Choosing a good men’s body wash can be extremely difficult – people can have very different needs, preferences, and skin conditions to take into account when shopping for a body wash.
Add to that that you can find hundreds of options on the market literally, and you may be wandering around local or online stores for weeks, unable to find the best body wash for your needs.
If this is your situation as well, then let us help you by showcasing what we think are the very best men’s body washes out there!
Below, you’ll find great options for body washes for dry, oily, normal, and sensitive skin. Not only that but to hopefully help you pick the right body wash, we’ll talk in-depth about the things that you should consider when shopping for a body wash.
Contents
Our Top-Pick Body Washes For Men
In a hurry? Then here are our top 3 choices!
Top Pick: Best Body Wash for Cleansing: NIVEA Men DEEP Active Clean Body Wash
With over 4,000 reviews and 4.6 stars on Amazon, NIVEA’s DEEP Active Clean body wash is our number 1 pick. This body wash is deeply cleansing, delivers a long-lasting scent, and is excellent for people with oily skin.
Second Top Pick – Most Distinct Scent: AXE Dark Temptation Body Wash
Looking for a distinct scent? Then strongly consider AXE’s Dark Temptation. This men’s body wash boasts a unique sweet fragrance with a hint of spice, balanced consistency, easy rinsing, and solid cleansing performance.
Top Pocket-Friendly Pick: Suave Refresh Men Body Wash
The Suave Refresh body wash perhaps isn’t as remarkable as others, but it’s certainly much more pocket-friendly. If your needs are easy to satisfy and you just need a cost-efficient option, then Suave Refresh perhaps is the best men’s body wash for you.
10 Best Body Washes For Men
If none of our picks seemed good for you, then maybe you’ll find something worthy below. We’ll dive a little bit deeper into the benefits of our top picks and introduce you to the rest of the shortlisted body washes.
1) NIVEA Men DEEP Active Clean Body Wash
Pros
- A natural charcoal formulation for easy cleansing.
- A fresh scent that lasts for over 8 hours.
Cons
- Not for sensitive skin.
For a deeper cleanse, the NIVEA Men DEEP Active Clean body wash might be an excellent choice.
To allow for effective dirt, oil, and sweat removal, the Deep Active Clean body wash relies on natural charcoal. Natural charcoal makes this body wash a little harsh on the skin, and you may need to apply a moisturizer to keep your skin healthy.
But if your skin is oily and you get sweaty quickly, this body wash may be a good option.
Scent-wise, the DEEP Active Clean body wash imparts a floral-like fragrance that’s claimed to last for at least 8 hours. The fragrance here isn’t too strong, so it shouldn’t be invasive and annoying to those around you.
2) Jack Black Turbo Wash Hair & Body Energizing Cleanser
Pros
- It hydrates the skin.
- Energizes and calms the body.
- It may be used on hair.
Cons
- Pretty expensive.
The Jack Black Turbo Wash Energizing Cleanser is aimed at those who are regularly exercising. Notably, if used before exercise, this body wash is claimed to loosen muscles, awaken senses, and open airways. And if used after a workout, it washes away sweat and soothes tired muscles.
Sulfate-free, the Turbo Wash is claimed to be gentle enough for use on both body and hair as well.
What may also matter to you is that the Energizing Cleanser leaves your skin soft and hydrated after use. It’s pretty difficult to say how it will work with sensitive skin, but this body wash should be gentler than the NIVEA DEEP Active Clean.
3) Dial for Men Hydro Fresh Hair + Body Wash
Pros
- For hair and body.
- Moisturizes and hydrates.
- Leaves little to no residue on the skin.
Cons
- It may be too thick for some people.
Body washes typically leave a very thin oily film on your skin after use. This isn’t that big of a deal for many people, but if you hate residue, then the Hydro Fresh Hair + Body Wash from Dial perhaps is a great choice.
This body wash boasts a lathery but easy to rinse formulation. Despite what the lightness of this body wash may suggest, it does a solid job of keeping you fresh and washing away dirt, sweat, and oils.
What will matter for men with dry skin is that this body wash is formulated to keep the skin moisturized after use. Besides, it may be used both on hair and body.
Many users seem to have liked the scent of the Hydro Fresh body wash – the fragrance in Hydro Fresh is masculine with light hints of fruits and greens.
