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Wanna smell like a skincare goddess? Picture this: You confidently strut through the front doors at work. The air slowly wafts behind you, and your scent flows throughout the office. As jaws drop and heads turn. Someone asks, “Is that Jen from accounting?”
Yeah, that’s your life when you use the best smelling body lotions.
Whether you want to smell like a beach babe with loose, wavy curls, or a sultry night demon—or demoness—the right lotion can help you impress every nose in the room. While you may consider your lotion the solution to thirsty, dehydrated skin, it can also elevate your natural scent.
We’ve curated the 13 best smelling body lotions in 2023 to help you smell your best this year.
1. Blu Atlas Body Lotion
Smell your best and get glowing, moisturized skin with Blu Atlas Body Lotion—the best smelling body lotion in 2023. Whether you’re looking for a lotion that can help you get your glow on, or just want the best-smelling lotion, Blu Atlas’s Coconut Apricot and Classic Body Lotion can help.
Coconut Apricot is the fan favorite, and it carries the sights, sounds, and ambiance of a tropical vacation. Wake up in your cabana and reapply some SPF, or just Body Lotion if you stay out of the sun. The coconut and apricot scent makes it a fun, fresh, exotic balm that glides over the skin.
While the lotion smells like a star-worthy self-care product, skincare lovers love how it makes their skin feel. The cream soaks into the skin with safe, effective ingredients of natural origins. Shea butter, seaweed, and jojoba oil ensure the skin stays hydrated and full of skin-loving nutrients.
As the best smelling body lotion in 2023, it’s bound to please everyone in the family. Those with sensitive skin can also enjoy the brand’s fragrance-free option. You can get soft, hydrated skin after just one use.
2. Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Sleep
Catch some zzz’s, get your beauty sleep, and smell incredible! Bath & Body Works creates some of the best-smelling—and best-selling—products of the 21st century. The brand can help you get soft skin while smelling your best with strong, take-your-breath-away scents.
Aromatherapy Sleep is a soft, soothing aroma that envelops your skin and imbues it with a gentle blend of lavender and vanilla. Soak in the calming scent before bed or use it as a daily moisturizer. Whenever you need to take a break, you can get a quick dose of calm and relaxation with the scent.
If relaxing, calming scents aren’t your thing, then be sure to steer clear of this Captain of Calm from Bath & Body Works. It’s the best smelling body lotion in 2023 for people who want a calming scent.
3. Flamingo Daily Moisturizing Lotion
She’s not your average moisturizing lotion. Flamingo Daily Moisturizing Lotion is a spa-fresh scent that makes you feel like you’ve just enjoyed the best spa weekend of your life. Notes of bergamot, jasmine, lavender, Asian pear, and vetiver turn this body lotion into a fresh, floral scent. Whether or not you’re into the spa or prefer a weekly massage, this ultra-refreshing scent can help you let your hair down and relax for a while.
This green bottle has more to offer than just its incredible scent. Dual purpose and full of potent ingredients, it can help hydrate and exfoliate the skin. While most daily lotions contain only hydrating and nourishing ingredients, this soothing balm also contains gentle exfoliants to revitalize your skin.
White willow bark and papaya gently exfoliate the skin, improving its texture and giving it a radiant look. Improve your scent and skin with this best smelling body lotion in 2023.
4. Drunk Elephant Sili Whipped Body Lotion
Looking for a warm yet elegant scent? Sili Whipped Body Lotion from Drunk Elephant offers a comforting natural vanilla scent that will soothe your senses all day—or night. Whipped, buttery, and oh-so-smooth, Drunk Elephant’s powerful formula helps strengthen the skin’s natural barrier while supporting the balance of hydration.
Potent ingredients like green tea leaf, goji berry, Centella Asiatic, ashwagandha root, and a 3-ceramide blend support the skin while ensuring it stays free from irritants. While we love the vanilla fruit extract scent, it does fade quickly, making it ideal for a pre-bedtime lotion. The best smelling body lotion is also vegan and cruelty-free, so it’s an easy choice for most folks.
5. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow AHA Pink Dream Body Cream
Get brighter skin with a wild watermelon scent with Glow Recipe’s ultra-hydrating cream. Watermelon Glow AHA Pink Dream Body Cream is an exfoliating, hydrating miracle worker that improves the skin after just one use.
The lightweight, ultra-soothing luscious cream contains skin-boosting ingredients that improve your skin’s texture, tone, and moisture levels. While many body creams do not contain gently exfoliating AHAs, this body cream harnesses them to leave your skin glowing and baby smooth.
