The Best Body Washes for Dry Skin in 2024

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It happens to the best of us. Sometimes, no matter what you do, your skin seems to be rebelling against you. Whether it’s the cold winter air, or the hot, dry, summer, your skin can’t seem to find a proper balance. It’s dehydrated, ashy, flaky, and maybe even itchy. No matter what you try, it can’t hold onto enough moisture. 

Dry skin is a minor, yet annoying problem. Luckily, the solution is pretty simple. Read on to learn about some of the steps you can take to resolve your dry skin. The first step is to revamp your skincare routine to include as many high-quality hydrating products as possible, avoiding anything that could be causing your dry skin or making it worse. 

Causes and Solutions for Dry Skin

Just as there isn’t a single solution for dry skin, there also isn’t a single cause. Many factors can contribute to making your skin dry and flakey. These include hormonal changes, chronic skin conditions or autoimmune disorders, extreme weather changes, pollution, medications, allergies or skin sensitivities, and more. 

You may have just a few areas of your skin that tend to get dry. Women often develop dry skin after shaving their legs or other areas, as the friction of the razor can remove or damage the top layers of the skin along with the hair. Dry, itchy patches of skin caused by eczema or psoriasis can occur anywhere on the body. Areas with less fat beneath the skin can also become dry, like the elbows or knees.  

For most people, dry skin isn’t a serious health issue, and is usually temporary. The best way to treat it is by ensuring your skin is properly moisturized at all times. Most people think of moisturizer as something that you apply to your skin after getting out of the shower or washing your face. But in fact, you can and should prepare your skin to retain as much hydration as possible by using a body wash designed for dry skin as well. 

Choosing a Body Wash for Dry Skin

The best body washes for dry skin contain high-quality ingredients, and of course, the more naturally-sourced ingredients will be gentler on your skin in general, less likely to strip your skin of moisture, and are less harmful to the environment. 

While sulfate-based cleansers may form a nice sudsy lather that makes your skin feel clean and fresh, those same sulfates can be one of the reasons why your skin can’t seem to hold onto any moisture. These ingredients can strip the natural oils from your skin and leave it without its natural protection from the elements. Your skin will become dry, cracked, and will lose its ability to retain hydration, causing even more dryness, and the cycle continues. Over time your skin won’t be able to regulate its pH balance, and you’ll find yourself in a constant battle against dry, irritated skin. 

Plenty of natural plant-based ingredients like essential oils, nut butters, and botanical extracts can provide nourishment and hydration to your skin, so you can bring it back to its normal healthy state. 

We’ve gathered a list of the best body washes for dry skin in 2023 that will keep your skin soft and moisturized even between showers. Try any one of them, and you’ll soon be able to say goodbye to dry skin forever.

1. Blu Atlas Body Wash

Blu Atlas is an up-and-coming New York brand that prides itself on including only premium ingredients from natural sources in all its personal care products. Case in point: their body wash has 99% naturally-derived ingredients that provide nourishment, antioxidants, and vitamins to your thirsty skin, along with natural moisturizers for maximum hydration.

Instead of sulfate cleansers that may aggravate your dry skin woes, Blu Atlas Body Wash uses coconut-derived emollients that form a hydrating, gentle lather that cleans your skin without leaving any residue behind. Sugarcane is a unique ingredient that acts as a natural exfoliant, leaving your skin smooth and glowing after every shower. Meanwhile, green tea soothes any skin irritations and brings a boost of antioxidants to nourish the skin. 

Aloe vera is a fantastic natural moisturizer and provides additional nourishment in the form of vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene—giving your skin everything it needs to heal and thrive. Along with being sulfate-free, this body wash is also free from parabens, phthalates, and animal products. Choose from the two natural scents available, Classic or (our favorite) Coconut Apricot.    

2. La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Moisturizing Wash

This 2-in-1 cleanser for the face and body was created by French skincare specialists at La Roche-Posay for extremely dry sensitive skin. If your skin is dry and delicate due to chemotherapy, recent surgery, or chronic skin conditions or skin sensitivities, Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Moisturizing Wash is safe to use for your face along with the rest of your body. This gentle hydrating cleanser is tested by dermatologists and pediatricians, so you can even use it to wash your baby as young as two weeks old. 

The hydrating formula is soap-free and fragrance-free, made up of soothing and nourishing elements like the primary ingredient, prebiotic thermal water fresh from the natural springs in La Roche-Posay, France. Shea butter is a natural moisture powerhouse that replenishes the hydration in your skin, while niacinamide strengthens and protects it from future damage. Proven to keep your skin hydrated for 24 hours, this creamy face and body cleanser is all you need to renew and repair your skin, giving it the tools it needs to feel soft and refreshed after every wash.

