In order to mature at a graceful pace and to look our best later in life, there are certain things we need to do on a consistent basis. These should be considered absolute necessities for our overall health and well-being. Sometimes we overlook certain important steps, such as our use of body lotion. We often forget to give the largest organ on our bodies, that's our skin for those in the dark, the proper attention and care that our skin needs and deserves.
While it's well advised to use body lotion during the cold winter season, the best moisturizers for dry skin can be true lifesavers year-round, especially whenever you notice your skin feeling rough and cracked. You'll absolutely want to make sure you have an effective body lotion for dry skin on hand to combat dehydrated, rough, and scaly skin.
Factors like cold weather, dry heat, underlying skin conditions, and the use of overly drying soaps (with harsh chemicals that dry the skin) are some of the most common reasons for dry skin. When these and other harsh elements hit your skin, you'll want to grab some moisturizing lotion to ease the discomfort. If you're confused about which body lotion you should try or what ingredients to look for, don't worry; we've rounded up a list of the best lotions for dry skin that you should add to your grooming routine.
Best fan-favorite body balm
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Balm
Aesop has been a brand favorite of the stars of Hollywood and has a cult-like following that swears on its products. We can attest to its high-quality products, and its geranium leaf body balm is no different. Featuring a rich blend of various oils, this balm has a crisp citrus scent, leaving you feeling moisturized and smelling even better.
Best luxury lotion
Kiehl's Crème de Corps Hydrating Body Lotion with Squalane
Kiehl's Crème de Corps has attracted quite the cult following for a variety of reasons. This non-greasy formula contains cocoa butter for its skin-soothing properties, as well as fast-absorbing sesame oil for a dose of deep hydration, and squalane for extra soft-feeling skin.
Not only does this lotion smell great (thanks to the cocoa butter), but it also looks fantastic in your bathroom. Even better: This lotion is from Kiehl's, so you can feel confident that this stuff really works.
Best pH balanced lotion
Nécessaire The Body Lotion
This creamy lotion has your daily dose of skin nutrients, including active vitamins, peptides, and niacinamide. These ingredients work together to strengthen, tone, and treat dry skin. Formulated at a gentle pH of 4.75 to 5.75, this fragrance-free formula from Nécessaire is fast absorbing, and it boasts immediate and long-term skin benefits.
Best spa-worthy lotion
Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter
If you seek a quick-absorbing moisturizer that smells divine and works like a charm, check out Bliss' perpetually best-selling body butter. This moisturizer is formulated to leave even the most parched skin smooth, supple, and supremely soft, and it manages to do so without ever making your skin feel greasy.
Bliss has used this body butter in its spas for over two decades, and you can rest assured that this B Corp Certified lotion provides the best in eco-friendly and socially responsible skin care.
Best value
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
This lightweight daily moisturizer from CeraVe is a fast-absorbing lotion, and it will leave your skin feeling smooth and hydrated without the grease. Dermatologists developed this lotion for dry skin, so you can rest assured that it's safe for sensitive skin, and that it's actually free of potentially irritating fragrances. In addition to applying this to your body, this multipurpose moisturizer can work on a dry face.
Best for very dry and flaky skin
Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion
This Intensive Repair Lotion from Eucerin boasts a triple-acting formula to moisturize, exfoliate, and condition very dry and rough skin. This lotion is clinically formulated and tested by dermatologists, and it's enriched with alpha hydroxy to provide immediate relief to restore your skin’s radiance.
Best for itchy skin
Curel Hydra Therapy Itch Defense Wet Skin Lotion
Unlike your traditional lotions for dry skin, this moisturizer is activated by water, and it's designed to be applied in the shower in order to penetrate deeper into the skin’s surface. This Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer helps the skin retain its moisture to help combat inflamed itchy skin.
Best fast-absorbing lotion
Jack Black Turbo Body Lotion
Jack Black makes some of the cleanest and simplest ingredient products when it comes to men's grooming. Its turbo body lotion energizing gel moisturizer features aloe and eucalyptus. This lotion dries fast and leaves your skin feeling soothed and calm.
Best for eczema
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Eczema Soothing Relief Cream
The La Roche-Posay Lipikar Eczema Soothing Relief Cream helps soothe the skin that can become especially irritated and itchy due to eczema. You can use this hydrating cream on your face, hands, and body to replenish your skin’s essential lipids with the help of shea butter and glycerin.