The Dial Hydro Fresh body wash is pretty pocket-friendly as well. Not only that, but one bottle comes with 32 ounces of body wash (64-ounce variant also available.)
4) Suave Refresh Men Body Wash
Pros
- Very affordable.
- Lathers up very well.
- Doesn’t leave the skin dry.
- No soapy residue.
Cons
- The smell may be too strong for some people’s liking.
And now, the cheapest men’s body wash on our roundup! Of course, if you’ve ever used a pricey body wash, you’ll probably instantly feel that the Suave wash isn’t quite up there.
With that said, if you have normal skin that isn’t dry, acne-prone, or excessively oily, why buy a pricey body wash?
So anyway, the Suave Refresh men’s body wash appears to have a pretty balanced cleansing formula.
First off, it lathers well but doesn’t leave your skin dry after a shower. Then, its formulation is easy to rinse and leaves little to no oily residue on your skin. And scent-wise, you are getting a fresh fragrance with hints of spice and cedar.
5) Dove Men+Care Foaming Body Wash
Pros
- It hydrates the skin.
- Delivers rich lather.
- Quick-rinse formulation.
Cons
- Not for very sensitive skin.
If you don’t really like liquid body washes, then the Dove Men+Care body wash might be a nice pick. The pump here delivers foam instantly, perhaps making the body wash a little more efficient.
The Men+Care body wash may be great for men with dry skin as well. This body wash makes use of Dove’s Nutrium Moisture technology to hydrate and freshens up the skin after use.
Despite its foamy consistency, the Men+Care body wash is pretty easy to rinse, and it leaves little to no residue on the skin. Dove also claims that this body wash will leave you fresh all day long. Well, you won’t find out whether this is true unless you give the Men+Care body wash a try!
6) AXE Dark Temptation Body Wash
Pros
- Interesting fragrance combo of chocolate, amber, and red peppercorn.
- Rinses easily.
- Many scents are available.
- Not too runny & not too thick.
Cons
- The smell may be too strong for some people’s liking.
If the scent is the most important thing for you in a body wash, then we strongly suggest that you give AXE’s Dark Temptation a try. Although it’s an overall great body wash – it has a well-balanced consistency, cleanses well, and rinses easily – the fragrance is its most remarkable feature.
So, the scent here is a very interesting combo of red peppercorn, amber, and chocolate. More precisely, the Dark Temptation body wash leaves a sweet scent with hints of spice. Not the scent you’d get from a typical body wash, Dark Temptation’s fragrance could impart a good deal of individuality to your style.
With that said, the scent here is pretty strong. This isn’t necessarily a downside, but if you dislike overpowering fragrances, then Dark Temptation could be too much for you.
However, if you want to smell good, perhaps giving this thing at least a try is worth it. Besides, check out other fragrances that this body wash is available in.
7) EMJ Cedarwood Body Wash
Pros
- Leaves the skin soft and moisturized.
- Made cruelty-free.
- Several scent options.
- 2 bottles included.
Cons
- A little pricey.
This body-wash by Every Man Jack will be a solid option if you are looking for a wash that is manufactured environmentally friendly.
Most importantly, the EMJ body wash is claimed to be cruelty-free and never be tested on animals. Aside from that, body wash bottles are claimed to be used with at least 50% post-consumer recycled plastic.
The EMJ body wash is also made naturally with no GMOs, dyes, phthalates, or parabens. It leaves the skin soft and moisturized as well, so it might be suitable for men with sensitive skin.
The scent of the particular EMJ body wash reviewed is cedarwood, but there are a few others available as well, including citrus, mint, and sandalwood.
And finally, the EMJ body wash pack comes with 2 bottles of cedarwood wash, which may allow you to save money (though this pack is pricey).
8) Brickell Men’s Invigorating Mint Body Wash
Pros
- Moisturizes the skin.
- 97% natural and 83% organic.
- Cruelty-free.
- Suitable for sensitive skin.
Cons
- Not for very sensitive skin.
Brickell’s Invigorating Mint Body Wash appears to be an excellent body wash for men with sensitive skin.
The secret to this body wash’s mildness is its 97% natural & 83% organic certification. Making use of coconut-based cleansers and tea tree oil to cleanse the skin, the Brickell body wash promises to be easy on the skin.
