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Which are the best body washes and soaps for oily skin?
What leaves your skin clean but not tight and dry?
Are there shower gels that lessen greasiness?
Keep reading to find out these answers and more.
Contents
You might be tempted to try to dry out your skin with harsh soap. But this causes rebound oiliness.
Over-drying and scrubbing your skin will raise oil production as your body attempts to compensate.
It’s best to use non-comedogenic soap and oil-free body wash (1).
Mild products will cleanse your skin without triggering acne.
Also, try a body wash with salicylic acid or glycolic acid. These exfoliate the skin to keep pores clear. They can help reduce oiliness (2).
Finally, bathe with warm water, not hot, to avoid irritation.
If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.
Now, let’s get started with reviews of the best soaps and body washes for oily skin.
Some would say that Neutrogena makes the best body wash for oily, acne-prone skin.
It contains salicylic acid to unclog pores, prevent ingrown hairs, and lessen oiliness.
If you like the smell of pink grapefruit, that’s a bonus.
The formula clears up breakouts of body acne with something called Micro-Clear technology. It’s designed to deliver salicylic acid deep into pores where it’s needed the most.
Moreover, the body wash contains vitamin C. It’s an antioxidant that prevents premature aging and promotes healing.
The body wash lathers nicely and rinses clean. It doesn’t leave a residue. Plus, the sulfate-free soap doesn’t contain oils, either.
Solimo makes a knockoff of Neutrogena’s body wash that costs less and works just as well.
It also contains 2% salicylic acid to ward off acne and reduce grease.
What’s more, it has little scrubby gelatin beads that won’t harm your skin or the environment.
The company offers a satisfaction guarantee with the promise of a refund for any reason.
Here’s another body wash for oily skin made by a trusted manufacturer.
PHisoDerm defends against dryness and irritation by making their soap pH-balanced. It matches your skin’s natural acidity.
Next, they’ve included 2% salicylic acid to clear up body acne.
The clean fragrance is gender-neutral so that everyone in the family can enjoy it.
Lastly, there’s no artificial color or alcohol in the bottle. Unfortunately, though, there are not free of parabens.
If you love natural, organic skin care products, you might already know about Renpure. They make a variety of body washes.
This one contains activated charcoal to exfoliate dead skin cells and remove impurities.
It also has tea tree oil, mint, and lemon sage for a delicious botanical fragrance.
This product is cruelty-free, plant-based, and free of chemicals like sulfates, parabens, dyes, phthalates, and propylene glycol. It’s also gluten-free.
Part of the proceeds from sales goes to the Salvation Army to equip shelters with personal care items.
Alba Botanica doesn’t include artificial ingredients in their body wash, either.
They make it in the United States from exotic ingredients like yerba maté, torch ginger, and coconut water. These are rich in nutrients and antioxidants to promote healthy skin.
As you can imagine, it smells like you’ve gone on vacation in the islands.
But it doesn’t just bubble away dirt; it also detoxifies the skin with volcanic clay.
Jason makes more than one type of body wash.
This one features tea tree oil to purify the skin. Then, there’s aloe to hydrate without clogging pores. Meanwhile, the addition of vitamins B5 and E fortifies the skin.
The perky fragrance comes from natural ingredients like jasmine, orange peel, and eucalyptus.
This is a company that does not test on animals. They don’t use parabens, harsh sulfates, or put phthalates.
Tea tree oil fights fungus, acne, and infection. That’s why you’ll see it in a lot of soaps for oily skin.
This cruelty-free body wash is recommended if you’re dealing with athlete’s foot, candida, jock itch, or body acne.
It’s a blend of tea tree and peppermint, which feels and smells very refreshing.
Athletes and active people find it very appealing to use.
It’s also lovely that the formula is rich in organic natural ingredients. It’s free of artificial dyes and fragrances, preservatives, and sulfates.
Why is it a good idea to wash with seaweed? The Seaweed Bath Co. explains the benefits.
First, blue-green algae is loaded with minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. It encourages healing.
Second, green coffee bean and French green clay draw out impurities.
Third, fatty acids from coconut keep the skin well-conditioned without clogging pores and foams away excess oil.
Last, of all, this cruelty-free body wash is free of sulfates, gluten, parabens, and dyes.
Here’s a liquid body soap that exfoliates gently with papaya and grapefruit extracts. These fruits naturally contain alpha-hydroxy acids.
Instead of scrubbing, let the fruit acid dissolve the dead skin cells and oil. It leaves the skin smooth but not red and irritated.
It’s also good for keratosis pilaris and ingrown hairs.
Next, this body wash for oily skin has ginseng and oatmeal to soothe sensitive skin.
At last, the lightweight moisturizer glycerin means your body is hydrated and refreshed.
Puracy keeps improving their body wash according to feedback from their customers.
The latest version is free of all harsh ingredients like sulfates, salicylates, parabens, petroleum derivatives, dyes, perfumes, and Cocamidopropyl betaine.
It’s made for both men and women, which cuts down on the number of bottles you have in the shower.
