The Best Body Lotions and Creams for Dry Skin in Winter
The older I get, the dryer my skin gets, so with winter just around the corner, I’ll be piling on more moisturizer than ever.
What’s a gal to use to combat dry, cracked feet, crepey hands, and that flakey, itchy skin that you look like a prune?
The Best Body Lotions and Creams for Dry Skin in Winter
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite body lotions and creams for dry skin to get you prepped ahead of the cold weather.
Check out these tried-and-true moisture boosters, which come to the rescue of even the most dried-out 40+ skin.
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion
1. Aveeno Body Lotion with Oatmeal
Let’s start with the best of the basics. Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion checks all the boxes for a solid body lotion. I began using it as a teenager after my dermatologist recommended it for some dry patches, and it has been a favorite for years. When my kids were little, two of them had eczema, and I used this on them with great results.
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion is so good because it’s extremely gentle and super hydrating. If your skin is sensitive, this is excellent since it contains nourishing prebiotic oatmeal. It’s fragrance-free and has a non-greasy formula. It has over 2500 4-star reviews on Amazon and is very affordable at under $10 for a 12-fluid-ounce bottle.
2. Bio-Oil
If you prefer body oil, I wanted to toss this one in. You may have already heard about it since it’s just not just any body oil. It’s the fan favorite Bio-Oil, and if you know, you know.
Bio-Oil is specially formulated to improve the appearance of scars and stretch marks, but it does so much more. If you’ve dismissed this miracle oil because you don’t have scars or stretch marks, you’re missing out.
I love to splash Bio-oil on my arms and legs just after showering. The lightweight formula feels a bit like baby oil won’t clog pores and has Vitamin A oil to boost collagen production. So, while moisturizing your skin, it’s also helping to turn back the clock!
I love the luxurious feel of Bio-Oil on my skin. Nothing makes it feel more silky.
3. Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream
Talk about a cult classic. Don’t let the name fool you. Bum Bum Cream from Sol de Janeiro is for any part of your body where you want lots of hydration and tone. This thick, rich, award-winning cream has caffeine to visibly tighten your toosh. The smell reminds me of the beach. It’s scented with notes of pistachio and salted caramel, which is kind of interesting.
Before you wrinkle your nose at that combination, you need to smell this. It’s truly divine. This luxe cream is vegan, made with clean ingredients, and not tested on animals, which is great for those who want to reduce their carbon footprint.
L’Occitane Body Lotion with Shea Butter
4. L’Occitane Shea Butter Body Lotion
Visualize endless fields of gorgeous lavender and hundreds of sweet almond trees in Provence, and you will begin to understand what L’Occitane is all about.
L’Occitane is a French luxury brand that uses the finest natural ingredients to make beautiful skin care products that smell heavenly and feel fabulous! I adore the bestselling Lait Riche Corps body lotion from L’Occitane. When my skin feels taut, I only need a few pumps to feel instant relief.
This addictive lotion is great if you are looking for something lightweight, lightly scented, and top quality.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream
5. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream
Here’s a little miracle worker that is worth the splurge! Crepey skin is a pain for women over 40, 50, and beyond because it often keeps us from feeling confident and wearing certain clothes we love.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Body Cream tackles crepey skin, tightening and smoothing fine lines and wrinkles so you can feel good again, baring your arms and legs. I took a chance on this since I use many other Charlotte Tilbury products and love them all.
I learned that the energizing effects of caffeine (it’s for more than coffee) wake up your skin and improve its appearance and texture.
I especially love using this cream on my hands and décolletage as those are areas that tend to age quickly. This body cream adds a subtle glow and a light, delicate scent, so I’m giving it bonus points.
Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Whipped Body Butter
6. Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Body Butter
If your skin needs extra TLC (okay, maybe a lot), it’s time to break out the body butter. Body butters are thicker and heavier than body lotions and provide more and longer hydration.
During the winter, my skin is all dried out from the furnace being turned up high, so scoop out some body butter and slather it on just before I go to sleep.
The thick, rich butter melts into my skin overnight, no problem, so that when I wake up, my skin is plumped, perfect, and ready to go! When shopping for body butter, get one with cocoa butter or shea butter like Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Whipped Body Butter. Those ingredients are the secret sauce!
If body butter is too heavy, try Kiehl’s Creme de Corps body lotion. It’s really good, too, and a favorite with model types!
7. Aquaphor
This little powerhouse, Aquaphor Healing Ointment, has 101 uses! I keep it by my bedside and use it on my hands, feet, lips, or anywhere else I have dry, cracked, or irritated skin.
Aquaphor is more than a body lotion cream. It’s an amazing skin healer. It treats minor burns, cuts, scrapes, and windburn.
No matter how you plan to use it, Aquaphor is a must-have in your skincare emergency toolkit. It’s not fancy, but boy, does it work!
8. Nivea Essentially Enriched Nourishing Serum
Nivea’s Essentially Enriched Nourishing Body Lotion and Serum falls somewhere between a lotion and a body butter.
It’s a bit thicker than a regular lotion but not nearly as heavy as body butter. But it is still a nice option for daily use.
Plus, it offers 48-hour hydration, which is one of the longest durations I’ve seen for a body lotion.
If you have rough or scaly skin, this lotion will tackle it in just one use. It also has a nice light sheen and a fresh scent that smells like you just stepped out of the shower.
I always get compliments on my glowing skin when I wear this lotion. Combine it with Nivea’s Nourishing Body Wash for a start-to-finish winning combination.
9. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
When you want a serious solution, you turn to top experts, which is why this brand has become so hugely popular. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream was developed by dermatologists and is one of the most doctor-recommended creams, for good reason.
This scientific moisture cream includes hyaluronic acid and three essential ceramides that are naturally found in healthy, hydrated skin. When skin is dry, these ceramides are an important part of restoring the skin’s natural barrier, and this lotion packs a punch by including three essential ones to replace moisture.
It’s also great for sensitive skin, non-comedogenic, and oil-free. Another great one that I use from time to time!
eos Vanilla Cashmere Body Lotion
10. eos Shea Better Moisture Body Lotion – Vanilla Cashmere
L’Occitane isn’t the only beautiful body cream with an intoxicating scent. Although I have not used it yet, friends tell me the eos Vanilla Cashmere Body Lotion with Shea Butter is not only hydrating (made of oils + butter), but it has a sweet scent that contains fragrance notes of whipped vanilla, soft musk, and cozy caramel. (Sounds similar to L’Occitane?)
I’m told that when you smooth on this fast-absorbing, deliciously scented lotion before work or a night out, you get long-lasting hydration and a heavenly fragrance that lasts throughout a long day at the office or a night on the town.
So many more!…
These are just a few of the great body moisturizers I have tried for dry skin. I like to switch around because just as your hair get used to different shampoos, so does your skin tire of different skin creams.
City Beauty has another great body cream that I find is especially good for crepey skin. You can read about it here.
What body cream or lotion for dry skin is your favorite? Let me know, as I am always trying out new products!
