • An Old Nurse

        Yes but salmonella won’t care about the other anti-resistant bacteria when it begins to rip your insides apart.
        The important part about the old formula is that it killed very harmful bacteria. Think about e-coli and salmonella, those types of bacteria will KILL you. And now you have no defense against them so you may as well forget to use soap all together. Poop on your hands and rinse them with just water, using non antibacterial soap is the same effect. There is a reason why operating rooms are sterilized…

        • sue

          Um, soap and water kill salmonella and e.coli long as you wash your hands properly.

          • Blackbird71

            Completely false; a thorough cleaning with soap and water may remove most bacteria, but in no way will it kill either salmonella or E. coli (unless your soap is laced with Clorox). Source: over two decades working in a microbiology lab that specialized in testing for E. coli in drinking water.

        • A Microbiology Student

          That is true that too much E coli will kill you, but our bodies cant function without it either. E coli naturally lives in our bodies GI track and is responsible for producing specific vitamins for us that we cannot normally make. Operating rooms are sterilized, but not with Triclosan or Triclocarbon because they promote “superbugs”. Those soaps also kill every good microorganism that our bodies need to survive.

          • Blackbird71

            I would expect a “microbiology student” to know that it is not too much E. coli that is deadly, but rather it is just a few specific strains of the bacteria that are life-threatening. Also, while E. coli is present in the lower GI tract of all warm-blooded animals, it can make you I’ll if it gets into the upper portion of the digestive system (i.e., through ingestion). In most cases, this will result in a few days of upset stomach, diarrhea, etc.

        • Glynnis Haley

          Couldn’t agree more. As a Nurse Practitioner, I will not be using any more soaps from Bath and Body Works. This was a mindless and inept decision to take the antimicrobial properties out of their products. Evidence-based scientific research justifies how antimicrobial soaps decrease bacteria and infection rates. What is there to consider … your life? This company is not well-informed. Too bad. In the meantime, there are many other quality and safe products available.

          • Tracy

            This is an FDA regulated ban. Not a voluntary decision by Bath and Bodyworks.

    • Doug

      Antibacterial is a bit misleading. Antibacterial does more damage than good. The article says that alcohol was the main antibacterial component and that isn’t true. Tricklosan is the main component. It’s showing up in drinking water and ground soil. It kills good proteins and bacterial and helps increase the likelihood of mutation and growth of certain bacterial.

    • Jane

      I don’t know about the hand soaps, but they’d quietly removed triclosan from the “anti bac” hand sanitizers at least a year ago. I’m very glad about it, too.

  • Bluz

    I’m glad they reformulated since I could never use them because they dried my hands so badly. I think I was extra sensitive to the antibacterial ingredients. I’ll have to swing by to check them out. Thanks for letting us know.

  • Heather

    Aggh.. I hit submit too quickly. Also adding that I really wish they would post the ingredient list of their products online, because if it is triclosan free, I’ll be snapping some up.

  • Ashley

    mhm, I wonder if they got rid of triclosan…I had to stop buying their soaps which I have loved for years because of that!

  • Nicole

    I figured Bath and Body Works would eventually come around to removing the triclosan from the hand soaps. It is why I had stopped purchasing them. Working in healthcare exposes me to enough of it and they are working on better alternitives for healthcare workers as well.
    Yeah Bath and Body Works! I can have awesome smelling hand soap again! 😀

  • Kirstie

    I really, really, hope they got rid of the triclosan! That compound is not healthy for fish and other species in water and maybe even us humans who use it! I stopped buying their products due to this!

  • k

    Bigups on the removal of triclosan! I will now make my way to the nearest BBW to confirm ingredients list and henceforth, pending approval of this motion, I shall resume my trade agreement with the aforementioned party.(raps knuckles twice on table a la Frank Underwood)

  • M

    The foaming hand soaps have always been 8.75 oz. I am employed there and there is no triclosan 🙂

  • Ashleigh

    I can confirm that all the new hand soaps no longer have Triclosan in them. They made the new formulas more nourishing by taking this out and adding in aloe and vitamin E. You can really feel the difference in both – a rich, creamy lather and a deep cleansing that doesn’t leave soap all over your sink. I’ve tried both and am quite impressed! I think they are more fragrant too. Don’t need any more soap but definitely might pick up some new ones!