The rich scent of watermelon is the star of the show. Watermelon seed butter, smoothing hibiscus AHA, hyaluronic acid, and watermelon extract team up to provide your skin with a beautiful fruity scent and incredible benefits. Improve the texture of your skin in just one week while enjoying the totally unique aroma.
Watermelon Glow AHA Pink Dream Body Cream is the best smelling body lotion in 2023 for peeps who want to smell summer fresh.
6. Dr. Teals Rejuvenating Eucalyptus & Spearmint Body Lotion
Soak in the smooth, minty-fresh scent of eucalyptus and spearmint with Rejuvenating Body Lotion from Dr. Teals. It’s an effective formula that helps moisturize and hydrate the body without causing a fuss. Refreshing eucalyptus and spearmint essential oils make the blend a revitalizing, therapeutic treatment.
Enjoy a free aromatherapy session every time you use the lotion. While the scent is strong, it’s not overwhelming. You can enjoy the fresh aroma and soak in all the benefits of the hydrating lotion. While most users love the minty scent of the cream, the essential oils in the blend may not work well for all skin types. Always patch-test before using new self-care products.
7. Diptyque Fresh Body Lotion
Looking for an alternative to strong colognes or perfumes? Fresh Body Lotion from Diptyque is a lovely scented lotion with hydrating and nourishing oils. Orange blossom water is the reigning scent that transports you to a different time and place.
The fresh citrus lotion contains macadamia nut and sweet almond oil to soothe, nourish, and revitalize the skin. Folks with skin that often feels parched or dehydrated will benefit from this bright orange scent that makes the skin look, feel, and smell incredible.
While it is one of the best smelling body lotions in 2023, the price point won’t work for everyone. It’s a luxury body lotion that works well for those who want a lavish self-care product.
8. Kora Organics Nourishing Hand & Body Lotion
Get back to nature with Nourishing Hand & Body Lotion by Kora Organics. Lightweight and packed with certified organic botanical ingredients, it’s a good-for-skin lotion that repairs and improves your body. With ultra-nourishing materials and dense nutrients, it’s a moisturizer that can satisfy your skin all day.
You won’t have to worry about dry or dehydrated skin ever again. But let’s get to the good stuff. The scent is a blend of rose, basil, and geranium, making it a herby, garden-fresh scent that people love. Soak in the incredible aroma and the organic ingredients that keep the body hydrated and healthy.
9. Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Cream
As the richest, deepest hydrating cream from Sol de Janeiro, Coco Cabana Cream keeps your skin moisturized and plump. With up to 72 hours of hydration, the intense blend is a mix of skin-boosting oils that help your skin feel fantastic.
Bring out this fun, brightly-colored tub when your skin needs some pampering. The scent is just as incredible as this deep moisturizer. Inspired by the smells of Brazil, it uses Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa ‘39 fragrance, a blend of tropical orchids, sandalwood, vanilla, young green coconuts, and toasted praline.
Ultra-nourishing with an incredible fragrance, it’s one of the best smelling body lotions in 2023.
10. Saltair Pink Beach Body Lotion
Pink Beach Body Lotion is not your average self-care product. It’s a divine tropical island scent that takes you straight to an exotic location. This tropical scent comes from the lotion’s blend of vanilla, almond blossom, and coconut.
Take a break and transport yourself to your next vacay with this swoon-worthy scent. While it’s helping you smell divine, the lotion also provides optimal moisture and nourishment for the skin. Rich ingredients like allantoin, coconut oil, and murumuru seed butter help the skin feel soft, supple, smooth, and perfectly hydrated. It’s one of the best smelling body lotions in 2023 for people who want to take a break and get away.
11. Kopari Organic Tropical Coconut Melt
The name says it all. Organic Tropical Coconut Melt is a coconut oil-based moisturizer with the exotic scents of a tropical location to make it smell incredible. Inspired by a pina colada and sun-soaked bodies, the scent is a mix of coconut, pineapple, and a spritz of sweet fruits.
Use rich, nourishing coconut melt all over your body from your head to your toe to restore dryness, treat dull, cracked skin, or help diminish bumps and roughness. Our favorite part about the coconut melt? While it’s an incredible-smelling lotion, it’s also a multipurpose product that you can use as a hair mask, belly balm, bath boost, makeup remover, or dry shave oil.
It’s hard to describe how much we love the scent of this lotion, so you’ll have to try it for yourself.
12. Byredo Gypsy Water Body Lotion
It’s a pricey little devil, but ladies and gents who enjoy the finer things in life love this lotion from Byredo. You can buy Gypsy Water as a perfume or lotion and enjoy the delightful scent. The unique scent is crafted with notes of lemon, vanilla, pine needle, sandalwood, and bergamot which smoothly carries you to vibrant autumnal woods, with smores and your favorite sweater.
