The 17 Best Body Washes & Soaps for Keratosis Pilaris 2018

While it often afflicts children, many adults struggle with keratosis pilaris, too. Those patches of dry skin with little red bumps don’t itch or hurt, but they are unsightly. You might see them on the backs of arms or thighs, or even on the face.

Top Body Washes for Keratosis Pilaris

The best body washes and soaps for keratosis pilaris unclog the plugged hair follicles. Not only do they exfoliate but they also moisturize. Let’s review some of the best bath products for treating this skin condition now.

GLYTONE KP Kit

GLYTONE’s KP Kit contains everything you need to reduce the symptoms of keratosis pilaris. You’ll begin with an exfoliating body wash and a shower pouf. The body wash contains glycolic acid to gently remove dead skin and unplug hair follicles.

Although you can wash your whole body with the soap, it’s fine to focus on the affected areas only. But avoid using this product right after you shave or depilate. Then rinse well and apply the included lotion. The lotion continues the exfoliation process while it moisturizes, too.

Customers say that the body wash and lotion make their skin burn a little, but it removes the tiny bumps and softens their skin. Finally, it’s recommended to use sunscreen on the treated skin.

CeraVe Salicylic Acid Body Wash to Cleanse and Exfoliate Rough and Bumpy Skin

CeraVe’s Salicylic Acid Body Wash helps you shed dead, dry skin and remove excess keratin from clogged hair follicles. As a result, skin feels smoother without the rough, dry texture of keratosis pilaris. The body wash also contains ceramides that strengthen the skin’s barrier against moisture loss and infection. Therefore, it hydrates for up to a day after a shower.

Touch Keratosis Pilaris Exfoliating Body Wash Cleanser

Touch’s Exfoliating Body Wash avoids harsh sulfates that dry out the skin. It also lacks irritants like parabens, drying alcohols, and dyes. Instead, it contains salicylic and glycolic acids to remove dead skin and unclog pores. As a result, it treats both keratosis pilaris and body acne.

To prevent dryness after bathing, it’s best to use a moisturizer. But the Touch Body Wash also has hydrating ingredients like aloe, Vitamin E, gotu kola, and hyaluronic acid. If you’re not satisfied with results, Touch offers a money-back guarantee.

Keratone KP Body Wash

Keratone’s KP Body Wash has a powerful 10% concentration of glycolic acid, a gentle exfoliant that re-texturizes the skin. Therefore, it gets rid of dry, rough skin and unclogs hair follicles.

Moreover, the formula lacks artificial fragrances, petrolatum, parabens, PEGS, and phthalates. Instead, it has aloe, Vitamin E, and jojoba oil to moisturize and soften problem areas. For best results, follow up with the Keratone KP cream.

BumpKlear Bumpy Skin Wash

BumpKlear’s Bumpy Skin Wash combines alpha and beta hydroxy acids to smooth rough skin. It removes the bumps and redness characteristic of keratosis pilaris. Plus, it moisturizes with Vitamin E and aloe.

Mario Badescu A.H.A. Botanical Body Soap

Mario Badescu’s AHA Body Soap is comprised of alpha hydroxy acids extracted from fruit. These natural exfoliants cleanse pores and unclog hair follicles. While it removes dead cells and makes skin smoother, it also soothes irritation with oat protein. Finally, the glycerin in the formula attracts moisture and rejuvenates the skin with ginseng.

Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash with Salicylic Acid

Neutrogena’s Body Clear Wash is a favorite product for persons with body acne. That’s because it contains salicylic acid that exfoliates dead skin without abrasive scrubbing. Therefore, it helps clear up keratosis pilaris also. But it can be drying, so it’s best to use a moisturizer right after bathing.

Murad Acne Body Wash

If a high concentration of salicylic acid is too drying to your skin, try Murad’s Acne Body Wash. It contains just 1% salicylic acid plus glycolic acid. Its exfoliating power is enhanced by biodegradable exfoliating beads. Additionally, it has licorice root and green tea to calm irritation and redness. Moreover, it lacks drying sulfates.

Organic African Black Soap from Sky Organics

The Sky Organics African Black Soap is a nourishing liquid body wash based on coconut oil, unrefined organic shea butter, and plantain skin ash that’s packed with nutrients. It exfoliates and rejuvenates dry skin. Plus, the manufacturer backs it with a money-back guarantee.

Zakia’s Moroccan Black Soap Original – The Healing Soap

Zakia’s Moroccan Black Soap restores dry, bumpy, rough skin to a smooth and younger-looking state. Furthermore, it does this without harsh chemicals like PEGs, mineral oil, parabens or silicone. Instead, the formula contains olive oil and olive paste that naturally soften the skin. For best results, use a Kesi exfoliating mitt along with the soap.

Aspen Kay Naturals Dead Sea Mud Soap Bar 100% Organic & Natural

This soap from Aspen Kay Naturals extracts toxins from the skin with Dead Sea minerals and mud. Moreover, it exfoliates dry skin gently enough that you can use it on your face. Besides keratosis pilaris, it also treats eczema and psoriasis.

