9 Best Body Washes for Dry Skin, Tested and Reviewed in Our Beauty Editors’ Showers
Say goodbye to flakey and tight skin.
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I have dry skin all year round (lucky me), but it gets especially tight and flaky once winter hits—and if you’re here, you’re probably dealing with the same winter-induced dryness. So while I’m stocking up on moisturizers and hydrating serums for my face, I’m also making sure my bodycare isn’t overly stripping.
The best hydrating body washes are loaded with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ceramides to help draw moisture into the skin and prevent dryness. And because Team Cosmo is constantly testing formulas in our very own showers, we rounded up the best hydrating body washes to keep your skin soft and silky year-round.
Our top picks for the best body washes for dry skin of 2025:
Keep scrolling for all the best hydrating body washes for dry skin, plus expert advice from derms for repairing your skin barrier.
Pros
- Large bottle comes in at $11
- Slight scent is fresh without being overpowering
Cons
- Not the best option for those with acne-prone skin
If you’re looking for a moisturizing body wash that seriously nourishes dry skin, the iconic Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash takes the top spot. Its creamy formula cleanses gently while locking in moisture, leaving the skin soft, hydrated, and silky smooth. Plus, the light fresh scent turns every shower into a holistic sensory experience.
One Cosmo editor says: "When my skin is freaking out (redness, dryness, itchiness) and I need to simply go back to the basics, I always turn to this moisturizing body wash from Dove. It's loaded with moisturizing ingredients that leaves my skin feeling so soft."—JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, soybean oil |
| Size | 30 fl oz. |
Pros
- Fragrance-free
- Cosmo Acne Award winner
Cons
- Pump can be a bit tough to maneuver at first
This body wash is the ultimate multitasker for dry and acne-prone skin types (so much so that we gave it a Cosmo Acne Award!). Thanks to its ceramide-filled formula, it moisturizes the skin while exfoliating with 2 percent salicylic acid.
One Cosmo editor says: "I have such sensitive skin (acne, eczema, dryness, you name it and I’ve got it), so I’m very particular when it comes to my body wash. This one from BYOMA is specifically formulated for acne, with salicylic acid and ceramides to keep me smooth and moisturized all over.”—JH
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Ceramides, hyaluronic acid |
| Size | 13.5 fl oz. |
Pros
- Large bottle
- Loaded with radiance-boosting ingredients
Cons
- We wish there were more scent options
This serum-esque body wash is loaded with skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide, peptides, and shea butter to smooth, firm, and moisturize the skin both over time and as you wash it. It also leaves behind a nice floral and fruity scent that lasts hours beyond the shower.
One Cosmo editor says: "When I use this body wash it makes my skin so soft and smooth that lotion becomes optional, which is super rare for my dry skin. "—JH
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Niacinamide, collagen peptide, vitamin E, shea butter |
| Size | 18.5 fl oz. |
Pros
- Comes in a bunch of delicious scents
Cons
- Pricey, but the bottle is large
If you want to turn your shower routine into a self-care moment, then you deserve to splurge on a body wash, and Cyklar’s Vanilla Verve luxe texture is rich enough to make your skin feel pampered before you even reach for moisturizer. It cleanses without drying out the skin, leaves your skin velvety and hydrated, and turns any rinse into a mini spa moment.
One Cosmo editor says: I never thought I could be so excited to shower as when I had this body wash. I say "had" because I completely used it up. It lathers up and leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated. The Vanilla Verve scent is delicious—light and soft, but not sickly sweet.
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, jojoba oil, coconut oil, sodium PCA |
| Size | 16.5 fl oz. |
Pros
- Lathers really nicely
- Smell is fresh and clean without being overpowering
Cons
- Might not be the best option if you're super breakout-prone
Meet bdy, the brand behind the famous Tree Hut scrubs. This wash is packed with the trifecta of dry skin-loving ingredients: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. The oil-to-foam formula creates a luxurious shower experience and cleanses without stripping.
One Cosmo editor says: "I've loved Tree Hut's scrubs for years, so when I found out that bdy was launching body washes, I was stoked. This is one of the nicest lathering washes I've ever used, and I love that the ingredient list is simple yet hydration-centric."—JH
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, squalane |
| Size | 16.9 fl oz. |
Pros
- Comes in all of Sol de Janeiro's scents
Cons
- Bottle is hard to squeeze when hands are wet
Sol de Janeiro’s body wash is the easiest way to make your shower smell incredible, apropos of the Cheirosa 59 scent. The warm, subtly sweet fragrance lingers on your skin long after you’re done scrubbing, so it doubles as a scent before you even reach for body lotion or perfume. The oil melts into a light, creamy lather that leaves your skin soft and nourished, making it a great pick if you’re dealing with tightness or flakes in the winter.
