I'm A Scent-Obsessed Beauty Editor And These Perfumed Shower Gels Are Top Tier (2025)

In case you aren't as chronically online as I am (good for you!), you might have missed the self-care trend 'everything shower' that went viral on social media this year. Like a lot of things on TikTok, the 'everything shower' essentially re-packages and commodifies a rather basic practice into something buzzy by way of fancy products and extensive steps. If you've ever washed your hair, scrubbed, masked, and moisturised pre-, during, and post-shower, chances are, you too are well-acquainted with the everything shower.

The best perfumed body washes

• Best for lasting scent: L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil, £20.50
• Best for a cherry scent: Aveda Cherry Almond Hand & Body Wash, £18.75
• Best for an uplifting scent: Glossier Body Hero, £28
• Best for luxury: Hermès Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate Hair and Body Shower Gel, £48
• Best under £10: Caudalie Thé Des Vignes Shower Gel, £8

On socials, this extensive head-to-toe regime features a pre-shower dry brush to get the circulation going, body masks, exfoliators, hair removal, hair cleansing, hair treatments, followed by a post-shower hydration routine consisting of even more cocooning creams and oils. It's...a lot.

Yet, as an editor, I've always preferred viewing beauty rituals through a more inclusive, practical, and less prescriptive lens. Your everything shower can look completely different to mine, depending on your needs, preferences and abilities. Not everyone is into hair removal, and not all of us have the ability to stand in the bathroom for long periods of time.

While my own everything shower is minimalist by comparison (it's cleanse, haircare, exfoliate, shave and body cream, if you're curious), there is one non-negotiable: a perfumed body wash. There are many parts of beauty that I enjoy but showers are just so...boring. You're there, the water's on you, splish splash and that's it. Unlike baths where I can create an ambience and luxuriate in bubbles for ages with a book or a skincare routine where I'm targeting specific skin requirements, the skin on my body is pretty low-maintenance, so I keep my showers quick.

A perfumed shower gel just makes the process feel so much more pleasurable on cold mornings, and creates a pampering mood after a long day. Plus, I love how anyone (unless you're allergic to fragrance) can enjoy it as perfumed shower gels are available across all price points.

It goes without saying, but I wouldn't recommend using anything scented on more intimate areas. But aside from that, a perfumed shower gel is the one thing that makes me look forward to a good ol' shower. Plus, it fulfils my need for surrounding myself will all things scented.

I try every perfumed body wash that comes across my desk, and these are my favourites.

The Best Perfumed Body Washes Of All Time

L'Occitane understands that those who love the cult Almond Shower Oil will always repurchase (I've gone through so many bottles). That's why they're now also available in refillable aluminium bottles. It smells like delicious warm almonds, with a slightly more bitter undertone that keeps it feeling grown up rather than Bakewell-sweet. The rich oil formula emulsifies into a hydrating milk, leaving limbs noticeably softer in its wake. It's a potent scent, so almond haters, steer clear.

If you do want a moreishly delicious, cherry Bakewell tart waft of scent in your shower - look no further. This delivers exactly that, and you can get matching haircare, too. It is, in my opinion, the best fragrance Aveda has on their roster.

If you love the sunny scent of orange blossoms, Body Hero is set to take prime position in your bathroom. It's luminous, with slight musky undertones that recall the smell of sun-creamed skin, the kind you get after a long day on the beach. Sublime.

Feeling fancy? The Hermès body washes smell as good as they look. The colourful glass bottles are refillable and elevate your bathroom instantly, while the addictive scent lingers long after you step out of the shower. Just be careful not to drop it.

For elevated scents without the hefty price tag, these Caudalie shower gels are my go-tos. I put them in Christmas stockings, recommend them to friends and stock up every time I'm in Paris (it tends to be even more affordable across the Channel). The fragrance here is refined, pleasantly fresh yet with some complexity (Mint Original Source, this is not). Trés chic.

I grew up in Malaysia, where frangipanis grow in abundance and fill the air with its sweet, milky scent. This shower cream never fails to transport to sunnier days, and smells especially lovely on cold, grey mornings.

According to consultant dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite, effective products should never compromise on either science or sensorial pleasure. She's right, of course. Her range features skin-kind, proven ingredients such as prebiotics, hyaluronic acid and plant actives, all tied up with a caramel-scented bow.

In the evenings, the gentle waft of Neom's lavender and geranium scent is useful for getting you in the mood for some rest and relaxation. It's a gentle scent, ideal if you find stronger smells a little too stimulating for the end of the day. The milky texture feels lovely on dryness-prone skin types, too.

Those into well-scented home cleaning products might be familiar with Method, but don't sleep on its body care offering. This generous bottle features a cleansing formula that smells like freshly-picked, dewy roses.