13 Best Body Washes for Dry Skin

As a go-to dermatologist-recommended brand, CeraVe has developed some incredible skincare products for dry, sensitive and reactive skin. This fragrance-free hydrating body wash was created with skin-repairing ingredients like the three essential ceramides (1, 3, 6-II) that make up 50% of the lipids in your skin. The gentle foaming formula restores your skin’s natural barrier to prevent further damage that can often be the cause of dry skin. This National Eczema Association Accepted body wash is also safe for your face as its completely paraben-free, sulfate-free, soap-free, allergy-tested and non-comedogenic

If your dry skin is rough and bumpy to the touch, then this CeraVe Body Wash with Salicyclic Acid may be the best body wash for itcy, dry skin. You’ll get the same hydrating and skin-reparative ingredients across all CeraVe products including the three essential ceramides that support the health and elasticity of your skin. This soothing gel formula has three highlighted ingredients to balance the exfoliating properties with ultra moisturizing. Salicyclic acid smooths rough and bumpy skin, while hyaluronic acid retains moisture into the deeper layers. Niacinimide calms and evens skin tone. 

When you want skin like butter, you need to try Buttah Skin’s Egyptian CocoShea Body Wash. Their proprietary SP Duraquench complex hydrates your skin for up to 72 hours with soothing marshmallow root extract and brightening purslane extract. Created with melanin-rich skin tones in mind, this blend of African cocoa and shea butters deeply nourishes your skin with vitamins A, C and E as it gently cleanses. The luxuriously warm scent called Pharaoh’s Love is a subtle fragrance of white lily, rose, helitrope, white musk and vanilla to create a relaxing spa-like experience every time you shower.

Aveeno has made body products to help soothe irritated dry skin for over 70 years and this fragrance-free body wash is a great option when you’re looking for a more consistent body cleanser. The unique gel formula is a daily body wash for sensitive dry skin because of its core ingredient: oats. The proprietary Triple Oat Blend is made of oat flour, oat extract and oat oil to help cleanse dirt and grime while restoring your skin’s moisture barrier. It’s allergy-tested and dermatologist-approved without fragrances, parabens, harsh soap and any dyes. 

Dove was made for dry skin as its iconic quarter moisturizer soaps have helped so many to hydrate their skin. As a 2022 Allure Beauty Winner, the Dove Body Love Moisture Boost Body Wash with Hyaluronic Acid is a front runner for best body wash for extremely dry skin due to the star ingredient: hyaluronic acid. It can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water on your skin so it continuously keeps moisture where you need it most. The 10X Moisture Boost Complex also has antioxidant-rich moringa oil to nourish as it cleanses with a sulfate-free formula. The packaging is made from 100% recycled plastic and the formula is PETA-certified cruelty-free. The fresh fragrance has notes of vanilla, white sage and bamboo that’ll make you feel as refreshed as you are moisturized.

The sea is as good for the soul as it is amazing for dry skin. Mineral-rich blue algae seaweed restores cracked and dry sensitive skin with essential moisture. A nourishing blend of Hawaiian kukui oil and coconut oil keeps hydration locked in while aloe vera balances your skin’s pH levels to reduce irritation and itching from environmental stressors. The unscented formula is ideal for sensitive and reactive skin while the eucalyptus peppermint formula could help strengthen the skin barrier while improving blood circulation. There’s also a lavender essential oil formula for calming dry skin and a citrus vanilla formula for a brightening effect. 

As an ultra-mild oil cleanser, this foaming body wash works like a double cleanser to clean without stripping your natural oils. Skinfix specially formulated this body wash for eczema-prone skin with sulfate-free coconut cleansers, skin-calming aloe vera juice, and a nourishing blend of jojoba, sunflower and apricot kernel oils. It’s recommended for sensitive skin as a dermatologist-led clinical study showed that 89% of participants reported their skin was more cleansed, hydrated and soothed after washing within one week.

Argan oil is the flagship ingredient of Josie Maran products because of the richness in the omega essential fatty acid that your skin craves but can’t produce on its own. This Skin Dope Ultra Nourishing Daily Body Wash is specially formulated to give your irritated skin the nourishment it needs to improve firmness, enhance elasticity and strengthen that barrier that causes itchiness. Organic hemp seed oil delivers protein-rich amino acids for resilient skin and marshmallow root extract restores balance without stripping oils during cleansing. It’s gentle and effective for softer, smoother and hydrated dry skin.

There’s something about this brand name that makes you feel fabulous. Luckily, their moisturizing body wash formula is equally as fantastic on your skin. Accepted by the National Eczema Association, this Lipikar Wash is allergy and sensitive skin tested to be gentle on dry skin while cleansing away environmental irritants that cause irritation. La Roche-Posay’s proprietary Prebiotic Thermal Water is scientifically proven to soothe and protect the skin while Shea butter, glycerin and niacinamide work together to replenish essential moisture into your skin’s lipid barrier.

Fresh’s Milk Body Cleanser is a great option if you’re looking for a plant-based milk cleanser to soothe, comfort and support the skin’s barrier function. The three kinds of plant milk that make up the nourishing wash are rice milk to fortify skin with amino acids, linseed milk to strengthen the moisture barrier and Centella milk to soothe irritated and itchy skin. Niacinamide smooths the skin’s surface and helps the hyaluronic acid keep moisture where you need it most.

Oil-based body washes can make a huge difference for extremely dry skin. Naturium created the Glow Getter Multi-Oil Hydrating Body Wash with an oil-to-gel formulation that gets more luxurious as you lather. With over 50% glycerin, there’s no question your skin won’t be dry after the first wash. The dermatologist-tested body wash utilizes linoleic-rich oils and plant-derived fermented squalane to give your skin that cushiony glow all over without stripping essential moisture. The apple saccharide extract also gives a healthy dose of nutrients as it gently washes away dirt, grime, and other irritants.

As Allure Best of Beauty Award Winner in 2019, this one had to be on the list since it is still making its rounds on lists for best body washes for sensitive skin. Nécessaire’s The Body Wash formula is like a daily multivitamin in a cleanser. The plant-derived surfactant system creates a soft and moisturizing lather while the nourishing inclusion of Marula, cacay and meadowfoam oils help your skin glow. Vitamin B3, or niacinamide, strengthens the skin’s natural moisture barrier to prevent irritation and smooth any roughness. The dermatologist-tested formula is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, so no worries if you struggle with bacne or other skin issues.

Dry skin often turns into itchy skin, which only exacerbates skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. Eucerin has been using science to create quality and effective skincare for over 100 years. The mild soap-free lather of their Skin Calming Body Wash is fragrance-free and dye-free, so you don’t have to worry about irritating or harsh ingredients. The nourishing essential omega oils and natural lipids help retain moisture and calm itchy skin as it rinses clean. It’s a great body wash for those with sensitive skin and is recommended by dermatologists worldwide.