You Need a Great Body Lotion. Here Are 10 of the Best. (2025)

Using lotion can be important for the overall health of your skin, but that doesn't mean it's always a pleasant experience. Many of us out there don't like the feeling of heavy, greasy lotion on our skin. Luckily, alternatives exist. Case in point: this cooling, smoothing body gel. It packes just as must moisturizing power as a traditional lotion, but the milky gel formula smooths over your skin quickly and transparently and takes minimal rubbing for your skin to drink it up immediately.

Ingredients like magnesium and urea help to moisturize skin while a phytic acid complex helps to gently exfoliate away dead skin cells to leave your skin smooth and silky. Throughout the testing process, this quickly became our go-to not just because of how easy it is to use, but also because of the fresh, spa-like scent.

Half the reason you want to use body lotion is how it makes your skin feel. The other half is usually how it makes your skin smell. And if you're into smelling good, you won't find a lotion that does a better job than this one.

Yes, the formula is packed with moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, avocado oil, and sweet almond oil which make this lotion rich and hydrating to your skin. Yes, it's on the thick side and feels luxurious (though it does take a bit of time to rub in). But most of all, this is about the scent. The lotion is infused with The Noir 29, one of Le Labo's most iconic but under-appreciated scents, to the level that you may not even need to top it off with a cologne later. It's just that good.

If you have sensitive skin and are looking for something clean and unscented, Nécessaire is the way to go. This lotion is also formulated with niacinamide, the ingredient that helps to strengthen your skin's barrier.

The secret to this lotion is that it has more in common with the moisturizer you put on your face than heavier lotions you're used to putting on our skin. Aside from ingredients like peptides and fatty acids, the texture is lightweight and non-greasy. Our skin drank it up almost immediately and the overall experience so good that we didn't even miss a scent.

Normally, skincare products that claim to work as well on one part of the body as they do on another are a letdown. But Nivea's specially formulated 3-in-1 lotion uses aloe vera to deliver on its promise, making it an ideal low-budget option for dudes who can't get behind springing for three different products when they could buy one instead.

We are always fans of multi-functional products because, let's get real, who really wants to stand in their bathroom for hours a day applying creams? If you're short on time or just want something that can cover all your bases, this is a good bet. Using a body lotion as a face moisturizer may sound a little crazy at first, but think about it: a good moisturizer is a good moisturizer no matter where it goes on your body. That said, if you have oily or acne-prone skin, you may want to skip the facial application with this one. It's slightly heavier than we personally like in a face moisturizer and can feel a little greasy if you apply too much. However, if you tend toward dryness, you'll be just fine.

CeraVe may be known for its sensitive skin=friendly products, but it's really ideal for anyone with any kind of skin. The brand's lotion uses hyaluronic acid to help your skin retain its natural moisture while providing long-lasting hydration, plus three essential ceramides to help strengthen the skin's natural protective barrier (which also helps keep it from drying out). This daily lotion strikes the exact right balance between being moisturizing enough to keep your skin hydrated all day long and lightweight enough that you won't have that greasy or filmy feeling over your skin that you get with so many thicker lotions.

It's never going to be the sexiest product in your bathroom, but it's not meant to be. As far as an effective, budget-friendly daily lotion goes, we haven't been able to find one that's better. And believe us, we've tried them all.

There's a reason Aveeno's remained a stalwart of the skincare scene for as long as it has. Its signature, fragrance-free body lotion will gently soothe your skin, leaving it feeling nourished throughout the worst of the season. Formulated for especially dry skin, this lotion's power comes from the inclusion of prebiotic oat, which not only soothes especially dry skin, but helps to strengthen the skin's protective barrier to make it more resilient and retain moisture for longer.

According to the brand, this lotion moisturizes your skin for a full 24 hours. We can't fully confirm that because we didn't, like, set a timer, but what we can confirm is that with only one application post-morning shower, our skin felt just as moisturized when we went to bed as it did right after we first applied it. And without any sort of greasy residue to deal with, those are results we can stand behind.

A smash hit since it was first introduced decades ago, this non-greasy body lotion combines cocoa butter and shea butter with beta-carotene to leave your skin feeling soft and silky. It's a surprisingly lightweight formula for the moisturizing power that's packed in there, which is probably why it stays so popular.

It's one of those cult favorites that has really earned it's status. We've tested dozens of new lotions against it and keep coming back to the classic, simple formula over and over because it's just that good. You know the saying: If it ain't broke...