  • Megan

    I personally won’t buy them anymore now that they don’t have anti bacteral in them. I used them in the bathroom were its good to have anti bacterial hand soaps

    • Nicole

      Megan, you may want to research the topic of antibacterial soaps and the effects they have on hormones in the human body as well as the scientific studies that show washing your hands for 20 seconds with a antibacterial soap is no more effective than using a soap without antibacterial properties in the same manor. Especially if you have little ones, I would look into it and weigh the risks with the benifits of each. Just something you may want to consider in the future… 🙂

    • Elizabeth Martin

      Triclosan has a long controversial history. I know many healthcare workers avoid it in favor of alcohol based antibacterial products. Triclosan is blamed by some consumer groups for boosting antibacterial resistant super- bugs in the past several years, as well as toxicity within the body and environmental concerns. Also studies have shown plain soap and water are just as effective at removing germs.

      http://www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home-tips/tip-5-wash-those-hands-avoid-triclosan

      I will be a first time buyer of Bath and Body Works hand soaps with the removal of this ingredient. It took them long enough, but I can finally say good job BBW!

  • Nicole

    Well I desided I am going to get some of the new hand soap. It comes in my favorite scent, Cherry Merlot! I am so excited! 😀

  • susan

    Great news – I’ve been unable to use their soaps because of the health risks from triclosan. I’ll be sure to support this change by buying a bunch of these new formula soaps.

  • Robin Lindsay

    I wonder if returning all my foamin anti-bac hand soap to BBW would be inappropriate? I too am a long time user and a healthcare worker and my hands are a MESS! Maybe now I know why! I know they have 100% guarantee. Love it or return it so if I could exchange it for the new formula that would be awesome!

    • bya

      Robin,

      I had purchased a bunch of the Bath & Body Works soaps about a year ago and hadn’t used many of them. I heard about the triclosan and decided to bring them back. The store let me exchange all 12 soaps for brand new ones. That was an excellent deal since I only paid about 1.50 or 2.00 for each soap. They didn’t even question it. I told them why, but I assumed they already new. So just to let everyone know, you can return the old ones in exchange or get your money back if you have your receipt. Good luck.

  • Joannie

    I don’t like that all the new soap containers do not fit the prior containers I’ve bought for my entire house… waste of money

    • Nicole

      I agree that is a bummer because I have some really cute ones that are just going to go to waste now, but to be honest since I had stopped buying them because of the triclosan some were just collecting dust anyway. Oh well, not much we can do about it I guess. *sigh*

    • Kelly

      I said the same thing to the worker at the BBW I went to and she said to bring in your old holders and they would exchange. Not sure if all stores are honoring this, but it’s worth a try!

      • Courtney

        I have one of the soap holders from a few years ago with a dragonfly on it that the new soaps don’t fit. I would gladly exchange it if there was one with a similar design with the corners pointing the other way.

  • Barb

    The new foaming hand soaps are just as drying. The deep cleansing ones seem to be less drying. I’m taking the 4 foaming ones I bought and exchanging them for the deep cleaning. A worker at the store said they discontinued the moisturizing hand soap, so if the deep cleaning ones don’t work, I won’t buy their soaps again. I don’t understand how they can make hand soaps that are so drying and stay in business..

  • Ellie

    Really glad that the triclosan was removed. At least here in Canada even soap purchased at Christmas 2013 had that as the active ingredient. Does anyone know if those microspheres are plastic or are they made of ingredients that dissolve? That’s the latest issue for our health and the environment.

    • Robie

      Were you able to o find out what the microspheres are made of?

  • Tanya

    What a horrible mistake. To all who thought Triclosan was the worst part of this soap, just try the new ones. I bought 12 and returned all but the one I tried. My beloved Kitchen Lemon is crap now. Have fun wasting twice the water, this new stuff takes me 3x as long to rinse off. What a huge mistake B&BW made as a company. This is what made them so big. This is the “New Coke” of the soap world.

