Last update:
9 May 2026
di Elisa Branda
Those who have been following me for a while already know my views on solid products. I've talked about them several times here on NuvolediBellezzaI've tried them, I've analyzed them, and my opinion has remained essentially unchanged: solid shower gels (and solid cosmetics in general), especially the Italian organic ones, almost always disappoint me (let's not even say "almost"). The texture is awkward to use in the shower, the foam is poor, the bars are hard, the skin feels tight, and the scents aren't convincing. The only exception I've made over time is Lush, because Lush at least knows how to make a solid that really works and doesn't make you regret the liquid.
Then I saw the new ones Dove Plant Milk Cleansing Bar and I stopped.
The reason is simple: Dove is one of those brands I trust on dry skinDove soaps don't dry out my skin, which is rare for my skin, and I've been using their liquid shower gels for years with satisfaction. If there's a mass-market brand that could make me change my mind about solids, it's this one. I bought them, took a good look, and before trying them, I'll tell you everything I discovered.
What are Dove Plant Milk Cleansing Bars?
The Plant Milk line is Dove's first foray into the premium solid detergent segment. It's also the brand's first entry into the premium bar space, born from the belief that the options available on the market focused solely on fragrance without adding any real benefits. It's not a bar soap in the traditional sense: it's a cleansing bar formulated with a vegetable milk blend Different for each variant, the gentle surfactants that characterize the entire Dove line, and the quarter-ounce moisturizer that is the brand's historic signature. The formula is 98% biodegradable, vegan, and comes in plastic-free packaging.
There are three variants available in Italy, and the names speak for themselves.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
- Solid Cosmetics: Interesting but Unpleasant to Use?
- Solid Cosmetics: A Complete Guide to Finding the Right One for You
- Fragrance-Free Cosmetics Reviews: Where Has the Skincare Pleasure Gone?
- Italian and Solid Cosmetics
Dove Solid Shower Gel Coconut Milk & Sugar Lychee
The name itself tells you everything you need to know about the perfume: creamy coconut and sweetened lychee, a tropical and delicious combination that promises to transform your morning shower into something that tastes like a holiday. The variant is infused with coconut fruit extract (Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract), the main plant-based active ingredient in this version. The scent has a soft, slightly vanilla-like base that lingers on the body after rinsing. The caramel in the INCI is not a confectionery ingredient but a natural colorant that gives the bar its golden hue.
It's my favorite variant just by looking at the olfactory profile: coconut and lychee together have that immediate and pleasant sensorial quality that doesn't tire.
Ingredients – Inci: SODIUM LAUROYL ISETHIONATE, STEARIC ACID, LAURIC ACID, SODIUM PALMATE, AQUA, SODIUM ISETHIONATE, SODIUM STEARATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, PARFUM, SODIUM PALM KERNELATE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, CARAMEL, TETRASODIUM ETIDRONATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, COCOS NUCIFERA FRUIT EXTRACT, ZINC OXIDE, CITRONELLOL, COUMARIN, VANILLIN, CI 14700, CI 15985, CI 17200, CI 61570, CI 77891.
Dove Solid Shower Gel Oat Milk & Berry Brulee
Il milk ofoats is one of the most friendly assets of the dry skinSmoothes, soothes, softens. Paired with notes of berries and brown sugar, this variant has everything it takes to be the most comforting of the three, the one you choose on winter evenings (and not only) when you want a shower that makes you feel pampered. It's also the variant with the richest formula in terms of plant-based active ingredients, with added sunflower oil for added hydration.
Ingredients – Inci: SODIUM LAUROYL ISETHIONATE, STEARIC ACID, LAURIC ACID, SODIUM PALMATE, AQUA, SODIUM ISETHIONATE, SODIUM STEARATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, PARFUM, SODIUM PALM KERNELATE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, TETRASODIUM ETIDRONATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, AVENA SATIVA KERNEL EXTRACT, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT, ZINC OXIDE, CITRUS AURANTIUM PEEL OIL, CITRUS LIMON PEEL OIL, GERANYL ACETATE, HYDROXYCITRONELLAL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, PINENE, CI 14700, CI 15510, CI 17200, CI 61570, CI 7789.
Dove Turmeric Milk & Lemon Drop Solid Shower Gel
The freshest and liveliest of the three. The active plant ingredient is olive oil. aromatic turmeric root (Curcuma Aromatica Root Oil), which has documented antioxidant and brightening properties, and is combined with notes of sweet lemon and orange blossom for a light and sunny citrus-floral result.
This is the version I recommend for those who don't like sweet scents and prefer something fresher and brighter to start the day. In fact, this is the version I didn't leave out because I'm not particularly fond of lemony scents. But it's still interesting for those looking for something more lively.
