BODY WASH, SHOWER GELS & CLEANSING OILS

With ingredients designed for sensitive skin types, La Roche Posay’s Lipikar Syndet Ap+ Body Wash Shower Cream can thoroughly cleanse your body without disrupting the skin’s moisture barrier or being too harsh for those with sensitive skin types. Its gentle formula can even be used on children's and babies' skin, while working effectively on adults too. Learn more about cleansing sensitive skin here.

The best body washes for dry skin will include certain ingredients and avoid others:

Ingredients to look for:

• Humectants: These ingredients draw moisture from the air to your skin. Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and urea are examples of humectants.
• Emollients: These soften and smooth the skin by filling in cracks and crevices. Look for shea butter, cocoa butter and ceramides.
• Occlusives: These create a barrier on the skin to prevent moisture loss. Ingredients like petrolatum, mineral oil, and lanolin are effective occlusives.
• Pre-biotics: Ingredients such as aqua posay which is a patented ingredient formulated to target the cause of dry skin.

• Harsh Sulfates: Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) can strip the skin of its natural oils, exacerbating dryness. Look for sulfate-free options.
• Fragrances and Dyes: These can irritate sensitive or dry skin. Consider fragrance-free and dye-free formulations.
• Alcohol: Alcohol can dry out the skin. Check the ingredient list and avoid products with high alcohol content.

• Lipikar Huile Lavante AP+ Cleansing Oil is formulated for dry to very dry sensitive skin to gently cleanse skin without excess rubbing.
• Lipikar Syndet AP+ Wash Creamis a cleansing hand and body wash.

Typically, body washes and body cleansers are quite similar, they both aim to wash away impurities like dirt, sweat and unwanted chemicals on the skin. However, the difference between the two is that typically, body wash tend to have a creamier texture with additional hydrating properties, while body cleansers has a gel-like texture.

It is always best to use a suitable facial cleanser for your skin type. Using a body wash on the face might be too harsh on face skin. Your face is generally more sensitive, prone to breakouts, clogged pores and signs of ageing than the body. Using a specialised face cleanser can cater towards your specific skin concerns and help improve your skin’s overall vibrancy.

There are body washes, cleansers and shower gels that can cater to your specific skin concerns. If you have a naturally oily skin type, a shower gel might be a good option as it tends to have a stronger, water-based formula. Those with normal skin types who want to give their skin a thorough cleanse without over-stripping the skin should opt for a body cleanser, while sensitive or dry skin types might work best with a body wash. Observe how your body reacts and adjust formulas if necessary.

Yes, the range of body cleansers from La Roche Posay are suitable for children and babies. Their gentle formulas wash away unwanted sweat and dirt to leave the skin cleaner. La Roche Posay’s range of skincare for children can keep kids’ skin soft and balanced. Learn more in a guide to bathing babies here.