Gentle soaps and shower gels for sensitive, inflamed skin
Posted on January 14, 2022 Written by: 100% PURE®
If you have eczema, then you've likely found that trying to choose the best body wash at random can be a minefield. Choose poorly and you could end up with fiery, inflamed skin and explosive itching.
While it’s true that you need to exercise caution when shopping for a body wash, nothing can help you pass go and collect calm skin better than finding the best body wash that can actually help your inflammatory skin. We’re spilling the bubbles on the best and worst ingredients for eczema and how to find the best body wash for smooth, happy skin.
When you have an inflammatory skin condition like eczema, anything from environmental pollutants or the wind blowing too strongly to body care products can aggravate your skin. You’ll want to look for hydrating and moisturizing ingredients that can help reinforce your compromised skin barrier.
Nourishing ingredients like humectants, lipids, ceramides, occlusives, and emollients act like cement. They help heal the cracks in the skin barrier and protect moisture loss.
Humectants or hydration heroes like hyaluronic acid and glycerin bind water to the skin. Lipids are the skin’s natural fats, which strengthen the skin’s protective barrier. Ceramides are one of the most important lipids. Ceramides increase the skin’s hydration and barrier function.
Occlusive ingredients like silicone and olive oil prevent humectants from losing their water-binding powers. They create a physical skin barrier to lock in hydration. Emollients restore and soften the skin. They’re great at filling in the cracks of compromised skin with eczema.
As opposed to stand-alone ingredients, many of these happy hydrators work best when paired together for harmonious healthy skin.
We’ve said it before – skin is our largest organ. As arguably one of the most important “organs” we have, what’s just as important as what we put on it is what we don’t. If you have eczema, you’ll want to be mindful of what ingredients to avoid in body wash.
Take fragrance, for example. While a delicious-smelling body wash seems divine, some fragrances are alcohol-based and will dry out your skin every time you suds up. Parabens are a mainstream dirty word in body wash. They’re linked to skin inflammation among other harmful things.
Speaking of suds, sulfates are used in body wash to give a rich foam or lather. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) are the most common chemical latherers. These foaming foes can irritate the skin, leaving it stripped and inflamed. No thanks!
When you get out of the shower, how does your skin feel? Ideally, you should feel refreshed and moisturized with happy skin. Itching and tightness are not normal after using body wash! This can be an indication that your new miracle gel just isn’t the best body wash for you – or your skin.
Using the wrong body wash can strip your skin of its natural protective oils, causing dehydration, irritation, and dryness – something eczema warriors do not need more of. It can impair skin health and cause increased oil production, leading to skin acne and clogged hair follicles.
Since conventional body wash contains toxic ingredients, your chance of having an allergic reaction paired with an inflammation-based skin condition like eczema can cause a flare and rash of inflamed, pink, scaly, and itchy skin.
Less is more for those with eczema. Look for simple product labels with ingredients you can understand without a secret decoder. Sure, you’ll need to exercise some caution and choose your best body wash wisely. That’s why we always use natural ingredients that are gentle on the skin.
If you love the feel of an oil that easily washes off sans a greasy residue, our Gentle Shower Oil is a hybrid of the best body wash and shower oil that gently cleanses your skin straight from the shower. This ultra-gentle best body wash uses occlusives to smooth and restore inflamed skin, without stripping it of its natural oils or damaging the delicate lipid barrier.
In keeping with the mindset that simple is best, our ultra-gentle shower gels feature whole, pure, and natural ingredients. With ingredients like anti-inflammatory lavender honey and natural surfactants like saponified coconut oil, our body wash results in a cleansing yet soothing lather that is as rich as it is enriching. We’ve also included hydrating, soothing humectants to finish out your lavish lather.
We understand that dealing with any kind of skin-related issue is never ideal. Shopping for body wash can be scary if you suffer from eczema. We hope with these tips and knowing what ingredients to look for and avoid in the best body wash, you can step out of the shower and be well on your way to calmer, happier skin.
- Tags: Bath Body Hair, how-to, January-2022
We carefully hand-select products based on strict purity standards, and only recommend products we feel meet this criteria. 100% PURE™ may earn a small commission for products purchased through affiliate links.
The information in this article is for educational use, and not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should not be used as such.
