17 Hydrating Body Lotions and Creams for Your Softest Skin Ever

If your body care routine consists of lathering up in the shower and throwing on some deodorant before slipping into your clothes, you’re missing a crucial step. Getting in the habit of moisturizing all over (not just on your face) is an easy way to make sure your skin stays healthy and hydrated; it also protects your skin barrier, a layer of cells that blocks potentially damaging irritants.

The best body lotion or cream is the one you’ll actually look forward to applying—because if you hate slathering yourself in it, you probably won’t. “I like to consider it self-care. You should pick a product you like that makes your skin feel hydrated and soothed,” Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, MD, the founder of Houshmand Dermatology in Dallas, tells SELF.

To find a moisturizer you’ll like, the first thing you want to think about is its consistency. Creams are often better for dry or sensitive skin types, since they contain more oil and have a thicker texture that really seals in moisture. But if you don’t need the extra moisture boost, you might prefer a lotion because they contain less oil and usually feel lighter.

Certain body lotions and creams are also formulated to address specific skin concerns. Some feature calming ingredients to relieve itching, while others are more exfoliating to smooth texture. No matter what your goal is, we found a bunch of options that can help. All of our picks are dermatologist-approved, and some have even won our Healthy Beauty Awards—so we’re confident they’re the best of the best.

Our top picks

1. Best Overall: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Daily Repair Moisturizing Lotion
2. Best Budget: EOS 24H Moisture Fragrance Free Body Lotion
3. Best Splurge: Nécessaire The Body Lotion
4. Best for Dry Skin: Curél Ultra Ultra Healing Lotion
5. Best for Itchy Skin: Sarna Calm + Cool Anti-Itch Lotion
6. Best for Anti-aging: Versed Press Restart Retinol Body Lotion
7. Best for Dark Spots: Vaseline Radiant X Even Tone Nourishing Body Lotion
8. Best for Smoothing: Sol de Janiero Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
9. Best for Eczema: Cetaphil Eczema Restoraderm Soothing Moisturizer
10. Best for Bumpy Skin: AmLactin Intensive Healing Body Lotion
11. Best for Sensitive Skin: Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion
12. Best Lightweight: Rare Beauty Find Comfort Hydrating Body

FAQs

Best Overall: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Daily Repair Moisturizing Lotion

Pros

• Lightweight texture
• Super creamy, fragrance-free
• Amazon reviewers say it takes a long time to absorb

Cons

• Amazon reviewers say it takes a long time to absorb

SELF editors and dermatologists we spoke to all praised this drugstore lotion: “My fancy lotions and oils are great but too expensive for daily use, and my moisturizers with added fragrance sometimes irritate sensitive areas of my skin (like my boobs, upper chest, and neck). Buying this was a gentle reminder that sometimes drugstore skin care products are the best skin care products,” one editor says. Plus, “it has an amazing, creamy feel that hydrates and leaves skin smooth and soft,” Dr. Gohara says. “Melanin-rich skin has less ceramides, leaving our skin more likely to become dry, and Lipikar is loaded with ceramides, shea butter, and niacinamide—a perfect blend of barrier supporting ingredients.”

Best Budget: EOS 24H Moisture Fragrance Free Body Lotion

Pros

• Leaves skin feeling soft
• Absorbs quickly
• Fragrance-free
• Amazon reviewers say the pump doesn’t work

Cons

• Amazon reviewers say the pump doesn’t work

This 2024 Healthy Beauty Award winner left one tester asking, “Where have you been all my life?” Its lightweight formula soaks into the skin super fast, for a silky smooth feeling that lasts all day. “This product is the GOAT. I’m sensitive to everything and allergic to fragrance but with this, I can’t get over how soft my skin feels.” our tester went on to say. Its secret? Moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, shea butter, and shea and mineral oils.

Best Splurge: Nécessaire The Body Lotion

Pros

• Available in fragrance-free and scented versions
• Contains peptides to protect and plump skin
• Some Amazon reviewers think it’s too lightweight

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers think it’s too lightweight

Gabriella Vasile, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and owner of Réforme Dermatology and Aesthetics in Charleston, South Carolina, tells SELF that she’s been loving this Nécessaire lotion lately. “It has niacinamide, so it’s soothing and anti-inflammatory, and ceramides and hyaluronic acid, [which are] good for hydration,” she says.

Its pump bottle is convenient (read: your lotioned-up hands won’t have to fumble with a screw-cap), and we love that it comes in earthy scents as well as a fragrance-free version for sensitive skin. “My skin is so soft now, I feel like a different person,” one happy Amazon reviewer wrote.

Best for Dry Skin: Curél Ultra Healing Lotion

Pros

• Soothing for extra dry skin
• Fragrance-free
• Some Amazon reviewers say it’s too greasy

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers say it’s too greasy

“[This lotion] is fabulous for dry skin,” Blair Murphy Rose, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Skincare Junkie, tells SELF. “It seems like it repairs skin like no other moisturizer. I’ve recommended this to many, many patients and I often give out samples of it because it’s just that good.”

