Canstar Blue’s 2021 body wash review has seen QV, Radox, Sukin, Dettol, Lux, Nivea, Dove, ALDI Juliet, Original Source, Palmolive, Johnson’s, Lynx, Aveeno, Coles and Balnea compared on customer satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
QV topped Canstar Blue’s body wash ratings, with five-star reviews for effectiveness, consistency, feel on skin, packaging and overall satisfaction.
Showers aren’t just for singing while imitating dramatic music videos in our heads. It’s also a time to lather up your favourite body wash, helping your skin feel softer and smell a whole lot better. Plus, there’s an exciting variety of shower gels, creams, oils, and extra exfoliating and moisturising formulas out there. And let’s not even start on the wide range of scents.
To help you find a product that ticks all your boxes, Canstar Blue surveyed more than 1,200 Aussies to find out which brands are scrubbing up best – and which just stink! Brands were rated on their effectiveness, feel on skin, smell, consistency, packaging, value for money and overall satisfaction. The feedback we’ve received (for brands that qualified with a minimum sample size of 30 responses) is reflected by the star ratings you see above.
While 15 brands made the cut, Aussie-made QV Skincare got a smooth win as the only brand to get five stars for overall satisfaction and in most categories.
Here are the best brands of body wash in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s latest review:
QV topped our ratings with five stars for feel on skin, effectiveness, consistency, packaging and overall satisfaction. Notably, only three brands managed to score five stars for value for money – Radox, Dettol and ALDI Juliet. Runner-up Radox also scored five stars for effectiveness alongside Nivea. Meanwhile, Lux and Original Source received top marks for scent.
Now, let’s look at what consumers found to be most important when buying body wash.
When it comes to body wash, there are several key factors to think about. Our research identified the following drivers of satisfaction, listed in order of importance:
Just before we unpack the above factors, this is what else our survey revealed:
This year, effectiveness was rated the most important driver of satisfaction when it comes to body wash. Why bother with it if it’s not doing the job? Nearly half (46%) of survey respondents said they’ve tried different brands and if our review is anything to go by, there are plenty of options in the pool of body washes. So, if one brand doesn’t cut it, it’s easy to switch.
Body wash aims to clean your skin and in turn, helps leave it feeling soft. As it’s typically used every day, it shouldn’t make your skin dry by stripping off your natural oils or sting when you apply it. For different skin types – sensitive, dry or oily – you’ll find specific options targeting these factors.
Aussies spend an average of $13 on body wash (per unit), according to our survey. While this may not seem like much at first, consider the fact that you use body wash every day (or you should anyway) and you’ll get an idea of how that cost can add up quickly over time. Our survey found that 10% of Aussies always buy the cheapest brand. However, if you have certain skin concerns you may need to buy specific products which can result in extra costs. For example, a fifth of shoppers (20%) head towards options with additional benefits, such as exfoliating and moisturising, while 14% buy a specific brand for sensitive skin.
Body wash comes in a range of textures, so you’d want to find one that makes you want to lather up every time you shower or bathe. Whether you like formulas that are silky smooth or with exfoliating beads, there are different options out there. However, no one enjoys a consistency that feels lumpy or gritty.
While smell was further down the list of drivers of satisfaction, many people still said they like to try different scents/flavours of body wash. When asked which scent they most recently bought, 40% of respondents indicated floral, followed by fruit (39%), vanilla (28%), honey (23%), unscented (19%), woody (16%), musk (12%) and coffee (6%).
Many brands offer a variety of fragrances for different scent preferences, so having the option to change it up from time to time – but being able to stick with the same brand – is a plus. After all, you’re the only one who ‘nose’ what’s best for you.
Packaging can make a difference to the overall experience of using body wash. While it doesn’t directly affect the end result, having a bottle that’s easy to hold, pour and use is a plus. Even one that suits the aesthetic of your bathroom can make you buy one brand over another.
We hope you’ve found this guide helpful! If your current body wash isn’t up to standard, why not try one of the brands at the top of our ratings.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.
Picture credits: Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com, TORWAISTUDIO/Shutterstock.com, showcake/Shutterstock.com.
Canstar Blue surveyed 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased (from a supermarket or pharmacy) and used body wash or shower gel in the last six months – in this case, 1,220 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
Here are the previous winners of Canstar Blue’s body wash review:
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