For those who suffer from very dry skin, Vaseline's intensive care lotion is a thick, moisturizing option to slather on right out of the shower. It needs a moment to dry but it is worth it for skin that needs it. The key is the petrolatum in the formula (hello, Vaseline) that acts as an occlusive to lock moisture inside the skin and keep it from evaporating out (which is really a thing). That's why it's so thick and why it's best to apply it right after a shower.

The thickness may be a dealbreaker for some people, but that only means their skin isn't dry enough to really reap the benefits. For those with especially dry skin, this stuff is like magic. It's heavy, it's somewhat greasy, but it does the job of moisturizing and healing very dry skin better than almost any other lotion we tried. Pro tip: Use it at night to allow your skin ample time to drink up the moisture.

Why are ceramides important you ask? Picture your skin like a brick wall. Skin cells are the bricks and ceramides are the mortar that holds it all together. When the ceramides become weak, cracks show and all sorts of things can happen, dehydration among them. A healthy amount of ceramides in your skin means that it has an easier time holding on to hydration and staying moisturized.

That's exactly why this lotion is so good. It's packed with those essential ceramides, so while it's imparting your skin with hydration from ingredients like hyaluronic acid, it's also helping it stay strong. It's honestly a win-win.

Yes, there is such a thing as status lotion, and this is it. The smooth, moisturizing formula is infused with macadamia nuts and sandalwood oils that work overtime to hydrate dry skin. The texture is silky and sinks into skin quickly and easily with minimal rubbing.

But as with most luxury lotions, this is all about the scent. The woody, citrus fragrance (with just a hint of vanilla) just smells like money. We wouldn't say it's as strong as a cologne, but it's exactly the type of natural-yet-elevated scent you want and expect from a fancy lotion. It may be too pricey to use every day, but we like to reserve it for special occasions.

What ingredients should I look out for?

For dry skin, the ingredients that are going to be the most effective are those with super hydrating, healing, moisturizing properties. Most lotions on this list have shea butter or aloe vera, which are natural ingredients that work wonders in instantly soothing chapped, dry skin. Others—like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, fatty acids, and various vitamins—deliver extra hydration that locks into the skin and heals it over time.

When is the best time to apply body lotion?

Typically, to target dry skin, you should apply body lotion twice a day: in the morning and at night. Make sure that one of these times is directly after you shower, as soap scrubs the skin of its moisture, and your body can do with a dose of lotion afterwards.

Who should use body lotion?

Honestly, everybody should use body lotion. Even those with oily or normal skin types can be prone to dried-out skin in the colder months, and not using body lotion at all will surely lead to less healthy skin than you want.

When we were testing lotions, we considered all sorts of factors—and they’re the same ones you should think about when buying a lotion. Of course things like size, price, and availability come into play, but these are the most important things to consider.

Ingredients: The ingredients in a lotion are really the deciding factor in how good it is and what it’s going to do for you. Lotions are moisturizers, like the kind you put on your face, so they have to have moisturizing ingredients. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter, coconut oil, and other plant butters and oils since these are all things that not only help impart moisture into your skin but also keep it there. Many newfangled lotions will also contain similar ingredients to your face products that are meant to help strengthen and improve the quality of your skin. These could be things like ceramides, niacinamide, antioxidants, and peptides which will help the lotion target certain issues like aging, dark spots, firmness, brightness, and more. Think of them as bonuses—not necessary for a lotion to work, but great to have in the formula.

Scent: Scent may not be integral to the functionality of a lotion, but it sure does make the experience better. Truthfully, many of us want fragrance in our lotion (for some, it’s even the reason they put it on), so choosing a lotion with a scent you like can be important—and personal. We’re not going to tell you what scents are best (we have our own opinions), but will advise that you smell a lotion before you buy it to make sure you like the fragrance. One disclaimer: if you have very sensitive skin, you may want to opt for a lotion with little or no scent since it can sometimes irritate sensitive skin. If you think that might be you, look for lotions that are unscented or fragrance free.

Skin Type: Just like the products you put on your face, you should look for a lotion that is designed for your skin type. Keep in mind that the skin on your body might be a different type than the skin on your face, meaning it may have different issues. For instance, you may have acne-prone skin on your face, but the skin on your body may be prone to dryness. Some lotions are suitable for all skin types, while others are designed with ingredients to target certain issues like dark spots, aging, firmness, breakouts, and more.

We’re not going to write about how great things are if they aren’t actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups is carefully curated by our grooming and e-commerce teams.

When it comes to body lotions, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting options that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved, along with options that we've done our research on. These are approved by users, dermatologists, and the cult-followings that products as successful as these tend to gain.

Every pick on this list (and our other lists!) comes from years of trial and error, research, and reviews. No two tastes are the same, and no two men are the same. Your proverbial mileage may vary. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who and care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.