Aside from that, this body wash has glycerin for skin hydration, jojoba oil for protection, and aloe vera for nutrition.
What might also matter to you is that Brickell manufactures its body washes cruelty-free.
In the end, although this body wash is quite expensive, it might be a worthy choice if you have particular skincare needs.
9) Old Spice Swagger Red Zone Body Wash
Pros
- Great value for the money.
- Having awesome lime and cedarwood smell.
- Does hydrate your skin.
- Includes 2 30 fl. oz bottles.
Cons
- It’s on the pricey side.
The Swagger Red Zone body wash is ridiculously highly rated by its users. Nearly 200 reviews and 4.8 stars on Amazon – this is better than with any other body wash on our list!
The scent, feel, and effect – everything seems excellent with the Old Spice Swagger Red Zone body wash. Now, it probably won’t be for everyone – e.g., men with sensitive skin may want something else – but for the average buyer, this body wash will likely be excellent.
Particular praise was given to the lime and cedarwood scent of this body wash. Of course, not everyone liked it, but it seems that Old Spice has figured out a smell with ideal intensity for many users.
Given that you are getting two 30-ounce bottles for not so much money, the Old Spice Swagger Red Zone pack also offers great value for the money.
10) Manscaped Men’s Crop Cleanser All-In-One Body Wash
Pros
- For the entire body from head to toe.
- Gentle and hydrating.
- Comes with 2 bottles of the stuff.
Cons
- It’s on the pricey side.
As Manscaped writes in this body wash’s product description, their mission is simple – to help you attract a mate that doesn’t want a musty-smelling partner. Well, the name “Crop Cleanser” could already give you an idea of where this body wash is aimed.
The Crop Cleanser body wash is formulated for head-to-toe and – as Manscaped phrases it – ball-to-ball cleansing. In fact, this body wash is formulated to control the natural balance of your skin’s oil, maintaining its hydration. The Crop Cleanser also has an exfoliating effect, removing dead skin and freshly trimmed hairs.
Speaking of trimmed hairs, the Crop Cleanser may be used both before or after a fresh trim.
In the end, if you want to enhance your manly side, then definitely give the Crop Cleanser a try. But be mindful that it’s a relatively pricey body wash.
Best Body Wash For Body Odor
Staying clean is one thing, but you are also probably expecting your body wash to keep you odor-free. If you’ve tried many body-washes against odor and none seemed to work, then here are 2 more options for you to consider specifically for odor elimination.
Remedy Soap Tea Tree Oil Body Wash
Pros
- Strong deodorizing effect.
- Soothes the skin.
- Cruelty-free.
Cons
- Not for very sensitive skin.
The Remedy Soap tea tree oil body wash promises to help not only with scents but also with a variety of skin conditions. If you have acne, ringworm, jock itch, or a candidate, then the Remedy Soap body wash may be able to soothe your skin.
Odor-wise, this body wash is aimed at eliminating foot and body odor. Judging by buyer reviews, the Remedy Soap body wash is indeed effective at deodorizing, so it may be worth a try.
The tea tree body wash also contains jojoba, coconut, and olive oil to help you moisturize and nourish your skin.
What might also matter to you is that this body wash is made with natural ingredients and is cruelty-free. With that said, its formulation seems to be pretty aggressive, so men with sensitive skin should either avoid it or use it not too frequently.
Irish Spring Moisturizing Men’s Body Wash
Pros
- Keeps your fresh and odor-free for 24 hours.
- Conditions and nourishes the skin.
- Comes in two 18-ounce bottles.
Cons
- Not for dry skin.
The Irish Spring men’s body wash is a more suitable option for people who just want to get rid of body odor. This body wash is claimed to keep you fresh and odor-free for 24 hours, which is much longer than what you’d get from a typical wash (usually about 8-16 hours).
Aside from odor neutralization, the Irish Spring body wash offers a conditioning and moisturizing effect for the skin. With this in mind, it could be a great option for men with drier skin.
The Irish Spring men’s body wash costs little as well, and that’s despite the fact that it comes with two 18-ounce bottles.
Best Natural Body Wash
If you don’t want to deal with any chemicals in your body wash, then have a couple of additional options to consider.
Puracy Citrus & Sea Salt Natural Body Wash
Pros
- Natural plant-based formulation.
