2022 has been a whirlwind for a lot of people, for many reasons. We’ve been through ups and downs, failures and successes. We’ve seen trends come and go throughout the year as people have tried and tested them, debunked or supported them. Will we see any of these trends move with us into the new year?
One of the most popular trends this year has been the journey of self care and self development. Self development can range from unlearning toxic traits and educating yourself for a higher level of understanding, to creating and sticking to a new self-care routine that feeds your mind, body and soul.
And what better way to jumpstart your 2023 self-care routine than to create a simple yet effective skincare routine!
What is a skincare routine?
A skincare routine involves skincare products that you apply to your skin on a consistent basis to clean, moisturize and refresh. Skincare routines will differ from person to person, as needs and tolerances vary. What works for one person may not work for another.
What products are best suited to you?
In order to understand if the products that you are using are right for you, we first need to know what type of skin you have. There are five main types of skin that are used as reference points when deciding what ingredients and products are best suited to our skin and its needs. If using a product makes your skin irritated or inflamed then it’s best to stop using it. Some people think that when your skin tingles and “goes a little red” it means that the product is working. No, it means your skin is disagreeing with the ingredients and is trying to push them out of your pores.
Skin Types
What category do you fall into?
Normal skin
Normal skin refers to the skin type that doesn’t have many limitations when it comes to the products you can use on it.
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin reacts badly to harsh chemicals found in some skincare products. Reactions can include irritation and inflammation, redness and even burns.
Combination skin
Combination skin means you have both oily and dry areas on your skin. For example, you could have extremely dry arms and elbows but an oily face and scalp.
Dry skin
Those who have dry skin are more prone to skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. This means the products that you use in your routines will need to be hydrated.
Oily/acne-prone skin
Sometimes skin can overproduce oils in the pores, which means that some products can slide off without absorbing. The overproduction of oil can sometimes clog our pores and build up bacteria, creating blockages that turn into acne.
Best Natural Body Washes for You in 2023
If you’re reading this article then it means you understand the importance of looking after your body and choosing the right products for you. A lot of brands will label their products with keywords like “natural” or “organic” in order to appeal to certain niche audiences – those who don’t want to load their bodies with parabens and synthetic dyes.
It’s important to read the ingredients on every product you use. You might be looking for a wash that contains hyaluronic acid and think you’ve found the perfect product because that ingredient is prominent on the label. However, when you check the ingredients, hyaluronic acid might be way down the list. Not very effective at all!
We’ve done the research, curating a list of the top 13 natural body washes for you to try out in 2023 and elevate your self-care routine. Let’s get into it.
1. Blu Atlas Body Wash
Best for: Dry & normal skin
Natural ingredients: Green tea extract, aloe leaf, sugarcane
Information: Vegan | cruelty-free | money-back guarantee
Blue Atlas is giving other companies a run for their money when it comes to effective body washes that emphasize natural ingredients. With ingredients like sugarcane, which is used as a natural exfoliant, and the soothing capabilities of aloe plants, it’s no wonder that everybody is praising this product.
It lathers up into luxurious suds that hydrate and nourish your skin while washing away any dirt and oil you have attracted throughout the day. Locking in the moisture with coconut emollients means your skin will be left soft and subtle. The company uses a medical advisory board that tests and approves each product to ensure all customers get the best out of the natural ingredients.
2. Kopari Beauty Hydrating Vitamin C Shower Oil
Best for: Dry & normal skin
Natural ingredients: Coconut oil, Hibiscus sabdariffa seed oil, Passiflora edulis seed oil, avocado oil, vitamin C
Information: Vegan | cruelty-free | recyclable
Finding a product that effectively treats dry skin can be a chore. We often steer clear of foaming products as they tend to dry out your skin even more, but the Kopari shower oil provides that perfect milky lather your body needs to drink up the goodness. The oil-based body wash helps hydrate the skin and leaves a lasting coconut scent. With the added ingredient of vitamin C, it means your skin is being replenished with the antioxidants it needs to lock in moisture and rid the body of dry patches.
3. Everist Waterless Body Wash Concentrate
Best for: Normal skin
Natural ingredients: Bergamot, orange peel, rosemary, clary sage, peppermint
Information: Plant-based | paraben-free | vegan | cruelty-free
Everist is a low-waste beauty company that strives to cut out intermediaries and help the economy by reducing their carbon footprint and unnecessary packaging. With this product they have really kept to their core values. Most body washes are 65% to 70% water. With this waterless body wash, you get a highly concentrated product with limited ingredients that actually does what it says.
It is a plant-based and vegan-friendly paste that turns into a sudsy wash once it comes into contact with water and your skin. This product is one of the best natural body washes to incorporate into your daily shower routine.
