The Best Body Lotions for Dry Skin in 2024

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Dry, itchy skin is a nuisance that only the right lotion can fix. Whether you’ve got random dry patches on your arms, tummy, or legs, or you’re dealing with full-body dryness, the right body lotion can help balance your skin’s microbiome and help it stay hydrated from dusk til dawn.

The best body lotions for dry skin in 2024 use a wide range of skin-boosting ingredients to heal, protect, and moisturize the skin. Unique formulas help treat different levels of dryness while soothing and alleviating symptoms like redness or itchiness.

You don’t need a fancy-schmancy lotion to get results. An affordable lotion with high-quality ingredients can help you improve dryness after one use. That’s why we focused on moisturizing, affordable products that work well for most households.

Here are the best derm-approved lotions for your dry, flaky skin.

1. Blu Atlas Body Lotion

Put an end to dryness with one of the best body lotions for dry skin—Blu Atlas Body Lotion. Keeping your skin hydrated is one of life’s little luxuries, and this best-selling body lotion can give you a quick hydrating treatment.

Haven’t heard of Blu Atlas? That’s probably because they’re a newcomer to the beauty industry. Committed to providing high-quality products with ingredients of natural origins, the brand ditches harsh chemicals like sulfates, parabens, and phthalates—which typically irritate the skin. Instead of using cheap ingredients, they focus on healthy, supportive plants, minerals, and nutrients that improve the skin’s natural barrier.

This body lotion is packed with nourishing, hydrating ingredients that instantly refresh the skin. Jojoba oil is an intense moisturizer loaded with fatty acids and antioxidants. This natural ingredient imitates the skin’s natural oils (sebum) and can dive into the skin to restore moisture at an even deeper level.

Shea butter is a well-known moisturizing goddess. It contains antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids, which offer extreme hydration for the skin. Seaweed is another antioxidant-packed ingredient that helps the skin boost its natural glow.

Whether you deal with dry skin seasonally or year-round, Blu Atlas Body Lotion can help soothe and nourish every inch of your body—although, we do recommend the Face Moisturizer for your face. Skin-safe ingredients ensure your body stays free from dryness and associated side effects like cracking, itchiness, or redness. Blu Atlas Body Lotion is one of the best for dry skin in 2024 and will get rid of dryness quickly.

2. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

You’ll want to roll around in a bathtub full of this moisturizing cream because it’s that good. CeraVe’s big tub of cream is kind of a legend in the self-care world. It’s a fat tub that can help with dryness, itching, and cracking, and it even works for grooming rituals like shaving. It’s a basic but effective product that works well for all skin types.

Accepted by the National Eczema Association and American Diabetes Association, it’s a great choice for folks with severe skin conditions. The formula is also fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, making it an asset for sensitive or oily skin.

Unique MVE technology ensures your skin stays hydrated for up to 48 hours, which means you get a lot of bang for your buck. Ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid support your skin’s natural barrier while ensuring your body stays moisturized. It’s one of the best body lotions for dry skin for folks who want a budget-friendly lotion.

3. AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Lotion

Don’t let your dry skin go untreated. Using body lotion is a quick, affordable, simple fix to soothe and treat your skin. AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Lotion is more than your average body lotion. It contains unique ingredients that gently exfoliate the skin and help treat keratosis pilaris.

Keratosis pilaris is an all-too-common skin condition of rough, bumpy, dry patches that appear on the upper arms, cheeks, thighs, or bum. While keratosis pilaris isn’t fatal, it can certainly be annoying. AmLactin introduced a blend of nourishing ingredients like glycerin to hydrate the skin, while 12% lactic acid delicately exfoliates to correct keratosis pilaris.

Rub some on your skin to start treating those annoying bumps and get hydrated, healthy skin. It’s free from fragrances and parabens, so it also works for folks with other skin sensitivities.

4. Vanicream Moisturizing Cream

When you’re dealing with dryness and super-sensitive skin, you need a soothing lotion that can rise to the challenge. Vanicream Moisturizing Cream is a sensitive skin-trusted brand that creates products 100% free from dyes, lanolin, parabens, fragrance, botanical extracts, and gluten.

Non-greasy and non-comedogenic, it’s a super refreshing formula that leaves your skin hydrated. Using the Moisturizing Cream feels like you’re applying smooth butter to the skin, and it quickly absorbs without feeling greasy or funky. At this affordable price, you can load up on ten tubs of the cream without breaking the bank.

Vanicream Moisturizing Cream is the best body lotion for dry and sensitive skin.

5. Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

Break open your piggy bank and pay with coins because this body lotion for dry skin is as cheap as it comes. Okay, okay. It’s not the cheapest product on grocery or drug store shelves, but it’s pretty dang close—especially when you get such a large bottle of lotion.

Unscented, affordable, and with a bit of a fan club (can you tell we’re in it?), this effective moisturizer gets the job done. If you need to improve dry skin quickly, this dermatologist-backed lotion can hydrate and restore your skin.

Hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and free from harsh irritants like parabens and fragrances, it’s ideal for all skin types—including those with extremely dry or sensitive skin. Enriched avocado oil, niacinamide, panthenol, and glycerin help improve the skin’s natural barrier while restoring lost moisture. The simple lotion provides up to 48 hours of hydration, so you don’t have to worry about dryness or red, itchy skin.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is the best body lotion for dry skin for those who want a “people-approved” product that works for all skin types.

6. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion

Dreaming of a body lotion with oatmeal and SPF? Aveeno’s got you covered, baby. Daily Moisturizing is a unique formula with ingredients to soothe irritated, dry skin and protect you from the sun. Get hydrated, happy skin and so much more with this revolutionary lotion from Aveeno.

Broad spectrum SPF 15 works like a traditional sunscreen to protect you from harmful UVA and UVB rays. While it’s not the strongest SPF ever, it is a great way to ensure your skin is hydrated and safe from the sun every day. Other ingredients like oat flour moisturize the skin while reducing irritation and redness.

Fragrance-free, non-greasy, and full of hydrating materials, it’s an excellent pick for peeps with dry skin. We especially recommend it to those fine folks with fair complexions—the ones that always burn but never get a tan.

Daily Moisturizing Lotion is clinically proven to hydrate the skin, and it’s one of the best body lotions for dry skin in 2024. Such a specialized formula can help those with fair, dry, or sensitive skin keep their skin hydrated and safe from the sun.

7. Drunk Elephant Sili Body Lotion

Allow a little luxury in your life with Sili Body Lotion from Drunk Elephant. If you want to splurge on your next body lotion purchase, this gorgeous little bottle will delight you and your credit card.

Drunk Elephant is a popular brand that creates high-quality skin and hair care products with a price tag to match. It’s absolutely free of sulfates, silicones, fragrances, dyes, drying alcohols, and essential oils—which are all common stressors to dry skin. Instead, this bougie lotion is full of intensely hydrating ingredients that make dry skin healthy and moisturized.

Are you curious about what’s in a luxury lotion? Shea butter, marula oil and butter, argan oil, coconut oil, squalane, beta carotene, and a five-ceramide blend are a few of the high-quality ingredients that target skin issues like dryness and redness.

If you’re really into expensive body lotions, you can also check out their Sili Whipped Body Lotion and T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion for different treatments and benefits. If you’re looking to treat dryness, though, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Sili Body Lotion. It’s one of the best body lotions for dry skin in 2024 and helps instantly improve skin.

8. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

Your dry booty deserves some love too. Picture this—it’s midwinter, and your bum is chafing. Your regular lotion can’t get rid of the dryness on your booty. What do you do?! From stage left enters Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. It’s the ultimate hydrating cream formulated specifically for your derriere, and it can fix that chafing bum in no time.

Brazilian Bum Bum Cream does more than just hydrate your booty. It also contains skin-tightening ingredients that improve elasticity. What does that mean? If you have saggy skin, dimples, or cellulite on your bum, this lotion can help minimize the appearance of those issues and give you firmer, more fit-looking skin.

While the price tag may shock you, ladies and gents who use this cream swear it’s an A++ product that improves the look of their butt while also keeping it incredibly hydrated and smooth. Ingredients like guarana, cupuacu butter, acai oil, Brazil nut oil, and coconut oil work together to improve the appearance of your derriere.

The love and luxury of this lotion don’t end there, though. Something every skincare lover talks about? The incredible transporting scent. Salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla transport you to Brazil—to hot, sandy beaches, ocean waves, and intense games of volleyball. Here’s your chance to smell incredible, tighten your skin, and keep your bum perfectly hydrated.

9. Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream

Treat those extreme dry spots and patches with Advanced Repair Cream, an ultra-hydrating intense cream formulated for those hard-to-relieve flaking, cracking, rough skin types. Free from dyes, fragrances, and parabens, it’s a soothing salve for sensitive skin. With up to 48 hours of moisture after each application, this lotion won’t leave your skin high and dry.

Eucerin is a well-known brand that makes products for people with severe skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. That means they know how to create the perfect formula to hydrate and protect the skin’s natural barrier without causing inflammation or irritation.