It’s a petrolatum-based moisturizer that uses glycerin, ceramides, and cholesterol to hydrate and reinforce the skin barrier, along with oats to soothe inflammation. “It helps support the skin barrier and locks in moisture very effectively,” Dr. Murphy Rose says.

Best for Itchy Skin: Sarna Calm + Cool Anti-Itch Lotion

Pros

• Feels cool on the skin
• Calms itchiness
• Fragrance-free

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers have issues with the pump

This lotion’s itch-relieving powers are thanks to a topical anesthetic called pramoxine hydrochloride, which is equally effective for eczema and bug bites. While that gets to work, the menthol in this formula provides an instant cooling effect that’ll feel nice after a hot shower.

“It’s very calming for the skin and a great nongreasy option,” Dr. Houshmand says, adding that it’s accepted by the National Eczema Association. It’s also a 2024 Healthy Beauty Awards favorite: “Unlike other anti-itch lotions I’ve used, this one doesn’t leave an unpleasantly sticky film on your body,” one tester said. “I often use this one before going to bed, and I wake up feeling refreshed.”

Best Antiaging: Versed Press Restart Retinol Body Lotion

Pros

• Prevents fine lines and wrinkles
• Fragrance-free
• Vegan formula

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers say it’s hard to rub in

This workhorse from Versed uses retinol to prevent fine lines and wrinkles from forming by boosting collagen and elastin, Dr. Murphy Rose says. It’s good at treating and preventing “the laxity that comes over time with age and sun exposure,” she adds. As a bonus, retinol can also prevent body acne by exfoliating the skin to keep pores unclogged.

Pro tip: Start off by using it once or twice a week and, if your skin tolerates it well, increasing to daily use from there. The skin on your body is thicker and more resilient, but “just like with any new product, it’s always good to start slow and maybe try it on a test spot at first to make sure you’re not having some significant irritation,” Dr. Murphy Rose says.

Best for Dark Spots: Vaseline Radiant X Even Tone Nourishing Body Lotion

Pros

• Brightens skin
• Smooths texture
• Subtle scent

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers say it feels sticky

If many exfoliants are a little too harsh for your skin, you can still get a brightening effect with this 2024 Healthy Beauty Award–winning lotion, thanks to its star ingredient: niacinamide. A form of vitamin B3, niacinamide can address concerns like uneven skin tone (including hyperpigmentation spots), fine lines and wrinkles, and loss of elasticity.

One tester says this lotion felt instantly moisturizing as she applied it to her skin, but managed to dry in just a few minutes. “When I wake up the next day, I STILL feel moisturized,” she says. She also loves its subtly sweet, tropical scent that “most importantly, does not give [her] a headache like other fragrances.”

Best for Smoothing: Sol de Janiero Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

Pros

• Delicious scent
• Temporarily firms skin
• Absorbs quickly

Cons

• Pricey
• Fragrance may be too strong for some

You need to be a fan of scented body products to fall for Bum Bum Cream—thankfully, I am. It has a sweet, spicy vanilla aroma that lasts just about all day on me, and a creamy, dreamy formula.

“Containing guarana extract, known to contain about four times more caffeine than coffee, this cream helps the skin appear tighter and firmer,” Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology and clinical assistant professor at Cornell University, tells SELF. “It also uses hyaluronic acid and glycerin to help boost moisture, leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth.”

Best for Eczema: Cetaphil Eczema Restoraderm Soothing Moisturizer

Pros

• Soothes itchiness
• Fragrance-free
• Not greasy

Cons

• Some Target reviewers say it can sting very irritated skin

When your eczema just won’t quit, this Cetaphil moisturizer can calm the situation down with anti-inflammatory colloidal oatmeal, restoring ceramides, and moisturizing shea butter. The lotion also uses “filaggrin technology,” which means the formula helps restore a protein your skin already makes (called filaggrin). That protein ultimately breaks down into molecules that retain moisture to hydrate and beef up the skin barrier, making sure it doesn’t let moisture seep out.

We can also vouch for this 2023 Healthy Beauty Award winner actually working. One tester: “After using a new serum on my face and neck, I developed a severe allergic reaction, causing my skin to break to the point of bleeding. It was not going away—even after using a steroid cream and another compound cream prescribed by my dermatologist. Finally, I started using this moisturizer. After about a week of use, the burning sensation and the flakiness went away.”

Best for Keratosis Pilaris: AmLactin Intensive Healing Body Lotion

Pros

• Flattens bumps and softens scaly patches
• Contains ceramides for moisture
• Fragrance-free

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers don’t like how it smells

If you have keratosis pilaris—a super common skin condition marked by patches of small bumps—this lotion can help smooth things over. “It basically has lactic acid in it—ammonium lactate—and that helps soften the skin. It can also be keratolytic, which means it helps get rid of that rough, bumpy skin,” Farah Moustafa, MD, board-certified dermatologist and director of laser and cosmetics at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, tells SELF. This specific AmLactin lotion has super moisturizing ceramides in it too, she adds.