3. CeraVe Soothing Body Wash

If you have very dry skin, and especially if you suffer from chronic skin conditions like eczema, CeraVe created a solution for you with their Soothing Body Wash. Eczema is an inflammatory condition that causes itchy, dry, and flaking skin. It can occur on different areas in the body, from the arms and legs, to the hands or face. If left untreated, it can get worse very quickly, and your dermatologist will probably recommend using very specific cleansers and moisturizers to keep your Eczema under control. 

Soothing Body Wash by CeraVe is one of those products—it was developed alongside dermatologists to replenish the skin with essential ceramides, so it can more easily absorb and retain moisture. This formula also includes hyaluronic acid and omega oils, which help strengthen the skin as the creamy lather gently cleanses away dirt and other impurities. This body wash is fragrance-free and safe to use on sensitive skin, eczema, and other chronic skin conditions. 

4. JASON Hydrating Face + Body Wash

Let’s be honest. A good chunk of skincare products out there are created for and marketed to women, including body wash. But men have needs, too—even if those needs are often a bit more basic. Most men care about and want to take care of their skin, but they also don’t want to put too much time and effort into a complicated skincare routine. 

JASON Men’s understands that desire, so they created a solution just for you with their Hydrating Face + Body Wash. The concept is simple, but the formula is definitely not! Designed with dry skin in mind, this cleanser contains several natural moisturizers that soothe and hydrate the skin, including blue algae, Irish moss, and eucalyptus oil. Sea salt also nourishes the skin while cleansing and removing dirt and impurities.  

This 2-in-1 face and body is dermatologist tested and hypoallergenic, so it is gentle enough to use even on sensitive skin. The fresh scent is energizing but not overpowering. And along with being vegan and cruelty-free, this product is fully biodegradable and recyclable. This all-over Hydrating Face + Body Wash is a clear choice if you want to take care of your dry skin without compromising your minimalist lifestyle.  

5. SheaMoisture Soothing Body Wash

A brand with a name like SheaMoisture must know what it’s doing when it comes to crafting a body wash for dry skin. This gentle cleanser is also ideal for delicate and sensitive skin, as it is unscented and contains no parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, or sulfates. 

As with all SheaMoisture products, the key ingredient in this creamy body wash is raw shea butter, handcrafted by women in Africa to support small sustainable businesses and communities across the globe. Shea butter provides natural hydration that fuses into the skin and helps maintain its natural moisture balance. The formula also includes skin-soothing oatmeal, which has been used for thousands of years to calm and moisturize very dry skin.

Finally, your skin will get the benefits of vitamin E as you wash with the velvety lather of this soothing body wash. Vitamin E is essential to protect and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, so your skin will stay smooth and soft long after your bath. You’ll see and feel the difference after using this body wash, which is why it earned its place on our list of the best body washes for dry skin in 2023. 

6. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash

Aveeno has built its reputation as a trusted brand focused on bringing relief in the form of natural moisture, tailored to each and every dry and sensitive skin type. They offer specific body cleansers, lotions, and facial treatments, for any particular issue you may have, from eczema to acne. But their basic Daily Moisturizing Wash is the most universal, targeted for normal to dry skin, but is gentle enough for all skin types. 

The ingredient Aveeno includes in most of their personal care products and is featured in this body wash is their signature prebiotic oat extract. This wonder grain boosts the moisture content of the skin’s natural barrier and helps your skin retain hydration. Oats are also anti-inflammatory, so it will calm the skin and can reduce redness too. 

The formula contains no dyes, soaps, or parabens, and is very lightly scented, so it should work well with sensitive skin. But if you have hyper-sensitive or extra-dry skin, Aveeno has you covered with other products that will better suit your needs.   

7. Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Wash Herbal Healing

Developed for reactive and easily irritated skin, Alba Botanica Herbal Healing Body Wash from their Very Emollient collection is bursting with active botanical extracts that will soothe and heal your dry skin. The formula is hypoallergenic, 100% vegetarian, and contains no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, artificial colors, or synthetic fragrances, so it is a great choice for sensitive skin.

Starting with a blend of hydrating oatmeal and cannabis oil, with a touch of turmeric, these ingredients bring hydration, nourishing antioxidants, and an anti-inflammatory effect that will calm and rebalance the skin’s ecosystem, supporting its natural ability to regenerate and heal itself. Bamboo, rosewater, calendula, chamomile, and other soothing botanical extracts are included in the mix to further moisturize and support your skin’s pH balance. If you prefer a plant-based herbal remedy for your dry skin, Alba Botananica’s Herbal Healing Body Wash is the solution you’ve been looking for.    

