When shopping for a body lotion, our experts recommend considering the following factors:
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With this expert guidance in mind, I rounded up a handful of dermatologist-recommended lotions and creams, plus ones NBC Select staff have tried, to help your dry skin heal.
This NBC Select Wellness Award winner, which is formulated with hyaluronic acid and ceramides to heal dry skin, comes recommended by Dr. Shoshana Marmon, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor at New York Medical College. Former NBC Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg also swears by it: “The two things I love most are its soft texture and I notice more of a moisturizing effect on my skin that lasts longer compared to other creams I’ve used and definitely more than when I use lotions,” she says. Ginsberg also appreciates that it doesn’t have a strong scent or a hefty price tag.
“I’ve been using La Roche-Posay products for years and love their gentle scent and the fact that they’re lightweight, providing deep moisture without leaving behind a greasy residue,” says former NBC Select editor Christina Colizza. The moisturizer is also a favorite of Marmon’s because it is formulated with ceramides, shea butter, glycerin and niacinamide.
This highly rated body lotion helps keep skin moisturized for up to 48 hours, according to the brand. The formula relies on ceramides, an emollient our experts recommend, to hydrate the skin and prevent dryness. Eucerin’s Advanced Repair Body Lotion is also fragrance-free.
Although this NBC Select Wellness Award winner has a thicker consistency than your typical lotion, it leaves skin soft and hydrated without feeling heavy or greasy, in our experience. “The hydration I got from the lotion lasted all day, and I didn’t feel like I needed to reapply it all the time,” says former NBC Page Alexa Casanueva. Suitable for all skin types, this noncomedogenic moisturizer also has a subtle coconut scent.
“This lotion makes my skin really soft after using it. With most body creams, I end up having to wash my hands after applying because of the greasy, sticky feeling it leaves on my skin, but this is not the case with Hempz,” says NBC Select editorial operations associate Jem Alabi. “The scent is really nice and natural, and it lasts for a long time.” It has hemp seed oil and shea butter to provide up to 48 hours of hydration, according to the brand.
Vanicream is by no means a new, splashy brand, but it’s a stalwart in the world of skin and hair care and comes recommended by Marmon. Out of all my body lotions, this is a standout because it gives me more moisture than any of the other ones I’ve tried and doesn’t cause any eczema flare-ups. In fact, it actually helps treat my eczema and soothes any itchy, dry, red patches. If you prefer a thicker consistency, consider the cream version, which I also use daily, if not weekly.
Marmon also recommends Amlactin’s moisturizer for dry skin. It’s formulated without parabens or fragrances and relies on humectants like glycerin to hydrate the skin. Also, the lotion contains 12% lactic acid, which the brand says is both a powerful humectant and gentle exfoliant that can relieve skin issues like keratosis pilaris.
King also recommends this option from Vaseline, which contains humectants (like glycerin) to hydrate the skin, emollients( like shea butter and sunflower seed oil) to support the skin barrier and occlusives (like petrolatum) to lock in moisture. It’s formula also includes colloidal oatmeal, which helps to soothe and protect the skin, she says.
This body lotion combines key hydrating ingredients like shea butter to help improve tone and texture and protect and moisturize the skin, according to the brand. It’s the perfect all-in-one cream, in my opinion. I see and feel a difference in how my skin looks, but I also love how fast-absorbing it is, and despite its lightweight feel, I feel like my skin is hydrated from morning to night.
When it comes to treating her itchy, dry, and sensitive skin, NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin reaches for this lotion. “I apply this hydrating cream whenever I start to feel uncomfortable, and it soothes my skin,” she says. “The skin on my legs tends to get dry and cracked in the winter, and if I use this before I go to bed, it’s significantly more moisturized in the morning.”
2024 was one of the worst years for my eczema, and since then, this cream has kept my skin moisturized and soothed. Made for dry or sensitive skin or those who live in colder areas and need intense moisture, this cream uses ingredients like squalane and ceramides to repair and strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate and lock in moisture, according to the brand. My skin feels more comfortable and less tight, appears way less dry, and any cracks I have are reduced overnight. I cannot recommend this body moisturizer enough.
This is a body butter you don’t have to stop using in the summer because it’s nourishing without being heavy or greasy, says NBC Select senior editor Nikki Brown. The moisturizer focuses on improving dry and damaged skin and increasing firmness and tightness, according to the brand. “A little goes a long way, which is always nice when you don’t want to sacrifice a huge chunk of money for quality products,” says Brown.
NBC Select reporter Harry Rabinowitz is a fan of Cetaphil’s lotion as both a body and face moisturizer. “It’s totally unscented, it comes in a large, affordable bottle, and I’ve seen it recommended by many dermatologists,” he says. Cetaphil is formulated with hydrating glycerin and is noncomedogenic, meaning it shouldn’t clog pores or cause breakouts.
