We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.
Body wash is an essential skincare product — and lathering up with the right one can seriously upgrade your daily self-care routine. But buying an effective, high-quality body wash doesn't have to break the bank. Even if you're dealing with issues like dry, acne-prone or sensitive skin, there are plenty of excellent under-$20 body washes out there that rival luxury formulas — and you can find them at your local Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Target or Rite Aid.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, our scientists and chemists are constantly testing the latest skincare innovations to help you achieve soft, beautiful skin, from body lotions to anti-aging serums to eye creams. To find the best body washes, we run a series of tests both in the Lab and with consumer testers. First, we use state-of-the-art skin imaging tools to measure skin hydration levels. Then, we send the body washes home with real consumer testers to get feedback on ease of application, lather, scent and, of course, the feel and appearance of skin after use. In our most recent test, we spent over 90 hours on in-Lab testing and parsed through 520 consumer surveys to find the best body washes on the market. Check out our picks below, a mix of GH Beauty Lab test winners, GH Seal Stars and editor favorites.
A quick look at our top picks:
So don't settle for any old soap: Instead, stock up on one of these top-rated drugstore body washes that smell good all day long while keeping you under budget (our expert-vetted picks start at just $5!).
Pros
- Proven softening benefits
- Easy application
- Made from recycled packaging
Cons
Our Beauty Lab experts are consistently impressed with Dove body washes, thanks to the brand's reliable and effective formulas — and Dove's Deep Moisture Body Wash in particular was a standout in our tests. Packed with gentle cleansers and moisturizers, many of our at-home testers raved about this product's skin-softening abilities. Our Lab experts also liked that the flip-top cap made it easy to pour with one hand in the shower, and that the bottle is made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. Pro tip: Apply this body wash with a shower pouf to produce double the lather.
Pros
- Ideal for dry, sensitive skin
- Proven hydration benefits
- Good lather
Cons
One of the most hydrating formulas in the GH Beauty Lab's most recent test of moisturizing body washes, Aveeno's cream-gel formula perfectly preserved the skin's moisture barrier in Lab testing of transepidermal water loss (a.k.a. the measurement of the barrier function of skin) — the sign of a good body wash. It also scored highest for having a luxurious lather and a pleasant-but-not-overpowering fragrance. "I loved the fresh, clean smell, and the lather was creamy without being too heavy," one consumer tester reported.
Price is for a pack of 2
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Proven hydration results
- Softening
- Keeps skin moisturized for hours
Cons
Of all the body wash brands our experts have tested over the years, Dove remains the gold standard when it comes to increasing skin hydration levels; this one, in particular, kept skin moisturized for four hours — no body lotion needed! Infused with moisturizing argan oil beads, consumer testers raved that it dramatically softened their dry, parched skin after just one wash. "My skin was as smooth as if I'd applied a moisturizer," one said. "I used it at night, and my skin still felt moisturized in the morning," another marveled.
Price is for a pack of 2
Pros
- Tropical scent lasts for hours
- Proven skin softening benefits
- Gentle formula
Cons
Not only did this formula rank high in GH Beauty Lab testing for leaving skin feeling soft and clean, it also received top marks for its fruity tropical scent. "The scent was fantastic and made me happy even on dreaded mornings," one tester said. Plus, during the Lab's moisture-loss evaluations, it proved to be more gentle and less drying than other formulas tested. "The rich, creamy lather spread easily on my skin and rinsed completely without any unwanted residue — my skin felt soft, moisturized and luxurious," said another tester.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Helps prevent breakouts
- Exfoliating
- Great scent
Cons
Made with salicylic acid, a gold standard acne-fighting ingredient recommended by dermatologists, this body wash helps combat body breakouts by penetrating into pores and unclogging blackheads. But despite its serious skincare benefits, it doesn't smell medicinal: The fruity-sweet grapefruit scent is light and pleasant.
Pros
- Relaxing scent that's great for stress relief
- Lathers well
Cons
This 2021 Beauty Award winner wowed our panel of judges for the soothing, spa-like bath experience it delivered. This two-in-one body wash and soak features Epsom salts to help relax sore muscles and lavender extract for aromatherapy benefits. Our Beauty Lab pros were all fans, noting the "scent was like aromatherapy," and the "lather was incredible."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Short, non-irritating ingredient list
- Fragrance-free
- Soothing on skin
Cons
Formulated for sensitive skin that's easily inflamed or dehydrated, this Eucerin body wash is made with skin-coddling botanical oils, like soybean and castor. It contains a small number of ingredients but no fragrances or soap surfactants in order to reduce the chance of irritation. Post-shower, skin "feels comfortable, not itchy and dehydrated," a consumer tester found.
Pros
- Gentle on skin
- Light and refreshing texture
- Proven skin softening benefits
Cons
This lightweight, pillowy foam leaves skin feeling soft, not stripped, thanks to gentle cleansers and hydrating glycerin. Even better, each bottle holds a whopping 250 pumps! "The most lush, abundant suds I've ever experienced from a body wash, and it was so light and refreshing," one tester reported. "My skin felt clean and soft — no residue or post-soap tightness," another said.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Spa-like scents
- Rich lather
- Gentle formula
Cons
A past GH Beauty Award winner, Olay earned praises from our Beauty Lab experts for its supreme lather and light scent, which make for a refreshing bath experience. Our Lab evaluations found that its pH level was gentler on skin when compared to classic bar soaps. We also give it major points for its creamy formula that leaves behind silky smooth skin and its light fruity-floral smell.
