The 5 Best Body Washes of 2025

Everybody who tried Aesop Body Cleanser (in the geranium leaf scent) liked the invigorating herbal aroma and the way the body wash bubbled up with a shower accessory, but it didn’t suds or spread as well as the similarly zesty Youth To The People Superfood + Niacinamide Body Cleanser.

One tester preferred the nice lather of Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash to that of our everyday pick, Dove Sensitive Body Wash, but another was unsure whether it rinsed off completely. Comments such as “fine” and “basic” summed up the general consensus.

Bioderma Atoderm Huile de Douche was good at removing beach-day sand, and at least one tester loved how moisturized it left their dry skin. Still, another tester with a self-proclaimed “rug of chest hair” hated how it clung to his strands post-shower.

Deemed too slip-slidey, Byoma Hydrating Body Wash’s serum-like lather failed to deliver a satisfying cleanse. The texture of Byoma’s new Acne Clearing Body Wash was fine, but its suds weren’t powerful enough: “I have a summer job where I get pretty gross. Maybe if I had a job where I was less sweaty, this would clean me better,” said a 19-year-old tester.

In general, we found that the more hydrating a body wash was, the less lather it produced — and that’s ultimately why the coconut-scented California Naturals Classic Clean Body Wash was edged out by our picks from Dove and Youth To The People. A few testers even noted this wash as their favorite, applauding its moisturizing prowess. However, others said it felt more creamy than sudsy and disliked the lather’s heaviness.

The glue-like consistency and medicinal scent of CeraVe SA Body Wash for Rough & Bumpy Skin turned off testers, as did its failure to foam up well even with a poof.

We found lots to like about Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash, including the scent and how moisturized our skin felt afterward, but several testers found it difficult to rinse off. We also tried the fragrance-free Dove Ultra Sensitive Serum Body Wash, which contains just 10 ingredients: “I appreciate the limited ingredients, but it’s almost gelatinous and does not lather very well,” said a dry-skinned parent who also used it on two children under 7. We enjoyed the creamier Dove Soothing Relief Serum Body Wash, another fragrance-free option, but its ephemeral suds were less effective than those of our picks.

We tried Element Brooklyn Body Soap in the desert bloom scent, and testers liked its “fresh, herbal vibe,” but we found it watery and its suds less satisfying in comparison with aromatically similar 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 less cupcake-y but still delicious California Naturals Classic Clean Body Wash.

A tester who was “lazy about body lotion” liked how moisturized they felt after using Glossier Daily Oil Body Wash (in the neroli Body Hero scent), but the lack of a true lather experience turned off other panelists.

Ivory Gentle Body Wash took almost twice as much product to achieve the same lather and coverage as our everyday pick Dove Sensitive and left skin feeling much drier than most other contenders. Meanwhile, the fragrance-free Ivory Sensitive Skin Body Wash had a “dollar-store shower curtain” aroma that no one liked.

Dry-skinned testers liked how L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil left them moisturized all day, but it failed to remove dirt as well as the similar Bioderma Atoderm Huile de Douche or the traditional (non-oil-based) gels we tested.

The airy whip of Method Dream Foam Foaming Body Wash (we tried multiple scents and preferred Sea Spray + Salt Air) was delightful. However, it didn’t spread or cleanse as well as the classic Method Body Wash (preferred scent: Pure Peace), a satisfying but not standout option. “Wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it,” one tester noted.

Testers couldn’t get past Native Unscented Body Wash’s vinyl-like aroma or gloopy texture.

We had high hopes for Naturium’s line of synthetic-fragrance-free body washes, which several staffers use regularly. Those with body acne appreciated the oil-dissolving salicylic acid in Naturium’s The Perfector Body Wash but weren’t happy with the way their skin felt after using it (“rubbery” and “dry”). Naturium’s oil-based The Glow Getter Body Wash rated better — one tester loved its dewy effect — but was ineffective at removing makeup and bike grease.

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

Some folks liked how hydrated their skin felt after they used Nivea Nourishing Care Body Wash, but others found it to be slimy, and it clung to body hair and called for lots of rinsing.

Fragrance-free washes often had unpleasant odors, and that was true for Odele Ultra Sensitive Body Wash, which one tester deemed “slightly musty.”

Both the Olay Regenerist and Olay Intensely Hydrating body washes left testers’ skin feeling lubed 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 sleek bottle. At $4 per ounce, though, it failed to convince us that the benefits justified the cost.

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

The foamy lather of Pacifica Acne Warrior Body Wash pleased testers with body bumps, who preferred it to some other salicylic-acid cleansers. Still, it didn’t seem to improve skin texture as well as our top clarifying pick, Odele Clarifying Body Wash.

Showers turned slippery for testers who used Saltair Serum Body Wash (in the santal bloom scent) liberally, and those hazardous conditions couldn’t make up for the especially moisturizing formula.

The sugary scent of Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Shower Oil really lingered, but some testers weren’t thrilled with its other lingering quality, a moisturizing sheen.

Suave is a stalwart in the body wash space — but when we ruled out formulas with dyes and colorants, we lost a large swath of this bargain brand’s options. Suave Strawberry Delight Body Wash, one of the few products without dyes, had a great lather and left skin soft and clean, but testers said its scent was overly sweet. “I can’t get past the synthetic smell,” one said. We also considered the dye-free Suave Essentials Deeply Clean Body Wash but dismissed it because it left at least one tester feeling drier than usual post-shower.

“The bubbles make me happy,” said a 9-year-old tester of Vanicream Gentle Body Wash, a fragrance-free cleanser that many other testers liked too. But the press-top cap made it hard for us to regulate the amount being dispensed, and it didn’t leave skin as soft as Honest Sensitive Shampoo + Body Wash.

This article was edited by Rory Evans and Leta Shy.