The plant-based cleansers make a lot of lather to help you feel satisfied with your bath. At the same time, Himalayan salt adds just a little texture to help you exfoliate.
The soap is pH-balanced, and it rinses clean.
Lemon verbena is only one of the scents available from this company.
Mrs. Meyer focuses on gentle, natural ingredients like aloe and essential oils. They stay away from drying chemicals and allergens.
Users say that the body wash leaves a long-lasting pleasant fragrance on their skin.
If you like that tingly feeling, get this peppermint tea tree body wash. It helps clear up acne, redness, and skin irritation.
If you’re trying to avoid oils altogether, this is not the best choice. It contains saponified sunflower and coconut oil.
On the other hand, it comes with a 30-day 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Some people swear by African black soap for treating everything from acne-prone skin to eczema. It’s a traditional remedy for oily skin, too.
This manufacturer is an African company that supports communities in Ghana that make the soap.
They use organic ingredients like coconut and palm oil. Both are naturally antimicrobial and effective for conditioning the skin.
If you prefer a smoother milled soap, get this one from Shea Moisture. It’s gentle enough to use on your face, not just your body.
The bar contains tamarind extract, a natural astringent. It exfoliates the skin and tightens pores.
Then, there’s tea tree oil to mattify and purify. At the same time, oat soothes irritation and soaks up excess oil.
Obviously, there’s no room for sulfates, parabens, or phthalates in this body wash.
People pay lots of money at spas to treat their skin with Dead Sea mud. Now, you can enjoy it in the comfort of your own bathtub.
This handmade soap features the real deal – mud from the Dead Sea. It’s excellent for detoxification and exfoliation.
Plus, there are other organic ingredients like castor oil and unrefined shea butter.
The natural fragrance comes from eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemongrass essential oils.
It doesn’t smell good, but it does a good job. The combination of salicylic acid and sulfur wipes out body acne and fungal infections.
This bar soap contains 3% salicylic acid and 10% sulfur. That’s the maximum strength you can get over-the-counter.
If you find that it’s too drying, skip a day between uses.
If you have sensitive, oily skin, you might need to pay a little more for a better body wash.
Skip the cheap drugstore brands in favor of what you’ll find in a European pharmacy.
This brand, La Roche-Posay, is a French manufacturer that’s been in business for over 100 years. They design premium skin care products that are worth every penny.
While this cleanser is mild enough for your face, it’s also strong enough for your body. It foams away excess oil and dirt without stripping moisture.
One of the key ingredients is zinc pidolate, which decreases shine without triggering acne breakouts.
Also, the formula is free of alcohol, natural oils, and parabens.
Avene is another high-end brand that makes specialized skin care products for European pharmacies.
No, you won’t need a prescription to get this cleansing gel.
It’s specifically designed to cleanse oily skin when you’re using other acne medications.
It has zinc gluconate and monolaurin to reduce inflammation and control oil production.
Let’s move on to body washes for sensitive skin. This one from Cetaphil is created for all skin types.
It’s potent enough to remove makeup and mild enough for the face. It won’t clog pores or leave your body feeling tight or dry.
It’s soap-free, but unfortunately contains parabens.
You can get Cetaphil’s bath soap in a bar. It’s non-comedogenic and unscented.
Let me clarify that last statement. It’s unscented, and that it has a masking scent to prevent you from smelling any chemicals in the formula.
Also, Cetaphil has altered their soap to leave out triclocarban and triclosan.
If you have a lot of allergies, you need to know about Vanicream’s body wash.
It’s oil-free, soap-free, and ultra-mild.
That’s right; it doesn’t contain perfumes or masking fragrances, artificial colors, parabens, or formaldehyde. There’s no gluten, sulfates, botanical extracts, and so on.
In fact, the list of what it doesn’t contain is much longer than the list of ingredients.
But does it cleanse oily skin? Users say that it does. It can even remove makeup on your face.
If you have sensitive skin and washing with a bar instead of a liquid, get Vanicream’s product. It doesn’t have actual soap in it.
Real soap is very alkaline. It upsets the pH balance and leaves your skin prone to dryness and infection. You don’t need it to get clean, though.
Instead, gentle cleansers remove excess oil and dirt without leaving your skin tight or rough.
Plus, with this bath bar, you don’t need to worry about parabens, artificial fragrances, or formaldehyde.
Is Dove soap good for oily skin? After all, Dove’s body wash tends to be extra-moisturizing.
In the end, people with oily skin can use moisturizing body washes as long as they’re not comedogenic. In other words, if they don’t clog pores.
You might have to experiment with a variety of products to find what works best for you. You also may need to switch bath soaps according to the time of year.
On the bright side, this particular Dove body wash doesn’t leave a residue on the skin. It has a bright, clean fragrance, too.
As you saw just now, there are many bath products you can use for oily skin.
To get the results you desire, choose one that addresses your biggest concerns. For example, there are several that treat body acne and reduce oiliness.
If you found a body wash today that you enjoy using, please let us know about it in the comments below.
Sources:
1. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/oily-skin accessed April 23, 2020
2. https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/oily-skin#1 by Peter Jaret, accessed April 23, 2020
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