When it comes to shopping for body care products, shower gel might be one of the most varied categories out there. Options run the gamut from no-frills, fragrance-free formulas to indulgent, sweetly scented gels that can elevate your daily shower to a spa-like experience.

To help you on the hunt for your next favorite shower gel, we’ll dig into common questions such as:

• What is shower gel?
• What are the skin benefits of shower gel?
• What shower gel should I try?

What Is Shower Gel?

Shower gel commonly refers to a body cleanser that starts in a liquid gel form and foams up into a lather once water has been added. Shower gels tend to be soap-free and instead get their cleaning power from ingredients called surface active agents (aka surfactants). This means that they’re less likely to strip your skin of its natural oils like soap can.

Is shower gel the same as body wash? Not exactly. Body washes tend to be thicker and creamier in texture as opposed to a shower gel, and they may be formulated with more moisturizing skin care ingredients.

That said, it’s not always so cut and dry when you’re browsing the cleanser aisle. For example, you might see a clear gel cleanser labeled as a body wash, which can be confusing but isn’t necessarily a reason to alert the skin care police.

“There’s no authority out there regulating what is shower gel versus what is body wash and which should be used on product labels,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO, Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “It’s perhaps a matter of semantics—and how different manufacturers choose to market their products.”

What Is Shower Gel Used For?

First things first, shower gel is typically used to cleanse your skin. As you rub shower gel on your body, it lathers up once water is added to help cleanse away built-up dirt, excess oil and bacteria from your skin.

For a spa-like experience at home, most shower gels are fragranced with a scent that’s enjoyable in the shower and also lingers on your skin afterward. Whereas, some medicated shower gels might also feature active skin care ingredients in their formula to help you keep your skin conditions in check, like body acne or eczema.

If you are looking to infuse some moisture into your skin care routine, then you may want to look for a shower gel or body wash with hydrating skin care ingredients, such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid, as well as ingredients that work to lock in skin’s moisture, such as ceramides or shea butter.

6 Shower Gels to Try

The skin benefits of shower gels are as varied as their formulas—there are so many choices out there! Here are a few favorites to try based on what kind of skin benefits you’re craving.

Revitalizing: Elemis Revitalise-Me Shower Gel

Feeling fatigued? This fragrant shower gel is formulated to awaken and revitalize your senses with essential oils like basil and thyme. It also contains neroli oil, which comes from orange tree blossoms, and lime peel oil, which delivers a sweet, citrusy scent that helps soften skin.

Hydrating: Lather Sea Kelp Body Wash

Looking for a shower gel that can be used in the bath too? Check out this hydrating shower gel, which works double time as a bubble bath and shower gel. Powered by marine-based ingredients, this formula contains aloe vera, to help hydrate skin, and seaweed extract, which is rich in vitamins and minerals that help nourish your skin.

Acne-Fighting: LovelySkin Salicylic Acid Face and Body Wash

Body acne is no match for this cleanser, which helps treat existing breakouts and prevent future ones with 2% salicylic acid, the highest concentration available without a prescription. It can be used on both the face and body and also helps soothe irritation from razor burn.

Balancing: GLOWBIOTICS Probiotic Shower Gel - Citrus Coconut

With its citrus- and coconut-laden scent, a shower using this foamy formula might just be the next best thing to a breezy beach vacay. This sulfate-free body wash contains vitamin E to help soothe and soften skin as probiotics go to work balancing your skin’s delicate microbiome.

Calming: Jurlique Calming Lavender Shower Gel

Need to unwind after a stressful day? This shower gel harnesses the relaxing powers of lavender to help you unwind as you lather up. It also contains glycerin and chamomile, two hydrating ingredients that can help revive parched skin. If lavender isn’t your vibe, you can also choose from other scents like rose, citrus or lemon with geranium and clary sage.

Soothing: CLn Body Wash

If you have eczema, you may have learned the hard way that fragrances featured in certain scented shower gels can sometimes cause a flare-up. “This body cleanser can also help treat folliculitis, which are pimple-like red bumps that are actually caused by infected hair follicles,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “The main active ingredient is bleach, which in the right concentration can actually kill the bacteria that contributes to eczema and folliculitis without irritating skin.”

Looking for more ways to keep body acne at bay? Read about some of Dr. Schlessinger’s go-to recommendations in our blog post, How Do I Get Rid of Body Acne?