Our best overall pick is Nécessaire’s The Body Lotion
Much like daily SPF is a must, so is a daily moisturizer—and we’re talking about more than just our faces. Moisturizers are essential for both rehydrating the skin and preventing future moisture loss, but we often neglect the rest of our body when it comes to our skincare routines. The result? Dry, thirsty skin that’s in need of some serious hydration. Factor in any underlying skin concerns or the season and climate (we’re looking at you, winter), and you have the perfect recipe for flaky, itchy, and uncomfortable skin—or even flared up eczema and dermatitis. Not fun.
Especially dry skin deserves a little extra TLC, and that means traditional body lotions just won’t cut it. But fear not, with the right products, baby soft skin is totally attainable. We did the research for you and rounded up the very best body lotions, creams, and oils to combat and prevent dry skin for all skin types and concerns. Whether you lean towards the sensitive side or you’re fighting bumpy and rough texture, these miracle products will solve all your parched skin woes.
Best Overall: Nécessaire The Body Lotion
Consider this cult-favorite body lotion a daily multivitamin for your skin. A favorite of former Byrdie Editorial Director Faith Xue, this cleanly formulated cream is jam-packed with good-for-you ingredients: Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) moisturizes and supports the skin’s surface while vitamins A, C, and E and omegas 6 and 9 nourish the skin with antioxidants. Its luxurious blend of marula, cacay, and meadowfoam oils deeply hydrate yet also absorb super fast, so you can quickly get on with your day without having to wait for it to soak in.
The formula is fragrance-free, pH-balanced, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing, so it’s also a perfect choice for those with more sensitive skin. And—just when you thought this lotion couldn’t get any better—it’s also vegan and comes in recyclable packaging.
Best Budget: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
A trusted and top-rated classic, CeraVe’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion is a wallet-friendly option for soothing and healing dry skin. Formulated with three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid, this lightweight body lotion restores the skin’s barrier and helps it retain its natural moisture levels.
Providing a full day’s worth of hydration, the formula is free of both fragrance and oil and is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and non-irritating, so it won’t cause a reaction for extra dry or cracked skin. Plus, it can be used everywhere from head to toe—including your face.
Best Drugstore: Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion With Broad Spectrum SPF 15
This longtime drugstore favorite is a solid choice for dry skin thanks to its formula’s rich emollients and soothing colloidal oatmeal, which replenishes moisture and protect the skin’s delicate barrier to leave you with soft, smooth, and healthier-looking skin.1 Providing 24 hours of hydration, this non-greasy, fragrance-free lotion also offers SPF 15 protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays, a major plus. And considering the price point, you don’t have to feel one ounce of guilt for slathering this on all over on the daily.
Best With SPF: Supergoop! Body Butter SPF 40
Most higher SPF sunscreens don’t provide much moisturizing power, which is why we love Supergoop!’s super nourishing Body Butter SPF 40. One part moisture-rich body butter and one part SPF 40 sunscreen, this formula hydrates dry skin on a deeper level while offering ample protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Sea buckthorn fruit extract, meadowfoam seed oil, and argan oil are chock full of vitamins and fatty acids that keep the skin supple and smooth but never greasy, while also improving uneven skin tone, oxidation, and loss of elasticity. Bonus: This clean formula is also free of fragrance and is considered vegan and cruelty-free.
Best Clean Formula: Drunk Elephant Sili Body Lotion
Drunk Elephant’s Sili Body Lotion is the perfect everyday moisturizer to stave off dry skin, and we love even more that this vegan and cruelty-free formula is considered clean by Byrdie’s standards. This lotion really does it all—it contains a powerhouse blend of five different ceramides which support the skin’s barrier and protect against moisture loss, while marula and shea butter, squalane, and amino acids hydrate, strengthen, and protect the skin. It also contains a blend of fruit-derived antioxidants that protect against free-radical damage, and it has a skin-friendly pH level of 4.2.3
What this lotion doesn’t contain is sulfates, silicones, irritating fragrance, and essential oils, dyes, and drying alcohols—plus a ton of other skin-care nasties that tend to end up in our body care products.
