Whether hitting the gym or taking to the trail, the vast majority of rigorous physical activities leave us sweaty and looking less-than-presentable. And while a quick shower is ideal, it’s also not always an option in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Enter: the modern body wipe, the ultimate in one-stop mobile grooming. In addition to leaving you feeling refreshed and renewing your appearance, using body wipes also hugely helps to eliminate odors, strip away dirt and grime, and unclog pores, amongst numerous other benefits.
While several highly-reputable companies have unveiled fairly game-changing wipes over the last few years, an even larger number of cheaper knock-offs have entered the market in a bid to cash in on the current trend, making it all the more difficult to distinguish the genuinely worthwhile offerings from their lesser-quality imitations. So, with this in mind, we’ve generated this guide to the best body wipes for men, though, in addition to our picks for the ten best options on the market, we’ll also be delving into the purpose of modern body wipes and the main areas to consider when shopping.
Mobile Showers
The Purpose And Function Of Men’s Body Wipes
In the same way that deodorant and cologne shouldn’t serve as outright replacements for showering, body wipes are intended to be used as temporary fill-ins for bathing. Instead, body wipes allow for a rapid means of sanitizing and cleaning sweat and body odor from your arms, chest, ribs, back, and arm-pits. And while this is less effective than a traditional shower, it requires only a fraction of the time and can be done in any locker room or bathroom stall.
Recipes For A Winning Towelette
What To Look For When Buying Men’s Body Wipes
While there are body wipes that fall into a more premium category and can be considered “better” than more budget-friendly, average offerings, the reality is that there really isn’t one single “best” body wipe, but rather a “best” body wipe for a given application. Different manufacturers develop and engineer their body wipes with specific uses in mind, and as such certain body wipes will be much more conducive to some situations than others. If you plan on using body wipes as a quick refresher after working out then you will likely want to consider investing in some body wipes with antibacterial properties. Likewise, if you plan on utilizing body wipes in lieu of showering for a day or two while off the grid or in the backwoods, you’ll almost certainly want to opt for biodegradable wipes that can safely be buried along with waste.
The next area to consider is the ingredients used. While pretty much all body wipes will consist of moistened clothes, the liquid formula said clothes are soaked in hugely varies from company to company in terms of additives and ingredients. On top of steering clear from aluminum (like antiperspirants), parabens, and other nasty chemicals, it’s worth keeping an eye out for supplementary ingredients such as aloe vera, and vitamins C, D, and E. Some body wipes offer a bit more utility with formulas that allow for exfoliation or moisturizing in addition to clearing away sweat and grime. There’s also the option of fragrance-infused body wipes, as well as non-scented offerings.
Modern men’s body wipes also come in different sizes, and use various constructions, textures, and patterns. These attributes are typically purpose-engineered as to best lend themselves to a specific use or application, with after workout wipes usually being larger, while the more active exfoliating wipes are frequently bestowed with a textured pattern that helps to bust up dirt and grime and clear away any pore-clogging contaminants or debris.
Tough On Dirt, Not The Planet
A Look At Sustainability In Men’s Body Wipes
Though moist towelettes and body wipes have existed for decades, the segment has traditionally been less-than-environmentally-friendly, to put it mildly. With the majority of older offerings in this space often being non-flushable and non-biodegradable, once used they often wind up in landfills. Recognizing the inherent lack of sustainability in this space, a growing number of manufacturers have developed their own face and body wipes that are objectively better for the environment.
Completely biodegradable body wipes are accounting for a larger and larger portion of the market, making it even easier for the consumer to find a product that’s less harsh on the environment. Furthermore, there’s also been an increased push for face and body wipes that are entirely free of harsh chemicals that aren’t good for you or the planet. In short, if you plan on incorporating body wipes into your everyday routine, you really should consider using a more environmentally friendly option, as even semi-daily usage very quickly adds up over time.
Every Man Jack Speed Shower Face + Body Wipes
Sold in generously-sized packs of 30, Every Man Jack’s Speed Shower Face + Body Wipes are a solid mid-tier product that doesn’t contain any fragrance and is 100% biodegradable. On top of their ability to disinfect and deodorize skin, this formula also contains soothing and moisturizing aloe vera and vitamin E hydrate. Landing towards the middle in terms of size, these sheets measure 7” x 8”, furthering this item’s generally versatile nature. Each pack also comes in a reusable vessel with a locking plastic door that seals in moisture, preventing the wipe’s formula from drying out in-between uses. In addition to being manufactured with biodegradable fibers, this product is also gluten-free, never tested on animals, doesn’t contain any dies, entirely vegan-friendly, and made from some 98% naturally-derived materials.
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes
Originally established back in 1984 by a pair of Australian mountaineers and adventurers, Sea to Summit was created in response to the existing market not producing the outdoor gear that Sea to Summit’s founder’s wanted, so they set out to make it themselves. And such is the case with Sea to Summit’s apply-named Wilderness Wipes. Made from an extra-thick viscose non-woven fiber, these rinse-free wipes were specifically-designed to strip away sweat, dirt, grime, and odor-causing bacteria. Fully-pH-balanced, these wipes are also infused with aloe vera and vitamin E to keep your skin its healthiest, even when off-grid for extended periods. On top of being gentle on your skin, Sea to Summit’s wipes are also equally gentle on the planet, with the wipes being entirely compostable. And, in addition to the standard 6” x 8” packs, the Australian outfit also produces a jumbo-sized 12” x 8” version sold in packs of eight.
