You Need To Add These Shower Gels To Your Shelf

I’ve seen men spend more time picking a fancy face mask (that they’ll never use) than they do a body wash. Which is mad, really, because the body wash comes first. It’s literally the thing that preps your skin and sets the scent of the day.

It’s also, quite frankly, one of the easiest upgrades you can make. The difference between a mediocre body wash and a great one isn't dramatic in price but it's night and day in experience. Better ingredients mean skin that actually feels good after a shower instead of tight and stripped.

We've sorted through the noise and these are the body washes worth making space for.

Chanel Allure Homme Sport Shower Gel

Italian mandarin, cedar, tonka bean, white musk – all in a Chanel bottle, no less! Use it as the base layer for the full Allure Homme Sport scent and walk out of the shower smelling like someone with a fancy apartment. Works on hair too, which we respect.

Necessaire The Body Wash Eucalyptus

The clean beauty crowd finally made something that we love! The body wash is full of niacinamide, glycerin, and plant oils that are loaded with Vitamins C and E. Also, the eucalyptus, fir and lavender are bracing in the warmest way. The soap has no SLS, no parabens, and is also dermatologist-tested.

L'Occitane Cèdre Encens Shower Gel (Eau Des Baux)

We love a good combination of cedar and frankincense. Mysterious and sensual is how L'Occitane pitches this, and honestly, fair. The incense note gives it a depth that most body washes don't even attempt. It's the olfactory equivalent of wearing something confident and memorable.

Forest Essentials Silkening Shower Wash Lime Saffron & Oudh

Lime, saffron, and oudh in a sulphate-free wash enriched with aloe and neem. This is India's answer to the luxury body wash question. The scent is complex — citrus on top, smoke and spice underneath.

OUAI Body Cleanser Melrose Place

Champagne, berry, rose, amber, sandalwood — the fragrance notes are enough to convince me. The formula, with jojoba and rosehip oil, punches well above the average in terms of skin feel. It's a little more feminine-leaning than the others on this list, but who cares?

Sol de Janeiro Delicia Drench Shower Oil

An oil-to-foam formula that comes in the brand's Cheirosa 59 scent — woody, gourmand, completely addictive. If dry skin is your nemesis, this is the weapon.

Kimirica Lavender Shower Gel

This shower gel contains French lavender, aloe vera, and leaves you with a rich lather that doesn’t strip away the oils from your skin. Sometimes you need something clean, effective, and calming that works for every skin type without complaint, and this is that.

Jo Malone London Myrrh & Tonka Body Wash

Jo Malone charges what Jo Malone charges, and in the case of the Myrrh & Tonka, every rupee is justified. Glycerin and meadowfoam oil keep the skin genuinely hydrated, while the fragrance is warm and slightly sweet. Also, the velvety foam is absurdly good.

Le Labo Bergamote 22 Shower Gel

Le Labo is constitutionally incapable of making something mediocre at this point. This shower gel contains vitamin E, aloe, and the Bergamote 22 scent — bright, clean, unmistakably Le Labo. It smells expensive because it is, but it also smells like nothing else on this list.