Best Body Washes for Dry Skin

Do you have skin that feels tight or itches, especially after being in the water? Skin that flakes, peels, or scales? Red skin that looks rough? If you have any of these symptoms, you probably have dry skin.

Dry skin can be extremely uncomfortable. In order to keep yourself feeling your best, you need to use the proper skincare products. Most important among these is body wash. Today you can learn more about our picks of the best body washes for dry skin and how to choose between them. Read on and hydrate your dry skin today.

Anyone whose ever looked at skincare products has heard the phrase “skin types.” You’ve maybe even heard the question: What skin type do you have? While this may seem like a simple question, skin types are actually a complicated topic. Your skin type is determined by many factors and has different symptoms—these are described below. In essence, skin type describes the way your skin looks, feels, and interacts with other substances.

Skin is the largest organ in the human body. It guards our bodies against externals like weather and sun exposure, while also protecting the inside of our bodies by creating antibacterial substances and manufacturing Vitamin D. Skin also gives us the ability to touch and feel our surroundings. Everyone’s skin performs these functions, no matter your skin type.

Skin type, then, describes the way our skin reacts to specific conditions and environments. The most important of these factors is the amount of water and/or oil your skin retains. As you will see below, both too much or too little water and oil in your skin greatly affect how it feels and performs.

We need to make it completely clear that skin type and skin conditions are two different things. Skin types are described below and have to do with the baseline behavior of your skin. Skin conditions, on the other hand, are medical issues that can affect any skin type.

For example, the five skin types recognized by most dermatologists are normal, combination, oily, dry, and sensitive. But, some skin conditions include acne, rosacea, and eczema. Other skin conditions include

Some skin types are more prone to conditions like acne or eczema; however, any of the skin conditions mentioned above can occur for people with any skin type.

Depending on who’s discussing skin types with you, you may hear three to five different types of skin: normal, oily, dry, combination, and/or sensitive. The skin type you have is largely due to genetics, which means that none of them are inherently right or wrong. Knowing your skin type just ensures that you take care of your unique skin properly.

If you are still wondering about your skin type, here’s a handling guide to help tell them apart.

Determining your skin type is fairly simple. First, read through the list above and determine which category your skin falls into. For example, if your skin feels dry all the time and is red or itchy, then you likely have a dry skin type.

Second, visit a dermatologist or esthetician. These medical professionals are trained to help determine your exact skin type. They can also give you tips and body care product suggestions for your specific skin type.

Third, if you are still confused as to your skin type, you can perform a simple test. Take a blotting sheet or tissue and pat it on different areas around your face. If the tissue comes away very oily, then you likely have oily skin. If the tissue has no oil on it and your skin feels tight, then you likely have dry skin. A combination of oil and dry areas equals—you guessed it—combination skin. Finally, if little oil comes off on the tissue, but your skin feels fine. You likely have a normal skin type.

Why do you need to know your skin type? It’s simple. Different skin care products are usually designed for diverse skin types—today you can also buy ones formulated for all skin types, but those are not the norm. If you don’t know your skin type, you could potentially buy a skincare product that could aggravate your skin and hurt instead of helping it.

Knowing your skin type can also indicate skin conditions you might be prone to. In general, both dry and oily skin types are prone to acne. Having this knowledge can help you take steps to either prevent or treat various skin conditions.

The short answer is: yes. Skin types can change due to your age, medical conditions, stress levels, or sun exposure. In general, younger people have more normal or combination skin, while skin can get increasingly drier as you age.

External factors can also influence your skin type. The most influential among these is the weather. In the Northern hemisphere, fall and winter tend to be dry seasons. Also, the use of heaters tends to suck what little moisture is left right out of the air. This means that your skin could be getting dryer just by you living in your house. In this case, the use of a humidifier could help solve the problem.

Finally, internal factors, like your stress level and health, could influence your skin type. If you have a high-stress level, the shock to your system could cause your skin to either get drier or oilier depending on your skin type. It can also cause people who have never had any skin problems to develop them. Combating stress with meditation and other self-care practices can help solve your skin issues.

