That newly-clean feeling you get as you step out of the shower is one of life’s simple joys. But if you’re using the wrong body wash, your skin might feel dry, irritated, or even “squeaky,” not soft and refreshed.
If you want to avoid that unpleasant, over-dry feeling, it’s as easy as getting online and ordering a body wash that moisturizes as it cleans. Not sure where to start? Let’s look at some of the best moisturizing body washes on the market today.
When it comes to skincare, sometimes nature has the answers. This great-smelling, highly moisturizing body wash from Blu Atlas contains 99% natural ingredients sourced from plants, fruit, and minerals. It’s also free of harmful artificial ingredients, including parabens, phthalates, and sulfates.
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As soon as you apply this wash in the shower, its three central ingredients waste no time getting to work. Aloe barbadensis leaf drenches your skin in soothing, all-natural moisture while delivering vitamins A, C, and E. Sugarcane offers gentle exfoliation, and green tea soothes skin and protects it from free-radical damage.
2. CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash
CeraVe has made a name for itself (literally) by helping restore your skin’s natural ceramides. Ceramides are fatty acids found in skin cells, and they’re a critical part of your skin’s natural barrier. When your skin’s barrier is strong, it has an easier time both retaining moisture and protecting you from outside pathogens.
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CeraVe’s Hydrating Body Wash fortifies your skin with three different ceramides, and it also offers a healthy dose of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is one of the most effective ingredients for drawing moisture to the skin, so you can rest assured that your skin will stay soft and supple all day.
3. OGX Radiant Glow + Argan Oil of Morocco Body Wash
You may already be familiar with OGX for its effective (and affordable!) haircare products, but the brand is making a name for itself in the world of personal care as well. This body wash relies on one of OGX’s best ingredients: cold-pressed Moroccan argan oil. It also includes silk proteins, which are remarkably similar to the proteins in the skin, and they’re great for firming and rehydrating.
If you use this body wash daily, even dry and flaky skin will slowly regain its glow. OGX also makes a coordinating body lotion for skin that needs a little extra hydration.
4. NIVEA Nourishing Body Wash
NIVEA might be a drugstore brand, but this body wash is formulated with the same heavy-hitting ingredients as many high-end products. We like that it’s effectively two products in one: it’s a body wash with extra-moisturizing shea butter, but it also includes a specially-formulated nourishing serum.
The mixed-in nourishing serum is a blend of natural oils, skin-fueling vitamins, and essential lipids. Together, this impressive panel of ingredients delivers moisture and strengthens your skin barrier to keep it in. You'll step out of the shower with instantly cleaner, softer skin.
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5. Irish Spring Moisture Blast Body Wash
Lots of moisturizing products have soft-sounding names, so Moisture Blast definitely stands out! It’s designed to deliver a powerful, odor-fighting clean while still keeping your skin soft, smooth, and moisturized.
Moisture Blast contains jojoba oil, one of the better natural oils for skin conditioning. Jojoba oil is very similar to your skin’s natural oils, so it helps restore your oil balance without making you feel greasy.
If you play sports or simply sweat a lot, Moisture Blast is one of the best moisturizing body washes—when it comes to odor prevention, it doesn’t mess around! It includes a special technology clinically proven to neutralize odors. Irish Spring even claims Moisture Blast will keep you smelling fresh for a full 24 hours.
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6. Grown Alchemist Body Cleanser
Grown Alchemist is a maker of spa-grade personal care products with ingredients straight from nature. This soothing, natural wash has a beautifully nuanced botanical smell: it’s infused with bergamot, chamomile, rosewood, neroli, rosemary, and more.
These botanical ingredients do more than just smell good, though: they infuse your skin with much-needed moisture while soothing and protecting it as well. Jojoba and macadamia oils deliver non-greasy moisture perfect for dry skin, while the vitamin C in tangerine and bergamot refreshes and brightens.
7. Naturium The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Hydrating Body Wash
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Moisturized skin gives you a healthy glow, and The Glow Getter is one of the most moisturizing body washes out there. If you’re looking to rehydrate desperately dry skin, you don’t just need to look for the right ingredients—you also need to know roughly how much of that ingredient is present. With this wash, you don’t have to guess. The Glow Getter’s formula is over 50% glycerin and phospholipids. Glycerin is a natural humectant that also strengthens your skin’s protective barrier. Phospholipids make up a sizeable portion of that outer layer, and together, these ingredients lock in moisture for soft, smooth skin.
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8. Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash
If your skin seems to react to just about every body wash you try, Eucerin’s Skin Calming Body Wash can help you get clean without experiencing itchiness, rashes, or irritation. It uses a blend of skin-conditioning omega oils (including soybean oil and castor oil) to deliver natural moisture with each wash.
