What to look for in body lotions | Best overall body lotions | More dermatologist-recommended body lotions | Body lotion FAQs | Meet our experts
Soft and smooth skin is a year-round goal for most of us, but as the weather changes, so do our skin's needs. The cooler temperatures can leave skin feeling cracked and dry in the fall and winter, but if you practice careful skin care and use the right body lotion, you can help your body maintain the perfect level of moisture.
Unsurprisingly, helping your skin stay hydrated starts in the shower. One of the main culprits that causes raw and cracked skin is scrubbing in the bath or sitting for a long time in hot, soapy water, says Dr. Rebecca Baxt, a board-certified dermatologist in New Jersey.
"Soap strips any natural oils out of the skin and makes the dryness worse. It is not necessary to scrub the skin on a regular basis with soap," she explains. "I usually recommend soap in the areas that need it and not scrubbing the arms and legs unless they are actually dirty."
But on top of proper bathing, there are also countless body lotions to choose from, not to mention thicker solutions like moisturizing creams and ointments. To help you choose, Shop TODAY spoke with dermatologists to get some expert tips to care for your skin. We also asked them for the best body lotions they recommend for dry skin of all types.
What ingredients should I look for in a body lotion?
For the best results, board-certified dermatologists Dr. Ife Rodney and Dr. Lian Mack suggest looking for lotions that contain hydrating ingredients that help repair and improve skin, such as colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
"Ceramides are fats that help to hold the skin cells together and form a protective layer that seals in moisture, and keeps pollutants out of your skin," explains Rodney. On the other hand, hyaluronic acid, a sugar that can hold up to a thousand times its weight in water, "draws moisture into the skin and holds it there, [preventing] evaporation of moisture from our skin into cold dry air," she adds.
Other hydrating ingredients to look for include petrolatum, squalane, coconut oil and niacinamide, according to Mack. She recommends looking for lotions with retinol combined with moisturizing ingredients like those mentioned above if you have mature skin and are looking for a body lotion with anti-aging capabilities.
Here are some of the experts' favorite body lotions, plus a few more we rounded up based on their tips.
Best overall body lotions
Best body lotion for sensitive skin:
Size: 16 oz | Key ingredients: Petrolatum (petroleum jelly)
Fragrances can leave skin feeling irritated or dry, especially for sensitive skin. This is why New York-based dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick recommends using this formula from Vanicream, which is free of dyes and fragrances. It also features a pump to help make application easier and more convenient.
Best body lotion for eczema-prone skin:
Size: 14 oz | Key ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, aloe leaf juice, shea butter
“For my patients who suffer from eczema, I recommend Gold Bond’s Ultimate Eczema Relief [the product’s former name], which combines 2% colloidal oatmeal with seven moisturizers and three vitamins to hydrate and protect the skin the skin barrier,” Mack explains.
Not only is this body lotion formulated to target the top symptoms of eczema, including dryness, itching and scaling, but it’s also fragrance-free, which Mack recommends for those with dry skin because they tend to be more reactive to products that have fragrance.
Best firming body lotion:
Size: 8.4 oz | Key ingredients: Grapeseed oil, shea butter, glycerin, sunflower seed oil
While most moisturizers aim to soften and smooth skin, this one does even more. Garshick likes this lotion because it helps to hydrate and firm.
“In addition to shea butter, it also contains antioxidants and iris extract thought to help with firming, especially when applied to the abdomen, arms, thighs and chest,” she says.
Best budget-friendly body lotion:
Size: 7 oz | Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin
For a cream that “melts” into your skin, Rodney suggests using this option from Neutrogena. It contains a hyaluronic acid base, which provides moisture using a non-greasy formula. The brand also suggests using it daily for the best results.
Best splurge body lotion:
Size: 8 oz | Key Ingredients: Glycerin, pure argan oil, shea butter, white tea extract, aloe vera, sqaualane, allantoin
We tend to stay indoors more when the weather gets cold, so Gmyrek suggests using this body oil to help skin retain moisture. The glycerin in this formula helps improve the skin’s appearance, which is important during the colder months.
More dermatologist-recommended body lotions
Best body lotions for daily use:
Aveeno Eczema Therapy Daily Moisturizing Cream
Size: 12 fl oz | Key ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, panthenol, ceramides
This is another pick for those with eczema, but “you do not have to have eczema to use this cream!” says Dr. Robyn Gmyrek, a dermatologist based in New York.
If you have eczema-prone skin, Gmyrek and Chwalek recommend using this because of the glycerin, colloidal oatmeal and ceramides in the formula. It’s also fragrance-free, making it safe for eczema-prone skin.
“It is one of the few moisturizers I’ve used that is more long-lasting,” Chwalek says. “It has good occlusive properties [creates a protective barrier on top of the skin to keep moisture in], but can feel a little tacky in my opinion, which I don’t mind because I have dry skin.”
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+
Size: 13.52 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, shea butter, niacinamide, glycerin
Using the power of glycerin, shea butter and antioxidants to smooth and lock in moisture, this lotion is a favorite of Dr. Jennifer Chwalek, a dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York.