4. 100% PURE
Best for: Combination skin
Natural ingredients: Lavender oil, honey, red algae, green tea
Information: Plant-based | paraben-free | vegetarian | cruelty-free | gluten-free
Made in the USA, this body wash lathers up into the perfect foaming consistency and helps to wash away bacteria, dead skill cells and oils that have accumulated on your skin. With a sulfate-free ingredient list, it’s no wonder this shower gel helps hydrate your skin and leaves it feeling smooth and smelling incredible.
The mixture of coconut oil and lavender scents give you the at-home spa feeling that we all love after a long day. There are no harsh chemicals or sneaky ingredients added to the formula, so you can be sure your skin barrier is left intact and thoroughly replenished after use.
5. Pure-Castile Liquid Soap
Best for: Sensitive skin
Natural ingredients: Vitamin E, sunflower oil, coconut oil, jojoba seed oil
Information: Vegan | cruelty-free | eco-friendly | fair trade
Dr. Bonner’s is known for their award-winning organic products and the Pure-Castile liquid soap is one of the reasons why. All the ingredients are organically sourced with fair trade and come in a 100% recyclable bottle. There are no added ingredients or fragrances, which means it’s the perfect body wash for sensitive skin – you’ll experience no random flare-ups or reactions with this product! In fact, it’s so gentle that you can use it on babies, but do be careful as it is not tear-proof. Dr. Bonner’s liquid soap is concentrated and effective, exactly what you need for your glow-up.
6. Natural Refillable Body Wash
Best for: Sensitive skin
Natural ingredients: Organic camellia, rosemary vanilla mint, sunflower seed oil
Information: Vegan | sulfate-free | cruelty-free
With the reuse and refill motto in mind, this body wash is the perfect low-waste product to try in 2023. Not only do the natural ingredients leave your skin feeling soft, but the scent is a gorgeous mixture of mint and florals. Plaine products use aloe juice rather than water to create effective suds. With ingredients like pineapple and bamboo silk in this wonder formula, your sensitive skin will be left feeling protected and hydrated.
7. Atlantic Kelp & Magnesium Ocean Plastic Body Wash
Best for: All skin types except sensitive skin
Natural ingredients: Rosemary oil, clary sage extract, geranium oil
Information: Vegan | sulfate-free | cruelty-free
Ren have taken their task to help reduce wastage to a new level with this body wash. The bottle is 100% recycled from plastic found in the oceans. This formula was created to help battle fatigue in the body with the mixture of Ren’s anti-fatigue essential oils. The magnesium PCA helps soften the skin and leaves a lovely radiant glow.
Although it is not advertised on the bottle itself, we recommend that you avoid this product if you have sensitive skin as the formula may cause slight irritation.
8. Skinfix Eczema+ Foaming Oil Body Wash
Best for: Dry & combination skin
Natural ingredients: Coconut oil, jojoba seed oil, aloe leaf juice
Information: Vegan | fragrance-free | cruelty-free
For people with skin conditions such as eczema, it can be incredibly difficult to find a good body wash that doesn’t cause further irritation. When your skin is naturally dry, the last thing you want to do is add topical irritants. Certain chemicals can cause harsh reactions and flare-ups.
Skinfix have taken this into consideration and created this foaming oil body wash that is specifically designed to soothe eczema while giving you that clean and hydrating feeling you love after a shower. The formula includes humectants that give your body the hydration it needs to lock in that goodness.
As this product is suitable for sensitive and eczema-prone skin, it is important to note that it is fragrance-free.
9. Kai Body Wash
Best for: Normal skin
Natural ingredients: Cucumber fruit extract, rose hip extract, almond protein
Information: Vegan | cruelty-free
It’s important to take your skin’s age into consideration when looking for the perfect body wash. What works for a teenager’s skin may not work for middle-aged skin. The elasticity of the skin decreases as we age so our skin cannot drink up the ingredients as it once could. The older you get, the more you should focus on keeping your skin hydrated and plump – especially if you want to avoid fine lines and wrinkles.
Kai’s body wash is packed with antioxidants to hydrate the skin, and the blend of vitamin E and lemon peel oils works to remove toxins from the skin without stripping the skin barrier of its natural oils. When trying to fight the signs of aging, it’s important to clear your skin of free radicals as they are known to damage the skin cells. Luckily for you, the lemon peel oils in this formula are included to help this problem.
