They emphasized the importance of selecting body washes made without sulfates or irritating fragrances and dyes, as well as washes with common moisturizing ingredients, like glycerin and plant-based oils. Creamy and oil-based cleansers are best—but bar soaps and gels aren’t off the table, as long as they’re chosen with this same hypoallergenic criteria in mind. Cocamidopropyl Betaine An ingredient which helps to clean or remove dirt and Oil and can create foam when used with water.

What exactly won’t you find in this body wash? Fragrances, dyes, parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde releasers, and more. It’s an unscented, soap-free cleanser that uses mild surfactants to remove dirt and glycerin to draw more water to the skin, leaving it soft and smooth. It’s a lightweight cream, so it lathers without stripping and drying out the skin; combined with its affordable price point and the fact that it can be used for kids and babies, too, Vanicream is an all-around reliable cleanser for sensitive skin.

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate An ingredient which helps to clean or remove dirt and oil and can create foam when used with water.

Vanicream Gentle Body Wash is extremely mild and ideal for very sensitive skin,” says Anar Mikailov, MD, of Barrington-Park Dermatological Associates, PC. “It’s hydrating and gentle, and less likely to irritate the skin.” All the dermatologists we spoke to recommended avoiding any kind of soap- or sulfate-based surfactant, since these are usually too harsh for people with sensitive skin. Coconut- or plant-based cleansers are usually milder.

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Sodium Benzoate Helps maintain the shelf-life of the product, protecting it from bacteria, yeasts and molds. Maybe you’ve never thought of using an oil-based cleanser as a body wash for your sensitive skin, but these products can give you an extra dose of much-needed barrier lipids while effectively removing irritating dirt, grime, and pollutants from your skin. The Bioderma Atoderm Cleansing Oil is a fan-favorite in the oil-based cleanser department, and though it’s more expensive than other options, it might be worth it for your dry, irritated, sensitive skin.