I bought a gallon of unscented body wash base for the guys.

$30 or so on eBay, including shipping.

Think it was under $5 or $6 for what I guess is a look alike/generic dial anti bacterial liquid 'hand soap' in grocery, 64 ounce. Works just fine for me in the shower. I've used it for 3 or 4 months now.

What's the difference between liquid 'hand soap' and 'body wash' ? Any experts in the audience?

I don't personally care for floral/perfumed body washes, but need the extra moisturizer for dry skin, so I use one of the "milk and honey" scented ones. It's gender neutral enough that DH has used it in the past, but he's also not too picky.

When he does have a preference (i.e. wants his own instead of just stealing mine), he usually uses "Axe" brand that can be used on both body and hair. He's been sucked in by their marketing, but I'm disinclined to care since at least he's using soap (which has been an issue in the past) :) Some of the scents smell strong in the bottle, but fade quickly on use, and they're all typical "man" scents so they blend well with deodorant, aftershave, whatever.

What about taking him to the store with you, and letting him pick out his own (if you're not planning to share a bottle)? Maybe that will help with his reluctance to change?

(Funny, off-topic story: I had picked up some exfoliating body wash one winter, to try out. DH apparently didn't read the bottle, and applied it, um, everywhere. Liberally. He came tearing out of the shower, still covered in suds: "THERE ARE ROCKS IN THE SOAP! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!" Shortly after this is when he started requesting his "own" bottle of bodywash.)

Too funny, embees. I went and bought him Dial for Men Magnetic. He moaned and groaned the first wash, but since then he likes the manly smell. Jeesh. Now he's afraid he's going to fall in the slippery tub because of our new liquid soaps. I had to put down extra sticky thingies so he wouldn't fall. It never ends. Men are so strange.
Thank you,
Pat

I love Dr bonners peppermint castile soap liquid you can wash your hair with it in a pinch or brush your teeth with it if you so wish You can scrub the sink the toilet the bathtub with it wash just about anything safely with it and it leaves your skin squeeky clean refreshed and itch free a sponge or one of those scrunch scubbies makes it suds up good. I also bath the dog in it and since I have started using it on her I no longer have to chase her around the house she jumps in the tub !!! It is a bit of an investment I buy it by the gallon but it covers many of our needs with one product that is safe and it lasts at least 6 month or more. How handy you can wash and shine your bathroom sink with the hand soap thats right there anyways.

I use regular Dial antiseptic liquid hand soap for my showers. No odor.

My husband likes "Dove Body Wash" and I like "Neutrogena Body Wash". I use Dove during the winter for dry skin.

Wal-Mart Equate brand liquid hand soap is not slippery like Soft Soap is.

If you purchase a bottle of body wash you do not like to bathe with, use it for hand washing.

Put a suction cup bath mat in the tub. After bath rinse mat and hang on side of tub to prevent dirt collecting under the mat.

I only use Dove soap for bathing. Does not dry out the skin like so many bar soaps. You know, that stretched-tight feeling when you're squeaky clean, which almost hurts. None of that with Dove. It's so creamy because of the lotion in it. Excellent if you have sensitive skin. It also has a very nice smell, not perfumey.

And a HUGE bonus: it leaves almost NO scum! It will take you months and months to start building up any soap scum.

For those of you with dry skin, try Aveeno extra moisturizing body wash. It has an olive green cap. I've tried many things and Aveeno is the only thing that works for me.

DH uses Old Spice body wash for men. It doesn't interfere with his after shave.