Have you ever had such bad dry, itchy skin that even the most straightforward tasks like taking a shower can leave your skin feeling even more rigid, tighter, and bothered?
If so, listen up
Having dry, itchy skin is not the end of the world since you can do something about it. Things like sticking to a daily shower regime, along with a body wash fit for you, can ease the itchiness. To keep your skin happy, try to keep the water to room temperature.
7 Best Body Washes for Dry Itchy Skin
With so many products, combinations of ingredients, and price ranges, it can be overwhelming to know which body wash will work best for your dry and itchy skin. Here is where we come in.
Take your pick from this roundup of the best moisturizing body washes for dry, itchy skin.
1. Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash
The best remedy for cracked, dry skin needs a robust hydrating body wash that moisturizes your skin while getting rid of dirt and oil.
However, you still want one that is vigorous enough to get rid of dirt and oil, yet abundantly one that cannot impel too much dryness. Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash is the perfect one containing the power to do these two vital things for your dry skin. And this is why that Eucerin is one of the top contenders on our list.
An oil-based and calming formula, Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash contains omega fatty oilsand other unrefined lipids that are the rock stars of this soothing body wash meant to take on dehydrated, flaky skin with contentment.
Furthermore, this fragrance-free body wash helps seal in essential oils needed for your skin without allotting any excess behind and gives the perfect amount of hydration thanks to the help of soybean and castor oil. Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash is undoubtedly one of our top favs and feels super dreamy on angry parched skin.
Why You Need This: This body wash has such incredible skin-soothing benefits of wholesome omega oils to alleviate and mollify dry, itchy skin. Its superlative formulation does way more than clean your skin; it helps better your skin’s state!
2. Cetaphil Restoraderm Pro Dry Skin Soothing Wash
Who does not recognize the name Cetaphil? It is a vast yet well-known skincare brand of products. Clinically proven, Cetaphil Restoraderm Pro Dry Skin Soothing Wash uses the Miracare® cleansing technology and its patented Filaggrin technology, which soothes irritation from dry skin the help of ceramide and colloidal oatmeal.
Another bonus this body wash offers is that it can be used on atopic and eczema-prone skin. Have sensitive skin? Then this Cetaphil body wash is made for you; it nourishes dry skin all day, gentle and easy to rinse, leaving your skin soft and smooth. It helps keep parched skin moisturized, keeps flares of any skin allergy in check, and calms eczema.
This is a dermatologist recommended body wash for dry skin, so you know that your skin, is in good hands, not to mention it doesn’t break the bank for an excellent dermatological brand.
Why You Need This: For anyone that suffers from painful chronic skin conditions like eczema or dermatitis, this body wash is an absolute must for you. It is accepted by the National Eczema Association. Gentle, yet giving you a luscious lather, this body wash is clinically proven to provide non-irritating and non-drying cleansing for people with atopic dermatitis and eczema.
3. Tree to Tub Sensitive Skin Body Wash
Want to know an interesting fact about this body wash?
This product contains soapberries that help clean your skin without irritating it. Additionally, it has other organic ingredients like Cucumber, Shea Butter, Aloe Vera, and Chamomile that hydrate and nourish the skin. Furthermore, it is fragrance-free and pH-balanced; hence it will correctly work on your skin.
Why You Need This: Possibly, it’s their wild-grown Soapberries that leave you clean and fresh without drying your delicate skin. Or maybe it is their organic moisture botanicals that nourish, hydrate and prevent irritation, leaving softness without residue. Whatever the case, this body wash certainly will not disappoint.
4. Curel Skincare Itch Defense Body Wash
Do you have such dry, itchy skin that you feel like nothing will ever give you relief?
Curél’s Itch Defense Body Wash is for even the most dehydrated skin, which is no match for this body wash.
Being one of the best body washes for dry, sensitive, itchy skin, this formulation is fragrance-free, soap-free, and contains olive oil and jojoba oil to hydrate and improve the balance and hydration level of your skin.
Also, Curél Itch Defense bears the NEA seal, certified for the use of people prone to eczema, and is gentle enough for children, six months and up. An anchor in our body wash lineup, this pick stops the itch before it starts.
Why You Need This: It stops the itch before it starts, due to its mixture of shooting jojoba and olive oils.
5. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash with Soothing Oats
Do you ever wonder what products celebrities use that make their skin look its absolute best? Well, this body wash is a big deal for many reasons.
