What to look for in a body wash (and why pH matters)

Choosing a body wash should be simple. It rarely is. The shelves are full of claims, the ingredient lists run to thirty lines, and the words "gentle", "nourishing" and "pH-balanced" appear on products that bear almost no resemblance to each other. So here is a plain, honest guide to what actually matters, written by a brand that makes body wash and would rather tell you the truth than oversell a bottle.

Why pH is the number worth knowing

Your skin has a very slightly acidic surface, called the acid mantle. It sits at roughly pH 4.5 to 5.5. That mild acidity is not incidental. It supports the skin's natural barrier, keeps moisture in, and makes life harder for bacteria and other pathogens that prefer a more neutral environment.

Most tap water sits around pH 7. A soap bar can be pH 9 or higher. Every wash temporarily shifts your skin away from its natural balance, and a formula with a high pH can leave the barrier disrupted long after you have dried off. The result: that familiar tight, stripped feeling.

A body wash formulated to stay within the pH 4.5 to 5.5 range works with your skin rather than against it. It rinses clean, disrupts the acid mantle less, and the skin's natural balance recovers faster. This is one reason body washes have largely displaced soap bars for people with reactive or dry skin. A well-made wash, kept at the right pH, is genuinely kinder on most skin types than a traditional bar. It is worth asking a brand whether they test and target this range. We do, and we are happy to say so.

Surfactants: the ingredient that does the actual cleaning

Surfactants are the molecules that lift dirt, oil and dead skin cells away from your body and allow them to rinse off with water. Every body wash has them. The difference is in which ones, and in what concentration.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is the most aggressive common surfactant. Effective, cheap, and prone to causing irritation. Many people with sensitive skin react badly to it.

Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) is the ethoxylated version. Gentler. It still belongs to the sulphate family, so you will see it listed as "not sulphate-free" on some skin-care resources. Our body wash uses an SLES base, and we want to be straightforward about that.

We have seen brands quietly sidestep this by leading with other surfactants while SLES remains in the formula. We would rather be direct: our wash contains SLES. What that means in practice is that it is not suitable for anyone with a confirmed sulphate sensitivity. For most people, though, a well-formulated SLES wash held at the correct pH is perfectly gentle. The skin-care concern with sulphates is often less about the molecule itself and more about concentration and pH. Ours sits where it should.

Cocamidopropyl betaine is the secondary surfactant we use alongside SLES. It is a mild, coconut-derived amphoteric surfactant. It improves lather quality, lowers overall irritation potential compared to harsher surfactant combinations, and is widely used in baby washes and sensitive-skin formulas precisely because of its gentleness. Its presence in a formula is generally a good sign.

Humectants: keeping moisture where it belongs

A surfactant cleans. A humectant keeps the moisture you already have. Glycerin is the most common and most studied humectant in wash-off products. It draws water to the skin and helps the upper layers retain it through the rinse cycle. Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) does something similar and has a mild soothing effect on top.

These are not transformative ingredients in a product you wash off after thirty seconds. But they do make a real difference to how skin feels after drying, particularly in winter or for people whose skin tends towards dryness. When you are looking at an ingredient list, check where glycerin sits. If it is high up, that is a good sign. If it is below the preservatives, near the bottom of a very long list, its contribution is minimal.

Fragrance: honest about what it is

Fragrance is the reason most people reach for a particular body wash. Scent is real and it matters. But it is also the most common trigger for skin reactions in wash products. The relevant word on an ingredient list is "parfum" (or "fragrance" in American labelling). That single word can represent hundreds of undisclosed compounds.

We are not going to tell you fragrance is dangerous, because for most people it is not. We use fragrance in our body wash, and we design it to be something genuinely worth smelling. What we would say is this: if your skin reacts to wash products and you have never identified a clear cause, fragrance is the first thing to consider removing from your routine as a test.

For everyone else, fragrance is one of the cleaner pleasures of a morning shower. The scent hits before you are fully awake. It is the reason Sea Salt and Sage smells like stepping out near the water, and why Pear and Freesia has that particular kind of lightness that makes the bathroom feel bigger than it is. We take it seriously.

Matching a body wash to your skin type

Dry or tight skin. Look for glycerin or panthenol near the top of the list. Avoid anything with a high alcohol content (isopropyl or SD alcohol, not fatty alcohols like cetyl). A lower surfactant concentration generally helps. A formula with added oils, such as squalane or sunflower seed oil, can also reduce that stripped feeling after rinsing.

Oily or combination skin. This skin type often tolerates a wider range of formulas. The priority is a thorough rinse rather than a very mild surfactant system. Lighter, water-based washes are usually sufficient. Some people with oily skin find richer washes leave a film. If that is you, a simpler formula will do better.

Sensitive or reactive skin. Short ingredient lists are your friend. Fewer ingredients means fewer potential triggers. A sulphate-free formula (one using alternatives such as sodium cocoyl isethionate or decyl glucoside rather than any sulphate) is worth considering if you have previously reacted to wash products. pH becomes particularly important here. Fragrance-free is often worth trying as a baseline.

Normal skin. Most well-formulated washes will work. Pick based on scent, texture, and whether the brand's ethics align with yours.

What vegan and cruelty-free actually mean

Both terms appear frequently, and they are not the same thing. Vegan means no animal-derived ingredients in the formula. Cruelty-free means the product and its ingredients have not been tested on animals. A product can be vegan but not cruelty-free, or cruelty-free but not vegan.

Our body wash is both. No animal ingredients, and never tested on animals. That applies to the full body and hand wash range, and to everything we make. It is not a marketing position. It is just how we work.

Common questions

Is sulfate-free body wash always better?

Not always. For most people with normal skin, a well-formulated SLES wash at the correct pH is perfectly gentle and effective. Sulphate-free is worth prioritising if you have a confirmed sulphate sensitivity, very dry or reactive skin, or if previous washes have left you with persistent irritation. If your skin is comfortable with what you currently use, "sulphate-free" alone is not a compelling reason to switch.

How do I know if a body wash is pH-balanced?

Few brands publish the exact pH of their formulas, but you can ask. Reputable manufacturers test pH during production and will have a range on record. A wash described as "pH-balanced for skin" should be targeting that 4.5 to 5.5 range. If a brand cannot or will not say, that tells you something too.

What is the best body wash for dry skin?

A formula with glycerin listed early in the ingredients, a mild secondary surfactant such as cocamidopropyl betaine, and either a low alcohol content or added emollient oils. Wash-off moisturising ingredients are not as effective as leave-on products, but a good wash lays a better foundation. Patting skin dry rather than rubbing also helps retain whatever moisture the formula has delivered.

Does body wash expire?

Yes. Most body washes carry a PAO symbol, a small opened-jar icon with a number, usually 12M or 24M. That stands for "period after opening" and tells you how long the formula remains stable and effective after the seal is broken. An unopened bottle typically lasts two to three years from manufacture. Using a wash past its PAO does not necessarily make it harmful, but the preservative system may have degraded, which can allow microbial growth over time.

If you want to explore what we make, the body and hand wash collection is a sensible place to start. Each product page lists the key ingredients, and if you have questions about a formula, we will answer them directly.