Best Splurge: Augustinus Bader The Body Cream
This luxurious body cream may be on the pricier side, but we promise it’s worth it. Another favorite of Xue, this high-tech formula will not only solve your dry skin woes but will revitalize your whole bod. Thanks to stem cell research and the brand’s Trigger Factor Complex—a triple threat of amino acids, vitamins, and synthesized molecules—this miracle cream jump-starts the skin’s natural repair and renewal process. It also features Brazilian candela oil, a natural anti-inflammatory, as well as ultra-moisturizing shea butter and vitamins A and E.
The results? The skin looks and feels instantly softer, and over time, is visibly firmer with a reduction in sun damage, stretch marks, and even cellulite.
Best for Legs: Glossier Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream
If you’re not a fan of sticky, rich formulas, Glossier’s Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream is the body lotion for you. Another favorite of Gould, this creamy wonder is formulated with an antioxidant-rich mix of cactus flower extract, prickly pear extract, and yucca extract, which keeps dry skin at bay all day long sans any residue or stickiness.
While this body cream can be used all over, we especially love it for our legs. For one, it quickly absorbs into the skin, making it a great option to reach for when you’re in a rush—you can throw your jeans on right over it. Second, we love the formula’s tiny light-reflecting particles, which leave behind the prettiest shimmery sheen that’s subtle enough for every day and leaves those gams even and radiant. This one does have a subtle orange blossom neroli scent, so keep in mind that it can potentially irritate sensitive skin.
Best for Arms: AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion
Bumpy arms, no more! This body lotion from AmLactin is a dermatologist favorite. It not only deeply moisturizes dry skin with rich emollients and creamy humectants, but it also acts as a light exfoliator that’s gentle enough for daily use. Formulated with 12% lactic acid, it boosts the skin natural renewal process by breaking down flakes and bumps, making it a great choice for anyone suffering from pesky keratosis pilaris—aka, dry bumpy patches of skin—on their arms (as well as other parts of the body).
Best for Hands: Burt’s Bees Ultimate Care Hand Cream
With all the hand-washing and sanitizing we’re doing these days, the majority of us are suffering from rough, dry hands—and before we know it, winter will be here, making things much worse. Treat them to a drink of moisture with this rich hand cream from Burt’s Bees. Infused with skin-loving ingredients like baobab oil, green tea extract, watermelon seed oil, and pumpkin oil, it deeply nourishes and gently exfoliates thirsty hands. The non-greasy formula is also unscented, so you can count on it to truly soothe and never irritate cracked or broken knuckles.
Best for Bum: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
That’s right, your butt needs love too. Not only will this luxurious body cream leave your derriere hydrated and supple, but a combination of Brazilian powerhouse ingredients reduce dullness and uneven texture while improving firmness and elasticity. It contains caffeine-rich guaraná and smooths the skin along with cupuaçu butter’s fatty-acids, phytosterols, and polyphenols to lock in moisture and restore elasticity. Açaí keeps your bum appearing youthful, while coconut oil deeply moisturizes and softens. It certainly doesn’t hurt that this magic butt cream leaves behind the sexiest, spicy tropical scent, instantly transporting to the faraway island vacations we’re dreaming of.
Best Anti-Aging: Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream
There’s a lot to love about this body cream from Dr. Barbara Sturm. It’s deeply hydrating and nourishing, but thanks to glacial water in its formula, it’s never heavy or sticky. It’s rich and luxurious, but absorbs almost instantly, resulting in velvety-smooth and supple skin.
What has us hooked, however, is its powerful anti-aging benefits. Infused with white almond and elderberry blossom extracts, this powerhouse cream works to tighten the skin while its nutrient-rich oils and highly active compounds restore skin elasticity. Purslane extract, a powerful plant-based anti-aging ingredient that’s found in many of Sturm’s products, reverses signs of aging in the skin, according to the brand. Plus, the formula is clean and cruelty-free.