SAL3 Salicylic Acid Sulfur Soap Bar

The SAL3 soap uses the power of 10% sulfur to soothe irritated skin and stop itching. Sulfur helps clear up acne, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis. Plus, this bar also has 3% salicylic acid that exfoliates and unclogs follicles to treat keratosis pilaris. But since it can dry out the skin with frequent use, be sure to moisturize.

Oleavine Therapeutic Tea Tree Oil Soap with Neem Oil

Oleavine’s soap uses tea tree and neem oils to clear up skin infections and calm irritation. But this body wash also hydrates and smoothes skin with omega fatty acids plus other natural extracts. Just as important, the body wash lacks artificial dyes and fragrances, as well as preservatives and petroleum extracts.

Puracy Natural Body Wash

Puracy’s Natural Body Wash combines pink grapefruit oil and Himalayan Sea Salt to exfoliate dead skin and unplug pores soothingly. Although it has a pleasant scent, it does not contain artificial fragrances or dyes. Nor does it have sulfates, parabens, or alcohols. Instead, it foams up due to a non-drying surfactant derived from coconuts.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Cetaphil’s Gentle Cleanser is often recommended for persons with psoriasis and eczema because it washes the skin without stripping natural oils. Since dry skin is part of the cause of keratosis pilaris, try this body wash on alternating days with an exfoliating soap.

NIVEA Creme Moisture Moisturizing Body Wash

Nivea’s Creme Moisture body wash won’t exfoliate the skin, but it will protect it from dryness. This is another product to use on alternating days to keep keratosis pilaris at bay.

Aveeno Positively Nourishing For Dry Skin

Aveeno’s Positively Nourishing body wash uses the humectant glycerin to attract moisture into the skin. Then it has shea butter and fig extract to lock-in moisture and soften parched skin. It’s kind to your skin when you need a break from exfoliating products.

Tips for managing keratosis pilaris

The key to managing keratosis pilaris is twofold. First, it appears in areas where the skin is overly dry. But it’s also caused by clogged hair follicles. Therefore, it’s imperative to remove dead skin and clean out pores. Plus, it’s important to keep the skin hydrated.

How to exfoliate to reduce the appearance of keratosis pilaris

There are two ways to exfoliate dead skin. While you can scrub with abrasive soaps, loofahs, or washcloths, they will probably damage the skin even if you can’t see it with the naked eye. Then irritated raw skin is an invitation to infection. Instead, try these next two methods.

Body wash with salicylic, glycolic, or lactic acid

A body wash with chemical exfoliators like beta, and hydroxy acids will work more slowly than a scrub. But it cleans out pores and removes dead skin without abrading. It can also moisturize, although it’s wise to use a body lotion or cream afterward.

If you choose to use a mitt, loofah, sponge, or washcloth, choose one that isn’t too rough. Then massage with the soap instead of vigorously rubbing. Plan to change the mitt or loofah often because they harbor bacteria.

Exfoliating moisturizers, lotions, and creams

Follow up your shower with an exfoliating cream or moisturizer. The best creams for keratosis pilaris contain lactic, glycolic, or salicylic acids or urea. Some may use topical retinoids, too. All of these options may burn or tingle when applied. Of course, if you’re treating a child, not an adult, speak to a doctor about gentler products.

Although your regular moisturizer doesn’t contain an exfoliant, it should be very hydrating and thick. Apply plenty of it to the affected areas.

Although some sites recommend petroleum jelly or similar products, they can clog the same pores and follicles that you’re trying to clear. Instead, stick to moisturizers without mineral oil and lanolin. Use lotions with plant derivatives like olive, coconut, and jojoba oil.

Avoid sunburn

Once you exfoliate the skin, it becomes more sensitive. Salicylic acid, in particular, can make the skin more vulnerable to sunburn. Therefore, be sure to wear sunscreen when you go outdoors for up to a week after you exfoliate.

Other practical ideas to reduce dry skin

When you have keratosis pilaris on areas where your clothes rub, switch to looser garments. Try wearing cotton or linen instead of synthetic materials.

Next, when you bathe or shower, don’t wash with hot water because it removes too much oil from the skin. Even long baths or showers can be problematic. Stick to ten minutes or less with warm water only. And use a moisturizing soap or body wash.

Finally, although keratosis pilaris may come back occasionally, it’s possible to keep it to a minimum. If you have sensitive, dry, or acne-prone skin, you might need to rotate products to avoid breakouts and excessive dryness. That’s why we listed some of the best body washes for dry skin, too.

Conclusion

Although it’s not curable (yet), keratosis pilaris is manageable. Those bumpy patches of dry skin will fade away. Get rid of them when you use one of the best body washes or soaps for keratosis pilaris. You’ll retexturize your skin to make it soft and smooth. Then keep your skin hydrated with a high-quality moisturizer.