I’ve paid my dues on the acne struggle front.
By the time I finished high school, most of my face acne had cleared up, but for some reason my back went wild, started overproducing oil, and acne started springing up left and right.
Like any naive, skincare-ignorant kid would do, I figured that if there’s too much oil, I just had to use more soap to really show that oil who’s the boss.
That’s what you do with dishes, after all, and there’s no readily apparent differences between your back and a large ceramic plate, right?
Wrong.
To make matters worse, but in line with my assumption that back skin and plates are made of the same material, I was using cheap, off-the-shelf body wash that technically classifies as detergent.
What can I say, it’s hard to get away from the value of a 3-in-1 body product when you’re scraping pennies together as a college student.
After roughly a year of mini volcanic eruptions on my back and far too much resemblance to the surface of Mars, I decided to do some research and see if there were acne-specific body washes.
I turned to Google, and that’s when I found a whole world of body washes dedicated to promoting healthy, calm, and clear skin.
I’ve unpacked the six best acne body washes for men that money can buy so you can start washing and stop popping.
My Recommendations
Best Overall: Geologie Acne Control Superclean Body Wash
Geologie’s roots as a 25x award-winning skincare company give them a unique knowledge base for creating body washes.
As you’d expect, their Acne Control Superclean Body Wash comes packed with beneficial skincare ingredients that are most frequently used on the face, but pack the same punch when used on the rest of your skin.
This lineup of beneficial skincare ingredients starts with salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is one of the most frequently used ingredients in acne products, due to its ability to unclog pores and remove acne quickly.
The Acne Control Superclean Body Wash also uses an AHA + BHA formula, which are two other exfoliating acids that team up to gently exfoliate the surface of your skin, and also penetrate deep down into clogged pores.
This results in clear, smooth skin that’s resistant to acne breakouts and is well-moisturized.
Best of all, it’s made without fragrances, sulfates, parabens, or phthalates, which makes it great for all skin types since it won’t cause irritation.
What I Like
- The AHA + BHA formula gently cleanses and exfoliates deep pores.
- The salicylic and glycolic acid help to reduce the appearance of acne scars over time.
- It cleanses and moisturizes at the same time, which helps regulate sebum production and the oily feeling on your skin.
What I Don’t Like
- There are no scent choices, but that’s likely for the best with an acne treatment body wash.
What Other Reviewers Say
This body wash has rave reviews from people who have struggled long-term with back acne. Several customers said that this is the only acne control product that’s worked for them, while others loved how it didn’t leave their skin dry and instead gave them a smooth, soft skin feel.
The Verdict
Geologie’s Acne Control Superclean Body Wash packs some serious firepower against pesky back, chest, and body acne. Salicylic and glycolic acid, and the AHA + BHA formula work together to deeply cleanse and exfoliate pores, which prevents acne breakouts and swiftly handles active acne.
It’s made without fragrances and harmful cleansing agents, which makes this safe and effective to use for people of all skin types. In short, it doesn’t get much better than this when it comes to acne body washes.
This stuff packs some serious firepower against pesky body acne. Salicylic and glycolic acid, and the AHA + BHA formula work together to deeply cleanse and exfoliate pores, which prevents acne breakouts and swiftly handles active acne. I like that it’s made without fragrances and harmful cleansing agents, which makes it safe and effective to use for all skin types.
Best for All Skin: Oars + Alps Luxury Body Wash
Oars + Alps is another brand that got their start in men’s skincare and expanded to self-care and body products.
Their Luxury Body Wash is a great choice if your skin fluctuates between feeling oily one day, and super dry the next. Gentle ingredients like Vitamin E, Jojoba Oil, and Alpine Caribou Moss cleanse the skin without stripping away the natural, protective oils.
This body wash uses both Jojoba Oil and Jojoba Spheres, which work together to exfoliate pores to remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells, and also deeply moisturize the skin. Jojoba Oil also has antimicrobial properties, which help prevent acne breakouts.
Alpine Caribou Moss also helps to prevent acne by protecting the skin from pollution that could clog pores and cause irritation.
Oars + Alps makes this body wash without sulfates and alcohols, which ensures that the washing experience will be non-irritating and also won’t dry out your skin.