Best for Sensitive Skin: Vanicream Moisturizing Cream for Sensitive Skin
If your skin is super sensitive, finding a lotion that doesn’t irritate it can prove to be a challenge. But trust us, Vanicream works. This no-frills but effective body cream is free of fragrance, dyes, lanolin, botanical extracts, and parabens and is non-comedogenic, making it a solid choice for those with fussy, easily irritated skin. It’s non-greasy, long-lasting formula spreads easily over the body like butter, soothing red, itchy, and cracked skin instantly. Plus, with such an affordable price point, you really can’t go wrong.
Best for Very Dry Skin: Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream
There’s dry skin, and then there’s very dry skin. When you’re in need of some extra TLC—we’re talking flaky, cracked skin and uncomfortable rough patches—Eucerin’s Advanced Repair Créme will provide instant, soothing relief that’ll keep moisture locked in for up to 48 hours. Ceramides and natural moisturizers soothe extra dry spots on the hands and body, while alpha hydroxy acid exfoliators gently break down flakes and roughness.4 And, because this formula is free of skin-irritating ingredients like fragrance, dyes, and parabens, it’s safe for all skin types, including those who are extra sensitive.
Best for Eczema: Skinfix Eczema+ Extra Strength Body Cream
Dealing with eczema can be tough, but luckily there are some pretty powerful creams on the market that’ll offer some sweet, healing relief. Skinfix’s Eczema+ Extra Strength Body Cream, a favorite of Byrdie senior editor Hallie Gould, is one of the best out there. This rich cream leaves the skin feeling soft and soothed, and is formulated with 2% colloidal oatmeal to temporarily protect and relieve skin irritation and itching caused by eczema, rashes, and dermatitis.1 Additionally, 4% almond oil works to nourish dry skin and relieve itching. Plus, its clean formula has been tested and recommended by dermatologists for those with eczema-prone skin, so you know it works.
Best for Mature Skin: Kayo Body Beautiful Creme
KEY INGREDIENTS Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring polysaccharide found in the human body. It acts as a cushioning and lubrication agent for our joints, nerves, hair, skin, and eyes. When used in skincare, it acts as a moisture binder, which means that it will attach itself to the water in the cells (while also attracting and holding water from the air) making them plump.5
Kayo’s Body Beautiful Creme does exactly what the name implies, leaves you with the most beautifully soft and renewed skin. Another one of Xue’s go-to’s, this luxurious formula is brimming with nutrients that nourish and pamper you, such as goji, acai, noni, pomegranate, green tea, macadamia nut, kukui nut, and coconut oil—just to name a few—but what makes this cream a must is CoQ10, an essential antioxidant for the skin that combats oxidative stress,6 and hyaluronic acid, which helps the skin retain moisture and appear plumper.5
This lotion is great for all skin types, especially those that are dryer, but its ability to renew and plump make it an excellent option for mature skin due to its ability to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, crepey skin, and loss of firmness.
Best Scent: African Botanics Jardin Sauvage Botanical Body Cream
This luxurious body cream from African Botanics is loved by Xue for its deeply hydrating and skin-revitalizing qualities. The brand sources wild-growing African Fynbos flora and nutrient-rich South African plants to nourish the skin and infuses the formula with peptides and antioxidants to support skin health. It also contains caffeine, brown seaweed extract to boost collagen production and protect from environmental stressors,7 and vitamin C to reduce dark spots and even skin tone. But what we’re really obsessing over? The scent.
Thanks to all of the organic and wildcrafted plants in its formula, its natural fragrance is described as that of “a wild garden in full bloom,” and believe us when we say it’s heavenly. Wild cape may, rose, jasmine, and ravensara blend with lime and vetiver to create an exotic, floral aroma that’s soft and never overpowering.
