The Best Men’s Body Wash To Scrub Away Your Sins

Men, never neglect the humble body wash. We’re not talking about plain soap on a rope here, we’re talking about dedicated body washes that won’t dry out your skin, leave you itchy or aggravate your allergies, all whilst leaving you smelling like dishwashing detergent. You’re better than that and so are these body washes for guys.

So how does one use body wash? Think of it like soft wash hand soap but for your entire body – just don’t use it on your hair like shampoo (we know soap guys do this). You can apply some to your hands and rub yourself down before giving it a rinse or if you want to be more thorough, apply it to a washcloth or similar body scrubber. Rub it onto your wet skin in circular motions and apply as required. Once you’re done, rinse and the job is finished – you’ll smell like a million bucks without all the itchy red rashes.

The 18 body washes we’ve selected below hail from all over of the globe, from Kiehl’s to Lab Series to Aesop to more high-end brands such as Jo Malone (yes, Jo Malone isn’t just in the candle game). Whatever your budget or preference of body wash, you’re guaranteed to find the right one to slip into your toiletry bag or cabinet. Your white shirts, suits and hot dates will thank you for it later.

Murdock London, unsurprisingly, hails from London, where the need to be a dapper gentleman is high on the list of many. The grooming specialist and barbershop has been shaving, trimming and treating guys for over a decade, and has taken all of that expert knowhow and crammed it into a comprehensive range of grooming products for guys.

Among a sea of various beard moisturisers and oils, you can find the company’s Body Wash. Infused with its signature Black Tea scent, this body wash is sulphate-free and has been designed to “foam gently” before being rinsed off. It’s certified Clean Label, meaning its free from any other harmful ingredients and is suitable for vegetarians.

Murdock London Body Wash, 250ml $19.50

Kiehl’s can have its history traced back to 1851 with the company’s very first apothecary store opening in New York City, although it wasn’t until 1894 and a takeover by John Kiehl that the Kiehl Pharmacy branding came to be. Over the years the company has exchanged hands a few times but has remained family-owned. It has also introduced new lines of products, made in collaboration with leading dermatologists, designed to treat specific skin conditions.

The Body Fuel was can, despite its name, also be used on hair. Regardless of where you rub it in, you’ll be treated to scents created by the fusion of menthol and caffeine, and your skin with absorb the nutritional benefits provided by Vitamins E and C, along with Zinc. It’s designed to remove excess oils, sweat and impurities, and to leave you feeling invigorated and ready to tackle the day.

Kiehl’s Body Fuel All In One Energizing Wash $20

Grooming Lounge is a men’s barbershop, an online store for all manner of men’s grooming products and brands (although still a curated selection that has to gain approval from the company’s founder and grooming experts), and producer of its own range of high-quality lotions, soaps, moisturisers and practically any other grooming product a modern man could need.

Among that line of products is the Our Best Smeller Body Wash, not just a clever marketing name, but one that was voted “Best Smelling” by The Huffington Post. The smell? Black Pepper. With an ingredients list that includes acai, aloe vera and black pepper oil, you can rest assured it will leave your body feeling moisturised and revitalised.

Grooming Lounge Our Best Smeller Body Wash $23

Anthony was born in New York City in 2000. Founded, and presumably named after, Anthony Sosnick, the skincare brand was created to fill a void. That void was filled by a men’s skincare range that used natural ingredients mixed with a fair of science and expert know-how, that not only makes skin look and feel great, but also helps to combat underlying skin issues.

Anthony’s Invigorating Rush Hair & Body Wash is designed to provide just that, an invigorating rush akin the one you receive from a cold shower, minus the shrinkage. It can, as the name suggests, be used on both the hair and body and utilises Eucalyptus, birch leaf and Canadian balsam to help stimulate and refresh your skin, without causing any dreaded inflammation. You’re left with a fresh alpine scent that will give you a welcome morning boost.

Anthony Invigorating Rush Hair & Body Wash $28

No, this skincare range doesn’t hail from Los Angeles, but instead, Sweden. Well versed in all things outdoors and the harmful effects it can have on the skin, L:A Bruket takes plenty of inspiration from its coastal home of Varberg. Already a location with a steeped history in “spa culture”, the company has been able to draw on over 200 years of knowledge and funnelled it into a natural and organic skincare range.

The No.104 Hand & Body Wash has been developed to thoroughly moisturise the skin. With Bergamot, Patchouli and Cedarwood essential oils as its main ingredients (the former two provide soothing properties on the skin) along with a herbal and spicy scent, this body wash will leave your skin feeling silky smooth.

L:A Bruket No. 104 Hand & Body Wash, 450ml $34

This British brand started life as a hair salon in 1971 before venturing into creating its own line of products to fill its own shelves. The company has since created a dedicated hotel, travel and leisure division to focus on supplying hotels of the world with the miniatures you likely throw in your bag after a weekend getaway. Molton Brown has also been award the Leaping Bunny stamp of approval, indicating it never tests its products on animals.

This men’s Russian Leather Bath & Shower Gel is named as such because it has the Siberian Tundra in its DNA. It transfers a dark, woody scent onto your skin while providing an “intensely rich bathing experience.”

Molton Brown Russian Leather Bath & Shower Gel $32

Tom Dixon is the eponymously named brand of British industrial designer Tom Dixon. Famed for forging a career in design with no formal training, Dixon’s works have been acquired by big-name museums including the Museum of Modern Art New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Aside from creating tasteful pieces in the lighting and furniture sectors, Tom Dixon also has a small range of bath and body products. The company’s Body Wash is available in three scents, and we’ve picked out Orientalist for its more floral arrangement of smells, including cassis, violet leaves and rose. Dixon encourages you to pair it with the matching body balm to lock in moisture.