"It contains the humectant glycerin, which helps the skin retain moisture. It also has shea butter, which is rich in fatty acids like linoleic acid and antioxidants like vitamin A and E," she says. "This can help to moisturize and calm dry, irritated skin. In addition, this moisturizer has niacinamide, which improves the barrier function of the skin and reduces inflammation."
Cetaphil Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Size: 20 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, glycerin, panthenol, niacinamide, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil
Upgrade your skin care routine with this lotion that’s designed to soothe and smooth sensitive skin. Rodney recommends this brand because of the amino acids and ceramides that help restore the skin’s barrier.
“It is ideal for even the most sensitive skin, as it contains no fragrances or parabens,” Rodney tells us.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Size: 6 oz | Key ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, glycerin, squalane, ceramides, licorice root extract
New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose prefers using this shea butter-based cream to protect skin against cold climates. It’s free of artificial colors and fragrances, parabens, phthalates and sulfates.
“[It] has a luxurious, whipped consistency that is rich and highly moisturizing yet still blends in well,” Murphy-Rose tells us. “This lotion — and the brand entirely — is also free of propylene glycol, which some of my patients are allergic to and can be a difficult ingredient to avoid.”
Best baby body lotion:
Mustela Stelatopia Baby Emollient Cream
Size: 6.76 fl oz | Key ingredients: Glycerin, sunflower seed oil, ceramides
This is a personal favorite of New York-based dermatologist Dr. Jennifer MacGregor. She recommends that people who tend to have drier skin should consider using lotions marketed towards babies and toddlers.
"I have mild eczema and I use this on my face!" MacGregor tells us. "If you are really dry, some of the best are those marketed to babies."
The formula was made with avocado perseose and sunflower oil distillate that can help soothe and replenish skin. It's also fragrance-free and safe for sensitive skin.
Best non-greasy, non-comedogenic body lotions:
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Size: 16 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides
MacGregor loves this moisturizer so much that she keeps it in most rooms of her house, while Garshick likes how the texture is oil-free and never leaves behind a greasy consistency.
"It is non-comedogenic and oil-free, making it okay to use on the face and body without leaving the skin feeling greasy," Garshick says. "It also uses a patented MVE Delivery technology to help deliver moisturizing ingredients all day and night."
Melach 33 Silky Shea Body Butter
Size: 10.1 fl oz | Key ingredients: Shea butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, salicylic acid
Smooth and silky skin can be hard to achieve in dry environments, but this body butter uses shea butter to help provide a smooth consistency. If you want a lotion that won’t leave a greasy residue, then Garshick suggests trying this body butter.
“This nourishing body butter includes shea butter to hydrate and nourish the skin without leaving it feeling greasy,” she tells us. “This product is great as it also includes antioxidant plant oils and dead sea minerals, leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth.”
Best exfoliating body lotions:
Eucerin Roughness Relief Body Lotion
Size: 16.9 fl oz | Key ingredients: Ceramides, urea, glycerin, shea butter
For those days when your skin is feeling bumpy and itchy, this lotion can help soothe and relieve discomfort. According to Garshick, this formula will moisturize and gently exfoliate at the same time.
AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion
Size: 7.9 oz | Key ingredients: Lactic acid
Gmyrek recommends this lotion because it contains a good dose of lactic acid (12%, in fact). The lactic acid will help exfoliate dead skin, allowing better penetration for moisturizing ingredients like glycerin.
Best body lotion for a self-care moment:
Drunk Elephant Sili Body Lotion
Size: 8 oz | Key ingredients: Marula oil, ceramides, shea butter, squalane, glycerin, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, panthenol
Give your skin the self-care it deserves by using a lotion with reliable ingredients. This body lotion is made with amino acids and plant oils to hydrate the skin and protect against the dry air that comes with cooler temperatures.
"This moisturizing lotion helps to improve dry and irritated skin using a combination of marula and shea butter, squalane, amino acids and plant oils," Garshick says. "This hydrating lotion also contains fruit-derived antioxidants to help fight free-radical damage."
Meet the experts
- Dr. Rebecca Baxt, MD, MBA, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New Jersey and New York City. She holds particular interest in non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
- Dr. Jennifer Lynn Chwalek, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York, where she specializes in cosmetic and laser procedures. She holds fellowship training in procedural dermatology and cutaneous laser surgery.
- Dr. Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist who serves patients in both New York and New Jersey. She is also an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Cornell's New York Presbyterian Medical Center.
- Dr. Robyn Gmyrek, is a board-certified dermatologist working for UnionDerm in New York. She has been awarded national recognition for her contributions to cosmetic dermatology, including Castle and Connolly America’s Top Doctors, New York Magazine’s 2013-2020 Best Doctors and a spot in the 2013-2020 lists of Super Doctors.
- Dr. Lian A. Mack, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. She is particularly focused on skin conditions as it pertains to skins of color. She is based in New York City.
- Dr. Jennifer MacGregor, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York. Before UnionDerm, she directed the Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology Center for Georgetown University Hospital.
- Dr. Ife Rodney, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland. In addition to general dermatology, she specializes in skin cancer prevention, detection and treatment, skin rejuvenation and anti-aging, and hair and scalp disorders.
- Dr. Blair Murphy Rose, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist currently practicing at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York. She was featured in the 2021 Super Doctors Rising Stars list.