- Sea salt for effective cleansing.
- Cruelty-free.
- Two 16-ounce bottles.
Cons
- Not for dry skin.
If you are all about cruelty-free products, then give the Puracy citrus & sea salt body natural body wash a try. This product is not only cruelty-free, but it also doesn’t contain harsh ingredients like parabens, dyes, perfumes, animal byproducts, petroleum-based compounds, or sulfates.
Instead, for a deep cleanse, the Puracy body wash relies on sea salt. Sea salt is fairly coarse and does a great job at removing dirt from the skin, although it may not be suitable for users with dry skin.
Best Body Wash For Sensitive Skin
Body washes can be pretty harsh on your skin, especially the ones that are advertising to do a deep cleanse. Unfortunately, mildness and effectiveness are competing qualities, so you’ll have to make some sacrifices here.
If you have extra-sensitive skin and none of the overviewed body washes seem to be good for you, here are 2 more options.
Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash
Pros
- Soap-free formula.
- Soothes dry & itchy skin.
- Free from fragrances and dyes.
- Three 8.4-ounce bottles.
Cons
- Doesn’t smell good.
This body-wash by Eucerin should be able to deal with skin issues triggered by soap, particularly dry skin. With its soap-free formulation, the Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash promises to soothe and cleanse dry or itchy skin.
For skin nutrition and hydration, this body wash contains omega oils. Aside from that, the Eucerin body wash is free of any fragrances and dyes in an effort to decrease the likelihood of adverse reactions.
The downside of no fragrances is that this body wash smells and feels oily, so it’s definitely not like the other body washes on our list. Plus, it may leave an oil residue on your skin and bathroom floor, though this will depend on how much of the stuff you use.
However, for very sensitive skin, there may be no better body wash than this one.
NIVEA Men Sensitive 3-In-1 Body Wash
Pros
- Soap-, dye-, and alcohol-free.
- Soothes and moisturizes.
- Quick-rinsing.
- Three 16.9-ounce bottles.
Cons
- Not for super-sensitive skin.
If your skin isn’t too sensitive, then the Eucerin body wash might be overkill for you, and something like NIVEA’s Sensitive 3-In-1 body wash would probably work better.
To soothe the skin and reduce irritation, this body wash is free from soap, dyes, or alcohol that may cause allergic reactions or dry your skin. Furthermore, the NIVEA body wash also moisturizes your skin to keep it smooth and healthy.
Notably, this body wash is quick-rinsing and isn’t as oily as the Eucerin body wash. It’s scented as well, which may or may not be a desirable feature for you. If you know that your skin reacts to fragrances, then go for the Eucerin wash instead.
Body Wash VS Shower Gel VS Bar Soap
One question may have been lingering in your head throughout the reviews – what’s the difference between body washes, shower gels, and bar soaps?
To put it short, here are the key features of these skincare products:
- Bar soaps typically cleanse the skin excellently, but they can be too harsh. The typical bar soap easily removes essential lipids from the skin, leading to dehydration and cracked skin. With that said, you can find milder soaps with a moisturizing effect.
- Shower gels perhaps aren’t as cleansing as bar soaps, but they are much less harsh on your skin and do a better job at keeping it hydrated.
- Body washes are very similar to shower gels, but they are thicker and creamier. Unlike shower gels, body washes tend not to have surfactants, which makes them less effective. However, this makes body washes more moisturizing than shower gels. This may not matter that much for men with normal skin, but if your skin gets dry, then a body wash probably is the right option.
All in all, body washes arguably are well-balanced for most skin types. They can cleanse normal skin very effectively, and they can also help you if you have dry or ultra-sensitive skin.
Best Body Wash For Men Buyer’s Guide
Now that we understand what a body wash is, how do you choose a good men’s body wash?
From our reviews, you could’ve already noticed that body washes can be very different. What’s worse is that we’ve just scratched the surface – you can find hundreds of other body washes out there, each with its own good and bad sides.
To help you understand body washes better, let’s talk about a few things that you should consider for shopping for the best men’s body wash.
Consider Your Skin Type
First and foremost, consider your skin type. Many men can’t find the right body wash because they have very specific needs connected with their skin. Below, we’ll give you guidelines on what to do depending on your skin type.