It took me forever to find a moisturizer that worked for everyone in my family until I tried this one. My younger brothers (both under the age of 10) swear lotions make them itchy and their skin uncomfortable, but this is the first one they haven’t complained about and don’t mind applying. It’s not too thick or thin, has a subtle scent that doesn’t cause any irritation on all our skin types and is super fast absorbing.
This moisturizing, eucalyptus-scented body lotion has five peptides in its formula to help regulate cellular activity for improved skin health. These peptides also focus on firming and strengthening the skin, according to the brand.
“This body cream’s eucalyptus scent is present but not overpowering, and it reminds me of the cream a spa would use for an aromatherapy massage,” says Malin, who is cautious about fragrances in her lotion because she has sensitive skin. “I apply it post-shower to lock moisture into my skin, and while it takes a little blending to fully absorb, it’s lightweight and doesn’t leave behind a greasy residue.” This lotion is available in three additional fragrances (Santal, Olibanum and Hinoki) and a fragrance-free option, which has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance.
This Curél body lotion is fragrance-free and specifically targets extra dry, tight skin, according to the brand. It has hydrating ingredients like ceramides, shea butter and oatmeal that lock in moisture for up to 24 hours, according to the brand.
This Summer Fridays body lotion, another NBC Select Wellness Award winner, combines humectants, emollients and occlusives like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, glycerin and natural oils to hydrate and soften the skin, according to the brand. The lotion, which has a coconut, vanilla and almond scent, is in constant rotation for former NBC page Mikhaila Archer because it has a great texture that doesn’t feel too thin or thick on her skin, she says.
Former NBC Page Hannah Fuechtman reaches for Illiyoon’s Ceramide Ato Lotion to moisturize her dry skin during the winter. “I have incredibly dry skin, especially when the cold weather hits, and this is one of the only lotions that protects my skin,” she says. “I love how this lightweight, fragrance-free formula goes on smoothly and doesn’t leave my skin feeling sticky.” Illiyoon has products specifically for sensitive skin, so it’s a great pick if you fall into that skin type, too, says Fuechtman.
This body lotion uses an encapsulated retinol complex to improve skin texture, tone and firmness, according to the brand. The silky, fast-absorbing formula also reduces irritation and redness while providing overall moisture and hydration, according to Naturium. The lotion is available in a larger version with pump packaging and is also sold in a bundle.
Not quite a lotion, not quite a cream, but deserving of an honorable mention from Marmon is Aquaphor’s healing ointment. The balm won’t spread across your skin like the other recommendations on this list, but it’s great for spot treating rough patches on your skin and other itchy spots. It also ranks in NBC Select’s guides on how to heal dry, chapped lips and the best hand creams to heal dry skin.
Though you should proceed with caution when it comes to heavily-fragranced moisturizers, King uses this Eos lotion and says she’s very happy with it. Plus, it’s packed with humectants, emollients and occlusives like shea butter, glycerin, cocoa seed butter and petrolatum, she says.
This in-shower body moisturizer is another favorite of Brown, who tested it for our NBC Select Wellness Awards and has repurchased multiple times since. “The application process takes some getting used to because you don’t rub it off — you just let it sit there and allow the shower water to run over,” says Brown. “I love using this after swimming laps when I’m tired and want to just get everything done in the shower. And I’ve gotten many compliments on how soft my skin feels.”
“I finished a bottle of this moisturizer and quickly bought another because of how pleased I was with it,” says Alabi. “I have very dry skin and wanted to actively treat the scarring and keratosis pilaris on my legs. This lotion made my skin very soft during the winter and definitely brightened up my legs and arms. I even felt comfortable using this on my face, which simplified my skin care routine greatly. The scent is light and pleasant and genuinely feels nice going on the skin compared to other retinol body products I’ve tried. If you are consistent with use, you’ll notice a fabulous difference in your skin health.”
“Moisturizer is a catch-all term for something that hydrates the skin,” says Marmon. Whether a product is sold as a lotion, cream, body butter or a similar product (more on what distinguishes each below), they should contain humectants to hydrate the skin, emollients to support the skin barrier and occlusives to lock in moisture, says King. Some lotions also have additional ingredients for specific concerns, like lactic acid to gently exfoliate rough or bumpy skin, or retinol to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, she says.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Bianca Alvarez is a former associate reporter at NBC Select. For this story, she interviewed dermatologists and gathered their recommendations. She also compiled a list of NBC Select staff favorites and researched highly rated body lotions that met expert guidance.
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