8. Fresh Sugar Lemon Bath and Shower Gel

We’re all so busy these days; who has time to relax in a long, hot bath anymore? Well, you’ll definitely want to make time if you get your hands on this Sugar Lemon Bath and Shower Gel by Fresh. As the brand name suggests, Fresh develops its products with nourishing, naturally-derived ingredients that support the skin’s natural defenses while cleansing and moisturizing. You’ll be left feeling soft, clean, and fresh after every bath or shower. 

The key hydrating element of this luxurious body wash is shea butter, a natural moisturizer that absorbs into the skin without leaving a greasy residue. Also included in this formula are mango seed oil and lemon extracts, which add to the fresh, energizing yet subtle citrus scent. Vitamins C and E are essential to strengthen and restore dry skin. Whether you use this cleanser in your daily shower or treat yourself to an evening bath, you’ll feel calm, fresh, and ready to face the day.    

9. Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash

Another brand that is highly recommended by dermatologists for dry skin, Eucerin created this Skin Calming Body Wash specifically to address very dry, itchy skin. This hydrating formula features omega oils that nourish and calm the skin, including castor and soybean oils. For an effective skin-soothing wash that is gentle enough for sensitive and itchy skin, this product was a clear choice for our list of the best body washes for dry skin.

As this body wash doesn’t contain any harsh soaps that strip your skin’s moisture, it produces only a soft, gentle lather that won’t irritate your skin. Still, the combination of oils and other hydrating ingredients will cleanse away dirt and other impurities from your skin, leaving it soft, calm, and moisturized for the whole day. Natural lipids will absorb through the layers of your skin, helping to strengthen the barrier and protect against further damage.

10. OGX Extra Creamy + Coconut Miracle Oil Body Wash

OGX has earned its reputation as a personal care brand that harnesses the power of nature to craft high-quality products that moisturize and nourish your hair and skin. Their Extra Creamy + Coconut Miracle Oil Ultra Moisture Body Wash includes hydrating coconut oil to produce a rich, velvety foam that cleanses your skin without irritating sulfates or parabens. 

Suitable for all skin types, but especially for dry skin, this body wash has a light, tropical scent of coconut and vanilla bean, with gardenia extract, so you will feel transported to your next island holiday every time you catch a whiff. Coconut oil has been used for thousands of years as a natural moisturizer—it has essential fats to nourish and repair your skin, so your dry skin will be strong and stay hydrated between showers.

11. Drunk Elephant Kamili Cream Body Cleanser

There is no shortage of moisture in Kamili Cream Body Cleanser, as Drunk Elephant created the formula specifically for dry, sensitive skin, although it is suitable for all skin types. With a nourishing blend of natural oils to replenish the skin with lasting hydration, this creamy body wash gently cleanses away all the dirt and other buildup accumulated throughout the day, without disrupting the natural barrier or stripping away essential moisture. 

Featured plant-based moisturizers include marula, sweet almond, sacha inchi seed, and maracuja oils. These oils create a natural fusion within the skin cells to hydrate and prevent moisture loss. Another key ingredient is Drunk Elephant’s own multi-amino-acid blend, Kamili, which provides calm support so your dry skin can return to optimal functioning. Don’t be surprised if your dry skin returns to its natural, supple, healthy state after using Kamili Cream Body Cleanser consistently—try it and see for yourself!    

12. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel

Sol de Janeiro made this sulfate-free, sustainably-sourced body wash gentle and hydrating because Brazilians love a good shower so much, many of them take two to three showers per day. If you want to shower like a Brazilian, you’ll need a body wash that will keep your skin supple and moisturized. 

Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel forms its pillowy, cleansing lather with a nourishing blend of oils straight from the Amazon. Cupuaçu butter is bursting with fatty acids, phytosterols, and polyphenols that all help replenish and seal moisture in the skin while improving elasticity. Coconut oil, which has been used in Brazil for centuries for its healing properties, helps to soften and condition the skin. And açaí oil brings protective antioxidants that help guard the skin against environmental pollutants and other irritations.   

This body wash is paraben-free, gluten-free, and cruelty-free, so you can rest easy if you have sensitive skin or want to support a brand that is kind to animals and the environment. With the nutty, sweet fragrance of pistachios and almonds combined with heliotrope, vanilla, and salted caramel, you just might decide to add an extra shower or two into your day just to use this body wash.   