Normal/oily skin
Men with normal or oily skin don’t have to worry about which body wash to choose. Regular non-mild body washes can work fine on normal skin, so if you don’t have any skin conditions, you won’t have to look for a special kind of body wash.
For extra effectiveness, you may also try out body washes with sea salt. Sea salt is rough and is effective at removing grease, but it can be harsh on dry or sensitive skin.
If you have very oily skin, then you may want to opt for a more aggressive body wash that will effectively remove oil. Besides, you may want to avoid moisturizing body-washes.
Dry skin
If you have dry skin, you should be looking for a moisturizing body wash that doesn’t have harsh ingredients. Such body washes are often advertised as body wash creams or body wash oils.
Among the ingredients to look for in a good hydrating body wash are:
- Shea butter.
- Hydrolyzed milk protein.
- Sodium lauroyl isethionate.
Sensitive skin
Choosing a good body wash for sensitive skin is pretty hard. Skin conditions can be different, which makes it challenging to recommend a specific body wash that will allow you to stay clean without side effects.
Generally, body washes are suitable for sensitive skin if:
- They do not have dyes or fragrances.
- They do not have synthetic preservatives.
- They do not have harsh detergents, whether natural or not.
As for ingredients, among the things to look for in men’s body wash suitable for sensitive skin are:
- Lauryl glucoside.
- Sunflower seed oil.
Acne-prone skin
For acne-prone skin, you would probably want to look for a body wash that has an exfoliating effect.
Among ingredients that help with exfoliation and removal of dead skin cells are salicylic/glycolic acid or sea salt. And to reduce inflammation caused by bacteria, you may want to look for a body wash with tea tree oil.
Avoid Harmful Ingredients
No matter what skin type you have, you should get a body wash that has little to no harmful ingredients. Most of what you put on your skin will get absorbed, and needless to say, if there’s some nasty stuff in the body wash, your health isn’t going to be good in the long term.
What makes matters worse is that skincare products (including body washes) aren’t regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. At least, this will be true if the body wash falls under the FDA definition of cosmetics, which most body washes do.
We strongly suggest that you read the referenced FDA article so that you understand what you are dealing with. But in short, neither the FDA nor the law requires cosmetic products to undergo safety tests, though manufacturers of cosmetics do have legal responsibility for the safety of their products.
The absence of legal enforcement means that you will need to determine the safety of a body wash. Although available body washes will not have excessively harsh or outright toxic components, you may want to avoid some ingredients.
Below is a list of the key ingredients that you should avoid in body washes and in skincare products in general.
- Aluminum: It is a toxic metal that can disrupt the human endocrine system. This metal can be found in very small amounts in many personal care products, including body washes.
- Triethanolamine (TEA), Monoethanolamine (MEA), Diethanolamine (DEA): These compounds may be found in products that get foamy. Identifying these ingredients is fairly easy – they have ammonia-like odors and are clear and colorless.
- DMDM hydantoin & UREA (Imidazolidinyl): These two ingredients are usually used as preservatives. They may cause skin allergies, joint pain, or headache.
- Mineral oils: Mineral oils are petroleum byproducts that can easily clog the skin pores. This increases the likelihood of acne and other skin conditions.
- Parabens (Butyl, Ethyl, Methyl, Propyl): These ingredients are used as preservatives. They may cause hormonal imbalance.
- Phthalates aren’t always listed on the package – they may simply be designated as fragrances.
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG): This ingredient is usually found in cleansers. Its purpose is to thicken the product. The bad thing about this compound is that it can lead to skin dryness.
- Propylene glycol (PG), butylene glycol: These are used to make extracts from herbs, and their traces may be left in the final product.
- Siloxanes: These ingredients may be used in cosmetics advertised to smoothen or moisten the skin. Siloxanes ingredient names usually end with “-siloxane” or “methicone.” These ingredients are suspected to be hormonal and reproductive disruptors.
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): These ingredients make the product foam and lather. Although these are thought to be safe for consumer use, they are skin irritants.
- Synthetic fragrances: Synthetic fragrances can be made up of dozens of other ingredients not listed on the package.
- Triclosan: This is an antibacterial agent that can degrade into dioxin. Dioxins are linked with adverse health reactions and toxic outcomes such as cancer.
