Key ingredients: seaweed extracts, spirulina, probiotics, niacinamide, blueberry extract | Skin type it’s best for: weather-worn, dry, and dull skin | Size: 15.2 oz | Scent: santal/vetiver
Best for Glassy Skin: Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Body Cleanser
Why it’s worth it: Another strong, anti-acne option, the K-beauty brand Some By Mi brings us the many-lettered AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Body Cleanser. This cleanser is a star at combating excess sebum production that might lead to below-the-neck breakouts. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Y. Claire Chang, MD, pointed out that the powerful combination of salicylic, mandelic, and citric acids helps unclog pores and even out skin texture. Model Peter Clarkson is a years-long fan of the product for keeping his skin glassy in shirtless pics. “I don’t have any issues with body acne but found that this gives me just absolute butter skin,” he told Allure.
Key ingredients: salicylic acid, mandelic acid, citric acid | Skin type it’s best for: people with body acne | Size: 13.5 oz | Scent: fragrance-free
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I choose a body wash?
When choosing a body wash, consider your general preferences as well as your skin care goals and concerns. Keep in mind that, unlike your average bar soap, body washes can include active ingredients to target acne, eczema, and dryness. “Patients who have acne can use products with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide,” says Dr. Bunimovich. “Patients with eczema should avoid those same ingredients due to their irritating effect and instead look for moisturizing ingredients, such as natural oils, ceramides, and glycerin.”
Dr. Piliang steering clear of washes with fragrance, as these can potentially irritate the skin. “They do not enhance the cleansing ability of the body wash, so it is best to avoid fragrance,” she explains. However, if you know you tolerate fragrance in body care well, go for it.
What’s the best way to use body wash?
While it’s tempting to cloak yourself in that delicious, delicious soap, Dr. Piliang warns against overdoing the body wash. Overuse can lead to dry, irritated skin, especially during the winter months when the skin is already stripped of moisture. “Taking hot showers and baths can magnify the problem as the hot water removes even more of the skin’s natural oils,” she explains.
Dr. Bunimovich recommends that you stick to once-daily showers with lukewarm water and use a moisturizer after cleansing to prevent further overdrying of the skin. Also, pay special attention to washing the folds of your skin, as bacteria likes to hang out there. Don’t attempt to use body wash as face wash, though, as it could clog pores and worsen acne.
How do I know if I’m allergic to my body wash?
As with any new skin-care product, finding a new body wash may require trial and error. And that error? A potential adverse reaction. Nothing dire, necessarily, but your skin could become irritated or itchy if it disagrees with the formula. Daniel Belkin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously explained that an allergic reaction to a body wash can be different than an allergic reaction to a beauty product. “Usually allergic contact dermatitis [caused by a beauty product] will present as a red, itchy rash at the site of exposure, but an allergy to body wash is an exception because body wash is used all over and washed off,” he said. “It will, therefore, present as a patchy and diffused rash, probably sparing the face because most body wash is used from the neck down.”