While the cream is super thick and effective at restoring dry skin, it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy on the body. This is a major plus for folks who have resorted to using Vaseline to treat their dry, cracked skin. Advanced Repair Cream is one of the best body lotions for dry skin in 2024 for guys and gals with intense dryness and cracking or flaking skin.

10. Kiehl’s Crème de Corps Body Lotion

Interested in a popular, classic body lotion? Creme de Corps Body Lotion is a skin-soothing balm that’s been moisturizing skin since the 1980s. More expensive than a regular body lotion from the store, Kiehl’s products use high-quality ingredients and blends that justify the higher price.

Non-greasy, fast-absorbing, and super nourishing for the skin, it’s perfect for dry, stressed-out areas of the body. After each application, you don’t have to worry about grease streaks or the lotion feeling “too heavy” on the skin. Nourishing ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, and squalane enrich the skin with vitamins and nutrients, providing irritation-free moisture.

Kiehl’s best-selling formula is also free from parabens and fragrances, making it an ideal option for those with skin sensitivities.

11. Kopari Organic Coconut Melt

Melty, soft, and super luxurious, Organic Coconut Melt is the perfect solution for dry skin. While some folks don’t love the consistency or texture of coconut oil, those who do understand its intense hydrating benefits. One-hundred percent organic, unrefined coconut oil is an incredible hydrator and can restore even the most dry skin.

Loaded with proteins, fatty acids, and skin-boosting vitamins, it rapidly hydrates the skin and gives it a glowing appearance. While coconut works from head to toe, it works especially well at diminishing dullness and restoring dry, cracked skin.

What we love about the product is its multifunctional self-care abilities. You can also use the moisturizer as a hair mask, makeup remover, dry shave oil, bath boost, or belly balm. You can stretch your dollars and still get hydrated, healthy skin.

Kopari Organic Coconut Melt is the best lotion for dry skin in 2024 for folks who want an effective, natural product.

A Complete Guide to Body Lotion for Dry Skin

We want you to have smooth, hydrated skin that makes you feel fabulous—like a sleek seal strutting through your day with glistening, dewy skin. Learn more about choosing the right body lotion, the key features of a high-quality moisturizing product, and follow our top tips and how to get the most from each ounce of lotion.

Ready to lube up those arms and legs? Not so fast, hottie! First, you need to identify the key features that will turn your dry, sad skin into a plump, glowing satisfied complexion. Here are the top features to be aware of as you shop.

Look for Hydrating Ingredients

There’s no better way to soothe and hydrate the skin than with ultra-rich, nourishing ingredients. Targeting the right ingredients for your skin issues and concerns, including dryness, will help you restore the appearance and feel of your skin.

Some of the Best Ingredients for Dry Skin in 2024

• Coconut oil: Turn desert-dry skin into a moisturized, healthy environment. Coconut oil is a rich, natural moisturizer that works like a soothing balm for distressed skin. While coconut oil is a great ingredient that helps improve your skin, avoid application on the face because it can easily clog pores and cause congestion.
• Shea butter: A thick, natural emollient, shea butter quickly absorbs into the skin, reduces irritation, and provides a safe level of hydration. Shea butter is known to help with severe skin conditions like eczema.
• Jojoba oil: A friend to your skin, jojoba oil is a natural vitamin and nutrient-rich ingredient. It can also help with issues like chaffing, redness, and other eczema and rosacea symptoms.
• Avocado oil: Avocado oil is a godsend for folks with severe skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. This natural miracle worker contains rich antioxidants and vitamins that help calm irritation while reducing flakiness and redness. As a natural oil, it’s incredibly hydrating and offers optimal moisture to the skin.
• Argan oil: Better known for its healing properties for the hair, it is also an incredible treat for your skin. Antifungal and antibacterial properties can soak into the skin, help reduce irritation, and provide a head-to-toe hydrating treatment. Argan oil is an excellent liquid for stretch marks or scars on the body.
• Hyaluronic acid: This powerful ingredient has been sweeping the beauty industry for the past few years. Hyaluronic acid is a super potent moisturizer because it can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Attracting and then holding moisturizing elements next to your skin boosts all-over hydration.

Avoid Harsh Ingredients Like the Plague

Harmful chemicals added to popular skincare products can dry out your skin without you realizing it. While some folks may have skin conditions that dry out the skin or experience dry skin in the winter, another common factor is harsh ingredients.

