A Top-Shelf Body Wash Will Make Your Mornings Better (2024)

The collective celebrity shunning of the shower was in no way the weirdest thing to happen in modern Hollywood, but it did raise an eyebrow or two. A reminder: people we presumed to be nicely clean – Brad Pitt, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ashton Kutcher included – all (in bizarrely uncoordinated moves), came out as shower-averse, claiming that bathing less brings benefits for the skin’s microbiome.

Back in the normal world, it’s likely you use a body wash or shower gel on a daily basis. So, why not make it a really good one?

No longer the most basic part of your routine, a strong men's shower gel has climbed the ranks to become a product you might just look forward to using each day: especially now the temperatures have tipped below double figures and getting out of bed requires major motivation. A great body wash is a small luxury in the age of impending doom, but one that’ll make mornings a little brighter nonetheless. Now, the men's shower gel aisle is filled with skin-softening formulas to hydrate dry skin, essential-oil options for a tiny slice of spa-like luxury, and good-looking bottles to make your bathroom feel fancier.

Here, see the shower gels for men that you (and Brad, really) should use loudly and proudly.

The Best Men's Shower Gels – Because Bathing Really Does Matter

Byredo’s most-loved fragrances now come in body-wash format. Bal D’Afrique might be inspired by the smoky depths of Parisian nightlife in the Twenties, but it thankfully smells a lot fresher than you’re currently imagining: think citrusy notes over lingering cedarwood. It comes with maximum shelf appeal, too.

Coming in under twenty quid for a weighty 500ml, this men's shower gel is an undeniably good deal. But don't think that means you'll be missing out on quality though: it boasts a hydrating formula, generous lather, and a zingy mint and citrus scent that says 'Italian coastline' as well as that expensive cologne. Something more wintry? opt for the woody cedar and sage blend instead.

An internationally recognised symbol of safe but sophisticated taste, The White Company is exactly the kind of thing those in-laws want to see in the guest shower. Lime and Bay is the best scent, combining subtle herbs with a citrus twang.

Does your body wash need to boast multiple actions? Perhaps not. However, if you're experiencing congestion or back breakouts, the salicylic acid in this hard-working formula will get things cleared up quickly.

For those who like a major lather, this aerosol shower gel foams just like your shaving gel on contact with water. There's a calming fresh scent, and it'll leave your skin feeling hydrated and supple.

It goes without saying that you shouldn't really smell like a cocktail in the office on a Monday morning. This, however, smells more like citrus-pepped amber than that bottle of local spirit you brought back from Cuba.

The signature scent of London's best-dressed people, Santal 33 is the fragrance that brought Le Labo out of the 'niche' world and into the mainstream. Now, you can enjoy the leather-tinged sandalwood blend straight from the shower.

Many lesser body washes can leave dry skin feeling tight and uncomfortable. Ameliorate’s derm-approved formula, however, is free from the soaps that make skin feel stripped, calling on omega-rich oils to cleanse and hydrate instead.

Combining bracing eucalyptus with peppermint, this invigorating shower gel is ideal for using after a gym session. For seriously aching muscles, team it with the brand's tension-relieving Arnica Balm.

The Royally warranted Molton Brown has been deemed good enough for the Queen, so it's certainly good enough for us mere mortals. The brand boasts a can't-go-wrong roster of scents, but the best place to start is with the energising Black Pepper.

A shower oil is undoubtedly a step up in the indulgence stakes, especially when formulated by the patron saints of aromatherapy. This silky blend contains Aromatherapy Associates' famed anti-inflammatory essential-oil blend – think rosemary, ginger and black pepper – which will ease aching muscles while softening skin.

Dealing with Ryanair can be rage-inducing at the best of times, so cut down the risk of airport meltdown by switching to solid bodycare products. Ethique makes the best ones, including this charcoal-based soap, which lathers up properly and is packed with coconut oil to leave skin soft. Wrapped in fuss-free paper packaging, it's the most planet-friendly choice you can make, too.

Any good fragrance ritual should start in the shower, and for those loyal to Acqua di Parma's iconic Colonia scent, the matching shower gel is a must. It'll prolong the trail of your signature spritz, and leave skin feeling soft, too.

The spiced scent of Murdock's Black Tea cologne brings sophisticated appeal to this body wash. It's made using coconut-based surfactants, so you get a decent lather without the drying feeling.

Most products for sensitive skin look like something you'll want to hide beneath the bathroom sink – but not Susanne Kaufmann's latest launch. Formulated in her world-renowned Austrian spa, this head-to-toe wash contains calming vitamin E and mushroom extract in a spring-water base. It's unfragranced, hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested, so you're in safe hands here.

Australia has more than one good-looking bodycare brand to boast about. But don't judge Grown Alchemist's natural-led offering solely by the shelf appeal: this frothy body wash smells calming and botanical, and can be topped up for less cash via the brand's sustainable refills.