This formula is free of steroids, antibiotics, parabens, and fragrances, which makes this lotion a great pick for sensitive skin. This cream is also dermatologist tested and accepted by the National Eczema Association.
Best hemp-based lotion
Andalou Naturals CannaCell Body Lotion - Harmony
If you're a fan of hemp-based skin care, you will really appreciate this offering from Andalou Naturals. This lotion has CannaCell hemp stem cells, organic hemp seed oil, pure plant essential oils, patchouli, and basil mint — all these ingredients work in harmony to "soothe, balance, and uplift your body, mind, and spirit." Vegans can also rejoice, as Andalou's lotion is 100% vegan while also being specially designed to work for all skin types.
Best plant-based lotion
Alba Botanica Hawaiian Hand and Body Lotion
If you want a plant-based and cruelty-free lotion that looks, smells, and feels great on your skin, try this lotion from Alba Botanica. Alba blended cocoa butter with shea butter, vitamin E, and emollient oils of jojoba, macadamia, flax, and sunflower for the ultimate dermatological tropical getaway that "will send dry skin on a permanent vacation." This lotion might provide love at first scent thanks to the cocoa butter, but you'll really understand its appeal once you feel it on your skin.
Best for daily use
AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion
AmLactin is the top dermatologist-recommended moisturizer brand with alpha-hydroxy therapy. This formula combines lactic acid with added moisturizers to help boost the skin’s natural renewal process through gentle exfoliation, resulting in deeply hydrated and younger-looking skin.
Although formulated with a powerful blend of emollients, humectants, and AHAs, this lotion is gentle enough for daily use and will relieve your body of dry, flaky, rough, and bumpy skin. It's great to have on hand whenever your skin feels dry or rough.
Best fragrance-free lotion
Cocokind Sake Body Lotion
Made with sake, a Japanese fermented rice wine rich in smoothing enzymes and microbiome-friendly prebiotic sugars, Cocokind's fragrance-free body lotion delivers gentle exfoliation and supports the skin's moisture barrier. It's been heralded for its prowess in gently exfoliating skin, treating dryness, and restoring your skin's natural barrier. Even better, Cocokind's bottle is made of upcycled plastic and is fully recyclable.
Best for sensitive skin
Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion
If your skin is particularly sensitive and feeling quite dry, Aveeno's Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion can help. This lotion is specifically formulated to hydrate and soothe sensitive, dry skin: Its Triple Oat Complex with oat flour, oat oil, and oat extract works to soothe irritated skin, and natural shea butter and dimethicone skin protectant work to help restore skin's essential moisture. This unscented lotion starts working immediately to moisturize sensitive, itchy, and/or extra dry skin.
Best for dry hands
Gold Bond Ultimate Intensive Healing Hand Cream
Have you been told you have extremely dry or rough hands? Fear not, as this hand cream from Gold Bond is formulated with soothing aloe and seven intensive moisturizers to give your hands the moisture they need and deserve.
This hand cream lasts through hand washes, and best of all, it won’t leave your hands feeling greasy. If you suffer from sweaty palms, this cream offers that perfect balance of healing moisture and a smooth feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both body lotion and body butter are moisturizers used to hydrate the skin, but they differ in texture, ingredients, and suitability for different skin types.
Body lotion is lighter and thinner, making it easier to spread and absorb quickly. Body butter is thicker and richer than lotion, offering a more intense moisturizing experience. In regards to body lotion ingredients, you’ll find that it usually contains a higher water content (often the first ingredient listed) along with lighter oils and emollients for hydration. It’s also formulated to be lightweight and nongreasy. On the other hand, body butter contains a higher concentration of natural fats and oils, like shea butter, cocoa butter, or mango butter. It may also contain essential oils for fragrance. Body butter offers a more occlusive layer, meaning it traps moisture in the skin.
Body lotion is deal for normal, oily, or combination skin types, and it’s great for daily use and year-round application. Body butter is the perfect answer for dry, cracked, or sensitive skin that needs extra nourishment. It's particularly beneficial in colder weather or for dry climates.
Regardless of which one you decide to go with, this list has something for everyone and every skin condition. If you can use some more guidance on how to up your skincare game, check out our list of best body washes, our favorite face masks for cleaner and clearer skin, and our favorite Black-owned beauty and grooming brands. Here's to healthier skin and aging gracefully.
