Advice

Best Body Lotion for Dry Skin

Body lotions and creams for dry skin compared by label: ceramides, urea, shea butter and petrolatum, lotion vs cream vs balm, and which are sold fragrance free.

Short answer

For everyday dry skin, CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is a light, fragrance-free lotion with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. For very dry, rough or flaky skin, CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion adds 5% hydroxyethyl urea and shea butter, and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is the thicker, petrolatum-based option. If you want a scented lotion, Jack Black Cool Moisture Body Lotion has a cooling feel.

By Nora Ellison
Published

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What this means for you

Start with what you notice

If your shins, arms or hands feel tight, itchy or look ashy, especially after showering or in winter, a better body moisturizer usually helps within days.

The ingredient names, translated

Dry skin has lost water and the oils that hold it in. Body moisturizers combine humectants that attract water (glycerin, hyaluronic acid, urea), emollients that soften (shea butter, plant oils) and occlusives that seal moisture in (petrolatum, dimethicone). Lotions are lighter; creams and balms are richer. Applying right after a shower, while skin is damp, makes any of them work better.

How to decide

  • Mildly dry and want something light? A lotion such as CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion.
  • Rough, flaky or very dry? A lotion with urea, or a thick cream.
  • Sensitive or eczema-prone skin? Choose a formula sold as fragrance free; several carry the National Eczema Association seal.
  • Love scent? A fragranced lotion is fine if your skin never reacts.

What to expect

Expect skin to feel softer and less tight within a few days of daily use. Dryness that cracks, bleeds or itches constantly is worth seeing a dermatologist about. We haven't tested these products; facts come from each brand's label.

General guidance, not a test of these products: AAD: dermatologists' tips for relieving dry skin (apply after bathing, choose creams or ointments); FDA: fragrances in cosmetics (labeling and sensitivities). Each product's label source is linked on its product page.

Our label-based picks

Each pick is matched to a need using what the brand's label says. We haven't tested these, so they aren't winners or guarantees of suitability.

Store and Amazon links may earn us a commission. Confirm the current formula, size, shade or bundle on the listing.

Best Body Lotion for Dry Skin

For everyday dry skin, CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the easy pick: a light, fragrance-free lotion with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. If your skin is rough, flaky or very dry, step up to CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion with urea, or the thicker CeraVe Moisturizing Cream.

If your shins look ashy by noon or your skin itches every winter, the lotion matters, but so does when you put it on.

Why does skin get so dry?

Hot showers, harsh soaps, dry air and cold weather all pull water and natural oils out of skin. Body moisturizers put that back in three ways:

  • Humectants such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid and urea attract water.
  • Emollients such as shea butter and plant oils soften.
  • Occlusives such as petrolatum and dimethicone form a layer that slows water loss.

The AAD’s tips for dry skin are to apply moisturizer within minutes of drying off, and to favor creams and ointments over lotions for dry skin.

Skin Realist check: A 20-minute hot shower followed by a dab of lotion is a fair fight your skin will lose. Shorten the shower first.

Fragrance-free lotions

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is a light, oil-free lotion for face and body, made for normal to dry skin. It has CeraVe’s three ceramides and hyaluronic acid, is free of added fragrance and carries the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance. CeraVe claims 48-hour hydration but doesn’t give study details.

It’s the everyday choice: quick to rub in, no greasy feel. Our recorded ingredient list may be missing the last few entries, so check the bottle if you avoid something specific.

→ Check price on Amazon

CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion

CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion is for dry to very dry skin, aimed at tightness, roughness and flaking. It has 5% Hydro-Urea, CeraVe’s name for a blend led by hydroxyethyl urea, plus shea butter, ceramides and hyaluronic acid. CeraVe sells it as fragrance free and paraben free and lists it for adults and teens 13 and up.

CeraVe reports a 42% increase in barrier function with ongoing twice-daily use and 72-hour hydration, without giving study sizes. Avoid getting it in your eyes.

→ See the Intensive lotion on Amazon

Richer creams and balms

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is the thick, tub-style cream for dry skin on the face and body, with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum and dimethicone. It’s fragrance free, NEA accepted and listed for ages 3 and up. This is the pick for the driest areas, like shins, elbows and hands, and for winter.

→ Check price on Amazon

Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus + The Intensive Hydrating Body Balm

Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus + The Intensive Hydrating Body Balm is a rich, buttery 3.2 oz balm with shea, mango and kokum butters, ceramide NP, phospholipids and copper tripeptide-1. It’s for dry areas that need extra cushion. It lists fragrance and fragrance components.

→ See the Perricone MD balm on Amazon

Scented options

  • Jack Black Cool Moisture Body Lotion is a 16 oz lightweight lotion with macadamia and jojoba oils, soy protein and menthyl lactate for a cooling feel after showers or workouts. It lists fragrance and contains macadamia nut oil.
  • Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream is a 10 oz medium-weight cream with lactic acid, a gentle exfoliant, plus orange, lavender and patchouli oils.
  • Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Body Cream is a silky gel-cream with marine algae. Elemis cites an independent trial of 30 people over four weeks for its firmness and 48-hour hydration claims. It lists fragrance and contains sweet almond oil.

Quick comparison

Product Best for Texture Fragrance on the label
CeraVe Daily Lotion Everyday dryness Light lotion Free of added fragrance
CeraVe Intensive Lotion Rough, flaky skin Lotion with urea Fragrance free
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream Very dry areas, winter Thick cream Fragrance free
Perricone MD Body Balm Extra-dry patches Balm Lists fragrance
Jack Black Cool Moisture After workouts Light lotion Lists fragrance

How to moisturize dry skin

  1. Keep showers short and warm, not hot.
  2. Pat dry gently, leaving skin slightly damp.
  3. Apply moisturizer within a few minutes, focusing on shins, elbows, knees and hands.
  4. Reapply to your hands after washing them.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Waiting until skin is completely dry to apply lotion.
  • Using a scented lotion on skin that’s already itchy.
  • Choosing a light lotion for very dry winter skin.
  • Ignoring cracked, bleeding or constantly itchy skin. See a dermatologist.

The bottom line

If you only buy one, make it CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion for everyday use, or CeraVe Moisturizing Cream if your skin is very dry. Browse the full body care range, and see our spa night body care guide for a more indulgent routine.

Common questions

Lotion or cream for dry skin?

The AAD suggests creams and ointments for dry skin because they're more effective and less irritating than lotions. A light lotion is fine for mild dryness or warm weather.

When should I put on body lotion?

Right after a shower or bath, within a few minutes, while skin is still damp. That helps trap water in the skin.

What does urea do in a body lotion?

Urea helps skin hold water. CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion uses 5% Hydro-Urea, which CeraVe describes as a blend of natural moisturizing factors led by hydroxyethyl urea.

Is fragrance in body lotion bad?

Not for everyone, but fragrance is a common cause of skin sensitivity. If your skin itches or reacts, choose a lotion sold as fragrance free.