Dove Men+Care Deodorant Wipes
After building its name over the course of several decades by producing grooming and cosmetics products primarily aimed at women, Dove has taken its expertise in the sector and applied it to a wide range of highly-effective men’s grooming products. The brand’s Active + Fresh body wipes are meant for use after pumping iron or pounding the pavement. By not containing any alcohol, these wipes don’t burn their user, even when wiping down the skin with post-workout cuts or scrapes. Each pack contains 25 pre-moistened 6” x 7” sheets and is sold in a resealable container. Dove Men+Care range also produces numerous matching deodorant sticks and sprays that are specifically made to pair with the company’s body wipes and other grooming products.
Cremo Blue Cedar & Cypress Body Wipes
A masculinely-scented body wipe made from less than ten ingredients—three of which are water, aloe vera, and oat extract—these body wipes are proven to cleanse your skin of sweat, dirt, and grime, and leave it with a rich woodsy fragrance. Measuring 7” x 8”, each pack of 30 comes in a resealable vessel and is reportedly safe for all skin types. And, best of all, if you find that Cremo’s Blue Cedar & Cypress scent resonates with you, it’s probably worth noting that the company also produces a wide range of matching Cedar & Cypress-scented grooming products including a body wash, liquid and solid colognes, a stick deodorant, a shaving cream, exfoliating body bars, and a styling gel, just to name a few.
Combat Wipes Commando Outdoor Wipes
Backed by 15 years of military and outdoor experience, the Combat Wipes’ Commando Black is a rugged, extra-thick clothe designed specifically for use in the backwoods. Made from 100% natural Rayon fibers, these wipes are bestowed with a unique textured pattern that helps to strip dirt and sweat from the skin. Additionally, these blacked-out wipes are also vegan-friendly, and fragrance and alcohol-free. Vitamin E and aloe vera help soothe skin and keep it properly moisturized until your next real shower while the thickness and texture of the clothes prevent it from shredding or leaving behind bits when wiping over stubble or body hair. Because these wipes are 100% biodegradable and completely free of any synthetic materials, they can be buried at camp along with compost or human waste.
Duke Cannon Cold Shower Cooling Field Towels
It really is hard to go wrong with any product made by the Duke Cannon Supply Co. and the brand’s Cold Shower Body wipes are far from an exception. These hardwearing wipes were developed in conjunction with Duke Cannon’s military advisory panel and were born out of feedback from soldiers stationed in remote locales with limited access to running water. In response, Duke Cannon formulated a body wipe made for use in the field that contains menthol, aloe, and jojoba, that come together to collectively leave skin feeling cool, tingly, and refreshed. Offered in packs of 25, Duke Cannon also offers its Cold Shower body wipes via a regular monthly subscription service where the sheets are shipped to your door every four weeks at a 10% discount.
Hiki Body Wipes
A high-end body wipe that ticks just about every box one could hope for, the Hiki Body Wipes offer highly-calculated, individually-wrapped “showers on the go.” Completely devoid of synthetic fragrances, these clinically-tested wipes are vegan-friendly, and slightly larger than the average body wipe at 7” x 10”. Safe on all skin types, the Hiki wipes are moistened with an odor-neutralizing and nourishing formula containing a host of therapeutic ingredients such as witch hazel, cucumber fruit extract, willow bark extract, coconut fruit extract, rosemary leaf oil, lavender oil, orange peel oil, and leaf water lactobacillus. And, because these wipes are completely compostable and biodegradable, they can be used and tossed just about anywhere, whether in the heart of a major metropolitan area or deep in the backcountry.
Bravo Sierra Antibacterial Body Wipes
Though they do come at a slightly steeper MSRP, Bravo Sierra’s Antibacterial Body Wipes are unequivocally one of the finest grooming wipes that money can buy. In an effort to offer the most complete cleaning experience possible, Bravo Sierra’s wipes are broken into two separate items. The first is a “Solid Cleanser” that’s meant to wash your hands, face, body, and even hair, while the second consists of an antibacterial wipe that finished the job via a sanitizing formula that uses Benzalkonium Chloride in place of alcohol as its active ingredient. Furthermore, the generous size of these wipes also helps to maximize their efficacy, while the individually-wrapped nature of this offering makes it ideal for use just about anywhere, whether traveling or just working the daily grind.
YUNI Shower Sheets
Another thoroughly modern cleaning wipe, this time from a high-end beauty and grooming outfit, the YUNI Body Wipes offer the ideal blend of utility with a wipe that cleanses, refreshes, cools, and sanitizes through the use of a gentle, naturally-antimicrobial neem extract. Additional therapeutic qualities are afforded through ingredients such as apple fruit extract, bitter orange extract, peppermint oil, lavender oil, lemon extract, rosemary leaf oil, sage, aloe vera, cucumber extract, ginseng root extract, and green tea and white tea leaf extracts, amongst a myriad of other noteworthy supplements. On top of also being entirely free from any and all parabens, this product is also completely organic, never tested on animals, and is vegan friendly.
Anthony Shower Sheets
As one of HiConsumption’s all-time favorite grooming brands, we’ve long been singing the praises of Anthony and its top-notch goods, and the company’s Shower Sheets are just one more reason to hold the brand in such esteem. Generously-sized at 9” x 12.5”, these body wipes don’t contain any alcohol, parabens, phthalates, GMOs, DEA, triclosan, or gluten, are allergy and dermatologist tested, cruelty-free, and are made with a formula with active ingredients including exfoliating glycolic acid exfoliates, conditioning vitamin E, soothing and hydrating aloe vera and jojoba seed oil hydrate, and refreshing peppermint oil which also doubles as a natural antiseptic. Made in Israel, each pack comes with one dozen individually-wrapped sheets, affording you the ability to instantly freshen up, regardless of where you find yourself.
The 10 Best Face Wipes For Men
Now that you’ve gotten yourself acquainted with today’s latest and greatest men’s body wipes, why not check out our complimentary guide to the best face wipes for men?
