The Best Salicylic Acid Body Washes Can Make Short Work of Your Body Breakouts

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If you find yourself breaking out with acne over your body, have no fear. First, you’re not alone and second, the best salicylic body wash can help.

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What’s salicylic acid? What does a salicylic acid body wash do?

Salicylic acid is an organic chemical compound commonly used to treat certain skin conditions, including acne, overly rough skin, keratosis pilaris and melasma.

In a sentence, salicylic acid works by peeling skin. It chemically burns skin in order to prompt new skin to grow. While that sounds like a bad thing, it’s easy to see how that can be useful for getting rid of skin with features you don’t want, allowing the healthy skin you do want to take its place.

Put it all together and a salicylic acid body wash will help break down acne and discoloration over your body and may also prompt additional skin turnover, resulting in healthier more agreeable skin.

If you’re suffering from acne in some of the harder-to-reach places or if you’re just looking to try out a potentially more skin-aggressive body wash, a salicylic acid body wash might help.

Check out a few of the best salicylic acid body washes below. You’ll get clean and improve your skin over time.

1. Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Body Wash

Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Body Wash is an all-around great salicylic acid body wash.

A good lather and activated charcoal get you clean, leaving your skin refreshed and smooth, while salicylic acid goes to work on any present and future breakouts. Plus, this body wash smells pretty good and offers a great value for its size and price. We like it and we bet most guys would too.

Buy: Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Body Wash $16.99

Buy: Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Body Wash $9.00

2. CeraVe Salicylic Acid Body Wash

CeraVe is a go-to for all things skincare and the CeraVe Salicylic Acid Body Wash is no exception. Of course, it’s got plenty of good ingredients to moisturize and clean your skin but it really excels at exfoliating bumpy skin. Users with bumps and acne all over reported that this body wash helped smooth out their skin. Just as long as you use it consistently, this salicylic acid body wash will continue to gently soften your skin.

Buy: CeraVe Salicylic Acid Body Wash $13.99

3. Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash

When it comes to salicylic acid, Neutrogena is one of the most reliable and effective product makers out there. The Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash says right on the bottle that it treats and helps prevent body breakouts for clean, clear skin and it delivers. Whether you’re dealing with ingrown hairs, body bumps or acne, this body wash promises to break them down and leave your skin totally clean.

Buy: Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash $11.13

4. Amazon Solimo Pink Grapefruit Body Wash

If you’re just looking for a decent salicylic acid body wash for a reasonable price, Amazon Solimo Pink Grapefruit Body Wash is the one for you. Though the pink and grapefruit fragrance may seem feminine, make no mistake: This body wash works just as well for men or any person looking to smooth out rough, bumpy, acne-prone skin. Salicylic acid certainly can’t tell the difference when it comes to exfoliating skin.

Buy: Amazon Solimo Pink Grapefruit Body Wash $16.09

5. Proactiv Deep Cleansing Acne Body Wash

Proactiv has been advertising on TV for a generation and the brand’s managed to stick around because its products feel premium and successfully fight acne. If you’re dealing with overly oily skin and frequent breakouts, the Proactiv Deep Cleansing Acne Body Wash will get the job done and leave your skin feeling totally clean and refreshed.

Some users did complain about the dispenser. Though it’s not ideal and we would expect better for the price, if the body wash works, we think it’s a small price to pay.

Buy: Proactiv Deep Cleansing Acne Body Wash $36.00

6. Black Wolf Nation Activated Charcoal Men’s Body Wash

The Every Man Jack body wash is definitely great, but that doesn’t take anything away from the Black Wolf Nation Activated Charcoal Men’s Body Wash. Charcoal and salicylic acid purify and cleanse skin while a bevy of plant- and fruit-based ingredients rejuvenate it.

Not to mention, it actually smells like something a guy would use, lathers up well and isn’t too harsh despite taking care of breakouts.

Buy: Black Wolf Nation Activated Charcoal Men’s Body Wash $16.00

7. Murad Acne Body Wash

Unlike most of the options on this list, which contain 2.0% salicylic acid, the Murad Acne Body Wash dials it back to 1%. Even so, dark spots and acne don’t stand a chance. Of all the reviews we read for this round-up, users were the most effusive for the Murad body wash, with many reporting cleaner, smoother skin in just a few weeks.

Buy: Murad Acne Body Wash $44.00

8. Paula’s Choice Clear Back and Body Acne Spray

If you find you’re really struggling with body acne, you can always supplement your salicylic acid body wash with an acne spray like Paula’s Choice Clear Back and Body Acne Spray. Trouble spots won’t stand a chance against this spray. Because it’s a more pure formulation than a body wash and stays on the skin, it’s much more likely to be better absorbed and ultimately more effective.

Buy: Paula’s Choice Clear Back and Body Acne Spray $26.00

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