11 Moisturizing Body Washes for Keeping Your Skin Hydrated (2025)

Dry, flaky skin is the name of the game in cold climates and dry rooms. Straight out of a blistering winter wind and into a dry, hot office, then back into your shoebox bedroom with a radiator from 1900. And—unfortunately for someone like me who loves nothing more than a hot, soapy shower—hot showers make the problem much, much worse. The solution, besides an award-winning grooming routine with a good lotion, is a hydrating body wash.

As someone with very dry skin and a penchant for trying every product under the sun, I have gone through my fair share of body washes. Some better than others, some fancier than others. Here we have 11 moisturizing body washes that do the job of both not stripping your skin too much in the shower as well as restoring some of the moisture you'll lose just by rinsing off.

These range from your everyday drugstore buys to the stuff you can expect from a luxury magazine with the pedigree of Esquire. The through line is that they're all some of the best moisturizing body washes we've tried out. Buy them for yourself. Buy them as a gift. Whatever you need, we have it.

For the brand loyal and the no-fuss, CeraVe's hydrating body wash is a no brainer. Every dermatologist I've ever seen (for sensitive, eczema-prone skin) has told me to just use this in the shower, the unscented lotion after, and call it a day. It's as straight-forward and affordable as a routine can get, and it does a good job of not leaving your skin feeling stripped off after the shower. However, it doesn't quite add as much moisture as some of the other formulas here do, so if you're looking for something to do more, keep scrolling.

SheaMoisture is another great drugstore buy. It has a cheap price tag but good ingredients. It relies on shea butter, hence the name, to do most of the moisturizing, and it doesn't feel too thick or leave any sort of residue. It has a nice smell, but for some sensitive skin, any fragrance at all is a no-go.

Although I like trying different brands and products, Aveeno's daily body wash is the one I go to when there's nothing new on my radar. And I have been doing this for maybe 15 years. You can buy a whole tub for cheap, it's not super thick, and it feels nice. This one is lightly scented, although there are fully scented and unscented versions, too. The light scent is a nice addition without overwhelming the senses.

When it comes to upgrading shower products, Molton Brown is king. The British body-care brand makes these very luxe shower gels. You can find Molton Brown products, including this Milk Musk one, in some equally luxe hotels. We found this one particularly moisturizing, although all of the shower gels feel more additive than subtractive—adding moisture and a good scent rather than taking anything away.

Salt & Stone's body wash is just plain good. It's certainly an upgrade from your standard drugstore buy, but it's got a better cost per bottle than some of the fancier ones. This one has a light, pleasant santal and vetiver scent, although there are a few other scents available. We also like how this bottle is refillable. While it does a good job of cleansing, cleaning, and not leaving skin extra stripped, it's not adding quite as much moisture as other options. So we think this is a better option for those whose moisturizing needs aren't quite as intense.

I mean, having Aesop hand soap is a status symbol at this point. A Brooklyn penthouse, a West Village mansion, and every restaurant in the world these days have Aesop products. But it's not all a facade. The stuff is good. And while the hand soap gets a lot of credit, the body wash is just as good. It has that same light scent, low foam, and ability to wash off impurities while feeling luxe. It is definitely a splurge, but it makes a great gift or pleasant surprise for houseguests.

Le Labo's body wash is very expensive, and we do understand that this can be silly. It can be, except for the fact that this shower gel is actually amazing. It's super foamy, so you only need to use a little, and it has enough built-in oils that some people can skip moisturizing after. There is a full size, of course, but we like the little one for making travel feel special or for just testing it out at home. Another very good gift.

L'Occitane's cream-to-foam is as rich a body wash as you could imagine. (It doubles as a hand wash, too.) The cream formula feels like lotion right out of the bottle and foams a bit as you lather it. It is pricey but also concentrated, so we find that you don't need to use as much as you might with less dense washes. It's excellent for super-dry skin.

If I'm outfitting a whole family with a moisturizing body wash, it's with this gigantic tube of Method. It's made with coconut, rice milk, and shea butter, which give it both moisture and scent. It's not as luxe as some other options, but that's not always what we're trying to get out of a shower. For a high-use bathroom, this is what we'd go for.

This Bioderma jug of shower oil is a staple in my shower during the winter months, and I use it for everything. It comes out like an oil but gets surprisingly soapy when you lather, and you come out of the shower feeling like you've already used lotion. Don't fear the "oil" here—there is no weird residue left on your skin or in the shower after use. I'll also use some once the shower is off, applying it to dry areas and dabbing it with a towel. It eliminates the need for a huge dose of post-shower lotion.

Body washes are not exactly the most hyped product out there, and the stuff that is good has been good. We have tested the combination of products you see here over the long haul. I personally have dry, sensitive skin that demands moisturizing soap of all kinds, so I know what I'm talking about.

Body wash is personal, and we want to make sure that everyone has the right option for them. That's why here we have a range of prices, ingredients, sizes, and scents that can meet those needs. Plus, we have tried all of these, repeatedly, some for years on end.