13. Haan Body Wash Morning Glory

Formulated with a respectable 87% natural ingredients, Haan Morning Glory Body Wash will gently and thoroughly cleanse your skin with a pH-balancing prebiotic foaming gel. The signature prebiotic complex, made from inulin and fructose, is like food for the skin’s microbiome, keeping it healthy, balanced, and protected against environmental stress.

Other natural ingredients include hydrating cocos nucifera glycerin, a moisturizing cleanser derived from coconut, and aloe vera to soothe and moisturize the skin, bringing back that dewy glow, and other plant-based oils combined into a vegetable glycerin. These powerful plant-based elements work together to keep your dry skin at bay as your skin becomes healthier and stronger. To reduce waste, refills are available, so you only have to buy one dispenser bottle that you can reuse again and again.        

14. Dr. Barbara Sturm Body Wash

Dr. Barbara Sturm targeted this body wash for those with dry and aging skin. The gentle cleanser supports and strengthens your skin at the molecular level, so you will feel and see the effects as you turn back the clock on aging. With soothing hydration from natural sources like hyaluronic acid and prickly pear extracts, your skin will stay moisturized all day long. Sweet almond extracts and almond oil bring more hydration to your skin with essential fats that penetrate deeply, so you won’t feel any residue after rinsing. 

If your skin is sensitive or delicate, this body wash is perfect for you—it contains no fragrances, dyes, or harsh soaps. Instead, the creamy lather is formed by glycolipids and tensides from plant sources, leaving your skin soft and smooth, the healthiest it has ever been. Another benefit of this body cleanser is the not-so-secret anti-aging ingredient, purslane extract. It can protect your skin from damaging free radicals with the strengthening power of antioxidants. The bottle may not look like much, but what’s inside just might be the secret to everlasting youth.    

15. Kopari Hydrating Gel Body Wash

Something about the feel of your skin after you take a dip in the ocean—doesn’t it seem cleaner and healthier somehow? You’ll get that same fresh-from-the-sea feeling after using Kopari Hydrating Gel Body Wash. This foaming gel has a ton of natural, skin-soothing ingredients, including sea kelp, a natural source of moisture probably used by mythical mermaids for millennia.

We all know of the hydrating effect that your body gets from drinking pure coconut water. Well, Kopari included this power water in this formula, with all the electrolytes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that come with it. Organic coconut water not only hydrates, but heightens your skin’s natural functions, helping it maintain the balance and moisture it needs to thrive. Also making an appearance to round out this nutrient-dense skin smoothie, organic aloe vera juice helps soften and soothe the skin, infusing it with minerals, enzymes, and amino acids along with another moisture boost.

Final Thoughts

Dry skin isn’t the end of the world. In fact, it’s pretty easy to manage and even possible to heal it completely—you just need to provide it with everything it needs to stay hydrated and balanced. Your skin will do the rest, and before you know it, you’ll have stronger, glowing, healthy-looking skin once again. 

Choosing a body wash for dry skin can be challenging, and that’s why we created this list. Every one of the products described here are safe and effective for dry skin. Your choice will come down to your personal preference and how your skin responds. 

Pay attention to what your body tells you. If you try something new and break out into a rash, clearly, that particular product is not right for your skin. Sometimes, positive changes may take a while, so be patient and notice the differences in how your skin looks and feels after a shower, throughout the day, and after a few weeks of using a new body wash.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Is body wash better for dry skin than bar soap?

Body wash isn’t necessarily better than all bar soap, but usually, regular hand soap isn’t a good substitute because it might contain drying ingredients and sulfate-based cleansers. If you prefer to use a bar soap for environmental reasons or just personal preference, make sure you read the ingredients carefully and that the soap is suitable for sensitive skin.   

Bar soap can usually form a good lather, but you may have more trouble rinsing it off your skin. The same ingredients used to keep the soap in its solid form could leave a thin film of residue on your skin after you rinse it away. This residue buildup can irritate the skin, or if you scrub it all away, you could strip away your skin’s natural moisture, which means your skin will continue to be dry. 

Is there a cure for dry skin?

This depends on how dry your skin is, and what caused your dry skin condition. Some chronic skin conditions have no cure, but the symptoms can be managed with medical treatments and by maintaining a dermatologist-recommended skincare regimen.

If your skin is dry due to a recent surgery or chemical treatment, it should eventually balance out again as your skin heals or the medication wears off. Other more common types of dry skin can be healed and maintained by just using makeup and skincare products designed to help boost your skin’s moisture and keep it healthy. 

Overall, your skin is resilient. Once it has everything it needs to resume normal function, it won’t be long before it becomes supple and calm and lively again, and you can go back to forgetting it’s there.