Living With Eczema Means Your Body Wash Choices Actually Matter

If you’ve got eczema, you already know the drill. That innocent-looking bottle of body wash sitting in your shower? It could be the reason your skin’s been screaming at you lately. Most commercial body washes are packed with sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and preservatives that strip your skin’s natural barrier — exactly what eczema-prone skin can’t handle.

I’ve spent years testing products and talking to dermatologists about what actually works. The truth is, going organic isn’t just a trendy choice for people with eczema. Its a necessity. Your skin needs gentle, nourishing ingredients that clean without causing the inflammation cycle that makes eczema unbearable.

What Makes a Body Wash Safe for Eczema?

Before we get into specific products, you need to understand what to look for — and what to run away from.

Ingredients to embrace:

• Colloidal oatmeal (FDA-approved for eczema relief)
• Shea butter and coconut oil for moisture
• Aloe vera for cooling inflammation
• Calendula and chamomile for calming
• Honey for natural antibacterial properties

Ingredients to avoid like the plague:

• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
• Synthetic fragrances (even “unscented” products can contain masking fragrances)
• Parabens and phthalates
• Alcohol (the drying kind, not cetyl or stearyl alcohol)
• Artificial dyes

The best organic body wash for eczema will have a short, recognizable ingredient list. If you can’t pronounce half the ingredients, put it back on the shelf.

The 7 Best Organic Body Washes for Eczema in 2025

1. Puracy Natural Body Wash

This one’s my top pick for daily use. Puracy uses a coconut-based cleanser that produces just enough lather to feel clean without stripping moisture. The formula includes sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, and citrus extracts.

What I love: It’s genuinely fragrance-free. Not that fake “unscented” nonsense where they just add chemicals to mask the smell. The pH is balanced at 5.5, which matches your skin’s natural acidity. A 16-ounce bottle runs about $15 and lasts roughly two months with daily use.

2. Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap (Baby Unscented)

You’ve probably seen these colorful bottles everywhere. The baby unscented version is perfect for eczema because it contains exactly what the label says: organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic hemp oil, and vitamin E. That’s it.

One word of caution: it’s concentrated. You need to dilute it or you’ll use way too much and potentially dry out your skin. Mix about a tablespoon with water in a foaming dispenser. At $18 for 32 ounces, this stuff lasts forever.

3. Burt’s Bees Baby Shea Butter & Vitamin E Body Wash

Don’t let the “baby” label fool you. This gentle formula works beautifully for adults with sensitive, eczema-prone skin. The combination of shea butter and vitamin E provides moisture while you cleanse, and the tear-free formula means it’s mild enough for even the angriest flare-ups.

The texture is a bit thin compared to conventional body washes, but that’s actually a good sign — it means fewer thickening agents that could irritate your skin.

4. Honest Company Purely Sensitive Body Wash

Jessica Alba’s company actually got this one right. The Purely Sensitive line is specifically designed for reactive skin, and it shows. The formula includes chamomile, calendula, and jojoba oil — all heavy hitters for calming inflammation.

At around $13 for 18 ounces, its reasonably priced. Just make sure you’re getting the Purely Sensitive version, not their scented varieties.

5. Era Organics Moisturizing Body Wash

This one’s specifically marketed for eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. The formula is loaded with aloe vera, manuka honey, and coconut oil. It’s also pH-balanced and completely free from sulfates, parabens, and artificial anything.

The consistency is more like a cream than a gel, which means it doesn’t strip moisture like traditional body washes. If you’ve been dealing with severe dryness alongside your eczema, this is worth trying. Similar to choosing natural soap brands for sensitive skin, finding the right body wash requires patience and a willingness to test what works for your specific skin.

6. Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash

Technically not 100% organic, but I’m including it because the active ingredient — colloidal oatmeal — is one of the most effective eczema soothers available. Aveeno’s formula is fragrance-free, soap-free, and dye-free.

The brand has decades of clinical research behind it, and many dermatologists recommend it as a first-line option. At $8-10 for a large bottle at most drugstores, it’s also the most accessible option on this list.

7. Shea Moisture African Black Soap Body Wash

African black soap has been used for centuries in West Africa for skin conditions. Shea Moisture’s version combines this traditional ingredient with oats, aloe, and shea butter. It’s particularly effective if your eczema tends toward the oily side or if you’re dealing with breakouts alongside your eczema.

The soap has a distinctive earthy smell that some people love and others find too strong. No added fragrance — that’s just how African black soap naturally smells.

How to Use Body Wash Without Making Eczema Worse

Even the best organic body wash for eczema can cause problems if you use it wrong. Here’s what actually helps:

Keep showers short and lukewarm. Hot water feels amazing in the moment, but it destroys your skin barrier. Aim for 5-10 minutes max, water temperature around 98-100°F.

Don’t scrub. I know it’s tempting, especially when you’re itchy. But scrubbing inflames already irritated skin. Use your hands or a soft washcloth with gentle pressure.

Pat dry, don’t rub. After your shower, gently pat your skin with a soft towel. Leave it slightly damp.

Moisturize immediately. Within three minutes of getting out of the shower, apply a thick, fragrance-free moisturizer or eczema-specific cream. This locks in hydration while your skin is still damp. Building good habits like this is similar to establishing a solid financial routine — small consistent actions lead to big results over time.

When to See a Dermatologist

Switching to an organic body wash is a great first step, but it’s not a cure. If you’re experiencing:

• Oozing or crusting patches
• Signs of infection (increased warmth, pus, spreading redness)
• Eczema that covers large areas of your body
• Flare-ups that don’t respond to over-the-counter treatments

You need professional help. A dermatologist can prescribe topical steroids, immunomodulators, or biologics that target eczema at the source.

The Bottom Line

Finding the best organic body wash for eczema often takes some trial and error. What works perfectly for one person might cause flare-ups in another. But starting with these seven options gives you a solid foundation of gentle, skin-friendly choices.

My advice? Start with Puracy or the Honest Company formula if you want something truly mild. Try Era Organics if you need extra moisture. And consider Aveeno if you want the clinical backing of colloidal oatmeal without breaking the bank.

Your skin is dealing with enough inflammation — your body wash shouldn’t add to the problem. Make the switch to organic, give it a few weeks, and pay attention to how your skin responds. Sometimes the simplest changes make the biggest difference. Just like managing your money effectively means making smart daily choices, managing eczema means choosing products that support rather than sabotage your skin’s health.