I have extremely dry skin that needs a lot more moisturizing than most peoples’ — especially in the winter months.
After reading some recommendations on body lotions and moisturizers that make your skin really soft, I clipped some pages from a couple of magazines I read and respect — and I headed to the store to buy them.
Up til now, I’ve kept 2 big bottles of body lotion for dry skin near me at all times… one at my desk and one near my bed.
But I’ve still been experiencing very dry skin.
Perhaps their formulations are old? Perhaps lotion itself ages? (These bottles are over 1 year old.)
I was determined to try some of the newer body lotions that are supposed to make even extremely dry skin feel silky smooth.
I think I’ve finally found it!..
After my little research experiment, I actually found:
- A handful of dry skin body lotions that I like
- One lotion for dry skin that I don’t like
- One dry skin moisturizer that’s a great dry skin oil for the face
- And one bath & body wash that works great for dry skin
In all, I tried 9 dry skin moisturizers — 2 that I already had on hand and 7 new ones.
Here’s my personal review of each one…
First, The 2 Dry Skin Lotions I Was Using
I have 2 extra-large bottles of body lotion for dry skin that I’ve been using semi-regularly over the past year.
These body lotions are:
Comparing these 2 “old” body moisturizers with the “new” ones wouldn’t be fair — because I know that lotions do, in fact, age over time. As a result, they can:
- Become less effective over time
- Have outdated formulations
- Even turn rancid after awhile
That said, neither of these 2 body lotions smells as good as my new favorites do (listed below).
Nor have those 2 “old” lotions for dry skin ever made my legs feel silky smooth.
I would say that “slightly more hydrated” is the best result that I’ve achieved from those 2 body lotions.
Compared to the lotions for dry skin that I tested below, these 2 moisturizers seem very “plain” (thin and watery).
Next, I Tried 3 New Dry Skin Lotions That Are Highly Recommended
I did a leg-by-leg comparison with 3 of the body lotions for dry skin pictured here from beauty experts’ recommendations:
I placed one product on one leg and another product on the other leg.
Then I waited the entire day, making mental notes of how each one was doing and if one body lotion seemed better than the other on my dry legs.
Here’s my review of the 3 (new to me) dry skin lotions:
#1 – Keri Advanced Extra Dry Skin Lotion
I’ve heard that Keri products tend to work really well, so I’ve actually been on the hunt for Keri Advanced Extra Dry Skin Lotion that has been mentioned on talk shows and in magazines for awhile now — but I can’t find it anywhere.
I think Keri changes their formulations (and their product names and bottles) frequently, making them extremely hard to find months later!
UPDATE: I recently saw this product for sale on eBay! (That’s where I usually go to find discontinued products that are no longer in stores.)
The 2 stores I visited (Walgreens and Target) didn’t have the Keri formulation that was mentioned in the magazine, pictured above.
Since I couldn’t find Keri Advanced Extra Dry Skin Lotion, I grabbed what I thought sounded like the next best thing: Keri Intense Hydration Lotion.
The results were not very good!
Minutes after applying it to one leg, that leg still felt dry.
Hours later… the results were nonexistent.
Maybe this product is probably meant to work over time, rather than overnight. But I wanted immediate results instead.
#2 – Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion (extra dry skin formulation)
This moisturizer for dry skin smells really good — so I liked it right away for that reason alone.
But the best part came after applying it to one leg.
This body lotion truly made my leg feel silky smooth — and no greasy hands!
Plus… that hydrated, soft feeling lasted forever! Even the next morning, the leg with Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion honestly still felt like I had applied the moisturizer minutes ago.
I didn’t think I could find a better body lotion for dry skin than this one.
They also make Dove Cream Oil Body Wash. I tried it… but didn’t like it nearly as much as the Dove Cream Oil Lotion for dry skin. There are other body washes that are better for extremely dry skin (mentioned below).
#3 – Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer
The Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer is a bit thicker than the Dove Cream Oil body lotion. That means it’s probably got a tad more of “the good stuff” — whereas the Dove product probably contains more “water”.
