Inexpensive body wipes that don't smell funny? (for bicycle commuting)

February 16, 2017 5:31 PM

Can you recommend a good brand of affordable body wipes that don't smell like powder or baby wipes?

I'm starting to commute by bicycle again, and looking to use body wipes to de-sweat after the ride. No shower, so I gotta wipe.
I used to use some great body wipes when bike commuting in Japan (Gatsby, Mandom, etc) that had pleasant masculine scents and an interesting cooling effect. Unfortunately they're quite expensive at my local Asian market here in the US.
I tried a few brands of baby wipes, but despite being labelled as 'unscented,' they all stunk!
Any good brands of cheap body wipes that are either truly unscented or at least have a good smell for a guy?

posted by mannermode to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (19 answers total)

Not sure what your threshold is for 'expensive' but the Gatsby wipes are only $5-6 on Amazon Prime! I'm a lady who likes to steal men's products and scents so I'll be looking into these for my own post workout need, thanks!
posted by le_salvo at 5:45 PM on February 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

I used to use a brand called Niche for Men before I just gave in to baby wipes.
posted by kevinbelt at 5:52 PM on February 16, 2017

The Burt's Bees "cleansing towelette" is perfect for this -- get the sensitive skin version. Here it is at Amazon, but in my experience you can find these at every Walgreens/RiteAid. (They are marketed as facial wipes but I can attest that they are good for the whole body.)

Just don't get the other versions -- they're more perfumed (though still nice). You can find these in the makeup section.
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:04 PM on February 16, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Do you have access to Costco? The Costco brand Kirkland baby wipes does not have a "baby" or floral scent. There is a scent but it seems pretty neutral. Its super cheap and the size is actually twice as big as a typical baby wipe. These ones here.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 6:18 PM on February 16, 2017 [6 favorites]

Not a direct answer, but my solution is to use lotion on my hands/arms after wiping. Even unscented lotion neutralizes the baby wipe smell quite well.
posted by veery at 6:32 PM on February 16, 2017

Try The Honest Company.
posted by Oyéah at 6:39 PM on February 16, 2017

I use Bambo wipes for our baby and they truly are unscented.
posted by notjustthefish at 6:47 PM on February 16, 2017

The Olay 4-in-1 gentle clean cloths are basically disposable pretreated washcloths that have enough cleanser and can stand up to several rinsings. The gentle version has almost no scent.
posted by evoque at 6:53 PM on February 16, 2017

For my baby, I've used Seventh Generation, Babyganics, and Water Wipes. All of which are scent free and do a good job cleaning the stinky baby bits. Seventh Generation is the heartiest of the wipes and is thick and quite durable. Babyganics is the most cloth like, and Water Wipes are a bit in between, but I felt like they didn't clean as well, because they were literally just water on paper wipes.
posted by defreckled at 7:06 PM on February 16, 2017

Yes: Naty Sensistive Wipes (https://www.naty.com/au/wet-wipes). They are great! They do have a (pleasant, neutral) smell when you pull them fresh from the pack, but I've not been able to discern any lingering scents post-use. They are affordable, actually work, are very refreshing and plus, they are eco-friendly and not tested on animals.
posted by turbid dahlia at 7:16 PM on February 16, 2017

I love the Cetaphil wipes. They don't smell
posted by brainmouse at 7:39 PM on February 16, 2017

The tea-tree oil wipes at The Body Shop have (to my nose) a pleasant and non-flowery scent. It is a bit of an acquired taste, so try before you buy. They are not oily, despite the name, and the scent does go away quite quickly. I think tea tree oil may be somewhat antibacterial as well.
posted by cranberrymonger at 8:39 PM on February 16, 2017

Try Parent's Choice Sensitive from the magic land of Walmart. Half the price of top shelf brands, odorless, can be used to clean just about anything/anyone, and it also amuses me that they freeze well and can be stored outside. They don't tear easily or fall apart either like the more expensive sensitive options (a mystery.)
posted by dissolvedgirl22 at 5:58 AM on February 17, 2017 [1 favorite]

The stinky part of the unscented wipes you've tried may be the alcohol. I have some Huggies Simply Clean baby wipes here that are both unscented and alcohol free, and they really don't smell like anything but paper. I have asthma and am sensitive to cosmetic smells but these don't leave an odor at all.
posted by Squeak Attack at 6:16 AM on February 17, 2017

Also a bike commuter who doesn't want to smell like baby, and I use the Costco unscented baby wipes linked above. The price can't be beat and it's not like they go bad, so as long as you can find somewhere to store the box there's no downside. I find that the ones with fancy non-baby scents cost more than I'm willing to spend on something I'm using to wipe my armpits.

One option if you'd like to get the cooling effect but not spend so much would be to add a drop or two of peppermint oil to the unscented wipes (you might put a couple in a baggie to try that out rather than adulterating the entire package).
posted by asperity at 8:32 AM on February 17, 2017 [1 favorite]

I came also to recommend the Burt's Bees facial wipes. They can be used all over your body (but good at removing grease or makeup too) and have a pleasant scent that dissipates quickly.
posted by amanda at 10:13 AM on February 17, 2017

I also came to recommend the Costco wipes linked above. They don't leave a weird residue, are unscented, and are sturdy and cloth-like. The price can't be beat for what you get.
posted by quince at 11:40 AM on February 17, 2017

Nthing the Costco wipes.
posted by vignettist at 11:15 PM on February 17, 2017

I used the Costco ones until we got the office shower and agree there is no lingering scent. Sure, it smells like something if you sniff it directly, but it doesn't after it dries.
posted by advicepig at 7:00 AM on February 18, 2017