There are various reasons your skin could be dry. It could be the winter weather that's left you with dry, flaky, and itchy skin or you have sensitive skin that's prone to allergies and conditions like eczema and acne.
Whatever the case, having dry skin means that your skin's barrier has been compromised. This results in flakes, irritation, redness, and itchiness. This can result in a great deal of discomfort and put you at a greater risk of infections.
In your quest to deal with dry skin, it's important to find a formula that locks in the moisture. Moisturizing is essential as it adds water back to your skin while also trapping the very water you already have and protecting it.
The best lotion for dry skin should be intensely hydrating and moisturizing. The aim is to soothe dry skin and leave it feeling smooth and moisturized. It should absorb into the skin barrier quickly to begin moisturizing. For those with sensitive skin, you're looking for a formula that has no fragrance, and that's not greasy. If your skin type is extremely dry, you may prefer creams like shea butter or cocoa butter as they tend to be thicker than lotions. They are also more hydrating.
Finding the best body lotions for dry skin can seem daunting however we narrowed them down and outlined factors to consider when buying them. This list contains the best lotions for dry skin, according to dermatologists.
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Best Lotions For Dry Skin
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Best Lotions For Dry Skin - Reviews
The fragrance-free formula is highly rated and is often recommended as one of the best moisturizers for dry skin by dermatologists.
Cerave Moisturizing Cream has a rich, velvety texture that's non-greasy. When applied to the skin, the body cream absorbs quickly, leaving the skin feeling smooth hydrated. The body cream has the NEA ( National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance), making it safe for eczema or sensitive skin conditions.
The body cream contains three essential ceramides that help restore and maintain the skin's barrier. Ceramides can be found naturally in the skin and make up 50% of the lipids in the skin barrier. Dry Skin can often result from a deficiency in ceramides, leading to itchy and flaky skin. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream claims that its fragrance-free formula was shown to increase the skin's level of ceramides after 4 weeks.
The body cream also contains hyaluronic acid, which offers intense hydration.
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La Roche Posay Lipikar is likely to be the best lotion for you if you suffer from dry or extremely skin. The body cream contains a unique prebiotic action on the skin microbiome. It has been clinically shown to reduce dry, rough skin, provide daily relief, & provides long-lasting, 48-hour hydration.
The body cream has the NEA seal of approval, making it suitable for eczema and sensitive skin conditions. It contains La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water, shea butter, glycerin, and Niacinamide. Hence, it is intensely hydrating, making it the best lotion for dry skin.
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The body gel cream is infused with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, resulting in a formula that locks in moisture and intensely hydrating.
The gel-cream has a lightweight texture and is clinically proven to make your skin feel smoother and more hydrated. Its fragrance-free, paraben-free, and non-greasy.
What makes it the best lotion for dry skin is that it contains all the ingredients to lock in moisture into your skin.
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The Dove lotion has a light and creamy texture and is designed to calm dry, itchy skin. It has no fragrance and is not sticky.
The lotion contains AminoSilk Complex and powerful moisturizers that restore moisture to all extremely dry skin layers and seal the outer layer from irritants. It feels gentle when applied to the skin.
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The repair lotion was designed to leave your skin looking and feeling healthy by intensely hydrating it. The formula is lightweight, fast-absorbing, and not greasy. Its infused with 3 ceramides that strengthen the skin's barrier and lock in the moisture. This results in immediate relief, and the lotion provides an intensely hydrating experience for 48 hours.
Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion has no fragrance and can be used alongside the Eucerin Repair cream, which leaves your hands feeling smoother and softer.
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Factors To Consider When Looking For Best Lotion For Dry Skin
a) Ingredients
It's crucial to find a lotion that contains the right ingredients. For instance, body acne requires you to stick to non-comedogenic ingredients meaning they won’t clog pores. At the same time, someone with extremely dry skin can benefit from creams and ointments rather than water-based lotions. It's important to be clear on the state of your skin before you assess the ingredients. These are the different ingredient categories that tend to be listed as the source of hydration:
- Emollients: These are hydrating agents that are necessary for any lotion for dry skin. They help prevent hydration loss while smoothing and softening skin. They come as oils (plant, mineral, or animal), butter (like shea butter and cocoa), or fatty acids.
- Humectants: They attract water to the skin, thus helping the skin's moisture content over time. Ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times their weight in water and create a barrier for the skin, locking in moisture and improving the skin texture.