I don’t like the scent of the Jergens nearly as much as the Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion, but that’s not a deal-breaker. The Jergens bottle says the key ingredients are: “a unique formulation, with Hydralucence blend of ingredients combined with Vitamins C, E, and B.”
Similar to the Dove Cream Oil body lotion, I didn’t have greasy hands after using this Jergens moisturizer either!
It’s next to impossible to tell which lasts longer — the Dove Cream Oil body lotion or the Jergens Ultra Healing skin moisturizer. That’s why I’m content with a bottle of each — one at my work desk for daytime moisturizing, and one near the bed for nighttime moisturizing.
Without a doubt, the Jergens was the better buy. I found a huge 16.8 oz bottle on sale at Walgreens for $6.99. The Dove was $7.99 for 13.5 oz at the same store.
The bottom line with these 3 recommended dry skin lotions…
Without a doubt, I prefer the Dove Cream Oil body lotion for dry skin.
But the Jergens Ultra Healing moisturizer is an economical backup that I always keep on hand. I tend to use the Jergens when my skin isn’t super dry.
Also, since your skin tends to get used to products (just like your hair does) making them less effective over time — I now switch up my daily moisturizing routine a bit by rotating body lotions occasionally.
Finally, 4 Other Dry Skin Lotions That I’ve Tried On My Own
Because I like to mix-it-up with my dry skin lotions (for the reasons mentioned above), I alternate the above moisturizers with these tried and true lotions for dry skin:
- Eucerin Skin Calming Lotion
- Gold Bond Healing Hydrating Lotion
- First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
- Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
#1 – Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream (for very dry skin)
I sometimes use Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream all over my body at night, and the Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion (mentioned above) all over my body during the day. They’re both great lotions for very dry skin!
The Eucerin is slightly more greasy going on, but it doesn’t stay greasy for long — just about a minute or so.
It’s especially great after a sunburn, anytime my skin has started to break out, and in the winter — when my skin is exceptionally dry and I’m spending a lot of time indoors with forced-air heat.
#2 – Gold Bond Healing Hydrating Lotion (with aloe)
I love Gold Bond Healing Hydrating Lotion
Whenever my summer skin is super dry, I use it daily.
The best part: It has absolutely no greasiness to it!
Your skin feels so plump and soft immediately after using this body lotion for dry skin.
And I’ve found that it even stays on after a quick hand washing. (Soap will remove it, but just a quick rinse & towel dry doesn’t.)
I also don’t have to apply it as many times throughout the day — it generally lasts longer than other dry skin lotions do.
I still use the Eucerin Skin Calming Lotion at night and in the winter months, but the Gold Bond Healing Hydrating Lotion with Aloe works just as well as the Dove Cream Oil Lotion as a daily body lotion for dry skin.
#3 – First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (intense repair)
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is a lot like the Gold Bond Ultimate Healing lotion for dry skin.
It’s super-thick — that means it’s a more highly concentrated formulation than most other dry skin lotions. (Much like you’d find with night creams versus day creams for your face… the thicker the better!)
It’s clearly packed with all of the essential goodies that make it work so well on extremely dry skin.
It’s not greasy at all — not for a second! And it stays on even after a few quick hand rinses in water.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream works incredibly well on my dry skin year round.
#4 – Josie Maran Argan Oil (100% pure)
I used to think of Argan Oil as a makeup product — but really it’s a moisturizer for dry skin!
And since it can be worn flawlessly under your makeup, it’s better than using a dry skin lotion on your face.
This is how we use Argan Oil in our household:
- An everyday face moisturizer & wrinkle remover (for me)
- A beard oil (for hubby)
- A paw & fur conditioner (for my dog)
Argan Oil is also great at healing cracked cuticles, moisturizing dry heels, repairing split ends, and even lengthening & strengthening your own natural eyelashes over time. I’m speaking from experience — I use it in all of those ways!
Basically, Argan Oil is a multi-purpose wonder oil that is starting to appear in a bunch of different health and beauty products these days — and for good reason.
