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We spend so much time on our facial skincare routine, but what about when it comes to finding the best body wash for acne? Body acne, often more specifically described as backne, chestne or even buttne, can be a stubborn pain to deal with — especially during warm weather when we’re taking off the layers. In the past, we’ve just picked out whatever body wash smelled the nicest and had a great sale price, but now, we’re on a mission.
We set out to find the best body wash for acne, and we took it seriously. Whether you’ve been dealing with body acne since your teens or it’s suddenly begun to pop up in your adult life, we’ve got you. We did the research, we scrolled and scrolled and we picked out the best shower soaps, scrubs and gels to send body breakouts down the drain!
How We Determined the Best Body Washes for Acne
If you’re targeting body acne, there are specific ingredients to look for — both ones you want to use and others you want to avoid. Some ingredients may work to smooth skin, reduce redness, unclog pores and calm inflammation, while others are simply there to create suds and may ultimately do more harm than good.
Ingredients We Love:
- Salicylic acid
- Retinol
- Centella asiatica (cica)
- Tea tree oil
- Benzoyl peroxide
- AHAs/BHAs in general
- And more!
Ingredients We Don’t Love:
- Sulfates
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Mineral Oil
- Silicones
- Other potential toxins/pore cloggers
Cleveland Clinic dives deeper into understanding the ingredients in your skincare, but if you’re looking to get right to the good stuff, scroll down and see why we picked out these eight products as the best body washes for acne you can order today!
The 8 Best Body Washes for Acne
1. Peach & Lily KP Bump Boss Microderm Body Scrub
K-Beauty Brilliance
This is one of our favorite skincare launches from K-beauty brand Peach & Lily. It uses a spa-grade formula, claiming to combine the benefits of chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and skin-softening treatments in one scrub. It’s gentle, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, and it contains 10% AHA (7% glycolic acid + 3% lactic acid), plus hyaluronic acid, cica and barley!
Pros:
- Also designed to target keratosis pilaris (strawberry skin)
- Vegan, gluten-free, alcohol-free
Cons:
- A few shoppers have noted that it’s a little hard to squeeze out of the tube
Available at: Ulta
2. Hero Cosmetics Brave Body Cleanser
For Anybody and Everybody
If you’ve experienced the awesomeness of Hero’s pimple patches before, you know to expect great things from this acne-focused body wash. It’s infused with salicylic acid to gently exfoliate and deeply cleanse pores to decongest skin and minimize excess oil. It’s also not a scrub, which can be nice if your skin is extra irritated!
Pros:
- Designed to be gender-neutral
- Alcohol-free and sulfate-free
Cons:
- Added fragrance
3. Olay Cleansing & Renewing Nighttime Body Wash
Reveling in Retinol
You know how retinol is a popular skin-clearing, anti-aging ingredient for your face? It can have similar effects on the body! This cleanser contains it — as well as a vitamin B3 complex to revitalize and hydrate oily and combination skin types!
Pros:
- Under $10 for a large size
- Fast-absorbing
Cons:
- Added fragrance
4. Herbivore Botanicals Bamboo Charcoal Deep Cleanse Detoxifying Soap Bar
Best Body Bar
This body bar contains one of our faves, clarifying tea tree oil, as well as bamboo charcoal, which could be key to detoxifying skin and drawing out acne-causing impurities. As a bonus, you can also use this soap on your face, keeping your routine simple and effective!
Pros:
- Cruelty-free, gluten-free, paraben-free pthalate-free, sulfate-free, vegan
- Naturally exfoliating
Cons:
- May feel a little drying, so best for oily skin
Available at: Dermstore, Sephora, Credo Beauty, Amazon
5. Bushbalm Nourishing Body Wash
Our Worry-Free Favorite
This pH-balanced body wash is all about gentle, redness-soothing ingredients. If your acne typically doesn’t respond well to strong, concentrated treatments, or perhaps if you use a medicated lotion, something calming like this is the way to go. It’s 99% natural and made with aloe vera, jojoba seed oil and glycerin to cleanse skin without stripping it!
Pros:
- Available unscented
- Gynecologist-approved
Cons:
- Not many reviews yet
Available at: Amazon
6. Frank Body Clearing Body Wash
Brightening and Blemish-Busting
Infused with kakadu plum, this soap-free vitamin C body wash may help “banish those stubborn back breakouts for good” while simultaneously brightening and evening out your skin tone. It also contains salicylic acid to target whiteheads and blackheads, as well as vitamin B and coffee seed extract to energize skin!
Pros:
- Non-stripping
- Shoppers are noting how soft their skin is from using it
Cons:
- Not for if you want an extra foamy lather
Available at: Ulta
7. Humane Maximum-Strength Acne Wash
Getting Down to Business
If your skin is ready to handle some serious power, then this 10% benzoyl peroxide wash may be the way to go. It claims to target not only whiteheads and blackheads, but under-the-skin, cystic acne as well. It may ease inflammation and redness, combat excess oil and unclog pores, halting bacteria growth!
Pros:
- For face and body
- Clean: free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, etc.
Cons:
- May not be suitable for more sensitive skin types
8. Murad Acne Body Wash
Triple-Action Acne Fighter
This body wash combines glycolic and salicylic acids as well as date seed powder to target breakouts all over the body. It also includes green tea and licorice root extract to soothe angry skin. We also feel great about the fact that this body wash was dermatologist-developed!
Pros:
- Free of parabens and phthalates
- Award-winning
Cons:
- Our priciest pick
Available at: Murad, Sephora, Dermstore
Other Body Washes for Acne We Love
- CeraVe Salicylic Acid Body Wash
- Epionce Purifying Wash Blemish Clearing Tx
- Dove Body Love Acne Clear Body Cleanser
Looking for other products to elevate your beauty and wellness routine? Check out more picks below:
- 11 of the Best Hypoallergenic Eyeliners for Sensitive Eyes
- These Are the Most Popular Stationary Bikes on Amazon Right Now
- The Best Self Tanners for Pale Skin That Won’t Turn You Bright Orange