Like many products for sensitive skin, this body wash is also unscented. While it’s important to let it sit on your skin for a moment, Eucerin recommends spending only around five minutes in the shower. Too much hot water exposure will just dry out your skin further!
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9. Muse Apothecary Body Ritual Hydrating Body Wash
Boutique, apothecary-style body washes are great if you want to try something a little different. Body Ritual is designed to cleanse, moisturize and give you an aromatherapy session, too! It has a rich, natural scent of coconut and sandalwood. These fragrances come from natural essential oils, so you won’t have to worry about unnaturally strong artificial scents.
Body Ritual also includes glycerin, one of the most underrated moisturizers in the beauty world. Glycerin is also a capable emollient, so it can help your skin feel smoother and softer as soon as you step out of the shower.
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10. Method Body Simply Nourish Body Wash
If you care about your health and the health of the environment, you might be interested in biodegradable soaps and body washes. This one from Method is completely biodegradable and uses only plant-based cleansers. It also includes three outstanding plant-based moisturizers: rice milk, coconut, and shea butter.
We like that even the packaging was made with sustainability in mind. The bottle is made of 65% recycled plastic, and none of the ingredients have been tested on animals. It has a rich, smooth, coconut-like scent that will make each shower an escape.
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11. A LA MAISON Sweet Almond Body Wash
This great-smelling body wash uses a recipe dating back to the 1800s. It includes French triple-milled soap to kill bacteria and multiple natural oils to hydrate your skin. As you work this body wash into a lather, olive oil, glycerin, and argan oil deliver natural moisture to make your skin instantly feel softer and rehydrated. We like that it’s good for you and the environment—it’s cruelty-free and comes in a recyclable bottle. It’s also free of parabens and phthalates! If you aren’t partial to the almond scent, you can find this wash in Rosemary Mint, Lavender Aloe, Honeysuckle, and Fresh Sea Salt as well.
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12. Cremo Vintage Suede Body Wash
Cremo is a brand that takes a lot of pride in its “uncommon scents.” Vintage Suede is one of its Reserve Collection fragrances, and it will envelop you in a wash of amber, suede, and moss. If you like the way it smells, you might also appreciate Cremo’s matching cologne!
Of course, fragrance isn’t all that matters when it comes to body wash. Vintage suede also includes three quality moisturizers. Glycerin draws in moisture while smoothing and softening your skin. Aloe juice quiets inflamed skin and delivers an array of vitamins that support skin health. And marula oil’s natural fatty acids help rebuild and replenish your skin’s natural barrier.
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13. Mrs. Meyer’s Aromatherapeutic Body Wash
You might already know Mrs. Meyer’s for its quality, all-natural cleaning products, but it also manufactures natural, biodegradable personal-care products. This body wash is formulated with lavender essential oil that will turn each shower into a relaxing, aromatherapeutic ritual.
We like that Mrs. Meyer’s includes a range of super-moisturizing, skin-brightening ingredients. Aloe gel, olive oil, and flaxseed oil will renew even the driest skin, while orange peel oil delivers vitamin C for a healthy glow. It’s dermatologist-tested for gentleness and effectiveness, but like other Mrs. Meyer’s products, it’s not tested on animals.
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14. Bliss Lemon & Sage Soapy Suds Body Wash
Bliss was founded in New York in 1996, and it’s promoted skincare as a self-care ritual before it was cool. Like Bliss’s other skincare products, this one is full of moisturizing ingredients that really work. Like many moisturizing body washes, it includes aloe juice and glycerin. But it also includes an ingredient you might be less familiar with: guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, a derivative of the cluster bean. This ingredient is an effective cleanser as well as a skin conditioner.
Few scents are as bright and refreshing as that of lemon and sage, so this wash is an outstanding way to start your day! It’s formulated especially for dry skin, but if you find yourself needing a little extra moisture, check out Bliss’s Lemon and Sage Body Butter.
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15. Oars + Alps Body + Face Wash
Skincare purists will tell you that body washes can’t be used on your face, but this one is suitable for both. Its main moisturizers are aloe juice and jojoba oil. Aloe juice is loaded with powerful antioxidants, and jojoba oil has properties similar to those of your skin’s natural oils.
This body wash is ideal for dry or sensitive skin. It contains no alcohol, parabens, phthalates, or sulfates. However, Oars + Alps notes that this product is specially formulated to give you a rich, foamy lather—something difficult to achieve without sulfates!
