These Are the Only Body Washes I'll Use on My Dry, Sensitive Skin (2024)

NGL, I am a CeraVe girlie through and through...and while the Renewing SA Cleanser will always be my number one fave product, this gentle soap-free cleanser is a close second. It uses a combination of ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help improve skin barrier function—plus, it contains water-loving glycerin to give you a shot of intense hydration.

• Size: 10 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid
• Scent: Unscented
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I have such dry skin it's like I have body dandruff when I take off dark clothes. My dermatologist recommended this body wash. It foams up nicely on a body puff and rinses off easily, leaving my skin feeling silky, not dry and tight, like some of the big name body washes."

Calling all folks with super-dry, super-reactive skin: This one's for you. Soap-free and increeeedibly gentle, this derm-approved formula (which has a Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association, btw) is ideal for those who want to keep it simple, since it's packed with skin-loving ingredients like glycerin and panthenol and free from potential irritants.

• Size: 12 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, panthenol
• Scent: Unscented
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "This quickly became a favorite of mine. I like how creamy it is and how the scent is nonexistent. After using this, I add my moisturizer and my skin feels calm and smooth. Perfect for dry, sensitive skin."

I keep this body wash in my guest bathroom and legit everyone who stays the night is obsessed (and not just because of the chlorophyll-spiked formula, which makes it a cool green color). Why I love it: It's made from 90 percent naturally-derived ingredients, like aloe leaf juice and avocado oil, and it leaves my parched skin looking plump and smelling delish.

• Size: 12 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Chlorophyll, aloe leaf, avocado oil
• Scent: Sweetgrass and fig
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "Very happy with this body wash. The wash has an amazing scent—very coconut citrus-like, which I love. The body wash is very creamy and easily lathers up on my body. My skin felt clean and moisturized after use, plus the fantastic scent lingered as well. Definitely a plus that it uses natural ingredients."

SheaMoisture products have no business being as affordable as they are, but I'm not mad about it!! This budget-friendly cleanser is particularly great for us dry-skinned folks, as it relies on heavy-duty moisturizers like shea butter and coconut oil to soothe and smooth dull-looking skin, leaving it softer and silkier than it was before.

• Size: 13 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Aloe leaf juice, shea butter, coconut oil
• Scent: Shea butter
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "This is truly an amazing product!!! I have very dry skin and also a few patches of psoriasis. Since I started using this body wash, both my skin dryness and psoriasis have improved significantly. I always prefer to use natural products, and this one is a real winner!"

If you <3 a warm gourmand fragrance, you absolutely need to add this moisturizing body wash from Sol de Janerio to your lineup. It's packed with nourishing cupuaçu butter, coconut oil, and açai oil to make your skin feel silky smooth—as well as yummy notes of vanilla and salted caramel (aka the signature Cheirosa '62 scent).

• Size: 13 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Cupuaçu butter, coconut oil, açai oil
• Scent: Vanilla and salted caramel
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "This is the best body wash ever. I have really sensitive & dry skin, and I have to be careful which body washes I use. This wash has never given me a rash. It's super moisturizing but still has me feeling clean & refreshed after showering. It also smells amazing!"

ICYDK, French pharmacy products are all le rage, and after trying this Bioderma shower oil, I understand why. Coming in at $30 for a G-I-A-N-T one-liter container, this luxe formula is formulated with vegetal biolipids to deeply penetrate and soothe dry, irritated, and sensitive skin...but without leaving you feeling like an oily mess. Bless!!

• Size: 33.8 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, niacinamide, vitamin E
• Scent: Unscented
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "As someone with dry, sensitive skin, finding a product that delivers deep nourishment without causing any discomfort is essential, and this body oil ticks all the boxes. From the moment it touches my skin, I can feel the instant relief from any skin discomfort."

Tired of feeling itchy all over? I feel ya! Whenever I get the urge to itch, I always suds up with this Lubriderm cleanser for instant relief. The anti-inflammatory oats in this one provide calming relief for angry skin, while panthenol soothes and helps skin lock in moisture. It may not be the most aesthetic bottle, but it really gets the job done, trust.

• Size: 16 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, oat kernel extract, panthenol
• Scent: Unscented
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I have tried so many moisturizing body washes. I thought this stuff would be like all the rest...[but] I was so wrong. My skin felt better after the first time using. When I run my finger across my skin, there’s no more white flakiness. It just looks better and feels better."

Ideal for *super* dry skin types (aka those who are prone to cracking and flaking), this fresh, floral body wash contains a whole bunch of moisturizing heavy-hitters, including marshmallow root extract, shea butter, and cocoa seed butter. Tbh, it's so moisturizing that you may even be able to skip body lotion after using it.

