The 5 Best Body Washes of 2026

Everyone who tried the Aesop Body Cleanser (geranium leaf scent) loved the invigorating herbal scent and the way the body wash filled the shower gel, but it didn’t thicken or spread like the equally popular To The People Superfood + Niacinamide Body Cleanser.

One tester preferred the nice lather of Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash to our daily pick, Dove Sensitive Body Wash, but another wasn’t sure it cleansed completely. Comments like “good” and “basic” sum up the general consensus.

Bioderma Atoderm Huile de Douche was great for removing sand from a day at the beach, and at least one tester loved how moisturizing it left her dry skin. However, one tester who called herself “chest hair” hated how it stuck to her hair after a shower.

Considered too slidey, the Byoma Hydrating Body Wash like a lather serum failed to deliver a satisfactory cleanse. The texture of Byoma’s new Acne Clearing Body Wash was fine, but its suds weren’t strong enough: “I have a summer job where I sweat a lot. Maybe if I had a job where I didn’t sweat, this would clean me better,” said the 19-year-old tester.

In general, we found that the wetter the body wash was, the less skin irritation there was – and that’s why California Naturals Classic Clean Body Wash with Coconut Scent was finally our pick from Dove and Youth To The People. A few testers even named this wash their favorite, praising its moisturizing power. However, some say it feels more creamy than sudsy and don’t like the heaviness of the lather.

The glue-like consistency and medicinal smell of CeraVe SA Body Wash for Rough & Bumpy Skin turned off testers, along with its failure to lather well even with a pouf.

We found a lot to like about Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash, including the scent and how moisturized our skin felt afterward, but a few testers found it difficult to wipe off. We also tried the fragrance-free Dove Ultra Sensitive Serum Body Wash, which contains only 10 ingredients: “I appreciate limited ingredients, but it’s almost gelatinous and doesn’t dissolve well,” said a dry-skinned parent who also used it on two children under 7. to choose.

We tried Element Brooklyn Body Soap in the desert blossom scent, and testers loved its “fresh, herbal texture,” but found it watery and lathered a little less satisfying than similar sweet gels from Aesop and Youth To The People.

The rich, creamy lather of Eos Cashmere Body Wash was impressive, but its vanilla scent was too sweet for testers, who preferred the slightly cakey but sweet California Naturals Classic Clean Body Wash.

A “lazy body lotion” tester loved how moisturized they felt after using Glossier Daily Oil Body Wash (neroli Body Hero scent), but the lack of actual lather turned off other panelists.

Ivory Gentle Body Wash took almost twice as much product to achieve the same lather and coverage as our Dove Sensitive Everyday pick and left skin feeling more dry than many of its competitors. At the time, the fragrance-free Ivory Sensitive Skin Body Wash had a “dollar-shop shower curtain” scent that no one liked.

Testers with dry skin liked how L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil left them moisturized all day, but it failed to remove impurities as well as similar Bioderma Atoderm Huile de Douche or traditional (non-oily) gels we tested.

The airy whip of Method Dream Foam Foaming Body Wash (we tried many scents and chose Sea Spray + Salt Air) was delightful. However, it didn’t spread or clean as well as the classic body wash (scent of choice: Pure Tranquility), a satisfying but not outstanding option. “I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it,” commented one reviewer.

Testers couldn’t get past the vinyl-like smell of Native Unscented Body Wash or the gloopy texture.

We had high hopes for the Naturium line of fragrance-free body washes, which several employees use regularly. Those with body acne appreciated the oil-soluble salicylic acid in Naturium’s The Perfector Body Wash but were unhappy with how their skin felt after using it (“rubbery” and “dry”). Naturium’s oil-based Glow Getter Body Wash rated better — one tester liked its dewy effect — but it didn’t work at removing makeup and bike oils.

Testers loved how Necessaire’s The Body Acne Wash reduced breakouts, but it was recently discontinued. You may be able to find dead stock at other stores and online retailers.

Some people liked how hydrated their skin felt after using Nivea Nourishing Care Body Wash, but others found it too thin, and it stuck to body hair and required multiple washes.

Unscented body washes often smelled bad, and that was certainly the case with Odele Ultra Sensitive Body Wash, which one reviewer deemed “a little offensive.”

Both Olay Regenerist and Olay Intensely Hydrating body washes left testers’ skin feeling plumped up, as if they had unknowingly applied body lotion while in the shower.

Osea Undaria Algae Body Wash hydrated skin for hours without leaving it greasy, and testers loved the scent and the clear bottle. At $4 per ounce, however, it failed to convince us that the benefits justify the cost.

Ouai Body Cleanser (in St. Barts fragrance) had a thick, rich lather that felt luxurious, but the strong floral-fruity scent left testers feeling overly perfumed.

Pacifica Acne Warrior Body Wash’s foaming lather delighted reviewers with acne breakouts, choosing it over other salicylic-acid cleansers. However, it didn’t seem to improve skin texture and our clarifying pick, Odele Clarifying Body Wash.

Showers turned out to be slippery for testers who used Saltair Serum Body Wash (scented with santal bloom) liberally, and those harsh conditions couldn’t mask the moisturizing formula.

The sweet scent of Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Shower Oil was definitely there, but some testers didn’t appreciate its other long-lasting quality, the light moistness.

Suave is a master in the body wash space – but when we ditched the formulas with dyes and colors, we lost a lot of options for this type of auction. Suave Strawberry Delight Body Wash, one of the few dye-free products, had a nice lather and left skin soft and clean, but reviewers said it smelled overly sweet. “I can’t get over artificial fragrances,” said another. We also considered the dye-free Suave Essentials Essentials Deep Clean Body Wash but rejected it because it left at least one tester feeling drier than usual after washing.

“Bubbles make me happy,” said a 9-year-old tester of Vanicream Gentle Body Wash, a fragrance-free cleanser that was loved by many other testers. But the flip-top cap made it difficult for us to control the amount released, and it didn’t leave the skin as soft as the Honest Sensitive Shampoo + Body Wash.

This article was edited by Rory Evans and Leta Shy.