If you’re in need of an effective acne body wash, you’ve come to the right post! The soap or cleanser you use in the shower every day is one of the most important weapons in the fight against body breakouts. Whether your acne manifests as blackheads, whiteheads, or painful pimples that leave behind a persistent scar, we’ve got a solution.
We’ve selected the best acne body washes available online and in-stores, with different but effective formulas to suit each person’s unique needs. We also included the details about what makes an effective anti-acne body wash, along with must-know tips about how to choose the right one for you. Finally, we included some advice on how to use your body wash correctly and what else you can do to keep body acne at bay.
Best Acne Body Washes Overview
- Best Overall: Replenix 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Wash with Aloe Vera
- Best Drugstore: CeraVe Renewing Salicylic Acid Cleanser
- Best for Sensitive Skin: Eucerin Advanced Cleansing Body and Face Cleanser
- Best for Dry Skin: Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash
- Best Budget: Neutrogena Body Clear Acne Body Wash
- Best Scrub Body Wash: Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash
- Best Gentle Medicated Cleanser: Differin Daily Deep Cleanser BPO 5%
- Best Acid Peel Cleanser: Touch Keratosis Pilaris & Acne Exfoliating Body Wash Cleanser
- Best Soap: Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree Pure-Castile Liquid Soap
- Best All-Natural: Jason Natural Body Wash and Shower Gel, Purifying Tea Tree
- Best for Acne Scars: Murad Acne Body Wash
- Best Solid Cleanser: Pharmaceutical Specialties Vanicream Cleansing Bar
- Best Natural Scrub: Alba Botanica Acnedote Maximum Strength Face & Body Scrub
Our Picks for the Best Acne Body Washes
These are the best acne body washes for every need and preference. Choose the one that’ll help you banish body acne!
What to Look for in the Best Acne Body Wash?
There are a few factors worth keeping in mind before purchasing an anti-acne body wash.
Ingredients
The best acne body wash products will include ingredients proven to work for breakouts and in a concentration that’s effective for the body. The skin on the face is usually more sensitive than the skin elsewhere on our body, so anti-acne face washes will sometimes be too mild for the body, while anti-acne body washes can be too harsh for the face.
Before we get into it, it’s worth noting that a lot of people with acne-prone skin often go overboard trying to scrub or treat their skin with aggressive methods, and most of these active ingredients are quite strong. If your skin has been irritated in the past, sometimes it’s better to choose a gentle body wash for sensitive skin that is totally free of actives, and that will just allow your skin to heal – that’s why we’ve made sure to include a few of those on our recommendation list.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide (BP) is an amazing anti-acne medication that, in our experience, has the strongest effects outside of a prescription product. It works in multiple ways to fade breakouts by acting as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and exfoliating agent. In leave-on products, 2.5% BP is perfect, but in body washes, it might be better to use something with 5% with 10% since it comes in contact with the skin for so little time.
Unfortunately, it’s also notorious for its bleaching effect, not on the skin, but on clothes and hair. That’s why it’s actually best to use it in an acne body wash rather than a leave-on product.
BP needs to stay in contact with the skin for a few minutes to have an effect, so it’s important to leave the cleanser on the skin for a bit instead of rinsing it away immediately. Research shows that it’s effective after 5 minutes, so that’s what you should aim for.

Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant that works particularly well for targeting acne, and it’s extremely popular in acne body washes. It cuts through oil and dislodges dead skin cells to help clear existing breakouts, and also has some anti-inflammatory effects that help reduce the redness and swelling of existing pimples. It’s usually used between 0.5% and 2%. It’s definitely gentler than benzoyl peroxide and is probably the better choice for mild body acne or for more sensitive skin.
To actually help with breakouts, it’s important to let the salicylic acid stay in contact with the skin for a few minutes. Instead of quickly lathering and rinsing, massage the cleanser into your skin and then wait so that the salicylic acid can have its effect.
Tea Tree Oil
If you prefer natural ingredients, or if you haven’t seen a result from the more mainstream body acne treatments, tea tree oil is worth trying. This essential oil is a very promising acne fighter with antimicrobial effects, and it has been shown to be potentially as effective as benzoyl peroxide. There isn’t as much research backing up tea tree oil when compared to the other ingredients we’ve mentioned here, but it’s still a worthwhile ingredient.
Glycolic Acid
Like salicylic acid, glycolic acid is also a great chemical exfoliant that is often used in anti-acne body washes! It doesn’t cut through oil the way salicylic acid does, but it gives a very thorough exfoliation, which is why strong exfoliating body washes will often include both acids.
If your routine already includes a leave-on anti-acne product, and you want the exfoliation without the potentially drying effects of salicylic acid, then a glycolic acid-based acne body wash can be a great choice.
In addition to being exfoliating, glycolic acid also has a hydrating effect, so it leaves the skin feeling very soft. It’s also useful for preventing in-grown hairs or for smoothing bumpy skin. We’d also recommend a cleanser with glycolic acid if you are trying to fade post-acne scars.