It may be a brightly scented body lotion, but it doesn’t skimp on the hydrating ingredients. Glide it over your skin and enjoy smooth, moisturized skin with improved texture.
13. Dove Whipped Lavender and Coconut Milk Body Cream
Jump out of the bath and apply some of Dove’s thick whipped body cream. We love this inexpensive champion that flies under the radar. Many of the best-smelling lotions come from expensive, high-class brands that create products many people may not be able to afford.
Having a great-smelling lotion is one of life’s little luxuries, and everyone deserves to smell their best. The dense body cream carries the rich, relaxing scent of lavender and coconut milk. Inside the lotion recipe is notes of tonka bean, lavender, chamomile, velvet musk, and coconut. That means this delightful scent can help calm your senses and help you deal with life’s stressful events.
Not only does the body cream smell phenomenal, but it’s also a great budget-friendly lotion that helps your skin feel fantastic. The lightweight cream absorbs quickly into the skin and replenishes it. The skin feels smooth and nourished with up to 72 hours of moisture. It’s the best smelling body lotion in 2023 for folks who want a light, relaxing scent at an affordable price.
Everything you need to know about the best smelling body lotion
Add a best-smelling body lotion to your grooming routine to get super fresh, hydrated skin and smell incredible. Wake up, shower, and slide some moist body lotion all over your hot bod. Our guide fills you in on the nitty-gritty details about body lotion, like how to shop for it, what key features to look for, and how to get the most from your lotion.
What are the benefits of scented lotion?
Let’s face it; scented lotions aren’t essential; they are one of life’s little luxuries. Scented lotions are an excellent way to add a light fragrance to the skin while keeping your body hydrated. You work hard, so luxuries like a scented body lotion should be a staple on your bathroom counter. They’re great for a little pick-me-up and add an extra layer of yummy fragrance when you want to look, smell, and feel your best—-like on hot date nights. Scented body lotions are available at every price point so that everyone can enjoy this little luxury.
How to shop for the best smelling body lotion
Whether online shopping or smelling lotions IRL, learn to identify the key features you’re looking for in a body lotion. Wait to pull the trigger until you can locate your best-smelling bestie.
Good ingredients for your skin
Safe, natural ingredients are the best way to keep your skin healthy, happy, and satisfied. They soak into the skin and provide the best nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help restore the skin’s health.
With the right organic ingredients, you can also smell your best. Some plant-based lotions may contain essential oils, and some varieties of essential oils may be irritating to the skin. But to be honest, essential oils and other botanical-based ingredients are what make lotions smell so delightful.
Coconut oil: Let your skin enjoy coconut oil paradise. When you use body lotions with coconut oil, they should have a yummy coconutty scent or a neutral scent. It’s a seriously moisturizing and hydrating ingredient that penetrates every inch of your skin. Coconut oil is one of the richest natural moisturizers and is widely used in self-care products. From hair masks to thick moisturizers to shaving products, coconut oil can help you feel fresh and fabulous. We love coconut oil as a body lotion ingredient because it’s one of the best moisturizers that keep the skin hydrated without causing unwanted reactions.
Jojoba oil: With natural anti-inflammatory properties that soothe tired stressed-out skin, jojoba oil is a champion in body lotions. Its natural vitamin B and E–complex helps heal the skin and reduce damage while treating issues like drying, redness, and chapping. Jojoba oil is a powerful natural moisturizer that can even help with severe skin conditions like rosacea and eczema. Because it’s an ingredient straight from Mother Nature, its scent is slightly earthy and nutty.
Shea butter: Thick creamy lotions and balms contain shea butter. It’s a rich, soothing ingredient that helps rehydrate and satisfy the skin. Shea butter contains vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants that benefit the skin. While some folks love the scent of shea butter, others don’t like its light, nutty aroma.
Cocoa butter: Intense moisturizers like cocoa butter have made a name for themselves as some of the best skin-loving, nature-based ingredients. Cocoa butter has one of the best natural scents. It smells like sweet, high-quality chocolate, although the scent really depends on your specific self-care product. We love the incredible aroma and also the benefits for your skin. Cocoa butter can help protect the skin against harmful UV rays while fighting aging and dull skin.
Aloe vera: While aloe vera plants smell earthy or garlicky, body lotions try to cover up the funky scents and transform aloe vera into a gentle, light green fragrance. This natural skin-loving ingredient doesn’t have a great natural scent, but makes up for it with all its skin-boosting benefits. Aloe vera can fight signs of aging, heal wounds, moisturize, soothe sunburns, and reduce acne or infections.
