The best luxury body washes and shower gels to try in 2024

Inspired by the Japanese relaxation technique of ‘forest bathing’, Tatcha’s fragrant body wash is intended to bring a meditative moment to your morning routine. The biodegradable cellulose beads in the low-lathering formula offer welcome exfoliation, while breathing in the herbal aroma of cedar and hinoki woods is akin to taking a long, deep breath in the great outdoors.

This year, Augustinus Bader is blending its scientific nous with sensorial appeal in a line of scented bodycare products. The first, The Body Cleanser is generously foaming wash enriched with eucalyptus to invigorate mind and muscles after a long night’s sleep (or a vigorous gym class).

As you’d expect from the king of skin-supporting formulations, it cleanses without over-drying skin, leaving limbs soft and supple.

Arguably one of Byredo’s most cherished perfumes, Gypsy Water is known for its spellbinding blend of woody pine needle, sandalwood and intense amber. Now encapsulated in a scent-throwing shower gel, this luxury body wash lathers satisfyingly and envelops your skin with a layer of those beloved notes.

Revered dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite recently released Joonbyrd, a joyful beauty brand specialising in body care that marries the sensorial and the scientific. Moon Swim, the luxurious body wash, looks and smells playful (the impactful packaging just asking to be reached for, and its milky gourmand scent making mouths water…) but its performance is advanced. With vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and prebiotic inulin, the sumptuous wash leaves skin soft and balanced.

You know not to judge a beauty product by its packaging, but the lure of Aesop’s famously chic bottles is strong. Lucky then, that this citrus-tinged body wash, scented with essential oils and designed not to strip skin, is as good as the packaging it arrives in.

Famously potent, This Works’ Deep Sleep line is lauded for its ability to slow even the most frantic mind, encouraging a restful night’s sleep. This shower gel is loaded with chamomile, vetiver and lavender essential oils which create an earthy, room-filling fragrance. Best used before bed.

Only Aromatherapy Associates could have delivered a shower oil this mood-alteringly good. The brand’s signature Muscle blend of essential oils – think ginger, rosemary and lavender – will soothe post-workout limbs, while the silky texture leaves skin deeply hydrated and beautifully scented.

The signature scent of London’s coolest women also comes in shower-gel form. If you’re new to the incredibly coveted blend, expect the soft comfort of sandalwood with the sweetness of ambrox and butter-soft leather.

Ameliorate’s cult body wash is a hero for the way it nurtures especially dry skin. Infused with a low level of lactic acid, it’ll gently resurface dull cells and patches of keratosis pilaris, while infusing lasting moisture to replenish and revive.

Family-owned British B-Corp Upcircle was founded with circularity at the heart of both its ingredients and its packaging. Each product is made using waste from other industries – this body wash features kiwi water sourced from juicing companies – and packaged in glass bottles designed to be topped up via plastic-free refill pouches. Best of all, the brand has been certified as plastic-negative, meaning it removes more existing plastic from the world than it produces.

The sugared-almond scent that permeates Drunk Elephant’s bodycare line will divide opinion, but the nourishing cream formula of this body wash is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. For anyone with a sweet tooth, follow up with the matching lotion for greater scent longevity.

This smart dual-phase body wash is specifically designed to be used in areas of hard water – such as the majority of the capital. The premise is that the high mineral content of hard water makes it tricky to remove soap residue from the skin, which is likely why your legs feel so dry after a shower.

Shake the bottle to blend the water and cream cleaners together, and they’ll work to sweep away residue while imparting mega moisture back into dry skin. And if you find hard water also leaves your scalp dry and strands feeling sticky, do give the brand’s equally impressive hard-water shampoo a go.

Jonathan Anderson’s move into home fragrance has been a runaway success for Loewe, with the brand now being known as much for its designer candles and room sprays as its ready-to-wear.

One of the chicest things you can gift (to a loved one or indeed, yourself) is this luxe rework of the traditional solid soap, which swings from a knotted rope and comes housed in beautiful illustrative packaging.

If you’re low on time in the mornings, choosing a deeply hydrating shower oil means you can skip having to slather on the lotion post-shower. Glossier’s hydrating hero is up to the task: it transforms into a frothy lather on application, and leaves limbs feeling incredibly silky.

This cult shower gel really packs a punch in the sensorial stakes: the fresh, verdant hit of eucalyptus is sure to energise sluggish muscles (as well as a tired mind). The super-sized bottle will lash for weeks, too.

REN’s cult shower gel produces a satisfying lather yet is gentle enough not to irritate skin prone to eczema or psoriasis. The fresh, aquatic smell is sure to please the whole family, while the bottle made from reclaimed ocean plastic is a promising sustainability shift.