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash with Soothing Oats has won many awards like the Allure Reader’s Choice Award and Allure Best of Beauty Award. If this body wash is great enough to be used by actress Jennifer Aniston, then most definitely should be checked out, and a reason for making our list.
It features a powerful ingredient called colloidal oatmeal that soothes sensitive, dry, irritated skin. It also features a soap-free hypoallergic formula but still leaves your skin fresh and clean. Additionally, its creamy formula softens, nourishes, and moisturizes your skin hence making it look healthier.
Why You Need This: The ingredients include oatmeal, which is ideal for replenishing moisture and giving you healthier-looking skin.
6. CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash
If you’re looking for the best moisturizing body wash, look no further. Manydermatologistsrecommend CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash as it contains ceramides that help repair the protective barrier of your skin.
Plus, it contains hyaluronic acid that helps the skin to retain its natural moisture. Apart from being soap-free, it is also free of fragrances as well as parabens. Moreover, it carries the NEA seal meaning that it can be used on skin that’s prone to eczema.
CeraVe cleanses your skin gently without irritating it and leaves it entirely moisturized all day.
If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to have dry skin. Cerave developed the best body wash for diabetic, dry skin. You can find it here.
Why You Need This: Developed by dermatologists, this foamy body wash with ceramides and hyaluronic acid goes beyond cleansing by allaying your skin and helping it hold onto much-needed hydration.
7. Botanic Hearth Anti-Fungal Tea Tree Oil Soap
No one wants to admit that they may have foot fungus or body odor caused by bacterial or fungal issues. Well then, the company Botanic Hearth has come up with a resolution to your problem.
Meet their Anti-FungalTea Tree OilSoap that inherently destroys undesired fungi and bacteria due to its properties and pure ingredients.
Unlike its competitors containing tea tree oil in their commodities, the Tree to Tub Sensitive Skin Body Wash uses tea tree oil for utmost wellness advantages. Makes it the best natural body wash for dry skin.
Plus, all the other ingredients found in this sensitive skin body wash are 100% pure. What can be better for your skin to know that you are lathering, which 100% pure and wholesome ingredients? That alone sounds calming for your skin.
If you are new to using Tea tree oil, know it can be heavy with somewhat of an overpowering aroma.
And that is why Botanic Health has incorporated peppermint along with sea buckthorn oil to help reduce tea tree oil’s overpowering scent. The ending result for your skin is a resilient, engaging redolence.
Why You Need This: If you live an #ecobeauty, green and sustainable lifestyle, then this body wash is perfect for you. Being cruelty-free and not tested on animals; this body wash naturally kills off unwanted bacteria and fungi due to its wholesome ingredients’ properties.
Things to Consider When Buying Body Wash for Dry Itchy Skin
When shopping for body washes for dry skin, look for natural oils and hyaluronic acid, as they help replenish moisture. Additionally, the best body wash should be free of fragrances, silicone-free, safe to use, able to maintain the skin’s natural pH, and mild enough with no harmful foaming agents.
That’s why we advise that you research thoroughly to acquaint yourself with the ingredients before purchasing. It also helps reading the label carefully to avoid those that contain harsh chemicals.
But while doing that, ensure that the product doesn’t have misleading or inaccurate ingredients. Also, choose products with moisturizing benefits, perform a test to ensure that it lathers well and contains no animal fat.
What Causes Itchy Skin After Showering?
Various things can provoke your skin to feel dry and itchy after taking your daily bath or shower. Some are more familiar than others, but here are the most common ones:
1. Dry skin
Your skin may feel cracked, tight, and itchy after a shower, and this can be due to your skin having low moisture.
Certain soaps, facial cleansers, and body washes can strip your skin of the natural oils it needs to keep it agile, smooth, and avoid dryness.
2. Eczema
Inflammation of the skin or eczema is another culprit that can cause your skin to become itchy and excessively dry after showering. Eczema is an ongoing condition of your skin that may also cause irritation, rashes, or bumps on your skin.
If you experience eczema, your skin can feel twice as itchy and rough after your shower or bath. Fragrant soaps and body wash, alongside the hot water, spells out bad news for your skin and will most certainly cause itching.
3. Adverse Reaction to Certain Skin Care and Beauty Products
Many of us take pleasure in using scented soaps, body washes, and cleansers in the shower. They take us in our own heavenly oasis. Many people enjoy using scented cleaners, soaps, and hair products in the shower. Yet, these particular types of showering and bath products can bring about possible allergic reactions for some of us, and of course, lead to itchy and dry skin.