Tom Dixon Orientalist Body Wash, 500ml $42

Aesop was founded in 1987 in Melbourne, Australia and in the years since, has amassed some 320 points of sale and publicity in 25 countries. Each physical Aesop store is unique, as the company enlists various architects and interior designers to create a space to complement its surroundings.

The company’s Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser lists oils of mandarin and bergamot rind as its key ingredients (not to mention geranium leaf), which work to not only rid your skin of the daily grime and dirt but to invigorate it and leave it smelling fresh. Expect citrus notes to exude from your body after you step out the shower.

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser, 500ml $45

Sachajuan gets its name from founders and Stockholm residents Sacha Mitic and Juan Rosenlind. With its fingers initially dipping into haircare – it’s predominantly a salon brand after all – Sachajuan decided to expand into a small range of bodycare products too.

That includes the Body Wash Ginger Flower, which has been developed with “Earth Silk Technology” that claims to tick off the main three wants from a body wash: cleanse, hydrate and soothe. You’re left with a refreshing scent of bergamot and lemon and the calming knowledge of it being vegan and cruelty-free.

Sachajuan Body Wash Ginger Flower, 500ml $40

Jo Malone is another British label aimed squarely at the luxurious end of the market. Primarily known for its range of candles and fragrances, Jo Malone also caters for the bath and body sectors too. Even if people don’t invest in its products, Jo Malone has become a household name, not only in its home country of the UK, but in several other countries around the world.

This Black Cedarwood & Juniper body wash creates mountains of foam when you lather it onto your skin, helping to rid it of dirt and grime. Once you’ve rinsed it off you’re bathed in a scene on spiced cumin, juniper and woody cedar. Of course, there’s a matching cologne to lock that scent in even further.

Jo Malone Black Cedarwood & Juniper Body & Hand Wash $40

Providing grooming essentials to guys since 1965, Baxter of California is in the business of haircare, skincare and shave care. The company only uses natural ingredients to keep its products paraben and sulfate-free.

The Invigorating Body Wash gives your body a wake-up call in the morning shower. Aloe vera and jojoba oil caress and soothe the skin, leaving it feeling fresh and hydrated for the remainder of the day. It’s all topped off with a refreshing citrusy scent.

Baxter of California Invigorating Body Wash Italian Lime, 250ml $18

Le Labo is a relatively young company, being founded in New York City in 2006 by Eddie Roschi and Fabrice Penot. It’s primarily a fragrance and perfumery, and before you start thinking the prices are pretty high, know that perfumes and fragrances are poured to order, so they’re not just sitting around in a warehouse waiting to be shipped out. Bottles are personalised with your name, too, adding an extra exclusive touch.

The Santal 33 Shower Gel is named after the primary scent note, with the number indicating its total ingredient count (a naming convention used for all its products). It comprises Vitamin E for its antioxidant properties and olive leaf extract to act as a moisturiser. The company claims it not only cleans the body, but also the mind…so long as you shower solo.

Le Labo Santal 33 Shower Gel, 237ml $55

No, this brand isn’t named after the School of Rock star, but instead, is a company with nearly 20 years of experience within the men’s grooming industry. Jack Black takes customer feedback on board to create only the products that have a genuine use, as opposed to a plethora that goes untouched. The result is a company that has previously been regarded as the number one men’s skincare brand.

The All-Over Wash is one you’re going to want to have space for in your bathroom, as it can be used for your hair, body and face, making it the only grooming product you really need. It’s designed to banish away dirt and grime, but without taking your body’s natural oils with it at the same time. If you’d rather have a full selection of products at home, at least consider getting this for when you travel.

Jack Black All Over Wash, 300ml $21

Acqua Di Parma is a globally recognised brand that started life in Milan, Italy in 1916. The company has its fingers in the higher-end sectors of the candle, fragrance, bathrobe and leather accessory industries, all of which are made in Italy. You’ll also be able to find Acqua Di Parma products in Etihad’s First Class and Residence cabins.

The Colonia Shower Gel joins the Colonia line of scented products – Colonia was the company’s first fragrance to be released – and can be used to cleanse your entire body, and even if your hair if you don’t have shampoo to hand. With its ingredient list reading off things such as aloe gel and coconut oil, it will leave your body feeling and smelling fresh.

Acqua Di Parma Colonia Shower Gel $59

Is there any better designer or brand to outfit your bachelor pad with than Tom Ford? The eponymous label of the ex-creative director of Gucci has gone on to cement itself as one of the true heavyweight brands in the fashion world. With extensive collections within both men’s and women’s luxury fashion, encompassing fragrances, clothing and accessories, Tom Ford is a label everyone should get excited about.

The Oud Wood Shower Gel joins the Oud Wood collection. Oud is an expensive ingredient that originates from the forests of the Southeast Asian agar tree. It’s an incredibly rare ingredient, only a small proportion of agar trees produce it, so snatch up a bottle of this Tom Ford body wash while you can. Once lathered and rinsed, you’ll be left with a smoky scent that exudes warmth, and freshly conditioned skin.

Tom Ford Oud Wood Shower Gel $75

Malin + Goetz was founded in Chelsea, London, by two friends (with the surnames Malin & Goetz), as a brand that produces effective skincare products and ones that are openly transparent about the ingredients that go into making them. As such, everything involved in the making of each product is printed on the front of each bottle, rather than in small print on the back. Each product category is given its own colour to help differentiate when looking at the shelves.

The Rum Hand & Body Wash is, as you’d expect, rum-scented. Clean body and the sweet smell of alcohol in the morning? Yes, please. Once in the company of water – whether in the shower or running your hands under a tap – it creates a rich foaming lather to clear your skin of any impurities. While suitable for all skin types, those with sensitive skin will find it particularly accommodating.

Malin + Goetz Rum Hand & Body Wash 250ml $24