10. Nécessaire The Body Wash – With Niacinamide, Vitamins + Plant Surfactants
Best for: Combination skin
Natural ingredients: Niacinamide, marula oil, eucalyptus leaf oil
Information: Vegan
The less fragranced a product is, the less likely the product is to cause irritation to your skin. This product is packed with hydrating essential oils and niacinamide that will encourage your skin to drink up moisture and stay hydrated. When trying out a new body wash, you may sometimes feel as though your skin is left dehydrated and tight, but with this body wash that will not be the case. This product is perfect for sensitive skin as the ingredient list is shorter than other body washes and avoids fragrances that can cause irritation.
Worried about your skin’s pH? Nécessaire have taken this into consideration when blending their formula. The only drawback we could find is that the post-shower scent you may be used to isn’t there.
11. Kosas Good Body Skin AHA + Enzyme Exfoliating Body Wash
Best for: Dry skin
Natural ingredients: Glycolic acid, mandelic acid
Information: Vegan | gluten-free | cruelty-free
At some point in our lives, we have all suffered with some form of acne, so we know how frustrating it can be to find a product that helps clear it up without causing other skin issues. Kosas have blended alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) to create the perfect formula to help fight body acne without drying out the skin. A chemical exfoliant will often give you better results than a physical exfoliant, which can cause tiny tears in the skin if used too harshly.
Those with sensitivity should approach a product like this with caution as the AHAs may be too strong for you and interrupt or even destroy your skin barrier. If you try it and feel any tingling sensation, immediately rinse it off.
12. Pipette’s Baby Shampoo + Wash
Best for: Sensitive skin
Natural ingredients: Squalane, glycolipids, glycerin
Information: Vegan | hypoallergenic | can be fragrance-free
With the Leaping Bunny certification on the lid, Pipette’s Baby Shampoo + Wash provides sensitive skin with the goodness it needs without drying it out or causing irritation. It’s so safe it comes with the no-tears guarantee that all parents love to see. The mixture of plant-based ingredients was created to nourish and hydrate the skin without stripping the skin’s barrier of its natural oils.
13. Basd Sensitive Skin Green Tea Organic Body Wash
Best for: Sensitive skin
Natural ingredients: Vitamin E oil, organic green tea, allantoin
Information: Vegan | Leaping Bunny certified
We all love a plant-based product that looks after our skin’s needs without stripping away the natural barriers our body creates. Basd has curated a perfect blend of organic green tea, essential oils and natural nutrients that will rid your body of external bacteria and grime without drying out your skin. Each product contains organic aloe vera juice instead of water to ensure the lathering is as luxurious as possible. It’s packed with antioxidants, and your skin will drink up the hydration and be left feeling soft and subtle.
An additional benefit of this product is that it can help reduce the redness left behind from acne scars and stretch marks. This is something that most products require harsh chemicals to achieve, so having a gentle body wash that will give you these types of results is phenomenal. You can also use this body wash as a shampoo, bubble bath soak and even shaving gel.
Conclusion
Sometimes there is nothing better than a luxurious home spa treatment, and your shower time shouldn’t be any different. Switching to a more natural product shouldn’t come at the expense of the soft and relaxing sensation we feel after a hot bubble bath and a nice long soak. Natural does not have to be bland and boring. There are a number of products out there that use a blend of natural ingredients and still leave your skin feeling soft and subtle.
Making the effort to switch your skincare products to a more natural blend can be difficult, and with the endless amount of ingredients to look out for it’s no wonder that some people can feel overwhelmed. Hopefully, with this breakdown of the best natural body washes of 2023 we have eliminated some of your stress. Almost all natural products are cruelty-free, vegan friendly and free from harsh chemicals.
But remember, just because a product is labeled as “natural” doesn’t mean that it is. Some brands like to skate the fine line between jumping on trends to stay popular and actually putting the work in to make their formula as eco-friendly and natural as they claim. Why not give one of the products on this list a try and let us know if they’re as good for you and your skin’s needs as they were for us.
Checklist for natural body washes
- Always check the bottle of a product – and especially the ingredient list. Some companies will hide the harsh and artificial chemicals in tiny print.
- Look for special certifications. A company cannot label itself as 100% organic. It has to be a third party that is licensed to do so, such as Leaping Bunny.
- If your skin tingles once the product is applied, immediately wash it off. Seek medical advice if it worsens.
- Natural does not always mean kind to sensitive skin. There are natural ingredients that can irritate the skin barrier, so it is best to test a product through patch testing before using it. Better safe than sorry!
- Always make sure you lock in the moisture from all of those antioxidants and natural oils with a body moisturizer after bathing.
- Avoid hot water when showering. For best results, use lukewarm water.
- Store all of your products out of reach of children and pets. Also, store in a cool dry place if instructed to do so. Read the instructions on the bottle.
- Never ingest your products, no matter how nice they smell.