What I Like
- Jojoba Oil is a potent moisturizer that’s all natural and has antimicrobial properties which prevent bacteria-caused acne breakouts.
- The Alpine Caribou Moss protects the skin from pollution that can clog pores and cause irritation.
- All the ingredients used in this body wash are easy on the skin and won’t cause blemishes, which makes this a great choice for all skin types.
What I Don’t Like
- Not all of the ingredients are natural, which means there are other body washes that will do a better job of hydrating your skin.
What Other Reviewers Say
Oars + Alps’ Luxury Body Wash has great reviews overall. Satisfied customers mentioned that the body wash lathered well and spread easily over their entire with a small amount, and almost everyone commented on how much they loved the fresh scents.
The Verdict
If you’re not sure how your skin will react to a body wash, it’s best to choose one like Oars + Alps’ Luxury Body Wash, whose gentle ingredients make it excellent for all skin types.
The Jojoba Oil offers some serious skin hydration, which will help prevent breakouts, and also has antimicrobial properties to keep your skin clear and unbothered.
If you’re not sure how your skin will react to a body wash, it’s best to choose one like this one---its gentle ingredients make it excellent for all skin types. The Jojoba Oil offers some serious skin hydration, which will help prevent breakouts, and also has antimicrobial properties to keep your skin clear and unbothered.
Best Clarifying: Lumin Clarifying Body Wash
Sometimes your skin is just disgruntled. Blotchy patches, itchy patches, acne breakouts, and more leave some of us wishing for a product that would just soothe and clear up our skin for once.
That’s where Lumin’s Clarifying Body Wash comes in.
This body wash is formulated with aloe vera and tea tree extract, both of which work to soothe skin with deep hydration, and clean out your pores that might be causing irritation or breakouts.
Once it’s done cleansing and hydrating, the Clarifying Body Wash uses ceramides to protect and bolster the skin’s natural barrier against environmental elements that might cause blockages in your pores.
Like any good body wash, the Clarifying Body Wash isn’t made with parabens or sulfates, and isn’t tested on animals.
What I Like
- The aloe vera helps to soothe, relax, and hydrate irritable, rough skin and makes it smoother over time.
- The tea tree extract naturally detoxifies skin, while deep cleaning pores and preventing them from getting clogged.
What I Don’t Like
- This body wash is expensive considering the product volume, but thankfully a little goes a long way with this soap.
What Other Reviewers Say
The Clarifying Body Wash has tons of reviews from happy customers that reported clarifying, smoothing, and hydrating results. Lots of reviewers mentioned the fresh, clean scent in particular, and the smooth feel of their skin after showering with this body wash.
The only negative reviews I could find were from subscribers, who noted that the product volume was fairly small considering that the body wash is supposed to last two months.
The Verdict
The days of rough, blotchy, angry skin can be a thing of the past with Lumin’s Clarifying Body Wash. Potent, natural ingredients like aloe vera, tea tree extract, and ceramides deeply clean and hydrate the skin, and then help protect the skin’s natural barrier from dirt, debris, and oil that could cause breakouts.
The days of rough, blotchy, angry skin can be a thing of the past with Lumin’s Clarifying Body Wash. Potent, natural ingredients like aloe vera, tea tree extract, and ceramides deeply clean and hydrate the skin, and then help protect the skin’s natural barrier from dirt, debris, and oil that could cause breakouts.
Best for Dry Skin: Hawthorne Dry Relief Peppermint Body Wash
If you struggle with perpetually dry skin, Hawthorne’s Dry Relief Peppermint Body Wash may well be worth a look.
Made with natural oat extract and jojoba oil, this body wash packs a hydrating wallop every time you shower.
Oat extract attracts water to the skin, which helps to create a protective moisture barrier that hydrates deeply and keeps skin from inflammation. Jojoba oil helps to hydrate and balance the skin’s natural oil production, which is critical when it comes to dry skin.
When your skin is dry, your pores over-correct by producing too much oil, which can lead to a greasy, dry combination skin environment that’s just as uncomfortable as it sounds.
Jojoba oil helps to regulate the production of healthy, moisturizing oils so that your skin can get back to its natural, balanced state.
This Dry Relief Body Wash is also made with plant-derived glycerin, which helps your skin retain moisture in the long run.
