The best body creams for dry skin

Ria BhatiaPublished on Nov 22, 2022

8 body moisturisers to get you out of your dry spell

The easiest way to keep your body hydrated? A luscious lotion that's formulated with nourishing ingredients to improve your skin’s natural barrier function

These picks will keep those pesky dry lines at bay

For all of winter’s seasonal highs (family gatherings, bonfires and Yuletide cheer), there are a few drawbacks to keep in mind. Enter the onset of dry, itchy skin, chapped lips, dead skin accumulation and crusty white blotches that will probably be around for the long haul.

“During winters, when outdoors, your skin is exposed to dry air while, indoors, you turn on the heaters for warmth. Both situations cause depletion of humidity, drying out your skin,” says Dr. Madhuri Agarwal, celebrity dermatologist and founder, Yavana Aesthetics. “How can we forget hot showers?” she adds. The humidity-lacking winter air and severe dryness go hand-in-hand. Winter-appropriate body care is a must, and failing to invest in good body moisturisers, Agarwal believes, can cause scaling, itchiness, rough patches, rashes and irritation while also aggravating conditions like psoriasis and eczema. To help you on your skin-moisturising journey, here is our list of eight picks you should add to your beauty routine.

L’Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body CreamShea butter does wonders to alleviate dryness. This body cream is thick and luxe, composed of 25 per cent shea butter and up to 95 per cent of natural ingredients like vitamin E, glycerin and sunflower seed oil, making it a powerful antidote to dryness. It is mildly perfumed, lending a sense of warmth and comfort without being too overpowering. It claims to keep the skin moisturised for 72 hours, but we’re convinced that it will pass the AM-to-PM test. — **L’Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream**
Shea butter does wonders to alleviate dryness. This body cream is thick and luxe, composed of 25 per cent shea butter and up to 95 per cent of natural ingredients like vitamin E, glycerin and sunflower seed oil, making it a powerful antidote to dryness. It is mildly perfumed, lending a sense of warmth and comfort without being too overpowering. It claims to keep the skin moisturised for 72 hours, but we’re convinced that it will pass the AM-to-PM test.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair CreamThis seriously thick body cream is free from nasties and deserves a spot on your winter body-care shelf. Compatible with all skin types, including sensitive skin, it’s also a solution for tormented eczema-prone skin. This cream contains ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, shea butter and plant-based allantoin that, in harmony, heal and repair the skin. As a spin-off, the cream also tackles fine lines and wrinkles on the body, making it great for mature skin. The best part? It’s non-comedogenic, allowing you to slather some on your face too. — **First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream**
This *seriously* thick body cream is free from nasties and deserves a spot on your winter body-care shelf. Compatible with all skin types, including sensitive skin, it’s also a solution for tormented eczema-prone skin. This cream contains ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, shea butter and plant-based allantoin that, in harmony, heal and repair the skin. As a spin-off, the cream also tackles fine lines and wrinkles on the body, making it great for mature skin. The best part? It’s non-comedogenic, allowing you to slather some on your face too.

Supergoop Body Butter SPF 40

Winters mean no more sunscreen. Says who? Your facial skin needs year-round protection from UVA and UVB sun rays, and the same applies to your body. But, if you get lazy about layering products (and don’t mind splurging a bit), this lightweight body butter from sun protection-first brand, Supergoop, doubles as a chemical sunscreen with a high SPF 40. While natural oils help with hydration, the texture is balanced enough to be used during the day and prevent dryness. It’s great for on-the-go applications as it comes in squeeze-me-out tube packaging.

Glow Recipe Pink Dream Body CreamDuring winters, your skin tends to rid itself of dead skin, so it’s a good idea to cop a body cream with exfoliative properties. This one has watermelon extract and melon seed butter to perk up your skin, along with AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) derived from hibiscus that makes bumpy skin smoother and softer, minus the irritation. Don’t fret over the plastic bottle; it’s fully recyclable. — **Glow Recipe Pink Dream Body Cream**
During winters, your skin tends to rid itself of dead skin, so it’s a good idea to cop a body cream with exfoliative properties. This one has watermelon extract and melon seed butter to perk up your skin, along with AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) derived from hibiscus that makes bumpy skin smoother and softer, minus the irritation. Don’t fret over the plastic bottle; it’s fully recyclable.

Weleda Skin Food Body ButterCracked heels become a cause for concern in winter. Extreme flakiness is common across the body for people with severe eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. Enter this repairing formula, which alleges food for your skin. With a nourishing composition of sunflower seed oil, shea butter and cocoa butter, it promises to heal and treat the skin. The body butter has bagged several awards for living up to its claims and relieving painful dryness. It might, however, get heavy for people with oily skin; they can rather restrict its application as a spot/patch treatment on severely affected areas. — **Weleda Skin Food Body Butter**
Cracked heels become a cause for concern in winter. Extreme flakiness is common across the body for people with severe eczema, also known as *atopic dermatitis*. Enter this repairing formula, which alleges food for your skin. With a nourishing composition of sunflower seed oil, shea butter and cocoa butter, it promises to heal and treat the skin. The body butter has bagged several awards for living up to its claims and relieving painful dryness. It might, however, get heavy for people with oily skin; they can rather restrict its application as a spot/patch treatment on severely affected areas.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream⁣This cream is a multitasker—it hydrates and aids with signs of ageing in the body. The ingredient list is abundant, comprising nourishing oils, botanical extracts, shea butter and purslane—a vitamin A-rich ingredient—that equips the cream to address fine lines, lack of elasticity and dryness on the body. — **Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream⁣**
This cream is a multitasker—it hydrates and aids with signs of ageing in the body. The ingredient list is abundant, comprising nourishing oils, botanical extracts, shea butter and purslane—a vitamin A-rich ingredient—that equips the cream to address fine lines, lack of elasticity and dryness on the body.

The Body Shop Hemp Body ButterJust like the lip balm from the hemp range, The Body Shop’s body butter also endows the skin with heavy-duty moisture that is much needed during winters, especially if you reside in the colder regions of the country. With fairly-sourced shea butter from Ghana, babassu oil (made from babassu palms, that soothes inflammation and heals wounds) from Brazil and hemp seed oil, this body butter could take a few more seconds to get fully absorbed into the skin. Still, the post-effects are worth the wait. — **The Body Shop Hemp Body Butter**
Just like the lip balm from the hemp range, The Body Shop’s body butter also endows the skin with heavy-duty moisture that is much needed during winters, especially if you reside in the colder regions of the country. With fairly-sourced shea butter from Ghana, babassu oil (made from babassu palms, that soothes inflammation and heals wounds) from Brazil and hemp seed oil, this body butter could take a few more seconds to get fully absorbed into the skin. Still, the post-effects are worth the wait.

Also Read: Everything you need to know about body serums

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8 body moisturisers to get you out of your dry spell

These picks will keep those pesky dry lines at bay

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