I tend to stick with Josie Maran’s brand of Argan Oil, but I’m sure there are a few other reputable brands that are just as good. Just make sure you choose “100% pure” Argan Oil. You don’t want any fillers or synthetics in it.
I also like Josie Maran’s whipped Argan Oil Body Butter. It is SO thick and luxurious. I have a few of the unscented ones, but they also make it in several different scents that smell delicious! My favorites are “toasted brown sugar” and “vanilla bean.”
The Bottom Line: How I Use All Of These Dry Skin Lotions
I’m so excited that my extremely dry skin is finally plump and soft to the touch year round!
I’m no longer self-conscious whenever I shake hands with people — because my hands don’t feel dry anymore…ever.
I no longer have dry skin patches on my face.
My legs don’t look chalky when I’m wearing shorts in the summertime.
And my arms & legs don’t feel like snake skin when I’m indoors with the heat on during the wintertime.
These are my all-time favorite dry skin lotions that I rotate regularly:
- Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion
- Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream
- Gold Bond Healing Hydrating Lotion
- First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
I don’t use the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion anymore at all.
Only when I find a great deal on Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer do I buy it. I tend to apply the Jergens randomly whenever my skin isn’t at its worst.
Since I really like the benefits of adding Argan Oil to my daily beauty routine, this is the 2-step dry skin prevention regime that I use religiously:
- Lightly pat Argan Oil onto my entire face, neck, hands, and feet.
- Thoroughly moisturize all areas of my body with one of the lotions for dry skin from my list of faves (above).
Together, the oil and the lotion are the perfect combination for my (formerly) dry skin!
Thanks to these lotions — combined with a moisturizing body wash in the shower — my extremely dry skin now stays super-hydrated all day long!
By the way, Consumer Reports (another “panel of experts” that I highly trust) chose these as the top 8 moisturizers — in this order:
- Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
- Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Skin-Fortifying Body Lotion
- Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion
- Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion
- Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion
- Vaseline Total Moisture Conditioning Body Lotion
- Equate Moisturizing Lotion
- Suave Advanced Therapy Body Lotion
These 8 lotions were tops in our tests. They all did a good job, leaving skin slightly more moisturized after 5 hours than the others we tested. All except the Eucerin had no scent or a slight floral aroma; a bit of a drag, and some left only a slight waxy film on skin. All took a while to rub in, except the Gold Bond, which went on quickly. Note that all are name brands except for Walmart’s Equate; the other store brands didn’t perform as well.
~Consumer Reports
I recently added body oils to my dry skin moisturizer routine! Here are the best body oils for dry skin.
Bonus Tip: Best Moisturizing Body Wash For Dry Skin
Since Dial Yogurt Vanilla Honey Body Wash was featured in the same magazine as the dry skin moisturizers, I decided to try a new shower soap too.
I like it!
If you don’t mind smelling like a candle all morning (until the scent wears off), then you’ll probably love this body wash. That said, I actually do like the smell.
And it really does leave your skin feeling silky smooth as you step out of the shower. It’s almost as if there’s no way to rinse it off! That’s not a bad thing though — I really like the extra-moisturizing effect.
The only other shower soap that ranks close, in my opinion, is Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash.
I currently alternate between the two — because they’re both really great (and hydrating) for dry skin.
I tried to find the Bamboo Body Sponge shown in the magazine article as well. The article says it’s available at Walgreens — but the two Walgreens in my area don’t carry it. I am thinking about trying these Charcoal Body Sponges.
I like to help people find clever ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about "outside the box" Beauty Tips and Beauty Hacks that most people wouldn't think of. With beauty products (like hair care, skincare, and makeup) and personal care items (like teeth issues, body odor, undergarments, and <em>other</em> topics that very few people enjoy talking about)… I share my own honest firsthand experiences that I think others would appreciate hearing about and find helpful. Especially for topics that are usually very "private" and most people don't like to talk about publicly! When I'm not trying new beauty products and organizing all my "stuff", you'll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
