The Best Bodywashes for Hydrated Summer Skin

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Key ingredients:Glycerin, linoleic-rich oils, squalane |Scent:Contains naturally aromatic extracts

If you’ve read any of our other body-care coverage — like our list of thebest body lotionsfor dry skin — you’ll find that Naturium is widely praised (and loved by us) for having some of the most intensely hydrating formulas on the market. With that in mind, I knew the brand’s Glow Getter Multi-Oil would be important to test for this story. And after using it for over four months, I can honestly say it lives up to the hype.

The Glow Getter is silky and lightweight, lathers quite well despite being oil-based, and never leaves any trace of greasiness after my shower. It’s formulated with a blend of linoleic-rich oils, which is major for those of us with dry skin because, as our writer and resident beauty expert Tembe Denton-Hurst puts it, linoleic acid “helps to make similar lipids to the ones already existing in our skin (a.k.a. ceramides), which helps with hydration and keeping moisture in.” It also contains a whopping 50 percent glycerin plus squalane, ingredients that are considered staples in many products formulated specifically for dry skin. With consistent use, I’m getting the exact results I want: My dry skin is now soft, smooth, and, dare I say,radiant. I never feel the need to smear on a moisturizer after showering. I’ve also started using the Glow Getter on my legs when I’m shaving because it creates the perfect glide for my razor.

One feature to note is that the Glow Getter is made with naturally aromatic extracts of vanilla and coconut that, according to the brand, condition the skin while leaving behind a subtle scent. I usually go for scented bodywashes and consider the Glow Getter to have a milder smell, though sensitive skin types may need to avoid added fragrance.

Key ingredients:Glycerin, rosemary leaf extract, chamomile flower extract, calendula flower extract |Scent:Fresh botanical

Weleda’s Skin Food line is a favorite of manydry-skin sufferers, and just last year the brand launched the Skin Food Body Wash, expanding its ever-popular, ultracreamy collection. Our deputy editor, Simone Kitchens, picked up this bodywash at Whole Foods and says the formula is super-creamy, almost lotionlike. She loves that it easily softens skin and leaves a light layer of hydration. Though Kitchens typically uses body oil or body butter after showering, she says the Weleda formula helps lock in hydration in those few minutes between getting out of the shower and putting on lotion. While it does contain fragrance, Kitchens notes it has the classic Skin Food scent: “Just sort of fresh smelling.”

Key ingredients:Glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, avena sativa kernel flour, inulin, arginine |Scent:Fragrance free

As the Strategist’s bodywash expert, I’m always consulting our beauty writers, going deep onReddit, and reading the comments on this very post to find new picks for this roundup. Recently, one formula kept popping up that I knew I needed to put to the test. The Gleanser from dermatologist-developed brand Prequel is just $18, and the non-stripping gel is considered safe for all skin types, including sensitive skin and those with mild skin conditions, such as eczema and rosacea. (The formula is approved by theNational Eczema Associationand theNational Rosacea Society.)

I’ve only been using the Gleanser (glycerin cleanser) for a few weeks now, but the silky texture and skin-friendly ingredients have done wonders for my dry skin. It’s softened rough spots on my elbows and legs, and I swear it feels like my skin is drinking up the moisture each time I lather on this gel bodywash in the shower. What’s impressive about the formula is that it contains 50 percent glycerin, which increases hydration and prevents water loss, helping to repair the skin barrier. Our best overall pick from Naturium above also has 50 percent glycerin, but it’s oil-based, while the Prequel has a gel consistency that can be applied to both the body and face. The Gleanser also has inulin, a prebiotic that helps draw water into the skin, and the amino acid arginine to further reduce skin dryness. Aloe vera is another moisturizing agent that is known for its calming and soothing effects. The Gleanser is fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and noncomedogenic.

Key ingredients:Sodium hypochlorite, apple fruit extract, cactus flower extract |Scent:Fragrance free

Last year, Tower 28 entered the body-care space with the launch of its SOS Rescue + Relief Body Wash. I’ve been testing it for over a month now and love that it’s hypoallergenic and works for a range of skin types, including those with body acne and those with itchy, eczema-prone skin. It contains sodium hypochlorite — a milder relative of hypochlorous acid known for reducing bacteria and calming eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis — plus apple fruit extract and cactus flower extract for hydration. I’m not someone who deals with eczema-prone or overly reactive skin, but I’m definitely more prone to dryness and often experience bouts of itchiness, especially in the winter. This formula never burns my dry areas or causes further irritation, it’s that gentle — so gentle that the brand even recommends leaving it on for two to three minutes before rinsing and notes that the product can be used daily. The texture is gel-like with a light lather, and after using it, my skin always feels squeaky clean (but not stripped) after every shower.

Key ingredients:Glycerin, niacinamide, coconut esters, sunflower esters|Scent:Fragrance free

Those with very dry skin will benefit from a deeply hydrating shower oil like this one from Bioderma, which also appears in my roundup of thebest bodywashesfor every skin type. I’ve included the oil-based formula here because it’s a favorite of Strategist staffers (more on that below) and dermatologists, including Dr. Noëlle S. Sherber, co-founder ofSherber + Radand clinical associate professor of dermatology atGeorge Washington University, who notes that “it cleanses while restoring moisture to the skin.”

