17 Of The Best Shower Gels And Body Washes

Despite being an ingredient synonymous with facial care, salicylic acid’s benefits – unclogging pores, smoothing and sloughing away dead skin cells – make it an excellent addition to your body care routine, too. Paired with nourishing glycerin, this Naturium body wash helps hydrate and tend to perennially dry limbs, too.

Glossier's fan-favourite shower oil has been reinvented this month, but loyal latherers needn't worry: the rich, silky formula is now even more indulgent than before. There's that orange-blossom scent you know and love, and the sulphate-free oil texture leaves skin feeling so soft, you'll be back in that mini skirt in no time.

It might not come with much sex appeal, but Ameliorate's creamy body wash is the best way to get rid of those pesky keratosis pilaris spots. The secret is a dose of lactic acid, alongside gentle surfactants that cleanse without stripping the skin barrier.

That famously good holiday scent, combined with a decadent oil texture and super-subtle shimmer? It could only be Nuxe.

Consider this the body care version of your daily double cleanse. Like the brand’s much-loved skincare (see: the Protini Polypeptide Cream and the T.L.C Sakuri Facial) it’s enriched with a powerhouse of nutrients, helping to gently exfoliate the skin below the neck all while being gentle enough to use every day.

Yes it's Chanel, so it's instantly covetable. But don't mistake this for a case of style over substance: the new formula foams up easily, a little goes a long way, and the frankly iconic scent lingers for hours on the skin.

With intoxicating notes of violet, cardamom and leather, Santal 33 is the kind of scent that signatures are made of, so it was a total no brainer for Le Labo to shuttle it into a shower gel. This is filled to bursting with heaps of moisturising ingredients to banish rough, bumpy skin from tip to toe.

Hello Klean is the brand that made hard-water shower filters a chic affair – and now, you can bolster the effects with the brand's line of skin-boosting body products.

The Micronutrient Wash is a bi-phase shower gel that froths into a creamy foam once shaken, and works to sweep away the mineral traces left behind by hard water, thus stopping your skin from feeling dry and tight post-shower.

Augustinus Bader's recently launched body wash is predictably decadent. Harnessing a host of ingredients you might expect to see on the back of your skincare bottles, it features nourishing amino acids and peptides, helping to purifying your skin, calm any irritation and support the skin barrier. It's also the brand's first fragranced product, boasting an uplifting eucalyptus scent.

There are now so many stellar Byredo scents, it's tricky to whittle down a favourite: but Blanche is surely the one to unite us all. Crisp and clean like just-laundered sheets, it's the perfect fragrance to take into the shower with you. Keep the pepper and rose-tinted trail going with the matching body cream and perfume.

Inspired by the stress-reducing, shoulder-slackening benefits of forest bathing, this body wash doubles up as a softening scrub to cleanse and exfoliate skin. But its major USP, of course, is the scent which is thought to help reduce stress levels. Either way, it's a serious treat for the senses.

Formulated with a host of acids and enzymes, this foamy body wash will brighten uneven skin tones, tackle keratosis pilaris, and banish bacne in no time at all. Keep it in your gym bag – it's the perfect thing to reach for after a sweaty HIIT session.

This extra-foamy body wash is the best way to experience the eucalyptus scent that made Necessaire a name to know. Bracing and refreshing, it'll rinse away that sticky summer feeling while leaving limbs supple and soft.

From the undisputed leaders in aromatherapy bodycare, this silky shower oil is steeped in the famously effective De-Stress blend of frankincense and chamomile (which makes a nice change to the usual lavender.) A tip: pour it into your hands before taking three deep, long breaths.

Here it is, the ultimate lavender body wash. There are many mimickers out there, but for the full, soporific effects of the sleep-inducing plant, it's Neal's Yard every time.

The secret? While most body washes use French lavender, this one uses British buds, which boast a stronger, sweeter aroma. With gentle cleansing agents, there's plenty of lather – as well as a great night's sleep – in store.

This sumptuous, decadent body wash is packed full of essential oils that leave skin both hydrated and beautifully scented. Ren uses only 100% natural fragrances, and this warm, woody rose trail is one of its very best. You'll want to repurchase immediately.

The affordable option we've been recommending for years, Caudalie's floral shower gel, scented with ginger, jasmine and white musk, is sure to lift your mood. With a natural base of grape water (one of the mainstays of the brand), this plant-based gel is free from stripping soaps and foams gently, so you might just skip the moisturiser.