As for the peppermint, it’s mostly just a refreshing fragrance additive (natural, of course), but it can also help to soothe and calm irritated skin.
What I Like
- The natural oat extract brings extra moisture to the skin and keeps it there, with the help of the plant-derived glycerin.
- The skin’s oil production is regulated by the jojoba oil, which helps ensure that your skin won’t swing drastically between dry and oily states.
- The peppermint smells fresh and helps to soothe angry skin.
What I Don’t Like
- Most standard bottles of body wash come in a 16 oz. size, but this only comes in an 8 oz. bottle.
What Other Reviewers Say
There aren’t many reviews to be found for the Dry Relief Body Wash, but each one I found was positive and mentioned that their dry skin had cleared up quickly. Most reviewers also mentioned loving the fresh scent of the peppermint.
The Verdict
Despite coming in a small bottle, this body wash packs a serious punch of hydration if you’re struggling with dry skin. The jojoba oil and natural oat extract help to get your skin to a happy, natural state of hydration where it will be less prone to acne breakouts.
Despite coming in a small bottle, this body wash packs a serious punch of hydration if you’re struggling with dry skin. The jojoba oil and natural oat extract help to get your skin to a happy, natural state of hydration where it will be less prone to acne breakouts.
Best on a Budget: Tiege Hanley Cleansing Body Wash
Tiege Hanley is all about making it easier for men to get into skincare and self care, and their Cleansing Body Wash is no exception.
With five possible scents to choose from, all you have to do is pick the scent that stands out to you, decide whether you want it on a regular basis as part of a subscription or not, and then Tiege Hanley sends it along with a travel size bottle for your Dopp kit.
Besides eucalyptus, Tiege also offers their Cleansing Body Wash in Sandalwood, Citrus, and Cucumber scents.
Best of all, you can pick up one of their body wash bottles for only $8. Sure, it’s still more than Old Spice, but this body wash is going to treat your skin well and its natural ingredients will help prevent acne breakouts.
What I Like
- Compared to a lot of other specialty body washes, Tiege’s Cleansing Body Wash is super affordable.
- It cleanses the skin of dirt, sweat, and oil without drying out your skin and causing irritation.
- You can save even more money when you set up a subscription for this body wash.
What I Don’t Like
- Tiege Hanley doesn’t use too many natural ingredients in their formulation of this body wash.
What Other Reviewers Say
The Cleansing Body Wash has great reviews overall, with reviewers frequently mentioning how they love the smell and how long it lasts on their skin. Others mentioned that this body wash won big points in their book since it didn’t dry out their skin.
The Verdict
If you want to treat your skin to something nice but don’t want to spend over $20 for a tiny bottle, go with Tiege Hanley’s Cleansing Body Wash. It’s affordable, effective, and will keep your skin healthy and moisturized.
If you want to treat your skin to something nice but don’t want to spend over $20 for a tiny bottle, go with Tiege Hanley’s Cleansing Body Wash. It’s affordable, effective, and will keep your skin healthy and moisturized.
Best for Sensitive Skin: CeraVe SA Body Wash
If you’ve got skin that will throw a temper tantrum at the drop of a hat, or any time you try to use a new product, I recommend CeraVe’s SA Body Wash.
It uses salicylic acid to gently cleanse and exfoliate skin and dry up acne without disrupting your natural, protective skin barrier. Just to be safe, the SA Body Wash is also made with 3 essential ceramides that will help to maintain the skin’s natural barrier.
This is a great body wash if you have sensitive skin and back acne because of the gentle ingredients and focused effort to make the formulation non-comedogenic. It also doesn’t use any sulfates, parabens, fragrances, or other ingredients that often cause irritation.
CeraVe also uses its patented MVE Technology here, which continuously releases moisturizing ingredients over a 24 hour period.
What I Like
- The salicylic acid gently cleans out pores and exfoliates the skin without disrupting your natural moisture barrier.
- The SA Body Wash won’t clog your pores after use because it’s non-comedogenic.
- CeraVe’s patented MVE Technology ensure deep hydration by continuously releasing moisturizing ingredients over a 24 hour period.
What I Don’t Like
- It doesn’t lather as richly as some body washes, but that’s because it’s not made with sulfates.