    • Janna

      I totally agree with you. One of the things I loved was BBW foaming soaps anti-bacterial properties. They smelled fantastic, and were a great asset in all of our bathrooms. As the mom of four boys, they really pulled their weight, especially during high school Varsity football season. I have always believed the old formula helped get us through the cold and flu season too. I started using the new soaps during March, and since then our family has had two cases of strep throat, bronchitis, and three bad colds. I’m convinced its do to lack of antibacterial soaps. Too bad I will have to buy another brand now. I will surely miss my favorite soaps.

      • HH

        Colds and flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria. An antibacterial soap with triclosan is no more effective than regular soap where those are concerned, and only contributes to antibiotic resistance.

  • L

    I just wanted to say that the specific antibacterial ingredient they were using was not alcohol, it was triclosan. The new hand soaps probably still contain alcohol; not because it’s at the percentage adequate for bacterial elimination, but because it is a filler/carrier ingredient.

  • Eileen

    I have been using the foaming soap from BB&W since they first started selling it. I could tell THE MOMENT they changed the formula. It no longer foams at all. That nice fluffy white peak has turned in to bubble spooge. If you press too fast, it splatters EVERYWHERE. I used to stock up 2x/year. Now, I’m just using it until I find a brand of foaming soap that actually FOAMS. Grrrr.

  • Meg

    I purchased the “new” soap last week. I bought 2 foaming and 2 deep cleansing. I must agree with the others who posted about the new soap having a thicker, richer, lather. I also found they left my hands less dry than the previous formula. I noticed too that the deep cleansing formula has less of the microbial beads than the old formula. I’m not sure if these beads are biodegradable or if they’re plastic? I asked the employee at BBW and she was unaware, however she did mention the company advised employees to inform customers the change in formula was made due to “people complaining about pollution”. It would be great if BBW not only took out the Triclosan, but also made the beads biodegradable. I’ll have to do some more snooping. So far, this home is loving the new soap!

  • AC

    I stopped buying BBW products years ago when I first learned about triclosan. I also stopped buying other products with triclosan (like certain toothpastes). I have been buying Method brand soaps, which I love, but am getting bored with their scents. Now that BBW has removed triclosan, I decided it might be okay to buy again. With so many new fragrances and a sale I could not pass up and 7 sinks at home), I ended up buying 15 bottles of foaming soap today. The sale today is $3 soaps, plus I had a $10 off $30 coupon, making the soaps $2.33 each! Now, I am wondering what other ingredients are in this new formula that are deemed harmful. And after reading how many of you are experiencing the drying effect, I think I may end up returning the soaps. 🙁

  • Molly

    Just tried my first bottle of the new formulation, and i find it to be very drying. I’m glad that the harmful ingredient has been removed, but can’t stand having hands that feel like I washed them with cheap industrial soap from a gas station bathroom.

  • Holly

    Actually it was Tryclosan that was the anti bacterial ingredient, which has been removed. Meaning they are no longer anti bacterial.

  • Em

    I’m glad to hear there’s no triclosan! I think I’ll try adding a few drops of oil of oregano to one of the bottles and see how that goes. (Might mess up the fragrance a little, but would also add antibac/antiviral properties…)

  • Laura F Killian

    Shame on you Bath and Body works! for doing away with the antibaterial hand soap. Which I kept in every bathroom and my kitchen. Yes! Lets spread disease.

  • K.C.

    I love my BBW store, but hated using the old soaps, because they always dried out my hands. One of the girls talked me into trying the new ones and as soon as I tried it I immediately could tell the difference. It actually didn’t dry my hands out. A lot of people here are saying it dried their hands out, I don’t know maybe my skin is not as sensitive as others. It was only recently that I found out about the Triclosan and was happy to find out that they removed it from their soaps. I know people really relied on the antibac part of it, but I always keep a “Pocketbac” on me anyways so this doesn’t bother me. They do also sell full size Antibac stuff, so maybe people could put one of those by their sinks too. All I know is maybe I’ll actually take advantage of their soaps deals now, especially since they have had some fantastic scents come out. 🙂

  • Abby

    I hate that there is no longer a clear soap offered. I used to get the cotton (clear) for all my bathrooms. But now they are all outrageous and loud colors. Don’t they realize that some people buy the soaps to match their bathroom deco?? Also the new soap doesn’t foam like the other one.