Price is for a pack of 2
10
Most Refreshing Drugstore Body Wash
NIVEA White Peach & Jasmine Body Wash with Nourishing Serum
Now 36% Off
GH Chemist Danusia Wnek stocks up on this Nivea formula, calling it her "tried-and-true" body wash. Its creamy, foamy texture leaves skin feeling refreshed after each rinse. What's more, she says its soft, subtle white peach and jasmine scent smells pleasant without overpowering the senses.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Creamy formula made with moisturizing shea butter
- Proven hydrating benefits
Cons
Olay's creamy body wash does more than, well, just wash: It deeply hydrates skin with its primary ingredient, shea butter. Our GH Beauty Lab tests confirm that this top-performing body wash effectively cleanses skin yet leaves it feeling soft and moisturized.
Pros
- Great for dry, sensitive skin
- Gentle formula
Cons
Formulated free of any fragrance or masking scents that can irritate sensitive skin (and noses), this Cetaphil shower gel also contains skin-conditioning aloe vera, glycerin and vitamin B5. Associate Product & Reviews Editor Jacqueline Saguin strictly uses this body wash for her eczema. "It's the only formula I've found that's safe for my sensitive skin," she says. "Though you miss out on the lather, its creamy gel formula cleanses without stripping my skin of moisture."
Price is for a pack of 3
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Easy to lather
- Leaves skin smelling fresh
Cons
Like a rich shaving cream you can use all over your body, Nivea's foaming body wash, a past GH Beauty Award winner, does double duty, cleansing and laying the groundwork for a smoother shave. “It's fun to use, spreads easily over your body in seconds and feels pampering and indulgent,” one tester said. “It left my skin silky and subtly fresh-scented,” another added.
Price is for a pack of 2
Pros
- Great for quick pick-me-ups
- Subtle, but pleasant scent
- Freshens in a pinch
Cons
Like a spray-on body wash, this unique no-rinse body cleansing mist can be spritzed on from head to toe to freshen up fast thanks to skin-cleansing and conditioning ingredients. A great pick to throw in your gym bag, Beauty Lab testers loved its subtle sweet scent and called it “good for those times when you can’t take a full shower."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
- Great for shave prep
- Pleasant smell
- Gently removes dead skin
Cons
You can streamline your routine and skip the separate body scrub with this 2-in-1 option. A longtime favorite of GH beauty editors, it's laced with natural silica beads to gently slough off skin as you suds. With a warm, sweet scent smell of brown sugar and musk, one beauty editor says a giant bottle lasts "forever."
How we chose the best drugstore body washes
For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has been testing skincare products in order to make the most informed and scientifically tested recommendations to our readers. In our most recent test of body washes, we evaluated 24 products, spending over 90 hours on in-Lab testing and tallying the responses from 520 consumer surveys. To test body washes, we first label-mask the bottles to eliminate bias. In the Lab, our chemists use state-of-the-art tools like the Corneometer device, which measures skin hydration levels to gauge a product's ability to moisturize (or dehydrate) skin. Our panel of at-home consumers also tries the products in order to evaluate attributes like application, lather, scent and look and feel of skin after use. Our experts made the picks featured in this guide based on this data, and also considered GH Seal holders, editor favorites and dermatologist-recommended products.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
What to look for when shopping for a body wash
It's easy to just grab and go when you're shopping for a body wash, but our experts recommend taking a closer look at what you're buying. We tapped Monica Li, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor at the Department of Dermatology and Skin Science at the University of British Columbia, for her thoughts on how to find the best body wash for your skin type:
✔️ Prioritize the right skincare ingredients: For intense hydration, hyaluronic acid restores hydration at the skin surface while glycerin boosts moisturization effects, says Dr. Li. Ceramides help support a healthy skin barrier. For sensitive skin, look for colloidal oatmeal, which delivers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, she says.
✔️ Choose scents wisely: Those with sensitive skin should avoid fragrance formulas in general, says Li. It can increase skin irritation, intolerance and possibly even allergic contact dermatitis. Our Beauty Lab suggests that those with sensitive skin check out lightly scented products, like those from Aveeno, or seek out “unscented” or “fragrance-free” products from a brand like Cetaphil.
✔️ Find the right formula for your needs: Though totally up to personal preference, body washes in pumps and bottles allow for ease of use and better hygiene, since you can toss it in a gym bag or move it to another bathroom in the house without worrying about contaminating the formula, Li adds. If you're interested in soap bars, know that they are also "alkaline in nature, which are harsh and not compatible with the low pH of our skin surface," she says. "They can cause skin irritation and compromise a healthy skin barrier."
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Danusia Wnek, a chemist in the GH Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab, oversaw the testing methodology behind this article. She has spent over seven years testing skincare products, including but not limited to night creams, neck creams, facial oils and moisturizing creams, while weighing in on the benefits of skincare ingredients like vitamin C, retinol and niacinamide. Her experience in operating specialized skin evaluation lab equipment means she can gauge changes in skin moisturization, firmness and facial features like wrinkles and texture to compare the before and after of product use. She also regularly polls our consumer testing panel on their purchasing and product use habits.
Beauty Director April Franzino has over 15 years of experience researching, writing and editing makeup-related content utilizing the expertise of top industry professionals such as makeup artists and cosmetic chemists. She is an expert in all makeup product categories, including eye, lip and face makeup; tools; professional services and more. April works closely with the GH Beauty Lab to coordinate makeup product testing and translate test results into best-in-class compelling, factually accurate science-backed content for GH.
April Franzino
Beauty Director
April (she/her) is the beauty director at Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman's Day, where she oversees all beauty content. She has over 15 years of experience under her belt, starting her career as an assistant beauty editor at GH in 2007, and working in the beauty departments of SELF and Fitness magazines.