Ingredients – Inci: SODIUM LAUROYL ISETHIONATE, STEARIC ACID, LAURIC ACID, SODIUM PALMATE, AQUA, SODIUM ISETHIONATE, SODIUM STEARATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, PARFUM, SODIUM PALM KERNELATE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, CARAMEL, TETRASODIUM ETIDRONATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, CURCUMA AROMATICA ROOT OIL, ZINC OXIDE, BENZYL SALICYLATE, CITRAL, CITRONELLOL, CITRUS LIMON PEEL OIL, GERANIOL, GERANYL ACETATE, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, PINENE, TETRAMETHYL ACETYLOCTAHYDRONAPHTHALENES, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 61570, CI 77891.
It's not a bar of soap: here's why it makes the difference
This is what convinced me to try them before even opening the package, and it's worth explaining it well because it changes the whole reasoning.
Le traditional soaps, Even natural and organic soaps are produced through a process called saponification: oils and fats are combined with caustic soda, resulting in a soap with a pH between 9 and 10. Our skin, on the other hand, has an acidic pH, around 5,5. This difference is precisely why certain bars of soap leave skin feeling tight, irritated, and dry: the alkaline pH temporarily alters the skin's acid mantle, leaving it vulnerable. The drier or more sensitive the skin, the more this effect is felt.
I Dove Plant Milk Cleansing Bars are not soap bars.I am what in cosmetics is called syndet, abbreviation for “synthetic detergent”, which is a bar that has the shape of a bar of soap but is not obtained by saponification. The classic soap not soapThe pH of a syndet is neutral and close to that of the skin, around 6, so it's very different from traditional soap bars. This means it doesn't alter the hydrolipidic film, doesn't stress the skin barrier, and doesn't leave that tight feeling after rinsing.
And it's exactly the same principle as the classic ones. Dove soap bars, which, not surprisingly, are technically called syndets, not soap bars in the traditional sense. This is the reason I've been using them for years without any problems on dry skin: it's not that Dove is magically gentler, it's that the formula is built on a different principle. The Plant Milk Cleansing Bars follow the same logic, adding the plant milks and specific hydrating active ingredients of this new line.
Syndets protect the skin, don't alter the hydrolipidic film, reducing the risk of dryness, and are low-irritant. For dry skin like mine, it's the difference that really matters.
Because I want to try them despite my mistrust
I have a clear stance on solids, but I also have a clear stance on Dove: it's a brand that respects my dry skin consistently and consistently over time. The comparison that piques my curiosity is with Lush, the only solid brand that's truly convinced me so far. Lush focuses on thick formulas, intense fragrances, and an almost artisanal experience. Dove is aiming for something different, with the promise of certified hydration and a scientifically gentle formula. These are two different philosophies applied to the same format, and I'm genuinely curious to see which one works better on dry skin in everyday practice.
I will update you as soon as I have tried them.
How to use them
The bar is rubbed directly onto wet skin or hands to create a lather, without the need for a sponge. The critical point with any solid, Dove included, is storage: between uses, it should be kept away from standing water, in a drained soap dish or in a hanging mesh bag. If it remains in contact with water, it softens and wears out much more quickly. This isn't a flaw exclusive to these bars; it's the golden rule for all solids.
Where to buy, price and format
BUY HERE: AMAZON
Dove Plant Milk Cleansing Bars are available in Italy in the main supermarkets, in consumer perfumeries and on Amazon.it, at a price ranging between 3,50 and 4,50 euro for bars, but we can also find them on sale for around €2,50.
Il format generous is from 141 gr.
Have you seen them in stores yet, or perhaps even tried them? Especially if you have dry skin like me, I'm curious to know if your skin feels tight after rinsing. Tell me in the comments, and stay tuned for my full review after you've tried them.
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I've had the same experience with solid products, which I find awful. The only ones I can use are Lush ones, which leave my skin soft and scented. Garnier shampoos aren't bad, but the Italian organic ones are terrible, and I've tried every brand. I've also tried solid face creams because they appealed to me, but they don't work—they're incredibly hard bars with zero effect on my skin. Oh my god, money wasted, and it's my fault for initiating! These Dove ones, however, really inspire me; I've never seen them make a product that dries out my skin, so I'd like to try them.
Yes, I completely understand you. I've also tried solid products of all kinds, but the Italian ones are unfortunately all low-quality, at least in my experience. I'm not trying to generalize because I've tried practically all of them. Lush is the best. I also like Foamie; at least they have bars that smell good and smell great. Unbottled wasn't bad either...but I always prefer traditional cosmetics; there's no comparison. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of greenwashing going around, and extremism is always to be viewed with suspicion. At least that's my opinion. Then they still have to explain to me how pleasant it is to rub a rough, dry bar on your face, perhaps even without any fragrance...compared to a nice, silky, velvety cream...well, obviously it's a matter of taste...