After testing this bodywash herself, former Strategist editor Maxine Builder says a little goes a long way: “I use about two full pumps for my legs and lower body and two full pumps for my arms and chest and upper body,” she says. Builder likes to apply it after she’s shaved or exfoliated because the heavier texture helps to alleviate the feeling of skin tightness; meanwhile, Sherber notes that it offers a nice slip to the skin, making it a more hydrating alternative toshaving cream.

Key ingredients:Glycerin, bisabolol, hemisqualane |Scent:Fragrance free

If your skin is dryandsensitive, then Seen’s bodywash is the one for you. The nonirritating and noncomedogenic formula includes ultrasoothing bisabolol and glycerin, a powerful humectant that “helps the skin absorb and retain moisture, keeping the treated areas more hydrated and soft,” Doyle says. I’ve been testing Seen’sbodywash over the past few cold months, and I love that it’s very gentle and light on my skin and washes off cleanly. It has a pleasant, foamy lather, and after every shower the rough areas on my arms and legs feel smooth and refreshed. It’s so hydrating that I’ve used it on my face as a cleanser and found that it does a solid job at removing my makeup and any other impurities, too. Like the CeraVe above, this Seen formula is approved by theNational Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance, so it’s considered safe for sensitive or eczema-prone skin. Just note: Though this one contains no added fragrance, you may notice it has a slight scent —according to the brand, this is because of the raw ingredients. And since it’s made for sensitive-skin types, it’s formulated without sulfates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, dyes, and gluten.

Key ingredients:Aloe vera, chamomile, lavender |Scent:Unscented

“For my patients with very dry or sensitive skin, I often recommend formulas designed to be mild enough for babies,” says Sherber, whose top choice is this two-in-one shampoo and bodywash from New York–based brandPaloroma. Because it’s formulated to work for newborns, it contains nourishing chamomile, calming lavender, and moisturizing aloe vera, which all work together to soothe and protect delicate baby skin. Sherber also likes that it’s free of “common irritants such as high concentrations of essential oils” and is without synthetic fragrance, parabens, phthalates, silicones, sulfates, dyes, and petrolatum.

Key ingredients:Glycerin, shea butter, aloe vera, niacinamide |Scent:Unscented

If you’re dealing with inflammation caused bydryness— which can range from tiny patches ofrednessto more significant reactions — I’d go for this La Roche-Posay cleanser. When I tested it, I loved that it created an almost cooling effect when it first touched my skin, providing instant relief in some of my driest areas, like on my arms and legs. And even after patting myself off with a towel post-shower, those once-rough patches felt soft for hours.

Mitchell and Sherber both recommend it, too, and Sherber specifically likes that “it’s formulated to be suitable for facial skin, which is thinner and more sensitive than body skin.” The ingredients list includes glycerin and shea butter for hydration, plus La Roche-Posay’s proprietary thermal water, which “is famed to be super soothing,” Sherber says. The formula also includes aloe vera, which has calming, anti-inflammatory properties. I found the consistency to be similar to La Roche-Posay’s gel-basedface washes: It pumps out as a thick translucent lotion but turns into a milky foam when combined with water in the shower.

Key ingredients:Water, glycerin, panthenol, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate|Scent:Fragrance free

If you want to avoid oils — say if some parts of your skin are dry while others are oily — another favorite from Naturium isthe Booster, which the brand just launched in March. It’s a rich gel-like bodywash infused with hyaluronic acid and comes recommended by board-certified dermatologistDr. Connie YangofPFRANKMDbyDr. Paul Jarrod Frank. Compared to our best overallGlow Getter Multi-Oil, which contains 50 percent glycerin, the Booster only contains 30 percent glycerin. However, the Booster contains two types of hyaluronic acid (hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate), so it still has powerful hydrating capabilities similar to the Glow Getter formula. The Booster also contains beta-glucan and panthenol (a soothing B5 vitamin), which work to nourish the skin. During my testing, I found that it had a soft, cushy gel texture, almost like the weightless hyaluronic-acid serums I’ve used over the years, plus a delicate lather. I swear I can feel its plumping effects — it’s as if my skin is truly holding onto more moisture, even after I step out of the shower.According to the brand, the formula can also be applied to the face, which is how I sometimes use it after cleansing my entire body. It’s also fragrance-free, so it’s well-suited for sensitive skin types.

Key ingredients:Glycerin, glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid|Scent:Fresh, tropical

Those with dry andacne-proneskin will want to look for a bodywash that features enzymaticexfoliants, which work by clearing away dead skin cells without fully absorbing into the skin, helping to prevent further irritation and breakouts. Sherber recommends this cleanser from Kosas, which she told me is formulated with facial-quality actives and combines exfoliating papaya and pineapple enzymes with a mild concentration of AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids, such as glycolic or lactic acid) for additional pore-clearing benefits. It also has hydrating glycerin to keep skin from drying out, making it my pick for those with dehydrated skin that’s prone to breakouts.

Ingredients:Glycerin, ginger root extract, aloe vera, chamomile |Scent:Apple, cucumber, and green tea

If you really can’t go without using scented products in the shower, this purifying bodywash fromRed Floweris the one Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang uses on her drier skin. It’s made with omega-6, which promotes moisture retention, plus soothing cucumber, chamomile, and green tea. Yang, who uses it “every day, all year long,” describes the scent as being “a low-key floral with a little mystery to it,” adding that the fragrance doesn’t stay on you all day (a plus in her book).

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