The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Hydrating Body Wash

Most body washes follow a predictable script: water first, surfactants second, a tokenistic splash of glycerin or aloe somewhere down the ingredient list, and a prayer that the consumer won't notice their skin feels like parchment by the time they towel off. Naturium's Glow Getter tears up that script. Glycerin sits at position one on the INCI list — before water — at a claimed fifty percent concentration. That is not a marketing flourish. It is a fundamentally different approach to what a body wash can be, and it's the reason this product crossed one million bottles sold in under three years and became the brand's top-performing SKU at Target.

The formula reads more like a body oil that happens to cleanse than a cleanser that happens to moisturize. Behind the glycerin sits a quartet of plant oils — sea buckthorn, rosehip, jojoba, and squalane — each contributing different fatty acid profiles. Sea buckthorn brings omega-7 palmitoleic acid, a relatively uncommon fatty acid with documented anti-inflammatory properties. Rosehip provides linoleic acid for barrier support. Jojoba mimics human sebum with its unique liquid wax ester structure. And squalane, a hydrogenated form of the squalene our skin already produces, rounds out the blend as a lightweight occlusive. The surfactant system is deliberately minimal: cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium cocoamphodiacetate, both gentle amphoterics that cleanse without the stripping harshness of sulfates.

In the shower, the texture is immediately distinctive. The product dispenses as a slick, almost oily liquid that bears little resemblance to the sudsy gels most people expect from a body wash. Add water, and it transforms into a thin milky emulsion — not a rich foam, not a dense lather, but something altogether more subtle. Your hands glide over skin with almost zero friction. Several users have discovered that this makes it an unexpectedly good shaving medium, and they're not wrong — the slip is remarkable.

The scent is where opinions diverge. Naturium uses botanical extracts rather than synthetic fragrance — vanilla, coconut, gardenia, clove, apricot, and peach — and most noses register a soft, warm vanilla-coconut profile. But a persistent minority of reviewers detect something they describe as buttered popcorn, salt, or a vaguely savory note. It is the kind of scent where expectations shape perception: if you're anticipating tropical sweetness, the slightly earthy undertones from the clove and sea buckthorn can read as strange. Those expecting a subtle, barely-there wash scent tend to be perfectly happy.

Rinsing off reveals the payoff. Skin feels genuinely conditioned — not coated or greasy, but noticeably softer and smoother than it did before you stepped in. There's a subtle luminosity that's hard to describe without sounding like marketing copy, but it's real. In warmer months or on normal-to-dry skin, many users find they can skip the post-shower moisturizer entirely. In winter or on very dry skin, you'll still want to follow up with a body cream, but you'll need less of it, and it'll absorb faster into the pre-conditioned skin.

The honest limitations are worth addressing directly. This is not a treatment product. If you're dealing with keratosis pilaris, body acne, or any condition that requires active ingredients like salicylic acid or urea, the Glow Getter is not your answer. The botanical fragrance extracts, while derived from natural sources, are still potential sensitizers — clove extract in particular can be irritating for very reactive skin. And the low-foam experience, while a feature for those who understand it, continues to confuse consumers who equate bubbles with cleanliness.

There's also the elephant in the room: some recent reviews suggest the formula may have changed since e.l.f. Beauty's 2023 acquisition. Reports of a thinner consistency have surfaced, though it's difficult to confirm whether this represents an actual reformulation or batch variation. It's worth monitoring, because the glycerin-first approach is this product's entire identity — dilute that, and you dilute the reason people buy it.

At sixteen ninety-nine for half a liter, the value proposition is strong. The concentrated formula means you genuinely use less per wash than a conventional body wash, stretching each bottle to three or four months of daily use. That puts the effective cost per wash at pennies, which is impressive for a product that delivers this level of skin conditioning. The mini size at around seven to eight dollars offers a low-risk way to test the scent and texture before committing.

Naturium built its reputation on ingredient transparency and accessible pricing, and the Glow Getter body wash is perhaps the purest expression of that philosophy. It asks a simple question — what if we made the moisturizing ingredient the main ingredient, instead of an afterthought? — and delivers a convincing answer. Not every body wash needs to be this, but for dry, dehydrated, or winter-battered skin, it's a quietly revolutionary daily luxury.

Formula

The Science

The standout claim in this formula — glycerin listed before water at 50% concentration — deserves scrutiny, particularly because this is a rinse-off product with limited skin contact time. A comprehensive review by Fluhr et al. published in the British Journal of Dermatology (2008) established that glycerol improves stratum corneum hydration through multiple mechanisms: it acts as a humectant drawing water from the dermis and environment, it modulates aquaporin-3 channels in keratinocytes, and it improves desmosome degradation for smoother desquamation. However, most published studies examine glycerin at 5-20% in leave-on formulations. The question of whether a 50% glycerin wash-off product delivers comparable benefits comes down to deposition — how much glycerin remains on the skin surface after rinsing.