Best Serum: Free and True Body Prophet All Over Creamy Serum
Just like your face, your body can benefit from using serums, too. However, this creamy version from Free + True—another favorite of Gould—is so hydrating on its own, you won’t need to apply another layer of lotion over it. Body Prophet is formulated with free radical-fighting antioxidants like olive leaf extract, sea buckthorn berry, and pumpkin seed oil that heal, firm, and regenerate the skin while aloe vera juice and comfrey extract soothe, calm, and hydrate. It also has a refreshing, summery scent we love, thanks to a blend of essential oils—but keep in mind, this may irritate more sensitive skin types.
Best Balm: La Mer The Renewal Body Oil Balm
Xue is a major fan of this luxurious moisturizer from La Mer, which applies as a balm and instantly melts into a silky oil upon skin contact. The Renewal Body Oil Balm may be pricey, but it features the brand’s signature Miracle Broth, a fermented mixture of sea kelp, vitamins, minerals, citrus oil, eucalyptus, sunflower, wheat germ, and alfalfa, which is the key ingredient in all of the brand’s cult-favorite products.
This powerhouse concoction, along with other nourishing oils, renews skin cells and heal dryness, redness, and irritation. The skin is left looking visibly more radiant, firmer, and healthier—and, TBH, we feel a whole lot fancier.
Best Oil: Klur Elements Of Comfort Botanical Body Oil
If your skin is in need of some serious hydration, allow it to have a drink of this nourishing body oil from Klur. A trio of moisture-rich oils—organic hemp seed, avocado, and grapeseed—help this radiance-boosting treatment hydrate parched skin and create a protective barrier against future moisture loss, leaving skin smooth, glowy, and supple. Take one look at its plant-heavy organic and wildcrafted ingredient list, and you’ll know it’s the real deal. Plus, it smells absolutely amazing, thanks to neroli orange blossom, Bulgarian rose, and French lavender.
Best With CBD: Haoma Hydrating Body Cream
It seems that CBD is just about everywhere these days, and we’re loving the intense hydration boost it offers when infused into skincare. This luxurious natural body cream from Haoma boasts 300mg of full-spectrum CBD with vitamins A, E, and D to nourish and heal the skin, and coconut seed and apricot kernel oils. This stuff also smells delicious, and according to the brand, its marigold-like color is said to tap into our sacral chakra, increasing the feeling of pleasure and bliss, which we’re obviously here for.
Best for Face: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Gel-Cream
There’s a reason why this classic drugstore brand facial moisturizer has such high ratings. Its unique gel-cream formula instantly absorbs like a gel while providing long-lasting moisture like a cream. Even though the formula itself is light as air, it’s still deeply nurturing for dry, flaky skin and pesky rough patches, resulting in a smooth, supple complexion.
Thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid and olive extract, this formula boosts and locks in hydration, protecting the skin from moisture loss for a whopping 48 hours. Plus, it’s free of fragrance, oil, dyes and is non-comedogenic, so it’s great for extra-dry skin types, especially those that are more sensitive.
Best Body Milk: Tatcha Forest Awakening Cedar & Hinoki Body Milk
One of Tatcha’s most popular launches, the Body Milk Lotion features hydrating ingredients like squalane and glycerin to boost moisture in the skin. Additionally, peach tree leaf extract works to renew the look of dry skin, while the forest awakening essential oil blend will envelop you in a serene, lush-scented landscape.
Because the formula is so lightweight, this pick is a great option for anyone who doesn’t want a heavy cream on their body. We love that this soaks in the skin quickly and effectively hydrates without feeling greasy. That being said, we don’t think this is a great option for those super sensitive to fragrance—”parfum” sits pretty high up on the ingredient list, so some might find it irritating.
Best Luxury: Fresh Milk Body Lotion
Another lightweight formula that won’t feel heavy on the skin, this pick from Fresh features plant-based milks to help soothe and calm skin, while niacinamide and hyaluronic acid create a stronger skin barrier and moisturize, too.
