Most soaps, especially bar soaps, dry the skin out. Liquid cleansers are much less damaging to the skin and several types of liquid cleansers are on the market.
Studies have shown that emollient-rich cleansers dry the skin out the least and add moisture to the skin. The following cleansers are all emollient-rich. They are not presented in any order of preference. The deciding factor for trying one cleanser over the other might be price, smell, or feel.
1. Dove Delicate Cream Oil Body Wash
Photo © Unilever
Most of the Dove® body wash products contain sunflower oil and soybean oil as the emollient. The Delicate Cream Oil contains the same ingredients as the Ultra Rich Cream Oil.
2. Olay Age Defying Body Wash
Photo © Olay
The Olay® products contain petroleum as the emollient. Petroleum is reported to stay on the skin and moisturize for up to 24 hours.
3. Dove Pro Age Body Wash
Photo © Unilever
The ingredients in this cleanser are the same as the other Dove cleansers listed here. The Pro-Age line is marketed towards "mature women" but anyone can use this cleanser.
4. Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter
Photo © Olay
The amount of shea butter is fairly small. It's probably just enough to make it smell differently than the other emollient-rich cleansers.
5. Dove Ultra Rich Cream Oil Body Wash
Photo © Unilever
This cream oil body wash contains the same ingredients as the delicate version. It is unclear if there is any difference in the amounts of each ingredient.
6. Olay Body Wash plus Body Butter Ribbons
Photo © Olay
The butter in the butter ribbons is JoJoba Butter and it's far enough down on the ingredient list that it is mainly contributing to the feel of the cleanser, not to its moisturizing effect. That's not a problem though because a good feel is important when choosing a cleanser.