• Size: 10 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Marshmallow root extract, shea butter, cocoa seed butter
• Scent: White musk and vanilla
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I have tried almost every generic, non-generic, inexpensive, and expensive body wash on the planet. I constantly struggle with my dry skin. With this, it's no longer a problem. My skin is so smooth after every use and the scent is PHENOMENAL."

The standout ingredient in this one: lactic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that can help resurface skin and improve its texture. AHA exfoliants are particularly beneficial for dry skin, with lactic acid being a gentler alternative to glycolic acid and ideal for encouraging cell turnover (all without leaving your already-dry skin feeling totally stripped).

• Size: 5.5 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Lactic acid, purple sea moss, purple rice fermentation
• Scent: Citrus and geranium
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I absolutely love using this body wash for my sensitive skin! It gently exfoliates my body without leaving it dry or itchy. The orange blossom fragrance is so nice [and] not too strong. After using it, my skin feels amazingly smooth and nourished."

Want an exfoliating body wash that won't absolutely destroy your dry, flaky skin? Pls turn your attention to this gentle scrub, which I use once a week for the most satisfying skin-buffing imaginable. Rather than microplastic beads (ick), it relies on cellulose to lift away dead skin cells, leaving you with brighter skin and a citrusy, woody aroma.

• Size: 6.8 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Cellulose, squalene
• Scent: Cedar and cypress
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "I have extremely dry skin, and the results are immediately noticeable. I can really tell a difference in how soft my skin is now, and it also appears healthy and hydrated. This body cleanser is great, since it exfoliates without being too harsh on the skin."

Other than just looking cute AF, this cleanser contains one of my fave skincare ingredients of all time: niacinamide, which is great for visibly shrinking the appearance of pores and improving uneven skin tone (as well as enhancing the skin's barrier function). And while you may have heard that niacinamide and vitamin C don't mix, these ingredients actually have incredible skin brightening benefits when used together.

• Size: 11.15 fl oz
• Key ingredients: Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C
• Scent: Grapefruit and pineapple
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: "This cleanser smells amazing!! It is very tropical and the scent lasts a while. I use it as just a body wash, and it makes my skin feel hydrated and very glowy. I have dry skin and noticed that it helps my dry skin patches a lot."

If you're someone with dry skin (hi, same!), you don't want a body wash that's simply going to, ya know, wash your skin. Ideally, you want a hydrating cleanser that will 1) give dry skin a hydration boost and 2) repair the skin barrier so it can better retain moisture. Humectants (like glycerin and hyaluronic acid) are great for relieving dry skin, while emollients (like ceramides) help repair and protect your skin barrier.

And while you should always follow up your shower with some body lotion (or body butter), a hydrating cleanser will def help to counteract the moisture you lose while showering.

So, here's the thing: Bar soaps often get a bad rap for being too alkaline, but believe it or not, bar soap is just as effective at cleansing your skin as liquid body washes. As Joshua Zeichner, MD, previously told Cosmo, "Both liquid and bars are equally effective—the choice in formula depends on personal preference."

That being said, body washes may be the better choice if you're someone with dry skin, since soap can sometimes dehydrate and strip the skin of its natural oils. Likewise, body washes tend to include more hydrating ingredients (like hyaluronic acid and glycerin) and moisturizing ingredients (such as ceramides, butters, and oils).

Stick with a sulfate-free formula

Sulfates (typically noted as sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate on ingredient lists) are foaming surfactants that help remove oil and debris from your skin. They help make your body wash super sudsy—but sulfates can also strip away your skin’s natural oils and compromise its protective skin barrier. As dermatologist Karan Lal, MD, explains, "They can be problematic if you have dry skin since dry is already void of skin oils and natural moisturizers."

Simply put, using a body wash with sulfates can make dry skin even more dry. So just you do your skin a favor and stick with a sulfate-free formula, mmmkay?

Look for moisturizing ingredients

In addition to being sulfate-free, the best body washes for dry skin are made with skin-loving ingredients like glycerin, stearic acid, and petrolatum, says Dr. Lal. "Both glycerin and petrolatum will help moisturize your skin," he says, "and stearic acid is a magical ingredient—is both an emulsifier and surfactant, so it cleans skin and helps it retain water at the same time."

Stearic acid can be found in a number of natural sources, such as shea butter and coconut oil, while petrolatum (better known petroleum jelly) acts as an occlusive emollient, which means it does a stellar job of sealing in moisture.

Consider the texture

Body washes with a creamy texture often have more oil-containing ingredients that help moisturize the skin, making them a safe choice for dry skin types. On the other hand, foam and gel body washes tend to have more surfactants, which remove oils from your skin. "If you like using a foaming or gel body wash, don’t fret—just aggressively moisturize after showering," Dr. Lal suggests.

• Joshua Zeichner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY.
• Karan Lal, MD, is a double board-certified adult, pediatric, and cosmetic dermatologist at Affiliated Dermatology in Scottsdale, AZ.