These 15 Bodywashes Smell So Good You Can Skip the Perfume

If you’re like me and picky about your bodywashes, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve noticed that quite a few of them don’t lather as much as I would like them to or just lack that fresh, revitalizing scent that I want to start my day with. A solid and distinct-smelling wash can really do a lot for you—some are so good you can even skip dousing on a fragrance or two post-shower. 

Personally, I enjoy a good essential oil blend in my bodywash. Some of them can truly make you feel like you’re on an exotic vacation without ever leaving your home. If lathering on this level of deliciousness every day is high on your priority list, read on below for the best-smelling bodywashes money can buy.

Nécessaire makes some of the lushest body products out there, from the brand’s body serum to its lotions and aroma-rich bodywashes. I love the Eucalyptus and Sandalwood bodywashes—they both have such light and pleasant scents to them that never are overpowering or smell perfumy.

If you like brighter, fresh scents, try The Right to Shower’s Tangerine + Honeysuckle wash. As a bonus, it’s also completely sulfate-free. 

Maude’s pH-balanced bodywashes also double as bubble bath—and they smell delicious enough to be both. Personally, my go-to is scent No. 1, which has amber, cedar leaf, clove, lemongrass, Medjool date, and tonka bean. It’s such a rich, warm scent that lingers really nicely after a shower.

I’m obsessed with Fresh perfumes, so naturally, I hoard the brand’s bodywashes, too. They just all smell so clean and elegant. This wash contains notes of white sandalwood, bergamot, dark almond, and rose with crisp top notes of citrus, making it both zesty and earthy. The perfect combination if you ask me.

I use Dr Teal’s bath salts religiously, and they smell so incredible that I decided to snag a few of the brand’s bodywashes. The calming rose essential oil blend in it smells uplifting, and the formula contains aloe vera, shea butter, and vitamin E to soothe dry skin.

By Rosie Jane’s formula is an energizing blend of aromatic essential oils, including lemon, verbena, grapefruit, geranium, and eucalyptus. It also provides a rich lather without stripping your skin of its natural oils.

Bal d’Afrique Eau de Parfum ($196) is one of my all-time favorite fragrances, so of course, I jumped for joy when I realized it comes in a bodywash, too. It’s the notes of lemon, marigold, and rich vetiver that do it for me.

Notes of citrus, lemon, and sage round out this refreshing formula. This is one of the best-smelling bodywashes, and the formulais designed to draw extra moisture into the skin and help it retain it long term.

There is nothing more luxurious than smelling like one of Chanel’s most iconic scents. When you use this rich, creamy wash with notes of jasmine, rose, and patchouli, you can 100% skip a spritz of your perfume afterward.

So many people love this classic Jo Malone scent—and the bodywash smells just as good. Your shower will be extra revitalizing as the notes of ambrette seeds, sea salt, and sage hit your nose. It’s both woody and salty in the best possible way.

Bring some zen into your life with Grown Alchemist’s calming bodywash. It’s a full aromatherapy experience featuring the lush scent of chamomile, bergamot, and rosewood. And that’s not all—neroli, tangerine, and rosemary extracts nourish and moisturize your skin while promoting stress relief in the body.

This detoxing wash smells lightly tropical and floral—it’s great for those who only like something faint. It also contains antioxidant-rich yerba mate and volcanic clay for replenishment and an extra-deep clean.

I’m not going to lie to you: Dove is a brand I always return to despite having tried many different bodywashes out there on the market. I especially love the brand’s formula for sensitive skin. It does contain a light, cucumber-like scent that I really love because it’s never overpowering. But I also realize that that may bother people with fragrance sensitivities or allergies. If that doesn’t bother you, though, this three-pack is a great value.

I love Milk + Honey’s Body Cream No. 8 ($36), and the bodywash is also one of the best-smelling out there, in my opinion. Lavender and eucalyptus are two of my favorite essential oils, and Milk + Honey has blended them so perfectly. This bodywash also helps reduce inflammation on the skin and eliminates acne-causing bacteria.

Aēsop’s body cleanser is low-foaming, so I know it might not be for everyone. (I get it—you like a good lather.) It’s still one of the best-smelling bodywashes around, though. It has a light citrus aroma with notes of grapefruit rind, lemon rind, and petitgrain.

Up Next: 12 Exfoliating Body Lotions That Make Your Skin Smoother and More Radiant—Fast