Avocado oil: Refined avocado oil has a neutral scent that likely won’t shine through in body lotion. Typically other fragrances will be stronger, especially scents like coconut oil or shea and cocoa butters. Even though it won’t win any awards for “best-smelling” body lotion, it will moisturize the skin and can help relieve irritation from skin conditions.
Ingredients to avoid
Keep your skin in perfect working order with safe, natural ingredients. Instead of using those cheap, dollar store products full of harmful filler ingredients, you should stick to safe plant-based materials. Harsh ingredients irritate the skin and may cause redness, itchiness, dry patches, inflammation, and bumps or blemishes. While filler chemicals may
Identify your scent
Before buying a lotion, consider what type of scent works best for your lifestyle. If you need a body lotion for the office, safe scent options like coconut or fruity fragrances are fabulous. On the flip side, if it’s midwinter and you’re skiing in Vail, you may want a more festive, woodsy, or winter scent like vanilla or pine.
While shopping for your next best-smelling body lotion, there are a few things to consider. Will you be wearing perfume or cologne when you use the lotion? If so, your fragrance will likely overpower any body lotion you apply, and you don’t want the scents to clash. If you know you’re spritzing on perfume daily, opt for a lighter body lotion scent.
On the other hand, if you don’t use cologne or perfume, then your scented lotion will be your only fragrance! If you want to put your best foot forward, you want it to match your style or vibe while still giving you extremely hydrated, happy skin.
Top tips and tricks for body lotion
Do you want your body lotion to work harder for you? Our top tips and tricks for body lotion will help you get more bang for your buck.
How often to apply scented body lotion
How often you apply lotion is 100% up to you. There are no rules on body lotion application, so it depends on how dry your skin is or how often you want to amp up your scent. Most people apply their scented body lotion after they come out of the bath or shower, and if you’re going to apply body lotion, this is really the best time. Your skin is the most open post-shower and gets more moisture.
Get longer-lasting scent
Want your scent to last longer? We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves. Here are a few easy tips to get a more potent scent from your lotion. Apply your lotion wherever you need extra moisture, and apply it to pulse points. These are the same areas you might apply perfume or cologne. Also, if you’d like the scent to “stick” a bit better, apply Vaseline first and then apply your lotion over the top.
Another obvious, but helpful tip is to reapply your lotion every four to six hours. Depending on the weather, the lotion may rub or sweat off, and reapplying more frequently can help you smell incredible for longer.
Exfoliate first
Do you want your lotion to dive deeper into the skin? Then you should exfoliate before applying it. (Please ensure your scented body lotion doesn’t contain harsh chemicals that may irritate the skin). You can exfoliate the body with your preferred exfoliant. There are many popular exfoliating scrubs for your body. Some of the most popular are coffee scrubs, glycolic scrubs, salt scrubs, and sugar scrubs.
After getting your scrub on and eliminating debris, dirt, excess oil, and dead skin cells, let your skin dry completely. 10 to 20 minutes later, you can apply your lotion, and it should deeply nourish and hydrate your skin.
Exfoliating scrubs are great for the skin and help you maximize your lotion. They also remove surface-level grime while clearing out the pores and eliminating debris. Please note that exfoliating doesn’t work for all skin types and may irritate those with dry or sensitive skin.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use body lotion on my face?
We don’t recommend using body lotion on your face. Body lotions are typically formulated with heavier oils and nutrients that can clog your pores, so they should only be applied to your body. Face lotion formulas contain lightweight ingredients and moisturizers that gently nourish the skin without causing issues like clogged pores, bumps, or blemishes.
Does scented body lotion expire?
Yes, body lotion does expire. Check for an expiration date on the side or bottom of your lotion. Don’t see one? You can check for signs that the product has gone bad. Check for a change in color, texture, consistency, scent, or effectiveness. If you notice any of these changes, then your scented body lotion is likely expired. You should toss it out for safety reasons and buy a new one.
What’s the best-smelling body lotion in 2023?
Blu Atlas Body Lotion is the best-smelling body lotion in 2023. Our fav is the Coconut Apricot, but if you’re into a more traditional scent, the Classic Body Lotion may be right for you. Coconut Apricot makes you feel like you just woke up on the beach with a book in your hand and a pina colada sitting by your side. The luxurious scent helps you smell incredible while keeping your skin ultra-hydrated and packed with nutrients. You don’t have to sacrifice the health of your skin to use one of the best smelling body lotions; with Blu Atlas Coconut Apricot Body Lotion, you can have the best of both worlds.
Members of the editorial and news staff of Us Weekly were not involved in the creation of this content.