The FDA prohibits misbranding cosmetic products, so you are pretty unlikely to encounter body washes whose ingredient lists are incomplete, ambiguous, or deceptively mislabeled.
You should still be very careful when picking a body wash.
Pick A Scent That You Like
For many men, scent in body washes may matter a little more than its cleansing capabilities. Well, needless to say, you should go for a scent that you like, although, and don’t be afraid to experiment and pick new scents.
When shopping online, it’s pretty difficult to tell how good or how strong the advertised scent will be. To get a rough idea of how good the desired body wash’s scent is, you may read user reviews. If it’s been too strong, too weak, or not quite what the manufacturer suggests, then you should be able to find out.
If you have sensitive skin, then you may want to avoid scented body washes. Aside from that, no matter how healthy your skin is, you should avoid body washes that have synthetic fragrances.
Do not Ignore Unisex Body-Washes
What makes a body wash a men’s personal care product? Most men will tell that it’s the scent. And indeed, men’s body washes have a distinctly masculine scent that doesn’t work with women.
However, don’t ignore unisex body washes – we’ve had a few of those on our list. They can work equally well for either men or women, so unless you only want a masculine fragrance, you will have more options to choose from.
Understand The Difference Between Organic And Natural
It’s also pretty important to understand the difference between organic body washes and natural body washes.
Although you may think that “natural” and “organic” mean the same, it’s not quite like that.
Organic products are much more heavily regulated than natural products. In fact, as of late February 2020, neither the FDA nor the US Department of Agriculture had a definition of the term “natural” in connection with cosmetics.
With that said, a bill was passed in November 2019 to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and bring more concrete definitions to the term “natural.” However, it’s difficult to say when and if this amendment will be implemented since, as of writing this post, the bill hadn’t even passed the House.
When it comes to the certification of organic cosmetics, body care products, and personal care products though, the USDA has pretty specific regulations. More precisely, here are the requirements that cosmetics need to meet to be certified organic:
- “100% organic”. The product must contain only organically produced ingredients.
- “Organic.” The product must contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients, not counting water and salt.
- “Made with organic ingredients.” At least 70% of the ingredients of the product must be organic.
If containing less than 70% organic ingredients, a cosmetic product cannot be labeled organic.
Here, note that the USDA regulates the term “organic” according to the NOP regulation, 7 CFR Part 205.
What all this means is that picking a truly natural body wash is difficult – at the moment, there’s no law enforcement for mislabeling natural personal care products. But there are regulations for organic labeling, so if you want a body wash made of organic products, then look for one with USDA organic labeling.
Consider Going Environmentally-Friendly
Some men may also care about the environmental effects of body wash manufacturing. Among the things that you may want to look for is no animal testing, only vegan components, as well as the use of recycled materials.
These may not have any effect on the effectiveness of a body wash, but by buying environmentally-friendly products, you’ll have your own contribution to the cause of preserving the environment.
Read The Label
We’ve gone through the ingredients that should be avoided in body washes. However, we can’t possibly cover every substance that men’s body-wash manufacturers include in their body care products.
With this in mind, you should carefully review the label and, if necessary, research the ingredients contained in the body wash. Avoid ingredients that are synthetic, suspected to be harmful, as well as avoid products that have ambiguous labeling.
Go Small
If you are buying a body wash for the first time, then you should go small. For an initial test, buy a travel-sized bottle of body wash – this will allow you to save money, and you won’t be stuck with a huge bottle of body wash that you don’t like.
You could go big as well, but this would be reasonable only if you are certain that the desired body wash will work for your needs.
How To Use A Body Wash?
Your body wash will probably come with use directions. With that said, we’ll provide you with general body wash use instructions anyway – maybe you even find some extra information here that is not in your body wash’s directions.
1) Test the body wash on a small patch of skin
First and foremost, you should test the body wash whether your skin is normal, dry, or sensitive.
Usually, a recommended spot for a test of body care products is the area inside the wrist. This area has very thin skin, so if the body wash is to cause any irritation, itching, or drying, testing inside the wrist will most likely tell you about it.
If you see no adverse effects, then great, the body wash seems alright! Otherwise, avoid using the body wash and look for something else.
2) Squeeze out a small amount of body wash
You don’t need to use too much body wash – this would be wasteful and could increase the risk of irritation or skin drying.
