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We get it—there’s precious little shelf space in your shower. So why would you choose to fill it with anything you feel meh about? You deserve to love your shower time, and all that it entails (damn it!). To jumpstart your shower haul makeover, we asked a handful of top dermatologists to name the shower products they swear by for smooth, clear skin.
It’s time to ditch that scrub with the car-air-freshener smell and that body wash that leaves a filmy residue and replace them with these five dermatologist-favorite shower products.
1. Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash, $6
The perfect body wash does exist—just ask Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, who used that exact word to describe this option from Dove.
“I love that I always feel clean and refreshed after using it,” Dr. Garshick says. “It thoroughly cleanses the skin, but unlike other soaps that can dry the skin out, this wash leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized. Because of the moisturizing component, it’s great for daily use and won’t strip the skin of its natural oils.”
2. Bio-Oil Multiuse Skincare Oil, $28
Dendy Engelman MD, a New York City-based dermatologist, keeps this body oil on her shower shelf so that the second she turns off the water, she can slather it on. “I believe it’s important to ‘soak and grease,'” she says. “Spend 20 minutes in the shower and immediately follow with an oil or lotion. Your skin will be more pliable after your time in the shower, but water evaporates quickly and your skin will be more dry if not taken care of properly. Applying this oil on wet skin will trap some of the water on the skin.”
Other perks of this particular product? “It works in harmony with vitamin A and vitamin E to encourage cellular turnover,” Dr. Engelman says. “The calendula, rosemary, and chamomile oil effectively restore the skin barrier.”
3. Replenix Benzoyl Peroxide Wash, $22
Anyone who deals with body acne on the regular needs to add this product to their collection, stat, says Caren Campbell, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in San Francisco. Dr. Campbell has dealt with acne since her teens and now helps prevent it by using this benzoyl peroxide wash a few times a week.
“Benzoyl peroxide wash helps keep my chest and back clear of ‘bacne’ by unclogging pores and killing acne-causing bacteria,” she says. “It can also be helpful if you suffer from razor bumps or acne bumps on the tushy or underarms because it helps kill bacteria in the hair follicles of these areas, minimizing bumps and outbreaks.”
Pro tip: Dr. Campbell says to make sure you use white towels to dry off after using this product, because benzoyl peroxide bleaches fabrics.
4. Herbivore Botanicals Natural Coco Rose Body Polish, $36
This body polish is an influencer shelfie standby, and Gretchen Frieling, MD, a dermatopathologist in the Boston area, says it’s more than worthy of all the attention. “Exfoliating removes dead or dull skin, smoothening the epidermis, improving circulation, and deep-cleansing the pores,” she says. Plus, “this body scrub exfoliates the skin using finely-granulated sugar instead of microbeads, so it doesn’t throw more plastic down the drain.”
Two more reasons Dr. Frieling can’t get enough of this body polish: “The coconut oil hydrates and rejuvenates the skin. This product also includes Moroccan rose, which has anti-inflammatory properties to help improve signs of aging and cellular damage.”
5. Dove Sensitive Skin Sulfate-Free Body Wash, $9
The second Dove product on this list is formulated for sensitive skin and free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, and other irritating additives.
“This body wash is gentle enough for your face and body, and it’s a staple in my shower,” says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, of Zeichner Dermatology. “It uses ultra-gentle cleansing molecules along with moisturizing ingredients to keep the skin hydrated. The goal of a cleanser is to remove dirt and oil without compromising the integrity of the skin barrier, and this one checks both of those boxes.”
Find out which other derm-approved skin-care staples to add to your routine:
If you have dry skin, a derm says these are the only products to use in the shower. Then, stop itchy skin after showering with these 6 derm-approved tips.
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