Texture and Skin Type
The texture of the cleanser is extremely important, especially when it comes to your skin type. While those with acne-prone skin are usually oily, there are also many people with dry or combination skin that suffer from breakouts.
If your skin is oily, any one of the acne body washes we’ve recommended could work for your skin. A gel cleanser will do a better job of eliminating excess oils, but the truth is that even a creamy cleanser will do a great job with the bonus that it won’t dry out your skin.
On the other hand, if your skin is drier or even combination, it might be best to stay away from gel cleansers and to choose a creamy formula instead. This is especially true with medicinal cleansers with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, which you need to leave on your skin for a while.
Another texture related detail is whether you’ll choose a scrub-type body wash that contains exfoliating beads or a body wash with a non-gritty texture. When it comes to active acne, it’s better to avoid body scrubs because those gritty pieces can damage already inflamed skin and spread bacteria around.
Scrubs are also a poor choice for those with skin that is generally sensitive. However, they are great for helping clear non-inflamed blackheads or whiteheads, and can also help prevent recurring breakouts by keeping the skin clear of dead skin cells.

Rest of Your Routine
Hopefully, your body care routine involves a little more than just washing in the shower. It’s important to be careful and make sure that all of your skincare products can work together harmoniously.
This means that if you use a leave-on salicylic acid treatment, you probably don’t need a salicylic acid body cleanser and could instead benefit from a body wash with tea tree oil or benzoyl peroxide.
Some dermatologists recommend avoiding using salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide in the same routine, but that’s usually in reference to the face. Take into account how sensitive your skin is and how you respond to these activities in your routine when deciding for yourself if you should combine them or not, and pay close attention to signs of dryness or irritation.
Finally, it’s important to keep your skin moisturized, especially if your cleanser is gel-based or leaves your skin feeling dry after you’ve showered.
Things to Avoid
An amazing acne body wash is also defined by the things it doesn’t include!
- While some of the cleansers on our list had a slightly higher pH, in general, we do recommend trying to stick to soap-free, low-pH body washes. This is because the skin is happiest at a slightly low pH (i.e. when it is more acidic). When the skin has a balanced pH, the acne bacteria have a harder time surviving on it, so your skin is more resistant to infection and can heal more quickly.
- If you have any allergies or sensitivities, it’s very important to choose an acne body wash that won’t aggravate them. Fragrances, in particular, can be a major trigger for a lot of people.
- Finally, we recommend avoiding body washes that contain sulfates, which are a category of cleansing agents that can be very drying to the skin. It’s also important to avoid body cleansers that leave the skin feeling “squeaky clean” or “tight” after they’ve been used. Even if your skin is oily, it’s important not to let it get dehydrated or dry since it’ll have a harder time healing from the breakouts.
Must-Know Anti-Acne Body Wash Tips
An amazing anti-acne body wash is not enough on its own, so we have a few more tips to help you care for your skin and deal with body acne.

- When it’s time to shower, keep the water lukewarm rather than steaming hot. Very hot water can damage the skin and prevent it from healing itself.
- When washing with an anti-acne body wash that includes actives like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, rub it into your skin and then wait for 3-5 minutes to give those ingredients time to be in contact with your skin and have an impact.
- If your acne is more inflamed, avoid scrubbing it with sponges or loofahs that can break the skin and spread bacteria around, and just massage the cleanser gently into your skin with your hands.
- After your shower, while your skin is still a little damp, don’t forget to moisturize with a non-comedogenic body lotion! The skin has to be nourished and hydrated to stay resilient and in order to properly heal itself from breakouts.
- For the best results, don’t only rely on a body wash but make sure to follow a full anti-acne body care routine.
- Be careful to regularly clean anything that comes into contact with your body, and don’t reuse or re-wear items like towels or pajamas without washing them first.
Photos via @nrahmichelle, Sephora, Dermstore, Instagram