Generally, a dime-sized amount of body wash is enough.
3) Apply the body wash to your skin
Apply the body wash to your body. You may use only your hands, but a washcloth is recommended since its abrasive surface will allow you to remove dirt more effectively.
Unless the body wash is also made for face application (which it probably isn’t), don’t use your body wash on your face. Use a face wash or face cleanser instead. Facial skin is much more delicate than body skin, and it’s much easier to irritate or dry.
4) Thoroughly rinse the body-wash
After you’ve cleaned your body, thoroughly rinse out the body wash. Ideally, no body-wash residue should remain on your skin since it may cause irritation. Not only that, but you won’t feel clean.
It may be fine if a very thin layer of body wash stays on your skin, but if it’s too much, then you should either switch to a less oily body wash or reduce the amount of the product used.
5) Wipe your body dry
Wipe your body dry by gently patting it. Generally, it’s recommended to avoid rubbing the towel against the skin since it may cause irritation. This is especially true for users with sensitive skin.
6) Apply a moisturizer
After a typical body-wash, you should apply moisturizer to your skin, especially if you have dry skin.
If your body wash is advertised to be hydrating, then you may try not to use a moisturizer. But keep an eye on your skin to see whether the hydrating ability of the body wash is indeed enough for you.
7) Rinse your washcloth
You should also rinse and wash your washcloth frequently to prevent bacteria growth. Even if the body wash is perfect for you, a nasty washcloth may cause skin irritation and acne in you. Not suspecting that it’s your washcloth that’s at fault, you may then jump from body wash to body wash, wasting precious time and money.
8) Monitor the condition of your skin
Don’t expect the body wash to deliver visible results after the first use. You may have to use it for a week or two before you can determine whether it helps you or not.
Throughout use, make sure to carefully monitor your skin. Are there any changes? Are there any allergic reactions, itching, or dryness after you use your body wash?
If the body wash doesn’t give you the desired effect or outright worsens your skin condition, then think about switching to another body wash.
How Often To Use A Body Wash?
Showering generally is recommended no more often than every other day, but how about body washes? Well, you should probably use a body wash every other day or two-three times per week as well.
No matter how mild your body wash is, daily use will probably end in dry, flaky skin, itching, and redness. The body wash may strip your skin of its essential oils, leading to dryness and then perhaps to skin inflammation or eczema.
Also, keep in mind that in winter, your skin may be drier than in summer. This means that in winter, you may not want to shower as often as in summer.
The Shelf Life Of Body Washes
If you want to maintain your skin’s health, then it’s also important that you know how long the shelf life of your particular body wash is.
Typically, body washes last for up to 3 years, but this may differ from body wash to body wash. However, know that all-natural body washes will last shorter because they do not have synthetic preservatives.
Don’t use an expired body wash – it most likely will not help you make your skin healthier, and it may even do the opposite. Apart from keeping an eye on the package’s expiration date, look for signs of a bad body wash like changed texture, changed consistency, drying, or odor.
FAQs
Can you use a body wash for face cleaning?
You can, but maybe you shouldn’t. Unless the body wash is specifically formulated for use on the face, don’t apply it to your face. Facial skin is very delicate and requires special facial washes or cleansers.
Should I use a body wash every time I shower?
Use your body wash whenever you shower. But do remember that you shouldn’t shower and use a body wash daily – your skin may get stripped of its essential oils.
Can a body wash replace a moisturizer?
This depends on the formulation of the body wash. If it’s made to hydrate your skin, you may not need to use a moisturizer after a shower.
Can you use a body wash for shaving?
You could try it, but body washes and soap make razors dull pretty quickly. Razor blades and cartridges can be pretty pricey, so to save money, use a shaving gel instead.
Wrapping Up
Unfortunately, it’s not easy to pick the right body wash for your skin type, preferences, or budget. The fact that there are hundreds of body washes available makes matters very difficult, though you do also have more options to choose from.
Hopefully, you’ve found the right body wash from our little roundup of the best body washes for men. Even if not, we sincerely hope that our buyer’s guide will help you with your search.
Remember – you probably won’t make a 100% correct choice on the first try. You should make an effort to identify the best body wash for your needs, but don’t overthink it – there always is some trial and error involved in choosing skincare products.