One Cosmo editor says: "I am majorly pro oil-based body wash in the winter. It seriously makes my skin feel so smooth and soft, but definitely cleans (does anyone else feel like the combo of sweating inside your gigantic puffer coat and sloshing around in sleet all day makes you way dirtier than the summertime?). And the scent is divine—a warm, yummy floral that helps me unwind."—BG
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Vitamin E, glycerin, bacuri seed butter |
| Size | 13 fl oz. |
Pros
- Comes in a bunch of scents
- Cosmo Holy Grail Award winner
Cons
- Doesn't lather super well with just your hands
Native’s Moisturizing Body Wash is rich, creamy, and well, deeply moisturizing—no wonder it won a Cosmo Holy Grail Award. The lather feels luxurious on the skin, coating it in shea butter to help lock in moisture while cleansing. The cocoa butter and vanilla scent adds a nice warm touch that lingers long after you towel off.
One Cosmo editor says: “This body wash is honestly so rich and creamy that the first time I used it, I thought I accidentally brought my body lotion into the shower instead. The lotion-like texture lathers with a wash cloth or poof and infuses skin with nourishing shea butter while you cleanse, so it works as a wash and moisturizer all at once.”—LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Shea butter, coconut oil |
| Size | 18 fl oz. |
Pros
- Smells great
- Plant-derived fragrance
Cons
- Only available at limited retailers
Weleda's Skin Food Body Wash is a plant-based body cleanser that feels instantly soothing on dry and tight skin. The formula is rich and creamy, and leaves your skin feeling super soft thanks to nourishing plant oils. If you already love the iconic Skin Food line, this is the perf addition to your shower routine.
One Cosmo editor says: "I swear by the OG Skin Food for hydrating dry, chapped skin, and the new body wash version is equally great for doing the same thing in the shower. It's super creamy and nourishing, but still has enough lather to make skin feel clean."—LB
Features at a Glance
| Key ingredients | Glycerin, chamomile extract, calendula flower extract |
| Size | 6.8 fl oz. |
Pros
- Approved by those with eczema and other dry skin conditions
Cons
- Takes a bit to lather up
Calling all folks with super-dry, super-reactive skin: This one's for you. Soap-free and incredibly gentle, this derm-approved formula (which has a Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association, btw) is ideal for those who want to keep it simple, since it's packed with skin-loving ingredients like glycerin and panthenol and free from potential irritants.
| Key ingredients | Panthenol, glycerin |
| Size | 12 fl oz. |
Does body wash help with dry skin?
If you're someone with dry skin (hi, same!), you don't want a body wash that's simply going to wash your skin. Ideally, you want a hydrating cleanser that will 1) give dry skin a hydration boost and 2) repair and soothe the skin barrier so it can better retain moisture. Humectants (like glycerin and hyaluronic acid) are great for relieving dry skin, while emollients (like ceramides) help repair and protect your skin barrier.
And while you should always follow up your shower with some body lotion (or body butter), a hydrating cleanser will def help to counteract the moisture you lose while showering.
Is a body wash or bar soap better for dry skin?
So, here's the thing: Bar soaps often get a bad rap for being too alkaline, but believe it or not, bar soap is just as effective at cleansing your skin as liquid body washes. As Joshua Zeichner, MD, previously told Cosmo, "Both liquid and bars are equally effective—the choice in formula depends on personal preference."
That being said, body washes may be the better choice if you're someone with dry skin, since soap can sometimes dehydrate and strip the skin of its natural oils. Likewise, body washes tend to include more hydrating ingredients (like hyaluronic acid and glycerin) and moisturizing ingredients (such as ceramides, butters, and oils).
How to choose the best body wash for dry skin
Stick with a sulfate-free formula
Sulfates (typically noted as sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate on ingredient lists) are foaming surfactants that help remove oil and debris from your skin. They help make your body wash super sudsy—but sulfates can also strip away your skin’s natural oils and compromise its protective skin barrier. As dermatologist Karan Lal, MD, explains, "They can be problematic if you have dry skin since dry is already void of skin oils and natural moisturizers."
Simply put, using a body wash with sulfates can make dry skin even more dry. So just you do your skin a favor and stick with a sulfate-free formula, mmmkay?
Look for moisturizing ingredients
In addition to being sulfate-free, the best body washes for dry skin are made with skin-loving ingredients like glycerin, stearic acid, and petrolatum, says Dr. Lal. "Both glycerin and petrolatum will help moisturize your skin," he says, "and stearic acid is a magical ingredient—is both an emulsifier and surfactant, so it cleans skin and helps it retain water at the same time."
Stearic acid can be found in a number of natural sources, such as shea butter and coconut oil, while petrolatum (better known petroleum jelly) acts as an occlusive emollient, which means it does a stellar job of sealing in moisture.
Consider the texture
Body washes with a creamy texture often have more oil-containing ingredients that help moisturize the skin, making them a safe choice for dry skin types. On the other hand, foam and gel body washes tend to have more surfactants, which remove oils from your skin. "If you like using a foaming or gel body wash, don’t fret—just aggressively moisturize after showering," Dr. Lal suggests.
Meet the experts:
- Joshua Zeichner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY.
- Karan Lal, MD, is a double board-certified adult, pediatric, and cosmetic dermatologist at Affiliated Dermatology in Scottsdale, AZ.
Why trust 'Cosmo'?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan who has covered skincare and bodycare for more than three years. For this story, she used her experience as someone with dry skin to choose the best body washes, along with additional insights and testing from the Cosmo editors
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent. Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé.
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