If you’ve got skin that’s prone to dryness, stinging, redness, or itching, then you know you’ve got to be extra careful when you’re picking out skin care products. So, today's mission is to help you find a body lotion that you can use without worry. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Morgan Rabach, M.D., with whom Elite Daily spoke for this article, the best body lotions for sensitive skin contain ingredients like petroleum, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, and don't contain any fragrance. “Fragrance is highly allergenic to people with sensitive skin and I would recommend avoiding it,” Dr. Rabach says.
The doctor also suggests steering clear of dyes, preservatives like ethylene glycol, and certain "bad" alcohols (note that some alcohols can actually be quite nourishing). The five lotions featured here tick all of those boxes, so they're ideal for people with sensitive skin or conditions like eczema.
Scroll on to shop some of the best body lotions for dry, sensitive skin, including three picks recommended by our expert.
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Dermatologists, including Dr. Rabach, love Vanicream's line of moisturizers, cleansers, and hair care products. This rich, moisturizing cream, like all Vanicream products, was designed with highly sensitive, allergy-prone skin in mind. The super-simple formula is free of basically every ingredient that could cause a reaction in people with sensitive skin, like dyes, parabens, fragrance, lanolin, and even gluten. It also features the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association (NEA), meaning it's safe for use on eczema-prone skin. You can use this on your face, body, hands, and feet, and since you get 16 ounces of product for under $15, it's a really great deal.
Note that this does contain propylene glycol, which some people are allergic to. So, if you have a known allergy to that ingredient, keep reading to find your perfect body lotion match.
Lotions are typically lighter-weight and faster to absorb than creams, though creams do tend to be more nourishing for people with very dry skin. If you prefer products that are a bit less rich and thick, go with this CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, which was also recommended by Dr. Rabach. It contains some of the most nourishing ingredients around, like glycerin, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, which work together to attract moisture and strengthen your skin. The NEA-approved formula is oil-free, noncomedogenic, and fragrance-free, and this, too, can be used on your face, body, and hands. You get 19 ounces of product here for less than $20, so it's another great value.
Cetaphil's Restoraderm Eczema Calming Moisturizer was designed for people with eczema or generally dry, itchy skin. That's because it contains lots of skin-soothers like colloidal oatmeal (long used for its itch-relieving properties), allantoin, and niacinamide, in addition to moisturizers like shea butter, ceramides, and glycerin. And yes, it's got an NEA seal and is on Dr. Rabach's recommended list, too.
Another soothing, itch-relieving body moisturizer with oatmeal, Aveeno Eczema Therapy is actually a rich balm — balms are even thicker than creams, so they're ideal for extremely dry skin. This would be great for slathering on dry, itchy, scaly hands and feet at bedtime — throw on a pair of cotton gloves and socks to really lock all that moisture in. Fragrance-free and paraben-free, Aveeno Eczema Therapy also has the seal of approval from the NEA.
AmLactin contains lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates dead skin cells to promote smoother, softer, skin — so this is a great lotion for people dealing with keratosis pilaris, body acne, or skin that's generally rough and bumpy. Despite that, it's a pretty rich, moisturizing lotion, and it's free of both parabens and fragrance as well.
If you can't get enough of French pharmacy products, pick up this balm-like cream from Bioderma's Atoderm line. Recognized by both the NEA and the National Psoriasis Foundation, it's full of advanced ingredients that work to reinforce your skin's natural protective barrier to keep your skin moisturized and strong. There's also zinc in here, which can help soothe redness (and of course it's fragrance-free). You can use this on your face and body, and it's safe for babies as well.
Expert:
Dr. Morgan Rabach, M.D., a board certified dermatologist and cofounder of LM Medical.
