We’ve all been there, stuck at the store with a beauty product in each hand trying to decide which one to take home. But instead of spending forever sifting through endless options, allow us to help you hunt for the best body wash for women. When it comes to sudsing up, there are a few things that dermatologists and beauty editors alike want you to know.

For starters, while taking a shower might feel like one of the most tangible forms of self care at the current moment (you mean I can be alone in a room without my partner, my roommate, my kids, my fill-in-the-blank here… !!!!), it’s important not to overdo it under the hot stream of water. “Hot water can be damaging to the skin, because it can strip your skin of essential lipids and proteins and make it more easily inflamed,” says Mona Gohara, MD, in one of our episodes of Dear Derm. What’s more, while it can be tempting to want to luxuriate and take time for self care in the shower, experts are quick to suggest a rather quick time frame of under 10 minutes.

But since self-care is more multi-faceted than simply time spent alone, selecting the right body wash can help awaken your senses and help you to take care of yourself in a greater way. Look for a body wash that helps to awaken your senses with scent. As previously reported, we like Bathing Culture’s refillable rainbow bottles, which are meant to “replicate the feeling of forest bathing, the Japanese practice of walking through a forest to cleanse your spirit, which has been scientifically proven to ease anxious thoughts and decrease stress levels.”

You can also look for ingredients that nourish your particular skin type, which can whish over your body and inherently bring your skin what it needs to feel its best. To help to keep your skin intact and get it clean without overly stripping it, look for hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and replenishing ones like ceramides. And use a loofah, which you allow to get completely dry in the shower, so that you’re not coating your skin with bacteria and funguses. Ready to know which body washes to shop? Keep on scrolling to learn more.

Shop cleansers at every price point below

Bathing Culture Mind and Body Wash — $35.00

This refillable rainbow jar will brighten your day almost as much as the green soap that it holds. Bathing Culture is a sustainable brand that is devoted to creating products that will transport you to “the Redwood canopies of Northern California”.

Juniper Ridge Cascade Forest — $12.00

Another way to suds up until you can get out, this forest-scented body wash will transport you to the Pacific Northwest, but leave you remarkably cleaner than if you’d just done a hike.

Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois De Balincourt Body & Hand Wash — $29.00

Made with oats, aloe vera, and chamomile, don’t let this delightfully perfumed body wash convince you that it’s anything other than the most skin-comforting option around.

Maude Wash No. 1 Ph-Balanced Body Wash & Bubble Bath — $22.00

Whether you choose to relax into a bubble bath or lather up, this body wash will be kind to skin and leave it hydrated and smooth.

Olay Cleansing and Brightening Body Wash — $11.00

Utilizing vitamins C and B3, this drugstore diamond has the ability to brighten skin and fortify and strengthen it at the same time.

Necessaire The Body Wash

Enriched with niacinamide, this body wash abides by the principle that what you put on your skin from the neck down should be just as good for you as what you use on your face. This option is scented with sandalwood, making it a fully sensory experience.

Native Body Wash (2-Pack) — $29.00

From the brand that carved the way for natural deodorants to have the reputation for working as well as those with aluminum, Native has ventured into body, and this sulfate-free option means great things from your head to toes.

How to keep skin nourished and hydrated all day

Once you’re out of the shower, steal a genius tip from Dr. Gohara and skip your towel in lieu of a fluffy bath robe to dry off. Skin is more vulnerable when wet, so tugging a towel over your skin can damage it and leave it feeling dry and sensitized. Bath robes will still absorb the water that is on your skin, but they won’t create so much irritation.

After you’ve gotten most of the water off your body, you’ll want to reach for a body lotion to apply following your shower, as skin is better able to accept the moisture and make skin feel silky. A big thing that many people forget to do is to exfoliate dead skin off so that moisture can go on, so if you find that your product is pilling or it’s not going into the skin, you might want to consider if you need to slough away dry, dead skin cells better.

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