Best for Sensitive Skin: Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion

Pros

• Great for sensitive skin
• Fragrance-free

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers say it’s too thick

“This moisturizing cream is a great option for those with dry or sensitive skin, as it’s free of dyes, fragrance, masking fragrance, lanolin, parabens and more, reducing the potential for irritation or sensitivity,” Dr. Garshick says.

So what’s actually in it? Just moisture-sealing ingredients like petrolatum and cetearyl alcohol (don’t let the name fool you—it’s a skin-softening emollient, not a drying alcohol). “This lotion helps to soothe and hydrate without leaving the skin feeling greasy,” Dr. Garshick says, adding that you can use it on your face or body.

Best Lightweight: Rare Beauty Find Comfort Hydrating Body Lotion

Pros

• Fresh scent
• Absorbs quickly
• Feels lightweight

Cons

• Hard to squeeze out

I was instantly sold when I tried this body lotion for the 2024 Healthy Beauty Awards. It has a light, creamy consistency that spreads easily, almost like a serum, and soaks in fast. It leaves my skin feeling soft and not at all slimy, thanks to its key moisturizing ingredients: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and ashwagandha extract. I can’t get enough of the scent, either—it’s bright and earthy, with notes like lemon zest and vetiver, but also subtly sweet.

More great options

Still haven’t found your Goldilocks of body lotions (not too slippery, not too sticky…)? We have a lot more dermatologist- and SELF-approved products below.

Avène Cicalfate Restorative Protective Cream

Pros

• Calms inflammation
• Fragrance-free
• Nongreasy

Cons

• Expensive

Both cold, dry temps and hot, humid ones can do a number on your skin, but neither are a match for this cream that Mona Gohara, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, recommends to SELF. “The postbiotic ingredients help rebuild the barrier as it weakens with the frigid temperatures, while the French thermal spring water helps soothe skin after too much sun.” Dr. Garshick also recommends this cream for calming unwanted redness and inflammation, adding that it won’t leave the skin greasy or clog pores.

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Moisture Body Lotion

Pros

• Helps with ashiness
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Takes longer to absorb

One SELF editor calls this her “set it and forget it” overnight lotion (“like when you let that pot soak in the sink”) because it’s deeply moisturizing and takes hours to fully absorb. But trust the process—it’ll banish ashiness on your knees, elbows, and feet. Its cast of moisturizing characters includes glycerin, petrolatum, and shea and cocoa seed butters.

Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion

Pros

• Fragrance-free
• Nongreasy
• Feels silky
• Amazon reviewers say the pump doesn’t work well

Cons

• Amazon reviewers say the pump doesn’t work well

For one SELF editor, moisturizing as soon as she steps out of the shower is a must to avoid her skin feeling tight and looking scaly. “This lotion makes it easy—it's extremely soothing and hydrating, but doesn't feel greasy or heavy at all,” she says. “It sinks in quickly and doesn't smell like anything, so I don't even feel like I have lotion on after a few minutes. My skin just feels soft and calm.” Those results are in part thanks to moisturizing avocado and jojoba seed oils, plus soothing aloe, cucumber extracts, and chamomile extracts.

Philosophy Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere

Pros

• Softens skin
• Nongreasy
• Sweet scent
• Some Ulta reviewers don’t like that it smells like baked goods

Cons

• Some Ulta reviewers don’t like that it smells like baked goods

Remember that whole “vanilla girl” trend on TikTok? This cream fits right in, with its sweet scent that one SELF editor calls “warm and comforting.” Its moisturizing power comes from ingredients like macadamia nut oil, olive oil, and shea butter. “It feels thick and hydrating, but never greasy,” our editor adds. “I actually look forward to putting it on after I get out of the shower!”

Gold Bond Healing Hydrating Lotion

Pros

• Fragrance-free
• Nongreasy
• Great for very dry skin

Cons

• Some Amazon reviewers think it’s too thick

When it comes to parched, eczema-covered skin, this lotion has you covered. It coats the skin in a thick layer that soothes super dry patches without leaving a weird residue, according to one SELF editor. “This lotion consistently makes my skin feel amazing in any climate and absorbs beautifully. It smells great—very clean and neutral with no heavy perfume-y scents—and the moisture just lasts.”

Gold Bond’s Lotion is made with a stacked lineup of moisturizing and soothing ingredients, like glycerin, petrolatum, aloe, and jojoba oil. It also includes vitamins B, C, and E, which act as antioxidants to protect your skin from environmental damage.

Related:

• The Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums for Smoother, Glowier Skin
• 6 Skin Care Mistakes Dermatologists Want You to Stop Making
• The Best Soothing Moisturizers for Psoriasis, According to Dermatologists

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