  • Allison

    Has anyone else noticed that the new soaps are much more watery than then old ones? I noticed it immediately and even tested a few old ones against my new ones. I always liked the concentrated feeling of the old ones. Now I’m going to have to use more soap at a higher price. Anyone else disappointed?

  • Donna

    I used to be on the anti triclosan band wagon until last Jan when I had a horrible rosacea flare up and read about people having good results using anti bacterial soap with triclosan. I happened to have an old bottle of bath & body works foaming tangerine anti bacterial soap hanging around and decided to give it a try. It was amazing, in 3 days my face was back to normal, the pimples were gone and most of the redness and it’s been that way ever since I started using the antibacterial soap once a day. Now I’m almost out and discovered that it is no longer available…what a bummer! But I’m not surprised, every time I find something I like they discontinue it!

    • Sherrie

      You can find triclosan in products for your issue, but it’s not a good idea to put it out there so widespread such as in hand soap. It’s in our water systems and they can’t filter it out. Not good.

  • Jamie

    I get so frustrated with BBB! Every time they have something good going, they change it. As someone who works frequently with healthcare and with the public, I get the triclosan overuse, but people have taken paranoia too far! Use the antibacterial soaps when you need them- such as cleaning up egg, chicken, and other BACTERIA risky items on your hands and dishes in the kitchen, but regular soap for daily cleaning. I do agree with using triclosan when cleaning up human waste as well- diapers, anyone?
    Unfortunately I have soap sleeves that are a waste, too. But as a society we brought the bacterial resistance on ourselves. Use good judgement on when to use triclosan- but remember the real reason is over medicating your kids and yourselves from the INSIDE!

  • minty marie

    I’m kinda late in the game, but Megan, just a heads up–soap itself has antibacterial properties. Soaps (SLS, for example) are used in science to lyse cells all the time. The triclosan was an unnecessary gimmick. I’m a chemist whose work focuses on these types of formulations. We used to add triclosan to our products for marketing purposes. I personally performed many bacterial studies and never observed/recorded a difference when comparing our formulations that did and didn’t contain triclosan.

  • Jill

    I went shopping for more antibac soaps and could not find any!! Did not buy the new product. I want antibacterial soap for my kitchen. It would be nice to have them in the bathrooms also. I found antibacterial soaps at my grocery store. They were all on sale. I am assuming they will all become a thing of the past because they are not good for the environment. They are used in such a small amount I seriously doubt any health risk to you and me.

  • JANIE

    I went shopping for some antibac soaps yesterday and couldn’t find the first one that left a sent on my hands. I tried a lot of them and no sent. The gentleman that was working there even smelled my hands at one point and agreed with me there was no smell. I walked out with nothing. I guess I will have to find another shop that sells hand soap, I’m sorry because I have shopped many years here. Is it possible to purchase any of the older bottles on the net?

  • nick

    i hate these new soaps. they drip off your hands before you can scrub them….why are they so watery? i’m going to end up using 3 times as much soap to get clean, and waste a tone more water doing it….WTF?!

    • sarah caroline

      @nick, I think I know what you mean, and I actually use a smaller amount so it doesn’t slide off my hands. I’m a crazy hand washer, i wash like a doctor (hey, the flu is nobody’s friend!) so sometimes i use a bit more, but just try to get a bit less when you pump. :0) HTH

      Oh & you can save water by just getting your hands a bit wet, water off, then on for a rinse-y!

  • Mary Beth

    I recently purchased the new B&BW Smart Soap touchless foaming soap dispenser (on sale w/soap included) after tapping out on the triclosan soaps a few years ago. The dispenser produces a tight, long foam stream which feels smooth & luxurious when washing. The build quality is solid & it never drips. I can’t say whether the new formula is more drying because I only used the deep cleansing soaps, but I love the dispenser & plan to get another for the kitchen.

  • sarah caroline

    I was just looking at the B&BW site, wishing they didn’t have triclosan so I could buy Too Much Stuff from them again … and then found this Blog post! Yay!! I’m so happy, this is one of the few scented brands I can use due to allergies, and i was frustrated with that sitch (triclosan, the whole anti-bac deal). Thank you so much for bringing it up!

