What Do you Look for When Buying a Body Wash?

Showers are not only necessary for personal hygiene but are often a way to destress after a long day. The type of body wash or soap we use can help to enhance our overall shower experience and provide long-lasting effects for our skin. Read on if you’d like advice on choosing your next favorite body wash.

Anthony Buzzetta

Anthony Buzzetta

CEO & Founder of tech company .

Fresh Scent, Invigorating Lather, and Non-drying

When I go shopping for body wash, there are a few key criteria that I look for—and smell is definitely at the top of the list. A good body wash should smell as if it's been freshly made and come alive when you apply it to your skin. That's why I always sniff out the shelves to find one with a pleasant, uplifting aroma that will lift my spirits while nourishing and cleaning my skin.

It also needs to produce an invigorating lather so that when I'm scrubbing away all the dirt and grime from my day-to-day activities, it feels like my skin is being given a revitalizing spa treatment. Sometimes it can be tricky to gauge this aspect until you've tested the product out in the shower, but having some sort of indication of a rich foam from just smelling or reading reviews can help narrow down choices quickly.

The last important factor is finding one that doesn't strip moisture away from your skin by using harsh chemicals or overly drying agents (like sulfates). It should leave your body feeling hydrated and smooth instead of tight or dry after every wash—which requires perusing through labels carefully to check what ingredients have gone into its making.

Shelley Hancock

Shelley Hancock

Founder & President of .

Body Washes That Are pH-balanced

One of the most important priorities when shopping for a body wash is to ensure the formula is pH-balanced. Our skin sits at a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5 – and some body wash products and soaps are formulated at a much higher pH level which can disrupt the skin barrier and cause a host of problems.

Christian Miller

Christian Miller

Founder of .

An All-natural Formulation is Best

I am very fond of body wash; it has been a part of my daily hygiene routine since I was a teenager. Since then, I have had the opportunity to experiment with different types of body washes, from drugstore brands to more expensive, luxury products. I have also done extensive research on their ingredients, cost, and customer reviews to find the best ones for my needs. Through this exploration process, I have developed criteria that I use when it comes to buying body wash.

Natural Ingredients
The main factor that I look for in a body wash is natural ingredients. I prefer products with minimal, all-natural ingredients and avoid those with harsh chemicals or synthetic fragrances. I like to know exactly what goes into my product so that it can nourish my skin without any negative side effects. I have been using a body wash that contains aloe vera and shea butter, which really helps to keep my skin feeling soft and supple.

The gentle formulation is another thing I look for. Most body washes have very strong scents, but I prefer ones that are more subtle. I want one that can cleanse my skin without leaving it feeling dry and stripped of natural oils. I also look for creamy body washes with moisturizing properties so that I can keep my skin hydrated throughout the day.

I also consider the cost of a body wash before making a purchase. I want to make sure that it is affordable, while still providing quality results. Some luxury brands may offer more ingredients or higher concentrations of active ingredients, but if they are outside of my budget, I will look for other alternatives. If I buy a body wash that is too expensive, I find that I am not able to use it consistently and get the best results.

Gennifer Rose

A Probiotic Wash Without Chemicals and Fragrances

When it comes to shopping for body wash, I look for products without fragrances, and if possible probiotic body wash is ideal. My skin (and my children's skin) is very prone to allergic reactions to fragrances and eczema breakouts. Avoiding any added chemicals and additives is important for us.

I have also found that probiotic body washes have a soothing effect on our skin. It seems like the beneficial bacteria helps reduce redness, itching, and inflammation.

With lotions, I also use fragrance free lotion with colloidal oatmeal.

Lauren Levine

Writer and Content Editor at .

Natural and Skin-friendly Ingredients For Nourishing Skin

Ingredients
Besides the skin-friendly ingredients, which must contain vitamin E to keep my skin moisturized, my perfect body wash must possess other natural properties my body craves. Like shea butter, aloe vera extracts, or coconut oil — all of which work perfectly in nourishing the skin. So natural, natural, natural! I can’t stress it enough. Because some products contain harmful ingredients and may affect skin cells so badly (been there). Thus, I always check if there are harmful foaming agents and harsh chemicals such as SLS and ALS, silicone, castor oil, or lye, inside the product I want to buy, cause better be safe than sorry, right?!

Scent
The perfect body wash must possess a fascinating scent that awakens my senses and takes my bathing experience to a whole other level! But, I’m also very careful here! The scent of a body wash is what attracts us most to buy one, right? Well, some of these fragrances are synthetic and contain a whole lot of weird substances that can damage the skin. That’s why I always try to choose the one that is naturally scented and relaxes me at the end of a long day.

Texture
Last but not least — the magic of the texture! When choosing the best body wash, most people make decisions based on its scent — if it pleases their nostrils, that’s the one! But not for me. The most important part for me in the body wash quest is the texture because it adds to the luxuriousness of my shower experience. I always go for the one that morphs from liquid to silk upon its contact with my skin. The one that supports my skin’s elasticity and leaves that sensory delight and a rejuvenating spa-like experience for hours after. And only some of the high-quality products can do that.

That’s why, when buying a body wash, I don’t feel sorry to do a thorough search and invest some cash, because whatever is able to give me a renewed sense of comfort and elevate my mood, is definitely not expensive!

This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors' statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.


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