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When the heat comes on and the air turns cold, the skin on your legs, arms and back is often the first to complain. It gets tight after a shower, looks ashy or flaky by afternoon, and starts to itch at night. A good body lotion can fix most of that, but only if it has the right ingredients and you actually like using it every day.
We went through the best-selling body lotions on Amazon, read their ingredient lists and what buyers said in the last few weeks, and kept five. Each one handles a different kind of winter dryness: everyday dry skin, itchy skin, rough and flaky patches, a tight budget, and skin that needs a rich cream.
- Best overall: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion. Ceramides and hyaluronic acid in a light, fragrance-free lotion for face and body.
- Best for itchy skin: La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+MAX. Built for very dry skin that itches, and gentle enough for babies.
- Best budget: Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion. A big, fragrance-free bottle with oat and shea butter.
Our top picks
- Best overallCeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
- Best for itchy, very dry skinLa Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+MAX Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream
- Best for rough, flaky skinEucerin Intensive Repair Body Lotion
- Best budgetAveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion
- Best rich creamCetaphil Moisturizing Cream
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
Want one lotion the whole family can share? Get this one. It pairs three essential ceramides, which help rebuild the skin barrier, with hyaluronic acid to pull in water. CeraVe says its MVE technology releases the ingredients slowly for 48-hour hydration. It’s oil-free and light enough to use on your face too, so it sinks in fast before you get dressed. It also carries the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance.
Why it stands out
- Ceramides + hyaluronic acid
- Light, oil-free and fragrance-free
- National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance
- Big 19 oz pump bottle
What to consider
- Contains parabens, if you prefer to avoid them
- Some buyers find the pump hard to unlock at first
- May feel too light for very dry, cracked skin
La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+MAX Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream
Dry skin that itches at night? Try this one first. It combines ceramides, niacinamide and shea butter, and La Roche-Posay has added a new ingredient it calls Neurobioma, designed to help reduce itching. The brand says it gives 72-hour dry skin relief and 24-hour itch control when the itch comes from dryness. It’s accepted by the National Eczema Association, fragrance-free and paraben-free, and La Roche-Posay says it’s suitable for babies as young as two weeks. It absorbs quickly, so you can get dressed right after.
Why it stands out
- Made for dry skin that itches
- Accepted by the National Eczema Association
- Fragrance-free and paraben-free
- For face and body, from two weeks old
What to consider
- Costs more per ounce than the drugstore picks
- Smaller 13.5 oz bottle
- Not for broken skin (the brand says so)
Eucerin Intensive Repair Body Lotion
Some dry skin needs more than moisture. When it turns rough and flaky, a lotion that also smooths away the buildup works better. This one combines 5% urea, which both hydrates and softens rough skin, with an alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates. Eucerin says it gives 48 hours of hydration and smooths dryness and flaky patches. It’s free of parabens, dyes and fragrance, and the brand says you can use it on your hands and feet too.
Why it stands out
- Moisturizes and gently exfoliates
- Urea + AHA for rough, flaky patches
- Fragrance-, dye- and paraben-free
- Works on hands and feet
What to consider
- AHAs make skin more sensitive to the sun, so wear sunscreen on exposed skin
- Can sting on cracked or freshly shaved skin
Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion
The best value on this list. Aveeno’s Skin Relief lotion uses what it calls a Triple Oat Complex, made of oat flour, oat extract and oat oil, plus shea butter. The brand says it strengthens the moisture barrier, relieves dry skin in 60 seconds and keeps skin moisturized for 72 hours. It’s made for dry, sensitive skin: allergy tested, non-comedogenic and free of fragrance, parabens and dyes. You get a big 18 oz bottle for a drugstore price.
Why it stands out
- Usually the lowest price per ounce of our picks
- Oat + shea butter for sensitive skin
- Fragrance-, paraben- and dye-free
- Non-greasy, fast-absorbing
What to consider
- A lotion, so very dry patches may need a thicker cream on top
- A few buyers report pump problems
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
When a lotion just isn’t enough, step up to a cream. Cetaphil’s classic cream combines glycerin with panthenol and niacinamide, plus sweet almond oil and vitamin E for extra comfort. Cetaphil says it hydrates for 48 hours and is clinically proven to help restore the skin’s moisture barrier. It’s hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and free of parabens and fragrance, and it works on both face and body.
Why it stands out
- Richer texture for very dry skin
- Panthenol + niacinamide
- Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic
- Large 20 oz tub
What to consider
- Contains sweet almond oil, so skip it if you have a nut allergy
- Thicker, so it takes a little longer to sink in
Why skin gets so dry and itchy in winter
Cold outdoor air holds very little moisture, and indoor heating dries the air even more. Hot showers strip away the natural oils that keep water in your skin. Put together, your skin loses water faster than it can replace it. The result is tightness, flaking and an itch that’s often worse at night.
What to look for in a body lotion for dry skin
- Barrier lipids (ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids) help rebuild the skin barrier so moisture stays in.
- Humectants (glycerin, hyaluronic acid, urea) pull water into the skin.
- Occlusives and butters (shea butter, petrolatum, dimethicone) seal the moisture in.
- Gentle exfoliants (urea, lactic acid and other AHAs) help with rough, bumpy or flaky patches.
- No fragrance if your skin itches. Dry skin reacts more easily, and fragrance is a common trigger.
How to get more out of your body lotion
- Apply it within a few minutes of a shower, while your skin is still slightly damp. That traps the water on your skin.
- Keep showers short and lukewarm. Hot water feels great in winter, but it dries skin out.
- Use a gentle, fragrance-free body wash instead of harsh soap.
- Run a humidifier in your bedroom if your home’s air is very dry.
- Be consistent. Once or twice a day, every day, works better than a thick layer once in a while.
How we chose
We started with the body lotions shoppers are buying most right now, then kept only those with strong ratings and consistently positive recent buyer feedback. We compared each one’s full ingredient list against what dry, itchy skin actually needs, checked what the brand claims and what it’s made without, and weighed the price for the size. We don’t accept payment from brands. We haven’t run lab tests, and we tell you when a claim comes from the brand itself.
FAQs
What’s the difference between a body lotion and a body cream?
Lotions have more water, so they feel lighter and absorb faster. Creams are thicker and more protective, which helps very dry skin. Many people use a lotion daily and a cream on their driest spots.
Can I use body lotion on my face?
Only if the label says face and body. CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+MAX and Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream are all made for both. For face-specific picks, see our best moisturizers for dry skin.
Why does my skin itch more at night?
Your skin naturally loses more water in the evening, and a warm bedroom with dry air makes it worse. Moisturizing after an evening shower and using a humidifier can help.
Is urea safe to use every day?
Yes, lotions with low levels of urea, like 5%, are made for daily use. If a product also contains an AHA, wear sunscreen on any skin that sees the sun.
This article is for general information only and isn’t medical advice. If your skin is cracked, bleeding, very itchy or not improving, or you think you might have eczema, see a dermatologist. Read our Disclaimer.