Popular skincare products sold at grocery and drug stores may contain harsh, drying ingredients that irritate and stress out your skin. What’s the best thing to do? Avoid them like the plague!

Try to avoid ingredients like sulfates, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, artificial fragrances, and synthetic dyes. Also, be on the lookout for ingredients like retinol, AHAs, BHAs, and physical exfoliants. While they’re more common in face lotions, they’re sometimes included in body lotions. But they seriously stress out dry skin and can make dry patches even worse.

Lotion, Cream, or Body Butter: What’s Best for Dry Skin?

Lotions, creams, and body butters are unique moisturizing products with different textures, consistencies, and healing properties.

Creams are thick, rich products with higher concentrations of oils, which makes them the perfect candidate for dry skin. They’re the perfect antidote to dry, cracking skin in the winter or as a treatment for severe skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

Lotions are lighter, water-based moisturizers that rapidly absorb into the skin. They’re a “quick fix” for dry skin and are easy to apply throughout the day. Lotions work best for normal to oily skin and often aren’t thick or heavy enough to eliminate dryness. Plus, they are the best product to use during hot, sweaty seasons due to their lightweight features.

Body butters are thick balm-like products with ultra-nourishing ingredients and a high concentration of oils and fats. You should likely use a body butter product if you’ve got dry, cracked skin.

Know Your Budget

It doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire, a gazillionaire, or just received a hefty inheritance from your Great-Uncle Herbert; you should have a self-care budget. Having a budget doesn’t mean you’re being cheap or restricting your spending. It just means you know what you will spend in a specific category.

For example, because you use body lotion daily, you’ll regularly order refills—which add up quickly. A good lotion for dry skin costs between $18 to $40. Add that up over a year with refills, and you could spend anywhere from $150 to $300 on lotion. When selecting your ideal body lotion, consider the price to ensure it fits your yearly budget.

Top Tips and Tricks for Body Lotion

How Often to Apply Body Lotion

You should apply lotion as often as your skin gosh darn needs it! If you have a skin condition like eczema, you might be lubing it on the reg, in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Most folks with dehydrated skin get great results with one daily application. If you wash your hands frequently throughout the day, you should also invest in a hand cream that will keep your dry skin from cracking, flaking, and causing a ruckus.

When to Apply Body Lotion for Dry Skin

Seal in maximum moisture and get perfectly satisfied skin by applying lotion at the right time. So, when’s the best time to apply body lotion? Right after you hop out of the shower or tub and before you get dressed for the day or put your jammies on for bedtime.

Applying lotion to clean skin helps you lock in and maximize the nourishing, hydrating ingredients. Your skin is open and primed for ultimate hydration and can soak in all the skin-boosting and moisturizing ingredients, which is exactly what you want when dealing with dehydrated skin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does body lotion for dry skin expire?

Yes, if not used quickly enough, your body lotion will expire. If you stocked up on a sick deal and then let a bottle of lotion languish in your bathroom cabinets for four years, you’ll likely need to check for signs of expiration. Some bottles may have an expiration date stamped on the side or bottom of the bottles.

If yours is missing an expiration date, open it up to check for signs that it’s gone bad. A change in color, scent, texture, consistency, or effectiveness are all signs that a product has gone bad. If you’re unsure, throwing a product away is safer because it may contain bacteria or fungi.

Can I use body lotion for dry skin on my face?

We don’t recommend it. We know how tempting it is to slap some body lotion on your face, especially when you’re slathering it over your body to get rid of dry spots and patches. But sadly, we don’t recommend it. Even if you have dry facial skin, you shouldn’t be using body lotion for it.

Instead, stick to a face lotion that’s formulated for the face. Why? Because face moisturizers contain lightweight moisturizers that won’t clog pores and cause issues for your face! You don’t want to get a face full of zits because you used body lotion on it instead. We recommend finding a face moisturizer you enjoy and sticking to it.

Can I use face lotion on my body?

Probably not. Face lotions contain ingredients that work well on your face for issues like acne or fine lines and wrinkles but aren’t suitable for dry skin on your body. If you have a fragrance-free, no-nonsense face lotion, it’s most likely safe to use on your body if you’re in a bind.

What’s the best body lotion for dry skin in 2024?

Blu Atlas’ Body Lotion is the best body lotion for dry skin in 2024. Blu Atlas creates products with skin-safe formulas that draw inspiration from nature. Using ingredients from natural origins like plants, minerals, and fruits, their products work well with your skin and hair and can naturally repair and restore. The Body Lotion contains lush, hydrating ingredients like jojoba oil, shea butter, and seaweed to heal dry skin instantly.