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Best Body Washes — Gentle Surfactants, Skin-Barrier Safe

A shower exposes the largest organ in the body to whatever is in the bottle. Sulfate surfactants (SLS, SLES) and synthetic fragrance are the two ingredients most likely to disrupt the skin barrier and trigger contact dermatitis. Our top-scoring body washes clean effectively with coco-based amphoterics and stay in the mildly acidic pH range the stratum corneum actually prefers.

What to look for

Coco-glucoside, coco-betaine, or decyl-glucoside as primary surfactant
No SLS / SLES / ALS
No synthetic fragrance or 'parfum'
pH 4.5 to 5.5
Glycerin or plant oils listed for barrier support

Our top-scoring picks

Every product below scored 75 or higher on our 0–100 ingredient-and-nutrition scale. Links go directly to Amazon; as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Natural baby shampoo & body wash

Wooden spoon

Refresh Shampoo + Body Wash Citrus Vanilla

Honest

Lighten up Anti-Aging shea buttter Body wash

Body Wash

NewYorkBiology

Dermasil Labs /Moisturizing Body wash

Cussons body wash active&nourish

Zwitsal 2in1 hair&body wash

Body Wash

Sanex

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