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The Best Body Wash for Men

It’s time to let go of that crumbling bar soap in the corner of your shower.

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By Evan Malachosky

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Think about what you do in the shower. (Please don’t say it out loud.) The answer is wash your hair and body, right? Maybe a bit of singing, shaving, thinking and toothbrushing, too. Makes sense. That’s what you’re supposed to do. But the products you use are not all created equal. There are plenty of specialized haircare solutions: If you have dandruff, you lather with an anti-dandruff shampoo; folks with hair loss usually rely on regenerative treatments; those who recently dyed their hair use purple shampoo; and so on and so forth.

Body products, despite big brands’ best attempts at dumbing them down, are not one size fits all. Furthermore, the harsh, chemical-filled options you’ll find dotting the shelves at grocery and big-box stores do not represent the best the industry has to offer. There might be a lot of options there — to be honest, Target has done the best job at introducing better-for-you body washes to their inventory — but there are better ones beyond them. Because while we trust these products to clean us, we cannot always simply trust that they are clean, too. (Sorry, but that means you’ll have to bump your $4 dollar body wash budget up a bit.)

What to Look for in a Body Wash

As a general rule, folks with sensitive skin shouldn’t use body washes not labeled for sensitive skin. That being said, those without skin issues can totally use body washes intended for sensitive skin. In fact, you’re probably better off doing so. Those big-box store body washes contain chemicals that can actively harm your skin and alter its pH.

Just like I said, Dr. Samer Jaber, board-certified dermatologist at Washington Square Dermatology, reiterates, “If you have dry or sensitive skin pick products that are made for sensitive skin, fragrance-free and more gentle.” Fragrances within body washes are often the most undetected irritant. Ingredients like linalool and limonene — common in products with that trendy, woodsy sort of herbaceous scent — can cause itchiness and hives.

Ingredients to Avoid

  • Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, isoparaben, or butylparaben)
  • BPA
  • Triclosan
  • Propylene glycol
  • Benzophenone-3
  • Sulfates (sodium laureth sulfate or SLES, sodium lauryl sulfate or SLS)
  • Phthalates
  • Synthetic fragrances

These ingredients range from foaming to antibacterial agents, but they’re all bad. Sure, a super foamy lather is nice, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of repeat exposure to known irritants (which these are). Sulfates can dry out the skin and exacerbate existing issues like eczema. Parabens are used as preservatives but they also can also alter your body’s hormones.

How to… Use It

Seems simple, right? Body wash goes on your body! You’re correct, but you need to consider other factors like frequency, water temperature and whether you use it before or after washing your hair.

Dr. Joshua Zeichner, MD, Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says you should “bathe in water with a temperature similar to what you’d expect a heated pool to feel like in the summer. When the water is too hot and you are exposed to it for extended periods of time, it can strip the skin of oils needed to maintain a healthy barrier.”

Our other expert, Dr. Jaber, says order of operations doesn’t actually matter too much, but that starting at the top and working your way down ensures everything gets fully washed off: “I would start with the hair,” Dr. Jaber says. “Then, the top of the body and then go down — this will allow the soap to wash off your body.”

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Best Body Washes for Men

Bathing Culture created an organic, biodegradable — no, most body washes are surprisingly not — formula that feels (and smells) more refreshing than it does intense. Ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter lend softness, while aloe offers its antibacterial properties. The scent it comes with is naturally-made from an essential oil blend and every bottle is refillable via the brand or one of its refill partners (stores, usually). Plus, it’s a concentrated formula, so you really only need a nickel-sized dot. An 8 oz bottle lasts about 80 showers.

I’m a huge fan of Byredo’s fragrances, the product in which the brand specializes. As you’d guess, its Body Wash is imbued with a designer scent as well. (This one’s called Gypsy Water.) It’s free from all of the bad stuff I mentioned before, and, as an added bonus, it can double as your fragrance on days where you’re not too worried about being aromatically overt. Or, it works well in tandem with a Byredo fragrance.

This new Procter and Gamble-backed brand focuses only people with skin that’s easily irritated or especially sensitive — folks with eczema or psoriasis, or prone to redness and itching. Niacinamide in the form of vitamin B3 is the active ingredient here, as it proves capable of calming redness and other discoloration caused by skincare products. Coconut oil hydrates, and the rest of the formula is free from dyes, soaps and parabens. Considering what it is — a higher-end body wash that’s gentle on the skin — this is absolutely worth the $18 dollars.

This fragrance-free body wash by Nécessaire comes packed with niacinamide, an ingredient that undoes discoloration and reduces redness — perfect for folks with sensitive skin. But, the brand confirms, this gel-like cleanser is good for normal, dry, combination and oily skin. (Translated: It’s safe for everyone.) Plus, it earned Sephora’s Clean seal, which means it’s free from a long list of ingredients the retailers deems harmful or toxic with long-term exposure.

Made with all natural ingredients, this Disco Invigorating Body Wash soothes, moisturizes and protects all at the same time. Aloe moisturizes and heals; Horsetail (not literally) smooths the skin’s surface; Chamomile readies the skin against free radicals and air pollutants.

Like clarifying shampoo, a clarifying body wash cleans deep down. But, you have to pick the right one. Some clean, yes, but they also strip the skin of its natural oils; the ones that help it retain moisture and defend against dryness and irritation. Lumin’s is free from the bad stuff I mentioned before, but also packed with keratin and collagen, which offer defense against damage and tighten the skin, respectively. Plus, there’s tea tree oil in the formula for a nice little tingle. (And anti-microbial properties, of course.)

I rarely recommend 2-in-1s — especially when it comes to hair. You shouldn’t be washing your hair with what you use on your body. But, I can make an exception if you plan to use the product on your body only and only on your hair in a real emergency — i.e. you forgot to pack your dedicated shampoo and conditioner. Fulton & Roark’s 2-in-1 Body Wash and Shampoo is free from parabens and sulfates, loaded with vitamins and designed to leave you feeling energized post-wash. (There’s caffeine in here.)

I’ll be honest. Bravo Sierra’s Hair/Body Wash/Shaving Foam is another exception to my “never use 2-in-1s” rule. Hell, this is a 3-in-1. But again, if you’re just going to use the formula in one area most of the time and the others only in emergency, I can look away. Plus, I’d be ignorant not to mention how innovative this particular product is. It is a proprietary gel-to-foam formula that sprays out as a gel but lathers into large, luxe foam clouds as you mix it in your hands. It leaves the skin feeling super soft and not stripped of its top level.

Perfect for people prone to body acne, Patricks’ BW1 Body Wash uses salicylic acid to address blemishes, coconut oil to cure dryness and red marine algae and vitamins to rebuild the skin’s defense system against UV rays and air pollution. All of these are delivered in wash safe for all skin types. And, to note, it is free from parabens, sulfates, etc, etc, but fragranced with bergamot, cognac and amber cologne. (My girlfriend, who has a fragrance allergy, had a slight reaction to this one, but it should be safe for those who don’t suffer from one.)

Activated charcoal this, activate charcoal that. By now, you’ve probably heard of the all-purpose ingredient. It’s in everything: toothpaste, supplements, and now body washes, too. In this use case it absorbs excess oils and exfoliates the skin’s surface. But Firsthand balances it with chamomile and aloe vera juice. The former is an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent and the latter is a hydrator.

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