October 02, 2024

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ASK US ANYTHING

Before we dive into our favorite lotions, a little news: This Friday, October 4, Crystal Martin and Rachael Griffiths from our beauty team will be doing a live Q & A version of our semi-regular advice column, “Ask the Strategist,” where we answer your burning shopping questions. All you have to do is swing by our Ask the Strategist Live page, drop your skincare conundrums in the comments, and we’ll figure out a fix in real time. See you there!

Photo Credit: Crystal Martin. Crystal Martin after lotioning up with CeraVé Moisturizing Cream.

Applying body lotion always felt more like a chore than a ritual to me, until I started using the Kate McLeod body stone. Something about rubbing the little stone of cocoa butter all over my body before bed feels very luxe. And now I wake up with super-smooth skin each morning, still gently scented from the essential-oils blend of vetiver and bergamot. —Dominique Pariso

A big belief of mine is that a body lotion should be cheap — it’s covering your whole body! I can’t imagine myself dropping more than $20 for one (unless it comes in a huge tub). Aveeno’s does the trick. It goes on smoothly, and you can slather it on with abandon. I like lavender. I got a bad rash at the beginning of summer a few years back — it was the only thing that my body didn’t react badly to. (I credit this to the calming oat in there.) I’ve been a loyalist ever since. —Ambar Pardilla

I’ve tried so many body lotions, but Nécessaire’s is the king of my heart. Strongly scented body lotions often conflict with my perfume, so the fragrance-free aspect is paramount. Sure, plain old Cetaphil can get the job done, but Nécessaire’s lotion has a richer, creamier texture that makes it feel much more luxe. It soaks right in, though, so it’s not sitting heavily on your skin. I’ll stray and experiment with different products, but I’ll always have a bottle of Nécessaire at the ready. —Kitty Guo

I, unfortunately, get KP around my chest, and after some Reddit digging, I found this body lotion. It uses urea, which is exfoliating and hydrating, as well as ceramides to get rid of the bumps. I’ve only been using it for a couple of weeks, but my skin does look and feel smoother. —Arielle Avila

When I was a teenager, my dad got my mum a huge box of Soap and Glory for Christmas (complete Christmas Eve panic buy; he clearly didn't read our gift guides). Anyway, there was too much for her to get through, so she let me take a few bottles, including this body lotion. I've kept it faithfully in my rotation ever since. As with body washes, I like products that smell sweet without becoming sickly. This scent is delicately fruity and floral. The formula also contains shea butter and doesn't take forever to absorb into the skin. I rotate this with a gradual-tan moisturizer, depending where I am in my self-tanning routine. —Rachael Griffiths

Lately I've been very into Aveeno's body lotion. It's the perfect consistency — rich but not greasy — and spreads easily. It's fragrance-free, contains oat, a soothing ingredient, and supports the skin's barrier. It's no-frills but gets the job done and, over the past few months, it has been a sleeper hit in my routine. —Tembe Denton-Hurst

I test a ton of body lotions but keep coming back to CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. It’s truly for all seasons, scent-free, and keeps my skin properly hydrated and plump-feeling. I also like that it comes in a tub. I use a lot of lotion, so the scoop-out is convenient. —Crystal Martin