This pick has a lovely, lightweight scent. It’s not too strong or troublesome for sensitive skin, but also not so light that you can’t smell anything. Although we love the fragrance, the formula might need to be reapplied throughout the day to really hydrate dry skin.
Best for Menopausal Skin: Womaness The Works, Smoothing All-Over Body Cream
With menopause comes a lot of hormonal changes. And with hormonal changes come a lot of changes in your skin’s appearance, too. This pick from Womaness is a great option because it combines seven different types of sodium hyaluronate (in the same family as hyaluronic acid) and helps to treat the severe dryness many women in menopause experience. We love that the niacinamide works to help even out tone and texture, while the antioxidant-rich red snow flower extract protects skin against environmental aggressors.
We appreciate all the skin-loving benefits this pick offers, but if you aren’t a fan of a thick body cream, this pick probably isn’t for you. The formula is heavy and might take a little longer than others to absorb into the skin.
Best Classic: Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Body Lotion
It doesn’t get more classic than the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Hydrating Body Lotion. This pick has been around for a long time, and has been a fan-favorite for many. It’s pretty easy to see why—the ingredient list is chock-full of moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, and squalene. We also love that this pick is fragrance-free, and is ideal for anyone who finds fragranced products irritating.
On the flip side, this is a pretty bare-bones formula. There are no anti-aging ingredients, and it’s mostly designed to simply hydrate your skin when you need some extra TLC.
Final Verdict
Our best overall pick is Nécessaire’s The Body Lotion, which has an amazing skin-feel and is packed replete with the skin-saving ingredient, niacinamide. It’s also pH-balanced and fragrance-free, so it’s safe for even the most sensitive of skin. For something more affordable, consider CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, a drugstore favorite developed with dermatologists.
What to Look For in Body Lotions for Dry Skin
Hydrating Ingredients
According to Dr. Kim Nichols MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of NicholsMD of Greenwich, you want to look for active hydrating ingredients when on the hunt for a great body lotion. “Key ingredients to look for when shopping for a moisturizer are humectants such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin,” she explains.
Over time, you can double the moisture and hydration of your skin when used on a daily basis. “These ingredients provide up to 48 hours of moisture and relieve dry skin almost immediately after use,” says Dr. Nichols. “Used regularly, it even helps repair skin over time, and improve moisture retention.”
Easy-To-Use Packaging
Another important thing to factor in when purchasing a body lotion is the packaging. Some packaging, like bottles with a pump or squeeze bottles, are easier to use and remove product from. Other types of packaging, such as large tubs with a twist-off, are more difficult to use. Because of this, you might be less likely to actually apply body lotion to your skin daily.
Dr. Nichols really stresses the importance of moisturizing the body. “People only treat their skin when they experience a problem, but consistency is key to healthy skin overall,” she says. “It is critical to incorporate a body lotion that contains such ingredients into your everyday routine.”
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, hyaluronic acid is effective on your face and body because it’s capable of absorbing 1,000 times its weight in water.8 When examining the active ingredients in body lotion for dry skin, consider opting for a product with hyaluronic acid.
FAQ
Can you put body lotion for dry skin on your face?
Body lotions for dry skin are often formulated to be thicker and likely contain fragrance. Since the skin on your face tends to be more delicate and sensitive than the skin on your body, it’s better to use products designed specifically for your face. However, using body lotion on your face occasionally shouldn’t cause too much of an issue unless you have very sensitive or acne-prone skin.
How often should you use body lotion for dry skin?
It depends on how dry your skin is—if your skin is dry to the touch, don’t hesitate to apply a moderate amount of lotion. However, when you apply body lotion is of great importance. Lotions work by trapping existing moisture on your skin, says the American Academy of Dermatology Association.8 So, you should aim to put on body lotion for dry skin after taking a bath, shower, or washing your hands.9If you suffer from dry skin on your hands, you might want to opt for a pair of moisturizing gloves to sleep in.
