15 Best Body Lotions and Body Butters
15 Editor-Favorite Body Lotions For Smooth Skin
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If there's one beauty product that most people we speak with are too lazy to use, it's body lotion. But here's the thing: you need to moisturize your entire body all year, but especially during the months when many of us are more prone to dry skin. Just like the face, our body gets dry, flaky, and — in extreme cases — cracked when it's not properly hydrated. But with so many body lotions, butters, creams, and oils on the market, it's hard to know where to start and which ones are actually good. That's why we're here to help.
You'll want to consider what's on the ingredient list. There are several to look out for specifically when shopping for a new body lotion or body butter. Shea butter, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, and urea are classic hydrators that help the skin retain moisture, and in some cases, help absorb moisture in the air, which is why you should always apply your lotion right after the shower when the bathroom is still steamy. In addition to the classic hydrating ingredients, body moisturizers can also sometimes contain light exfoliating ingredients such as glycolic acid that help dissolve rough or dead skin cells on the epidermis, which in turn help the skin better absorb said hydrating ingredients.
Keeping your body in tip-top hydrated condition isn't just good for keeping tight, dry, scaly arms and legs at bay; it can also have other positive effects. Not only will it make your skin glow naturally, but if you're a faux-tan lover, using body lotion consistently ensures that your faux glow looks better and lasts longer. If you shave or are sunburnt, using a good after-sun lotion helps soothe irritation or redness. And if you choose a moisturizer with fragrance, you'll smell great, too. But if you're turned off by the feeling of a thick cream on your body, fear not, because there are so many different types of moisturizers that'll keep your skin hydrated without feeling sticky.
Read on to see which body moisturizers, lotions, and butters will be slathered on our editors all year.
Best Liquid-to-Cream Body Lotion
Natura Ekos Castanha Body Lotion Concentrate Kit ($12)
This lotion will bring your body moisturizing routine to the next level, thanks to the addition of Brazil nut oil, which will help to improve the appearance and feel of bumpy, textured skin. Read our full review of Natura Ekos Castanha Body Lotion for more.
Editor Quote: "Thankfully, it rubbed in effortlessly, leaving my skin so smooth that I even asked my roommates to feel it as a way of showing off. It's also not sticky at all, so I could put my pajamas on right away without having to linger in the nude for a few minutes to dry off." – Iman Balagam, PS contributor
Best Gel Body Lotion
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Fragrance-Free Hydrating Body Gel Cream ($13)
This lotion is hyaluronic-infused, so it replenishes skin by improving hydration and smoothness. This is one of those lotions that you can apply right before you get dressed without worrying about any of the formula getting on your clothes.
Best Body Lotion For Eczema
Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion ($14)
The Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion is a great option if you have very dry and sensitive skin. It's highly regarded as helping eczema and other skin conditions. It contains shea butter and colloidal oatmeal to soothe and is fragrance-free if you are sensitive to perfumed creams.
Best Body Lotion For Sensitive Skin
Eucerin Intensive Repair Very Dry Skin Lotion ($15)
This body lotion is great for those who need intense hydration to treat dry, flaky skin caused by either dehydration or certain skin conditions, thanks to the addition of urea in the formula.
Best Drugstore Radiance Cream
Gold Bond Radiance Renewal Hand and Body Lotion ($15)
The Gold Bond Radiance Renewal Hand and Body Lotion is so good, it was used on the models for the 60th Anniversary Legends issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. The formula contains seven oils, including African shea butter, cocoa butter, and coconut oil, to leave skin soft and glowing.
Best Overall Lotion For Dark Spots
AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion ($18)
The AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion is made with lactic acid, which very gently exfoliates skin to get rid of dead cells. You'll notice healthier-looking skin just days after using it. Read our full review of AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion for more.