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16. Farmacy Honey Bubbly Hydrating Body Wash
It might sound like something out of an old wives’ tale, but honey does have some impressive benefits for skin health. It’s a powerful natural humectant with a lot of skin-smoothing properties. Farmacy is committed to responsibly sourced, high-quality ingredients, and Honey Bubbly is formulated with farm-grown buckwheat honey. It also includes apple extract for additional softness and hydration.
This body wash includes no sulfates and no soap, so it’s perfect for those with super-sensitive skin. It forms a soft, bubbly lather and rinses off clean, leaving your skin wonderfully hydrated.
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17. Bevel Moisturizing Body Wash
Like other Bevel products, this body wash was designed for those with melanated skin, but it will help anyone with dry skin banish itchiness, dryness, and discomfort. Bevel combines the power of shea butter and coconut oil, two intense moisturizers perfect for rehydrating skin.
This balanced body wash does a great job of exfoliating, priming your skin to absorb the natural fatty acids found in shea butter and coconut oil. An infusion of vitamin B revitalizes and energizes, and the Supreme Oak scent leaves you feeling relaxed and refreshed.
18. Capri Blue Volcano Body Wash
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Capri Blue’s artfully designed bottle certainly caught our eye. So did its artful combination of lasting moisture and refined fragrance. Volcano Body Wash includes plant-based glycerin as its primary moisturizing ingredient, and its vegan and cruelty-free formulation is also free of sulfates and parabens.
We also like that Capri Blue’s Volcano scent is reminiscent of a summery designer perfume with notes of citrus and sugar. The brand’s tagline is “where fashion meets fragrance,” and you’re sure to appreciate newly moisturized, great-smelling skin!
19. Puracy Comfort Face & Body Wash
This aptly-named body wash will comfort your mind and your body with every use. Its simple ingredient list is 99.96% natural, and it includes coconut-derived cleansers to clear away dirt and grime without disrupting your skin’s protective barrier. Pink sea salt soothes irritation and leaves your skin feeling smooth.
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Puracy’s formula has been tested by a range of professionals: chemists, dermatologists, biochemists and skincare experts have carefully vetted all ingredients for safety and efficacy. If your skin is both dry and sensitive, you’ll appreciate the fact that Comfort is free of sulfates, petrochemicals, parabens, phthalates, and other harsh ingredients. We like that you can prevent waste by purchasing refill pouches instead of buying a new bottle each time you run out!
20. Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Gentle Shower Gel
If your skin feels moisturized after a shower but seems to dry out soon after, Atoderm will help you take hydration to the next level. Bioderma claims that this gentle shower gel will keep your skin hydrated for a full 24 hours. This is largely thanks to its unique Skin Protect Complex, a mixture of vitamin B and two specialized sugars that add moisture and fortify your skin’s natural protective barrier.
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Bioderma recommends this soothing shower gel for normal to dry skin. If your skin is extremely dry, you may want to follow it up with Atoderm Shower Oil, an ultra-moisturizing treatment that delivers much-needed nourishment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a body wash that’s right for my skin?
Some choices involve careful thought and a lot of weighing of pros and cons, but choosing a body wash generally isn’t one of those decisions. Still, there are some general rules of thumb you can use to narrow the field when you pick a body wash.
If you have dry skin, certain body washes can strip away too much of your skin’s natural oils, making it even drier. And body lotion can only do so much! That’s where moisturizing body washes come in. These washes usually contain natural oils that hydrate your skin without making it greasy. Rehydrating your skin is almost always a good thing, so moisturizing body washes are helpful for almost any skin type.
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For those with sensitive skin, moisturizing body wash is also a good idea. But if your skin is especially reactive, you might want to go with an unscented body wash that includes gentle, natural ingredients. There are even some body washes designed specifically to calm down irritated skin.
If you have oily skin, your best bet is a body wash that includes both exfoliating and clarifying ingredients. Salicylic acid is a common chemical exfoliant, and clarifying charcoal deep-cleans clogged pores.
Somewhat paradoxically, moisture is also important for super-oily skin. A lot of body washes and other products for oily skin are somewhat harsh, and some of them remove too much oil. To compensate, your skin just produces more oil, and the cycle repeats itself.
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If you have acne-prone skin, you might prefer a cleanser that targets current breakouts and reduces your risk of future ones. Many of these body washes contain salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, or other acne-fighting ingredients. Some people prefer to use a wash for body acne and then follow up with a general-purpose moisturizing body wash.
What are some good moisturizing ingredients to look for?
Moisturizing body wash works a lot like a mixture of lotion and a traditional body wash. (If you’re familiar with the term “co-wash” for hair, moisturizing body wash works the same way.) That means that many of the moisturizing ingredients in body washes are the same ones you’ll find in lotion.
