Scent layering is a tactful skill — a lack of which becomes desperately obvious to everyone in the immediate vicinity. For men specifically, the amped-up degree of most noxious colognes, hair gels, and body washes all trying to approximate the Manliest Man at the O.K. Corral can easily lead to overwhelming combinations. Subtlety is power, as is letting a natural musk shine through.
An unscented body wash can give someone a minimal, clean smell or allow for a cologne, moisturizer, deodorant or beard oil to define one’s olfactory presence. Not to mention, unscented products often get an endorsement from skincare professionals for people with sensitive and easily irritated skin.
“Synthetic chemicals and natural extracts found in scented products may trigger an allergic or irritant reaction in the skin by triggering the immune system or inflammation from repeated exposure,” says Dr. Brendan Camp, a New York-based doctor with board certifications in dermatology and dermatopathology.
It’s addition by subtraction: Unscented body washes deliver the same clean while lowering the odds of irritation and fragrance conflict.
The Best Unscented Body Wash: At a Glance
Frequently Asked Questions About Unscented Body Washes
Are fragrances in beauty or grooming products bad for you?
For most people, the answer is no, says Dr. Marisa Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at Cornell University. “Generally, fragrances are only an issue for those with sensitive skin, as those with sensitive skin may be more likely to have an allergy or irritation to products containing fragrance.”
Are unscented products better?
This depends on the person and their individual skin. People with dry skin or a skin condition like eczema may prefer unscented products as their skin could be more sensitive to the ingredients responsible for the fragrance, Camp says.
Are there ingredients that are common in unscented products that should be avoided?
In short, yes. The two dermatologists we interviewed for this story named the below ingredients as ones to avoid, scented or not.
Parabens can actually make dry and irritable skin worse. They also may act as hormone disruptors in the body, although concrete research is limited.
Sulfates are powerful surfactants, which is the technical term for surface-based cleansers. The problem is they’re often too strong and strip away skin’s natural oils, leaving it redder and itchier.
Though it’s not as bad as parabens or sulfates, propylene glycol, a synthetic surfactant, has been associated with allergic contact dermatitis, which is basically a nasty rash.
Drying alcohols are far more common in skincare formulations than the above ingredients and are relatively well tolerated by many people. However, their name states their purpose: They’re meant to help dry out the skin, which can contribute to sensitivity and irritation for some people.
CeraVe
CeraVe is one of a handful of ultra-popular drugstore brands because its products tend to work well for even the most sensitive skin. The CeraVe Soothing Body Wash checks every box: It’s fragrance-free, designed with very dry skin in mind, and features CeraVe’s signature blend of three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which contribute to a healthy, moisturized skin biome. For newbies unsure of where to start in the unscented world, CeraVe is almost certainly a safe bet. “Formulated specifically for those with dry skin, the first two ingredients in this body wash are oils to keep skin moisturized,” Camp says.
Vanicream
Why It Stands Out: Both Garshick and Camp often recommend Vanicream’s Gentle Body Wash when talking about body cleansers. “Vanicream Gentle Body Wash is a perfect option that can be used by people of all ages as it is free of preservatives, parabens, formaldehyde, lanolin, fragrance and dyes, so it is a great option for kids and adults, as well as those with sensitive skin,” Garshick says.
Made For: People who know for sure that unnecessary ingredients irritate their skin and want something made specifically to avoid sensitivity.
Hot Take: This unscented body wash is the definition of addition by subtraction, with no dyes, masking fragrance, or other known irritating ingredients. Dermatologists recommend it because their patients see results (or rather, don’t see irritation) with it, plain and simple.
Aveeno
Why It Stands Out: Remember oatmeal baths and chickenpox? Oatmeal is a naturally soothing ingredient and the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash leans into that with an oat trifecta to confront itchy, dry skin.
Made For: People who want a natural anchor ingredient like oat that they know and trust to soothe their skin.
Hot Take: When it comes to soothing skincare products, Aveeno is the king (and is arguably singlehandedly responsible for the ubiquitousness of oatmeal in skincare).
Cetaphil Ultra Gentle Body Wash
Why It Stands Out: There are lots of unscented and hypoallergenic body washes to choose from, but few have the brand cache and evidence of efficacy from decades worth of usage like Cetaphil.
Made For: People with sensitive skin who want a brand available everywhere that’s known for its gentle skincare.
Hot Take: Cetaphil is so serious about gentle products that it offers multiple varieties of this unscented body wash alongside its deep catalog of lotions and other sensitive skincare products. Sensitive skin is Cetaphil’s raison d’etre and we’d be silly not to suggest Cetaphil’s main gentle fragrance-free body wash.
Dove
Why It Stands Out: Not only is the Dove Irritation Care Body Wash hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, it’s PETA-certified cruelty-free and made in 100% recycled plastic bottles, so you can feel as good as your skin will feel after you use it.
Made For: People with drier-than-dry skin, frequent redness, and even chronic eczema.
Hot Take: It’s nice that Dove goes the extra mile with its recycled bottle and cruelty-free testing, but more importantly, this unscented body wash just works whether you’re dealing with dermatitis, winter-dry skin, or chronically irritable skin.
La Roche-Posay
Why It Stands Out: Instead of pulling out potentially irritating ingredients, the fragrance-free La Roche-Posay Lipikar Wash AP+ Moisturizing Body & Face Wash runs the other direction, loading up on hydrating, soothing ingredients to bolster dry skin. “In addition to being fragrance-free, this body wash contains niacinamide, shea butter, and thermal water to fortify the skin,” Camp says.
Made For: People looking for a face- and body-friendly (and baby-friendly, even) unscented wash that promises to leave skin clean, soft, and soothed.
Hot Take: In a four-week consumer study conducted by the brand, the overwhelming majority of participants said this unscented body wash respects the skin’s balance, leaves skin feeling soothed and hydrated. If that’s not enough, its efficacy is backed up by 10 years of research and a grand total of 19 clinical studies. If La Roche-Posay’s formula wasn’t working, they wouldn’t keep selling it.
Eucerin
Why It Stands Out: The Eucerin Advanced Cleansing Body & Face Cleanser focuses on maintaining the skin’s pH balance, a unique approach among body washes in general.
Made For: People with dry skin who’ve used Eucerin’s other products and want to keep it in the family.
Hot Take: Ask people who work with their hands what they use to soothe their dry, cracked skin and you’re all but guaranteed to get a Eucerin product as an answer. If it’s good enough for hardworking hands, Eucerin will be good enough for any temperamental skin, whether on the face or body.
Shea Moisture
Why It Stands Out: The SheaMoisture Soothing Body Wash formula combines three heavy-hitting ingredients (oatmeal, vitamin E, and fair-trade shea butter), into one excellent unscented body wash.
Made For: People with dry skin who appreciate the deep moisturization that shea butter offers.
Hot Take: Shea butter rules and is one of a handful of highly effective, universally applicable moisturizing ingredients, alongside things like aloe vera, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. Any body wash that leans into shea butter means a damn good time for your skin.
Even some products labeled as unscented may still contain added fragrance, called a masking fragrance, to cover up the scent that emerges from the combined products. Even this masking fragrance can cause skin irritation for people with sensitive skin, Garshick says. As an alternative, she recommends seeking out hypoallergenic body washes, saying they are “much less likely” to irritate your skin than products that are high in fragrances or other preservatives.