Editor Quote: "Whenever my friends ask how I'm able to get buttery-soft skin or how my bikini line looks smooth, I pretty much credit it to consistently using AmLactin's Daily lotion. It's my go-to for diminishing body acne, KP, and ingrown hairs, and it also helps with evening out my skin tone, whether it's from dark spots, friction-induced hyperpigmentation, or even awkward-looking tans." – Anvita Reddy, former assistant editor, Shopping
Best Scented Body Lotion
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream ($48)
This body lotion is known for its warm and spicy scent, but it also hydrates even the most parched skin. It's vegan, fast absorbing, and made with coconut oil to leave your skin soft and smooth all day long.
Best Non-Greasy Body Lotion
Glossier Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream ($28)
Want a cream with zero greasy residue, a supersoft result, and a slightly glowing finish? The Glossier Body Hero Daily Perfecting Cream will be your jam. It's perfect for your entire body, but will really help your legs glow.
Best Vanilla-Scented Body Lotion
Summer Fridays Summer Silk Nourishing Body Lotion ($28)
The Summer Fridays Summer Silk Nourishing Body Lotion is made with cocoa and shea butter, which will help hydrate your skin. Read our full review of Summer Fridays Summer Silk Nourishing Body Lotion for more.
Editor Quote: "I'm a big fan of most of the Summer Fridays products, but this body lotion is one of my favorites. The pretty packaging is something I love and have come to expect from the brand, but we have to talk about the smell. It's the perfect light coconut vanilla scent that makes me feel like I'm on vacation, even though I've been in my house for the last year. It's fragrant without being overpowering, and I actually look forward to applying it post-shower." – India Yaffe, former associate editor, Shopping
Best Fragrance-Free Body Lotion
Nécessaire The Body Lotion ($30)
If your skin is dry and sensitive, bestselling Nécessaire The Body Lotion deeply hydrates with a pH-balanced, fragrance-free blend of skin-nourishing oils. It absorbs fast and contains vitamins A, C, and E which help to nourish skin.
Best Whipped Body Lotion
Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream ($43)
It's impossible to miss the ginger aroma of this Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream. But there are also skin-softening oils packed inside — like nourishing olive, grape seed, and apricot kernel — to take even winter-weary skin and make it cheery again.
Best Exfoliating Body Lotion
Skinfix Resurface+ AHA Renewing Cream ($48)
This bestselling body cream does more than just provide moisture. The Skinfix Resurface+ AHA Renewing Cream has a natural alpha-hydroxy acid blend to exfoliate dead skin cells — which softens rough skin and works to smooth bumpy or crepey patches, too.
Best Body Cream
L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream ($49)
The L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream is not only sustainable but also so rich in shea butter that it can keep skin hydrated for up to 72 hours, even after showering. (But it still melts into the skin and doesn't leave any visible residue or sticky feel.)
Best Anti-Aging Body Cream
Dr Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream ($130)
The first thing you'll notice about the Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream is the price. It's definitely at the luxury end of the scale, but it's good — like, changes-your-moisturizing-game good. Silky and lightweight with a velvety-smooth texture, this lotion absorbs quickly but keeps your skin feeling hydrated all day long.
Best Splurge Body Lotion
La Mer The Body Crème Jar ($325)
If you're looking to treat your skin to a luxury lotion, look no further than the La Mer The Body Crème Jar. While it comes with a high price tag, it provides long-lasting hydration to skin, making it worth every penny. Made with La Mer's Blue Algae Lift Ferment, it helps target skin's loss of firmness.
— Additional reporting by Renee Rodriquez, Jessica Harrington, and Balim Tezel
Tori Crowther is a freelance beauty journalist and former PS UK editor.
Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for PS's TikTok and Instagram accounts.
Jessica Harrington is the senior beauty editor at PS, where she writes about hair, makeup, skin care, piercings, tattoos, and more. As a New York City-based writer and editor with a degree in journalism and over eight years of industry experience, she loves to interview industry experts, keep up with the latest trends, and test new products.
Balim Tezel (she/her) is a shopping updates editor at PS and the founder of Maison des Nus, a New York-based affordable luxury brand. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