    I did notice that my newer warm vanilla sugar (the foamy kind) and the summer ones were a teeny bit different, less foam maybe (probably a good thing!) so it’s good to know I didn’t just get a weird batch too :0)

    Off to buy too much Vanilla Bean Noel! Love love that stuff, it’s yum all year ’round!

    Oh and I bought WVS for my Mom and she called and said she had to take it to the B&BW store to help get the bottle open! So hopefully they won’t be hard to open. But hey, nice to know the staff is helpful 🙂

  • Jacqueline Marie

    I was looking for information on bath and body Works BMW microbeads. I couldn’t find any info online so I emailed customer service directly.. And here is the new.
    BATH AND BODY WORKS DOES USE PLASTIC MICROBEADS in their non foaming deep cleansing hand soaps. I got this directly from them! Please update your information to show this. People are looking for it.

    • MD

      Thank you for confirming that BBW uses microbeads. I just returned some BBW scrub soap that was a Christmas present. I’ll be boycotting the store until they announce that they have gotten rid of microbeads in all products. I also think they should offer to replace products that people have already purchased that have microbeads in them.

  • Cherie

    Ugh, too bad BBW, you almost had me back with the removal of triclosan, but now you had to screw it up with plastic microbeads. Not going back until microbeads are removed from all of their products.

  • Jana

    I stopped buying their products when they discontinued the moisturing soaps. The new products are very hard on people with dry sensitive skin. They could have taken out the harsher chemicals without doing away with the line.

  • Moss

    I too gave stopped bringing all my money to BBW. I use biodegradable soap and I usually add tea tree oil. I will boycott BBW until they get rid of microbeads. Ban the bead!

      • Wendy

        I just got warm sugar vanilla … It has exfoliant in it ;; and I won’t use it because I am afraid it’s microbeads … The ingredients says acrylates ; the side says sprinkled with warm sugar ; I can’t wait until they ban the bead in Canada ; the US is banning it very soon . If it didn’t just happen. . And I think we should all get more hyped up about microbeads as opposed to the stupid antibacterial properties ; they are gone , get over it … What I want to know is does B&BW still use the microbeads in their products ? I think it is such a needles pollutant ; there is NO argument that says using non-biodegradable exfoliant is necessary … You can use sugar , coffee, sand , apricot shells , fucking anything . But people choose to use plastic ;;; get real ?

  • Gina Dreher

    I am finding the new pump soaps to have faulty pumps. The pump does not slide up & down with ease. this has happened to every bottle so far. Its annoying & stressfull to wash your hands with the new designed pumps. has anyone had this problem?

    • Isabella Muse

      Hmm Gina I haven’t noticed that at all! Sorry to hear it :-/ That stinks!

  • Tina

    What are the “microspheres” made from? I hear they have metal and plastic in them. If they do, all products containing them should be pulled from the market.

  • Wendy

    There are so many alternatives to exfoliate with ?! Sugar, apricot shells, coffee, sand , anything really ! – there is absolutely no need to make micro-plastics for exfoliant

  • Nicole

    I ❤️ LOVE ❤️ Argan Sugar Balm Body Scrub by Josie Maran! If B&BW would make their deep cleansing hand soap with sugar suspended in it that would be fantastic! Sugar is a natural humectant and that would make for a fantastic exfoliating hand soap that would also help the skin retain moisture.

  • Valued Customer

    Taking back 5 bottles of the Deep Cleansing Hand Soap because of the Microbeads/Microspheres. If you want to learn about what this is doing to the planet, just google it, there is plenty of info out there.

  • cat

    I sware people will always find something to whine bitch moan and complain about no company or. Product is gonna be exactly how u want. Even if they kept. The alcohol ingredient in it doesn’t make a difference u go and touch other stuff which germs live on or u cough or sneeze etc and it gets spread in the air there for u still take a risk other way there deep cleansing hand soap does not dry out ur hands and there foaming hand soap doesn’t other and the point of it isn’t to smell good in the end it’s to clean ur hands.

  • Nancy McCoy

    I too have noticed how thin and watery the new soap is. This was always my favorite brand but not any longer. I’ll be looking for a new brand.