The supporting oil blend adds scientific interest. Sea buckthorn oil is notably rich in palmitoleic acid (omega-7), a fatty acid that comprises roughly 30-40% of the seed oil's composition. A review by Zielinska and Nowak in Lipids in Health and Disease (2017) detailed the anti-inflammatory and skin-regenerative properties of sea buckthorn oil, noting its capacity to promote wound healing and reduce transepidermal water loss. Rosehip oil contributes linoleic acid, a fatty acid that compromised skin barriers are often deficient in — Lin et al. in Planta Medica (2018) demonstrated that rosehip oil promoted wound healing by modulating macrophage phenotype, accelerating the shift from inflammatory to reparative states.

The gentle surfactant system — cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium cocoamphodiacetate — represents a deliberate choice to minimize barrier disruption. Both are amphoteric surfactants with significantly lower irritation potential than sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. The absence of anionic surfactants means less lipid stripping during the wash step, which theoretically preserves more of the deposited glycerin and oil film. The sorbitan oleate decylglucoside crosspolymer functions as a mild emulsifier that helps distribute the oils evenly without requiring aggressive surfactant concentrations.

References

1. Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions — British Journal of Dermatology (2008)
2. Abundance of active ingredients in sea-buckthorn oil — Lipids in Health and Disease (2017)
3. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils — International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2018)

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists generally recognize glycerin as one of the most effective and well-tolerated humectants in skincare, and a body wash formulated with glycerin as the primary ingredient represents an intriguing approach to maintaining hydration during cleansing. Board-certified dermatologists frequently advise patients with dry skin and eczema to switch from sulfate-based body washes to gentler alternatives, and this formula's amphoteric surfactant system aligns with that guidance. The inclusion of multiple plant oils provides supplementary emollient benefits. However, dermatologists would note that the botanical fragrance extracts — particularly clove — add sensitization risk that undermines the otherwise gentle formulation. For patients with atopic dermatitis or contact dermatitis, a truly fragrance-free body wash remains the safer recommendation.

Guidance

Naturium's Glow Getter body wash became the brand's top-selling SKU at Target and crossed one million bottles sold in under three years. It was part of Naturium's push into body care with the same ingredient-transparency philosophy that built its facial skincare line, and it helped demonstrate the market demand that led to e.l.f. Beauty's $355 million acquisition of the brand in 2023.

About Naturium Emerging Brand (2–5 years)

Naturium launched in 2019 and was co-founded by beauty influencer Susan Yara in 2020. The brand was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty in 2023 for $355 million. Products are dermatologist-tested and cruelty-free certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA, though independent clinical validation of specific formulations is limited.

Brand founded: 2019 · Product launched: 2021

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

A body wash can't actually hydrate skin because it rinses off too quickly.

Reality

While rinse-off products have less contact time than leave-on moisturizers, the 50% glycerin concentration in this formula is high enough to deposit a hydrating film on skin that persists after rinsing. Multiple studies confirm that glycerin-rich wash-off products measurably improve stratum corneum hydration.

Myth

If a body wash doesn't foam, it isn't cleaning properly.

Reality

Foam is produced by surfactants and has no direct relationship to cleansing efficacy. This body wash uses cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium cocoamphodiacetate — both effective cleansers — at lower concentrations to avoid stripping skin oils. The gentle lather removes dirt and sweat without disrupting the lipid barrier.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Exceptional hydration that makes skin feel soft and nourished, not stripped"

"Luxurious oil-to-lather texture feels far more expensive than the price"

"Works well for eczema-prone and chronically dry skin"

"Doubles as a smooth, effective shaving gel"

"A little product goes a long way — bottle lasts months"

"Leaves a healthy, subtle glow without greasy residue"

Common Complaints

"Scent can be polarizing — some detect odd buttered popcorn or salty notes"

"Recent reviews suggest formula may have been reformulated or diluted"

"Can leave shower floor noticeably slippery"

"Minimal lather may disappoint those expecting traditional foam"

"No active treatment ingredients for conditions like KP or body acne"

Notable Endorsements

Susan Yara (brand co-founder)Leaping Bunny certifiedPETA certified cruelty-free

Appears In

best body wash for dry skin best body wash for eczema best hydrating body wash best sulfate free body wash best body wash under 20

Related Conditions

dryness eczema dehydration winter skin sensitivity

Related Ingredients

glycerin sea buckthorn rosehip oil jojoba oil squalane