Are bar soap as effective as body wash?

Answer 1

Yes they are effective. Only difference which you might see in these bar soaps is that most of them will have a relatively high pH as compared to corresponding body wash. High pH soaps might be little tough on skin and might not work on people with sensitive skin. People with sensitive skin might also face dryness with regular use. Even if you wish to use an antibacterial bar soap, it would be good to prefer the body wash variant.