4. Negative Response to Laundry Detergent and Products
Post-shower dry and itchy skin can stem from scented laundry detergent and other products, mainly if you use these types to wash your towels and clothes.
After showering, using a towel that has been washed in fragrant laundry soap, can transfer some of the scents to your skin, leading to irritation and itching. This could prove that you may have an allergy or skin sensitivity to these types of products.
How to Deal with Itchy Skin after Showering
- Take colder and shorter showers. If hot showers are causing itchiness, try taking warm showers. It will also help if you avoid showering for long.
- Opt for mild cleansers. A simple thing as changing your body wash could fix your itching issues. Individuals can try using a gentle cleanser that is specifically designed for dry, sensitive skin. Such cleansers use kinder surfactants that do not irritate the skin. Additionally, it would help if you avoided harsh soaps with overwhelming fragrances, strong lathers, and bright colors as they promote dryness even more. The simpler a cleanser is, the better.
- Moisturize when your skin is still damp. Many of us grab a towel after showering to dry off all the water as soon as possible. But doing this can cause itchiness, especially to people with dry skin. Pat yourself a little. Then apply your moisturizer when your skin is still damp. This helps lock moisture in. Also, continue reapplying the moisturizer as needed throughout the day.
- Avoid scented moisturizers as they irritate, especially with a skin that is already itchy. Instead, opt for natural moisturizers that contain jojoba oil, coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and aloe vera. But those with parched patches need more robust products. In such cases, spot treats with thick occlusive ointment.
- Determine your environmental triggers. If you have serious itching issues, we advise you to do some research to determine what could be triggering it. Several ecological things, including laundry detergents, lotions, cosmetic products, and soaps, can trigger itchiness. Write down in a notebook when the itchiness occurs, what products you used, or other environmental factors that might have irritated your skin.
- See a dermatologist. If you are taking cooler showers, changed your body wash, and tried pinpointing the environmental triggers, but still experiencing itchiness, you then should see a dermatologist. They will help figure out what is causing itchiness and prescribe your medications to help relieve the itchiness.
How Do I Prevent My Skin from Getting Dry and Itchy?
There are several steps individuals can take to keep their skin moist and healthy.
- These include using a quality moisturizer. Lotions and moisturizers act as a protective layer that prevents water from escaping from your skin. Apply moisturizer after bathing and several times throughout the day. We recommend thicker moisturizers likeCetaphilandEucerinas they work best.
- Additionally, opt for cosmetics that have moisturizers in them. Applying oil like baby oil when it is still damp can help keep it moist for dehydrated skin. Note that oil can stay longer than most moisturizes hence prevents water from evaporating from your skin’s surface. Individuals can also use petroleum jelly ointments like Vaseline, Aquaphor, etc. But because they feel greasy, we advise using them at night.
- Shower for short times using warm water. Longer showers using hot water remove oils from one’s skin, making it dry. Try limiting your shower time to 5-10 minutes using only warm water.
- Stay away from harsh drying soaps. Experts recommend using gentle cleansers, cleansing creams, and bath/shower gels that contain moisturizers. Opt for mild soaps that have added fats and oils.
- Moisturize immediately after showering. Pat your skin gently with a towel to ensure that some water remains. Then directly apply a moisturizing ointment or cream to trap moisture in the skin. Consider products that have petrolatum as among the top three ingredients. You can also opt for moisturizers that have lactic acid, glycerin, or urea.
- Invest in a humidifier. Indoor air, especially if it is hot and dry, can cause parches on sensitive skin, making itching worse. Whether portable or attached to a furnace, humidifiers help add moisture to the air inside a home. But ensure that your humidifier is clean.
- Wear fabrics that will not irritate your skin. Natural fibers like silk, cotton, etc. allow the skin to breathe. However, although wool is natural, it can cause irritations even on normal skins. Additionally, one should wash their clothes using detergents that do not have dyes or perfumes to irritate their skin.
- Apply the compress to the itching area if itchiness is caused by dry skin.
Final Thoughts
Having a daily cleansing and moisturizing routine will help you care for your skin. Remember to use a body wash designed for dry, itchy skin; otherwise, your condition may worsen, leading to more frustration.
Now, finding the right body wash is a matter of trial and error. But, when you know what to look for in a product, it can help make the correct decision. If you have tried several products with no success, please talk to a dermatologist about the right treatment for your skin.
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