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Shea butter is a common moisturizer for both skin and hair, and it works wonderfully on both! It’s a great source of vitamins A and E, both of which promote skin health. And if your skin tends to flare up easily, you’ll certainly appreciate its anti-inflammatory powers. Shea butter will keep your skin moisturized long after you wash off your body: it works deep within your skin to seal in moisture and prevent additional moisture loss. That said, it won’t clog pores or cause breakouts, either.
Coconut oil is another natural moisturizer often found in hair products. It’s both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. And thanks to its high concentrations of fatty acids, it also delivers long-lasting, natural moisture to dry skin. Lauric acid, one of the main fatty acids in coconut oil, can also kill at least one strain of acne-causing bacteria.
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Aloe juice comes from the aloe plant, one of nature’s greatest moisturizers. This extract is a great source of vitamins A, C, and E—three outstanding vitamins for skin health!
Marula oil comes from an African tree. It hasn’t been on the personal-care scene very long, but it’s definitely making a splash! Marula oil is rich in oleic acid, stearic acid, and other key fatty acids your skin needs to stay healthy. It’s perfect for giving your skin that soft, just-moisturized feeling right out of the shower.
Cocoa butter is probably seen in lotion form more often, but you can sometimes find it used in body wash. It has a sweet, pleasant scent and a rich, buttery feel to it. In terms of consistency, it feels a lot like shea butter, but it isn’t nearly as rich in vitamins as shea butter is. Still, it feels heavy (in a good way!) and ultra-moisturizing, so it’s a great choice if you have very dry skin.
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Hyaluronic acid is a favorite of skincare aficionados everywhere. It’s a compound naturally found in your skin, joints, and eyes, and its primary function is to draw and retain moisture. Over time, the amount of hyaluronic acid in your skin decreases, causing dryness. You can often find this ingredient in lotions and moisturizers, but it’s in some moisturizing body washes, too!
Honey seems like an odd ingredient for body wash. However, it’s a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin and keeps it there. Don’t worry—the honey in body wash is too diluted to make you feel sticky!
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Ceramides are natural fats that make up a sizable portion of your skin’s protective barrier. If your skin barrier is damaged or thin, it becomes easy to lose too much moisture. Regularly applying ceramides through body washes, lotions, and other products may help restore the barrier and keep your skin soft and moisturized.
Are there any ingredients I should avoid?
The best moisturizing body wash for you includes all of the ingredients you want and none of the ingredients you don’t want. Here are some potentially harmful ingredients you’ll probably want to avoid:
Phthalates are in everything from personal-care products to medical tubing to vinyl flooring. They’re chemicals used to promote flexibility in plastics. Researchers haven’t even come close to discovering all the ways phthalates affect us. At least in lab animals, some phthalates cause reproductive damage. One has been proven to cause cancer in lab rats, and scientists think it very likely causes cancer in people, too.
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Parabens extend the shelf life of body washes and other personal-care products. Scientists don’t know a whole lot about how they impact people, but it’s believed that parabens can act like estrogen in your body. That may increase your risk of breast cancer and cause disruptions to your endocrine system, so you’ll definitely want to steer clear!
Sulfates aren’t bad for you in terms of general health, but they have the potential to irritate your skin. These petroleum-derived chemicals are responsible for the rich lather of your favorite shower gel. Sulfates can sometimes over-strip your skin’s oil, causing dryness and general discomfort. The good news is that a body wash doesn’t really need to lather to work well. So if you go sulfate-free, you won’t be missing out on much.
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How can I get the most out of my body wash?
Even if you shower each day, you don’t have to wash your entire body each time. Of course, you’ll want to use your body wash anywhere you sweat and produce odor. But unless your arms and legs have gotten dirty or sweaty, you don’t need to scrub them every day.
This is especially good advice if your skin is on the dry side. Frequent washing can make it difficult or impossible for your skin to replenish its natural oils. But by using a moisturizing body wash when you do lather up, you’ll help your skin stay healthy.
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A good body wash gently exfoliates your skin, but some people get better results if they use a shower tool to help the process along. A loofah or similar shower tool will help you shed dead skin cells, and it’s perfect for achieving a rich lather. But if you’re really on a mission, you might want to check out exfoliating gloves. They’re great for smoothing and clarifying, but they can be a little much for people with sensitive skin. If you fall into that category, a soft washcloth might be a better idea.
For an uncommon way to boost exfoliation, you might try dry brushing, a practice rooted in Indian traditional medicine. With dry bushing, you gently use a bristled brush over your entire body before showering. You also can gently exfoliate by using a body scrub alongside your body wash.