What Other Reviewers Say
Although the SA Body Wash is advertised for rough and bumpy skin, there are plenty of reviewers who used it for acne breakouts and saw great results. The majority of happy customers appreciated the gentle formulation and how it didn’t irritate sensitive skin.
The only negative reviews I could find focused on the product not being as powerful as expected for more serious dermatological conditions. That said, I didn’t find any negative reviews from anyone using this body wash as an acne treatment.
The Verdict
CeraVe’s SA Body Wash is packed full of beneficial skincare ingredients, like salicylic acid, ceramides, and niacinamide. It’s a powerful moisturizer, has gentle ingredients that won’t irritate skin, and will clear up back acne quickly.
CeraVe’s SA Body Wash is packed full of beneficial skincare ingredients, like salicylic acid, ceramides, and niacinamide. It’s a powerful moisturizer, has gentle ingredients that won’t irritate skin, and will clear up back acne quickly.
What Causes Back Acne?
There are two major causes of back acne, the first of which happens when sweat, dirt, oil, and dead skin cells get trapped in your pores and form pimples.
Back acne is also caused by overactive sebaceous glands, which produce a substance called sebum. Sebum is a healthy, natural oil that helps keep your skin healthy. However, when too much sebum is produced, your skin will feel oily and your pores can become clogged by the excess sebum.
2 Key Things to Consider When Choosing a Body Wash to Treat Back Acne
Is Your Skin Sensitive?
If your skin is sensitive to new products, fragrances, or harsh cleaning chemicals, you’ll want to choose a body wash that’s made without fragrances, parabens, phthalates, or sulfates. It’s probably best to steer clear of body washes with exfoliating microbeads as well, as these can be harsh on sensitive skin.
What’s Your Budget?
Spending $20 on a small bottle of body wash can seem excessive, but oftentimes that’s just the cost of high-quality ingredients. You can find some body washes that treat acne for around $10, but if you want the best product with premium ingredients and skincare solutions, expect to spend at least $20.
Say Bye to Bacne
Between these six body washes you shouldn’t have an issue finding a product that works with your skin and budget while effectively treating your back acne.
If you’re looking for a body wash that’s packed full of natural, proven, and potent skincare ingredients and isn’t made with harsh chemicals or artificial fragrances, go with Geologie’s Acne Control Superclean Body Wash. It’s always our first recommendation.
This stuff packs some serious firepower against pesky body acne. Salicylic and glycolic acid, and the AHA + BHA formula work together to deeply cleanse and exfoliate pores, which prevents acne breakouts and swiftly handles active acne. I like that it’s made without fragrances and harmful cleansing agents, which makes it safe and effective to use for all skin types.
Guys who aren’t sure how their skin will react to new products should take a safe option and pick a body wash that’s appropriate for all skin types, like Oars + Alps’ Luxury Body Wash.
If you’ve got blotchy skin and want a clarifying body wash solution, I recommend Lumin’s Clarifying Body Wash.
Dudes with dry, flaky skin will find a minty solution with Hawthorne’s Dry Relief Peppermint Body Wash.
If you’re on a budget and the prices for some of these premium body washes are making your eyes sting, check out Tiege Hanley’s Cleansing Body Wash.
Lastly, if you’ve struggled with sensitive skin and want a product that won’t send your skin into a spiral of irritation and acne, I recommend CeraVe’s SA Body Wash.
If you know a guy who won’t take his shirt off because of an intense case of bacne, share this article with him! He’ll thank you when his back looks like the smooth marble of a Greek sculpture.
FAQs
Will body wash get rid of back acne?
Yes, especially body washes with salicylic acid and ingredients that provide intense moisturization.
How do you wash your back to prevent acne?
Avoid using a body wash with harsh cleansers like sulfates and parabens, and also avoid physically scrubbing your back too hard, as this can irritate the skin and open pores to oil and bacteria.
Does a loofah get rid of back acne?
No. In fact, it’s best to not use a loofah if you have back acne. The loofah can irritate the acne and cause it to spread to other areas of your skin.
How do I get rid of a deep pimple on your back?
First off, don’t try to pop it. This can inflame or damage the skin. Use a body wash with salicylic acid, or look for a topical cream or gel salicylic acid treatment that you can apply directly to the pimple.
