Dermatologists Say These Body Lotions Are A Must for Dry Winter Skin (2025)

Few things are as uncomfortable as dry skin on your body. Itchiness, tightness, flaking, and scaly patches are almost inevitable when you don't properly hydrate head to toe. In addition to not feeling great, dry skin accentuates signs of aging, like fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. Luckily, the solution is simple. Add a body lotion into your routine to make your complexion look and feel hydrated, smooth, and radiant.

What to Look for in a Body Lotion for Dry Skin

Ingredients

When shopping for a body lotion to combat dryness, you have to look for hardworking hydrating ingredients. Glycerin, squalane, ceramides, nourishing oils (read: coconut, olive, or jojoba), and hyaluronic acid are all good options, Mona Gohara, MD, board-certified dermatologist told Oprah Daily. Not to mention, many formulas will also offer additional active ingredients to help target other skin concerns, such as aging, dullness, or uneven texture. The good news is, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Texture

Those with dry skin may like a formula with a rich or very creamy texture, especially if you're also experiencing roughness, flakes, or scaly appearance. The good news is that there are plenty of thicker formulas that don't feel heavy or greasy on the skin. To help you find a body lotion that quenches dryness and promotes a healthy-looking complexion, we spoke with dermatologists to get their personal recommendations and shared a few of our favorite picks. Ahead, discover the tried-and-true best lotions for dry skin.

Dry, cracked skin is no match for this intensely hydrating body lotion. Its texture is creamy and smooth but also lightweight."I've never met a formula that absorbs as quickly as this one does and leaves your skin so moisturized," says Genesis Rivas, Oprah Daily beauty editor. "My husband also loved it because it seamlessly blended into his caramel skin tone without having to rub it in too much." The formula contains softening squalane, glacial glycoproteins, which help maintain moisture, and ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier and protect against environmental aggressors.

Vaseline is a fan-favorite brand for its trusty and hydrating formulas. This newest addition to the line of moisturizers is chock-full of beneficial skincare to not only hydrate dry skin (shout out to coconut oil and lipids) but also promote a more even complexion. Niacinamide and vitamin C work hard to reduce the look of dark spots and hyperpigmentation while promoting a more radiant and even complexion. The formula also strengthens the skin barrier and blends in easily to all skin tones.

Restore a healthy-looking radiance with this buttery body cream. It hydrates, firms, smooths, and makes your skin look glowing thanks to niacinamide, super berry extracts, jojoba, shea, and cupuaçu butters. It is a body butter so it's thicker than other lotions but not as rich as other butters we've tried. It leaves skin moisturized but not greasy or sticky. It also contains the brand's soothing signature fragrance, Free To Dream, which is made of yuzu, green tea, and woodsy notes.

Here's a soothing formula that's loaded with optimal skincare to relieve dryness and so much more. It has five types of ceramides to help repair skin barrier function and niacinamide to help smooth skin and strengthen the skin barrier. Hyaluronic acid hydrates the skin at multiple layers while shea butter helps to lock in all that moisture. It's great and nourishing for all skin types, especially dry, compromised, and sensitive. It's also hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and safe to use on eczema-prone skin.

If you're experiencing dry skin but you hate the feeling of thick or heavy body lotions, you'll love this lightweight option that also offers long-lasting benefits. "This is a perfect hydrating body lotion that provides 24 hours of moisture," says Sharon Gordon, a licensed medical aesthetician and owner of Sharon Gordon SKIN. "It contains colloidal oatmeal, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, to restore the skin’s natural barrier function and eliminate itchy, irritated, dry, sensitive skin.”

Ceramides make up about 50 percent of the outer layer of your skin, so when your complexion lacks these essential lipids, it can cause feelings of tightness, dryness, and discomfort. Fortunately, this fragrance-free body lotion contains a complex of ceramides to restore skin back to a soft and supple state and alleviate that taut, dry feeling. (And for a budget-friendly price tag!) The non-comedogenic formula is thick in texture but won't leave skin feeling greasy.

For those who love a good-smelling body lotion where the scent lingers and basically doubles as your perfume, you'll love this one. Even though it does contain fragrance, which can be irritating for those with very sensitive skin, it's also made with soothing ingredients, like oat milk, lavender, and chamomile The nourishing olive oil and cocoa butter are great for soothing dryness while the addition of rose oil also helps calm existing redness and irritation.

We said it before and we'll say it again: Ceramides are a must-have ingredient for dry skin because they help retain moisture, says Tiffany Libby, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. In addition to soothing dryness, this drugstore formula also helps improve the look and feel of rough and flaking skin. “This also contains sunflower seed oil, which is rich in linoleic acid and works to decrease trans-epidermal water loss, improving skin hydration and minimizing skin irritation.”

Even though exfoliating may seem counterproductive for dry skin, it can actually help smooth rough or bumpy texture caused by severe dryness.“It’s enriched with urea and lactic acid, which gently exfoliates and allows hydrating ingredients to penetrate better," says Hadley King, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist of this pick. It's a great option for very dry areas like elbows, knees, and hands thanks to shea butter and glycerin, which offer long-lasting moisture. "Their studies show that the hydration lasts for 48 hours," says King.

Vanicream is that girl. It's a tried-and-true formula that checks all the boxes. You can use it on your face and body, it's budget-friendly, and suitable for all skin types. "This is fragrance-free and perfect for sensitive skin," explains Eric Segal, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. The formula is simple and highlights petrolatum, a skin-protecting moisturizing ingredient that helps soothe a variety of skin concerns, from dryness to eczema, psoriasis, and itchiness.

People often get dry and dehydrated skin confused because they can both show up with the same symptoms. However, dehydrated skin lacks water (instead of oil), which is why a humectant, like hyaluronic acid, can be very helpful in restoring hydration in the skin. "Hydro Boost is very popular because the gel texture is so lightweight, absorbs quickly, and provides enough hydration," says Nancy Samolitis, MD, a California-based dermatologist and owner of Facile Skin.

You can always count on CeraVe for its trusty and hardworking moisturizers. And with over 100,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, it doesn't get better than this giant tub. The formula works to restore and protect the skin's barrier thanks to hydrating hyaluronic acid and skin-repairing ceramides. Its texture is thick and creamy but it absorbs quickly into the skin and doesn't feel greasy or heavy. You can use it on your face or body.

"This is one of my favorites for dry skin," says Sapna Palep, MD, of Spring Street Dermatology in New York City of this lotion clinically proven to boost skin's natural renewal through gentle exfoliation. It's a great pick for those with eczema, keratosis pilaris, or psoriasis because of its gentle exfoliating properties. "I like that it has alpha hydroxy acid and lactic acid but is still gentle enough for everyday use."

Our beauty team is dedicated to finding you the best of the best formulas. We spoke with dermatologists to learn about what to look for in body lotion and got their go-to recommendations. We also researched and tested top-rated and brand-new formulas that hit the market to help you find the best products out there.