For dry skin, more than another skin type, you need to buy a body wash specifically designed for your skin type. This is because using body washes with the wrong ingredients can at worst cause serious damage to your skin, or at best, they could create intense discomfort.

Instead of buying a generic body wash, for dry skin, you should look for a soap that will introduce more moisture into your skin. There are many ingredients that can do this, including shea butter, jojoba oil, or coconut oil. We discuss the many moisturizing ingredients more fully below.

Often because these body washes try to retain as much moisture as possible, you will notice that there is not that much lather. Keep in mind that you don’t need lather to get clean and its absence in your product probably just indicates the company’s attempts to keep undesirable ingredients out of their body wash.

Here are a couple of the most important ingredients to look out for in body washes. Often these are used to create lather, but for people with dry skin, they suck more moisture from your already parched skin, making your discomfort greater.

Alcohols: Alcohols like SD and Isopropyl can dry out your already dry skin. Fatty alcohols like cetyl will not create the same effect and are fine to have in your body wash.

Sulfates: Sulfates are often used to create a lather when they react with water. However, all of them can strip the sebum from the surface of your skin. Sulfates to watch out for include Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, and TEA Laureth Sulfate.

Many, many body washes on the market include sulfate. So, if your favorite product has one, don’t worry too much as long as it’s further down on the ingredient list. However, you may want to consider one of the body washes we include on our top five list, none of which contain sulfates.

Artificial fragrances: There is a huge list of artificial fragrances used in body care products. However, on an ingredient list, you will likely only see the word, artificial (or added) fragrance.

You want to steer clear of these unidentified chemicals. They can create an allergic response, dermatitis, or respiratory problems. Artificial fragrances have even been linked to problems with the reproduction system.

Aloe vera: When you see Aloe vera on an ingredient list, it indicates that the gel on the inside of the succulent leaves was used in the body wash. This gel has been used for thousands of years to heal burns, wounds, and sores. However, scientific studies are divided on its effectiveness.

When you see it in body washes for dry skin, it is there as a moisturizer. But, even as a moisturizer, it can infuse your skin with moisture and soothe any irritated red patches.

Glycerin and sorbitol: These two ingredients help put moisture back into your dry skin. So, their inclusion in an ingredient is a good thing.

Glycolic and lactic acid: Acids may have a bad reputation. But, glycolic and lactic acid both perform important functions in the reclamation of your skin. They both act as an exfoliant, which can get rid of any dead dry skin cells. They also attract moisture to replace the skin cells they have removed.

Jojoba oil: Jojoba oil is a particularly good moisturizer for dry skin because it mimics the waxiness and role of sebum. In essence, it stays on top of the skin and thus keeps the moisture in. Jojoba also removes a build-up of other types of oil on the skin and acts as an emollient, which can improve overall skin health and appearance.

Coconut oil: Coconut oil is made up of a lot of the good fatty acids that can help your dry skin heal. For example, its high levels of lauric acid can prevent microorganisms from growing out of control on your skin.

It also has antioxidant properties that stabilize your body’s free radicals. When this happens the amount of inflammation in your body decreases, which is great news for people with dry and inflamed skin.

Shea butter: Shea butter is another fatty substance from a plant. It is full of vitamin A, is extremely hydrating, and increased collagen production. All of these things greatly influence its ability to help dry skin repair and heal. It also can reduce the appearance of scars, wrinkles, or fine lines.

You want to make sure that you use products with raw, unrefined shea butter because that ingredient has the most benefits.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a cereal that is known for its ability to help calm and soothe irritated skin. You will often find it as an ingredient in eczema body washes or bath soap. However, it can help anyone with dry skin by binding to the skin and protecting it against irritants. The fats in oatmeal can also help soothe dry skin’s itchiness.

Herbal ingredients: Certain herbs are known for their calming and moisturizing properties. Their addition to a body wash can help treat the irritation that comes along with dry skin. Herbs to look for include lavender and chamomile.