- Ceramides: As you age, your skin's lipid layer that locks in moisture and acts as a barrier against pollution, bacteria, and signs of ageing depletes. Ceramides help restore the skin's barrier by holding the cells together. This results in skin that's smoother and more moisturized. Skincare products with ceramides or niacinamide help the skin increase natural lipid production.
- Occlusives: These sit atop the skin and create a barrier to prevent further moisture loss and shield against the hydration-robbing elements like wind and cold air. They come in waxy or oily ingredients like petroleum, candelilla or carnauba wax, beeswax, and cocoa butter.
b) Skin Goals
Knowing your skin goals can further help you decide the best lotion for dry skin. Your skin goals may include more than moisturizing your skin; thus, this can direct you towards selecting a lotion based on the ingredients you're searching for. For example, hyaluronic acids and alpha-hydroxy acids can help reduce inflammation while also moisturizing dry skin.
Mineral oil, petroleum jelly, and beeswax are ideal for people with eczema and skin allergies. If one of your goals is skin rejuvenation due to sunlight or ageing, collagen, elastin, and keratin are the best options.
c) Smell and Consistency
It's essential to choose a lotion with a smell and consistency that you like and enjoy wearing. The lotion is meant to be applied daily; however, you don't want a greasy formula. Lotions with oils may have a greasy feel, while those based on glycerin may be more creamy and thick.
If you're sensitive to smells, it's advisable to stick to a fragrance-free or unscented lotion. For those with allergy or eczema-prone skin, fragrance-free lotions would be best as fragrances can worsen eczema.
If you enjoy fragrances, ensure your lotion is scented and that it has the scent you like.
d) Long-Lasting Hydration
The best lotion for dry skin moisturizes the skin and keeps it hydrated for a long time after application. When considering your lotion, you're looking for ingredients that will keep your skin moisturized and offer intense hydration. These ingredients should combine humectants like glycerin and occlusives like petrolatum, indicated on the product label. The humectants moisturize your skin, and the occlusives lock in moisture to make sure your skin stays hydrated.
e) Texture
Body lotions come in various textures. They can be thin, thick, lightweight, or rich. The texture is dependent on your particular skin type as there's no right or wrong texture. Hence when choosing the best body lotions, it's best to pay attention to what you prefer. A quick-absorbing lotion may be ideal for everyday use, while a rich and thicker one might be better suited for your night routine.
f) Sensitive Skin-Friendliness
This is crucial to look into, especially if you have sensitive skin. Many lotions promise and claim to be non-irritation and sensitive skin-friendly. However, it's always important to be careful and to look for descriptors like “hypoallergenic,” “non-irritating,” and “fragrance-free.” You can also look for lotions that have received the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance. If possible, you can carry out a patch test on your upper arm to see how your skin would react to the product.
Frequently Asked Questions About Body Lotions For Dry Skin (FAQs)
a) When Should I Apply Body Lotion?
It's advisable to apply body lotion right after a bath or shower. This ensures the moisture locks into your skin while it's still damp. Your skin can easily dry out, leading to cracks and peels thus;, it's important to moisturize it before that happens. You can do this by gently patting your skin dry and leaving it slightly damp. Then after about five minutes, apply your body lotion.
b) Can I Use Body Lotion On My Face?
Most body lotions can be used on the face as they contain similar ingredients to face lotions. However, face lotions tend to include SPF.
Body Lotions are slightly different in that they are heavier; thus, this can irritate your skin. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to be a little bit more careful here. Additionally, if you have skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, or are acne-prone, sticking to a cream specifically formulated for the face is a better option.
c) The Body Lotion Isn't Making My Skin Feel Better. What Should I Do?
You may notice that your skin doesn't seem to be improving after using the body lotion, or your dry skin seems to be the same. If the lotion is not soothing your dry and itchy skin, consider speaking with a licensed professional. You can also consult them if you notice any ongoing skin rashes or skin irritation.
d) How Often Should I Use Body Lotion?
It's recommended to use once or twice a day, depending on the dryness or irritation of your skin. Moisturizing your skin can be done once in the morning and the evening.
e) What Is The Difference Between Body Lotion And Body Butter?
The key difference between body lotion and body butter is the texture. Body lotion tends to have a higher water content; hence it has a more liquid consistency. In comparison, body butter is thicker and creamier. It has a higher concentration of heavy moisturizers like shea butter or cocoa butter. In contrast, body lotion consists of lightweight hydrators like squalane. Butters offers more intense hydration.
