The Best Shower Gels for Men Bring the Spa to Your Shower (2025)

I’ll always hail their purely synthetic options, too—that iconic bar soap is the standard—but I appreciate Dove’s willingness to add a dash of natural ingredients with this one. And it pays off. (Not that there’s much paying off to be done, since it remains an extremely affordable option.) You get some serious bang for your buck with this invigorating and skin-soothing gel.

The Best Exfoliating Shower Gel for Men: Baxter of California Exfoliating Body Wash

If you haven’t yet heard me monologue about my love of Baxter’s exfoliating body bar and body wash, let me give you the summary: “Y-E-S!” shouted resoundingly. The scent, life changing. The smooth skin feel, equally heavenly. Go gently forward with this one—it’s a bit more intense than that A-plus body bar, but know that you’ll feel like you just got a spa-caliber scrub down (and with aromatherapy to boot). I like to target all my most odorous areas with it (pits, groin, and feet, namely), as the extra exfoliation gives those stink-causing bacteria fewer dead skin cells to hide behind. Also, the person who spends his life with me can confirm that I am routinely caught huffing this scent. Seriously, god-tier stuff.

The Best Shampoo-Body Shower Gel for Men: American Crew 3-in-1 Tea Tree Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash

I’ll rarely endorse a multi-tasking shampoo and conditioner; why not just get a co-wash instead if you want to cut those corners? However, I’m not so unopposed to an Amazon-available 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash, especially one with oil-toning, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial tea tree oil like American Crew’s. So, ignore that “3-in-1” and put a conditioner in play post rinse, but note the improvement to things like body odor, itching, inflammation, and even scalp flaking. I wish more products would make use of tea tree oil these days, and remain grateful for this affordable option. There are few better ways to cut corners and cost, so you have a green light from me here.

The Best Probiotic Shower Gel for Men: Iota Supervitamin Body Wash

This might be Iota’s formal introduction on GQ, and it’s long overdue. It's beloved by our friends over at Allure; and the label is billed as “nutritional bodycare,” which couldn’t be more on the nose. You get actual functional doses of great-for-you actives, chief among them niacinamide for barrier reinforcement and stronger skin, as well as pre- and post-biotics that help reduce body odor (they fuel the good bacteria!) while also keeping your skin’s microbiome in check. No blanching of your epidermis with Iota, not in the least, plus this fragrance-free formula takes it a step further by satisfying all skin types, even the most sensitive among us.

The Best Shower Gel for Men and Women: Sachajuan Body Wash

If you share an abode with your significant other, too, then here’s one that you’ll both love using (in terms of its scent, I mean). I’ve gone on record more than once by saying this: There is such a thing as the Sachajuan shower. This stuff can blast its aroma well into the next room, or linger on skin hours after a rinse. It leans floral, sure, but they have citrus and lavender options, too. Any of them will work to lull you to bed; imagine a hit of lavender just before you crawl into the sheets, fresh-skinned and ready to slumber. But there’s bite in this Ginger Flower aroma, too, so when I really want to crank up the aromatherapy, it’s my first choice.

The Best Value Shower Gel for Men: Harry's Body Wash

Has a bargain ever looked or smelt better? Or felt better, at that? It’s impossible to pick a favorite from the assortment of six delicious scents in Harry’s body gel assortment, but twist my arm and I’ll stick with Stone, my tried-and-true citrus-mineral medley. If you’re someone who can’t fathom spending hard-earned cash on something that rinses so quickly down the drain—or if you just want a great baseline synthetic body wash, no frills no attitude—meet Harry’s!

I could sit here and type out an entire paragraph on all the most normal things a body wash is supposed to do, and apply them all to Harry’s. In fact, let’s try that: It cleans! It nourishes! It smells real nice! It lathers easily! So there you have it: This very affordable body wash is worth your spend.

The Best Luxury Shower Gel for Men: Flamingo Estate Body Wash

This is one of those body washes where you feel like “something’s up” as it works on your skin. It’s less viscous than a gel—dense with oils to nourish, purify, and soothe—but lathers just the same. Flamingo Estate’s M.O. is a farm-to-shower caddy approach to beauty and grooming, with high-quality ingredients in their natural formulas.

I would suggest shelving this one if you have overly sensitive skin; while I find it extremely nourishing and cushioning on skin, I’m reluctant to recommend high concentrations of essential oils to anyone with a fickle disposition. They can, at the very least, appreciate how delightfully aromatic my favorite one smells. (Rosemary & Clary Sage, that is—though Peppermint & Juniper Berry ain’t far behind.)

The Dermatologist Pick: CeraVe Hydrating Body Wash

Sanghvi calls out CeraVe’s best selling wash as the best of any drugstore options. Sure, it’s a cream-based option rather than a gel, but maybe you’re in this article for a body wash in general, as opposed to just gels. After all, consider the evidence here: “It’s packed with ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to restore the skin barrier and provide long-lasting hydration. It's also fragrance-free, making it a go-to for sensitive skin types,” she says. Plus, the drugstore facet means it is supremely cost accessible too, compared to many others on the roster.

What to Look for In the Best Body Gel for Men

When choosing a body wash, formula certainly reigns. And what separates a formula that goes above and beyond are its key active ingredients, notes Sanghvi. Those include a variety of categories, like hydrating actives, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory actives, and purifying actives.