Finding the Best Body Washes for Sensitive Skin

The first rule of body washes for sensitive skin may be a surprising one: Less is more. Andrea Suarez, board-certified dermatologist and YouTuber, agrees that finding the right non-irritating formula is crucial for success, but so is a gentle bathing routine. “Be very critical of your bathing practices, especially when in the colder months,” she says. “The ambient humidity drops, your skin is more prone to dryness and irritation and over-cleansing can really set you up for skin failure, either in the form of dryness or irritation.”

As such, Dr. Suarez recommends using very little body wash every time you shower — even if you work out. “Sweat is water soluble,” she says. “You don’t need soap to take it off. You just need water. And soaping your skin only adds to the irritation because sweat, on the surface of the skin, is irritating.” Instead, Dr. Suarez recommends using body wash only in the areas where you really need it, such as your armpits, groin and feet. If you struggle with acne and a rinse-off doesn’t seem like enough, consider using a body wash with a chemical exfoliant like salicylic acid and applying a very small amount.

Now that you know the benefits of using your body wash sparingly, it’s time to discuss the factors that can make or break a gentle body wash.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Body Washes for Sensitive Skin

Active Ingredients

An active ingredient is a chemical (natural or synthetic) in a skincare product that changes the skin — hopefully in a positive way. In other words, it’s a marketing term; active ingredients are the key ingredients that deliver the results. They include moisturizers, sun protectants, exfoliators, fine line and wrinkle reducers, brighteners and smoothers.

In body washes for sensitive skin, you may find the following active ingredients: aloe vera, ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, niacinamide, peptides, salicylic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E. Ideally, stronger actives like lactic acid, niacinamide and salicylic acid will be in lower concentrations.

Other Ingredients

In addition to active ingredients, you may find ingredients that have a neutral effect or a potentially negative one. As such, it’s important to pay attention to those “filler ingredients” to make sure they help and don’t hinder your progress. Common hinderers include fragrance — even if it’s an essential oil! — strong surfactants or cleansers and certain preservatives.

We know that it’s pleasing to use soaps with scent (hello, relaxing showers), but we chose to recommend primarily scent-free products. This is because fragrance is one of the most common causes of allergies and irritation, so it’s best to avoid it if you have sensitive skin.

pH

The pH of a product can influence your skin’s sensitivity. For instance, soaps that are too alkaline can disrupt your skin’s natural pH balance and cause “cracks” in the barrier, which leads to redness and other forms of irritation. On the other hand, soaps that are too acidic can dissolve the lipids that “glue” your skin cells together. Generally, body washes that have a pH between 4.6 and 5.5 are ideal.

Skin Type

Knowing your sensitive skin type (dry, normal, oily or combination) can help you determine your ideal body wash. For dry skin, look for body washes with moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, shea butter and sunflower seed oil — all of which are non comedogenic. Oily skin also benefits from moisturizers, but if you struggle with it, you may consider a product that contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid or tea tree oil to help combat excess oil and clear pores.

Price

Though body wash is a relatively inexpensive product, it can still get pricey depending on the brand name and ingredients. Most products cost between $5 and $50, and our recommendations range between $10 and $30. Generally, we don’t think you have to spend more than $35 to find a great body wash for sensitive skin.

Other Considerations

If you have acne, over-cleansing your skin dries it out and can lead to a lot of irritation and flares of acne. So, be very mindful that you’re not over-doing it with the bathing. And by overdoing it, I mean taking long showers. Keep the showers short, no longer than 10 minutes. And use lukewarm water. Hot water is a lipid barrier nemesis. So make sure you take a short shower, use cool to lukewarm water, and don’t go hogwhile with the volume of body wash. These body washes — they should last a year of using daily. I think people use big globs of body wash and they generate this lather all over. But just use a tiny tiny amount, and only use body wash in strategic areas. Most people are indoors, especially in the wintertime. They’re not out exposed to the elements. And so there’s really no need to be using body wash like on your lower legs, your arms, even your back. …unless you’re visibly soiled. Focus it in the skinfolds and anywhere visibly soiled.

And I know a lot of you guys work out like I do and you get sweaty, but remember, sweat is water soluble. You don’t need soap to take it off. You just need water. And soaping your skin only adds to the irritation, because sweat, on the surface of the skin, is irritating. It can disrupt the lipid barrier. So, it’s a good idea to rinse off the sweat and then apply a moisturizer to really reduce that issue.

But if you use body wash to do that, there’s really no need to and you’re just adding surfactant to the surface of the skin…that’s going to take away more of your lipid barrier. So, there’s no need to wash off sweat with a body wash. Now, I know people love body washes. The experience of them, they love scented ones, I get it. It’s just part of the joys of bathing, I guess. But, my job is to encourage you guys to be more conservative about it because it really can dry out your skin quite a bit. Especially as you get into your wiser years, the amount of oils we put out on the surface of the skin starts to decline and we’re more prone to dryness and irritation from our skincare products, especially our cleansers.

What Are the Different Types of Body Washes for Sensitive Skin?

Oil-Free Body Wash

A liquid, oil-free body wash may be ideal if you have oily skin or struggle with acne; they have a lightweight, non-greasy feel after showering. However, these soaps can be overly stripping if they contain harsh surfactants and few moisturizers. We recommend using a very gentle soap (it might not lather very well!) for sensitive skin that contains lightweight moisturizers, such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

Oil-Based Body Wash

Oil-based body washes are those that contain oil as the primary hydrators. These are great for dry skin, and the right formula can work for eczema-prone skin as well. This is because oil can help repair the skin barrier, making it more resilient and less likely to develop irritation. However, oil-based body washes can be heavy and may exacerbate acne if the pores cannot properly breathe.

Exfoliating Body Wash

Exfoliating body washes are those that contain chemical or physical exfoliants. Generally, we don’t recommend physical exfoliants (such as walnut or apricot scrubs) for sensitive skin because they can cause irritation and lead to an uneven exfoliation. Chemical exfoliants are ideal for the body because they exfoliate evenly and without physical abrasion, which is irritating in and of itself. If you have sensitive skin, avoid exfoliants that are harsher than salicylic acid (such as benzoyl peroxide), which will likely cause irritation.