These zit-zapping body washes are super legit (2024)

Member price, £28.50, Non-Member price, £60

Looking for a body wash that sloughs away dead skin and blocked pores like a physical exfoliate but with none of the annoying post-buffing clean-up? Enter, Beauty Pie. Yes, our favourite beauty sub service has nailed it with this face and body cleanser that uses 2% salicylic acid and a papaya enzyme complex for peak exfoliation.

Key ingredients: Lactic acid, salicylic acid, mandelic acid

Format: Liquid

Size: 330ml

You can thank the blend of lactic acid, mandelic acid, and salicylic acid in this brightening and smoothing acne body wash for its ability to prevent annoying breakouts and fade the stubborn acne scars and marks they leave behind. Not only do these acids dissolve dead skin cells and pore-clogging buildup, they have brightening benefits that help fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation too.

Key ingredients: Lactic acid, salicylic acid, mandelic acid

Format: Liquid

Size: 330ml

If you have sensitive skin, then you already know that a body wash loaded with strong actives may do your skin more harm than good. That's where this gentle option from Zitsticka comes into play. It uses a blend of pre-and-postbiotics to balance the bacteria on your skin and strengthen your skin's protective barrier. Also great? It has soothing and calming properties to reduce any inflammation associated with body breakouts.

Key ingredients: Prebiotics and postbiotics, glycerin, tea tree

Format: Liquid

Size: 300ml

This gel-to-foam cleanser is from 93% natural origins and feels as refreshing as it is effective for helping reduce the appearance of body blemishes.

It's big on the tea tree, so if you aren't a fan of the zinginess that involves then it won't be for you, but in our eyes, it's the perfect morning wash.

Key ingredients: Tea tree

Format: Gel

Size: 250ml

This beauty editor favourite from Naturium is made with salicylic acid to treat and prevent body bumps and breakouts and high-quality plant-based oils to nourish and soothe skin. Plus, it's vegan, cruelty-free, fragrance-free, and paraben-free too.

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycerin, safflower seed oil

Format: Gel

Size: 500ml

Q+A is obvs known for their gentle-but-effective formulas and this bad boy is no different. With a subtle scent of watermelon (divine) it works into a low lather to clear pores of trapped grim and sweat that could be leading to your body breakouts and then softens your skin up to boot.

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, green tea

Format: Liquid

Size: 250ml

While most acne body washes are gonna be too sensitive for your cute lil face to handle, that's not the case with this bb from Bliss. Formulated with a blend of salicylic acid, Brazilian sea water, and willow bark extract, Dr. Zeichner says "This non-irritating cleanser is great for cleaning, detoxifying, and soothing the skin on both your face and body."

Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, willow bark extract

Format: Gel

Size: 190ml

A great acne body wash doesn't just clean the surface of your skin—it also works to remove built-up oil and unclog pores. That's why you should think of an acne body wash more like a short-contact treatment rather than just a cleanser. "It is important to give the cleanser enough contact time with the skin to allow it to do its job," says Dr. Zeichner. "Applying it and immediately rinsing it off will help remove soiling from the skin, but won't give the actives enough time to penetrate through the follicles to get to where they need to go to be effective. So I tell my patients to apply a cleanser, let it sit while they sing 'Happy Birthday' to yourself, then rinse off."

Speaking of effectiveness: Dr. Henry says some manual exfoliation can help make your body wash as effective as possible. "A big part of body acne is the fact that the body does not exfoliate itself as effectively as a face, which makes it more prone to having clogged pores if one is acne-prone," Dr. Henry explains. "So adding additional exfoliation is really critical to clearing up body acne."

Avoid oil-based ingredients.

Since body acne forms when oil gets trapped in the pores, causing blockages and inflammation, it makes sense that you'd wanna avoid oil-based formulas that'll only exacerbate the issue. "I recommend avoiding oils that can clog pores," says Dr. Turegano. "This includes coconut oil, avocado oil, flaxseed oil, and almond oil, among others."

Consider your skin's sensitivity level.

Got sensitive or dry skin? Then be careful when choosing a wash with benzoyl peroxide. "I think that benzoyl peroxide should be used at a lower per cent strength or avoided if you have a sensitivity to it or if you have very dry skin," Dr. Turegano says. And while benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid-based formulas tend to be the most effective, an exfoliating body wash with glycolic acid may be the best choice for those with sensitive or dry skin, explains Dr. Henry.

• Mamina Turegano, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Sanova Dermatology in New Orleans, LA, and co-founder of Skintap.com
• Joshua Zeichner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY.
• Michelle Henry, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan in New York, NY.