Moisturizing your skin on the daily is a must, no matter the season. However, come winter, your moisturizing efforts can seem fruitless. Because even though genetics play a big part in dry skin, the weather is also a huge culprit. "Factors like the cold, dry weather put a strain on the outer skin layer, stripping the skin of essential oils needed to maintain a healthy skin barrier," says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Though as much as you might want to blame it all on the change of the season, you might not be helping your case when you take scorching hot showers and don't listen to your body. "If you have dry skin, it is best to stick to lukewarm showers for 10 minutes or less. Over-scrubbing or exfoliating can also disrupt the outer skin barrier, and contribute to dryness and inflammation. If you see flakes, listen to what your skin needs and give it hydration," says Dr. Zeichner.
And there are proper ways of doing so: "Moisturize within five minutes of getting out of the shower to lock in hydration; right before going outside into cold weather to protect the skin from the environment, and in the evening when skin hydration levels are at their lowest," Dr. Zeichner advises. Adding those three moisturizing moments into your daily beauty routines will keep your skin dewy and hydrated just as it was in the summer.
But which is the best lotion for dry skin? According to Dr. Zeichner, there are three categories of ingredients used in moisturizers that you should be on the lookout for: "Occlusive ingredients, like petrolatum or dimethicone, form a protective seal over the surface of the skin; humectant ingredients, like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, act as a sponge to pull in hydration to the outer skin layers; and emollients, like natural oils, help fill in cracks between skin cells to soften the outer skin layer."
At the end of the day, though, how do you make the right pick? The aisles of your local drugstore are filled with body lotions for dry skin, and don't get us started on our fave online beauty destinations where the scrolls seem endless. That's why we've rounded up the best lotions for dry skin that will lock-in moisture so you won't feel like a lizard this holiday season.
Best Unscented Lotion for Dry Skin
Vaseline Intensive Care Unscented Advanced Repair Lotion
Vaseline is an OG and Zeichner agrees, "This extra light, easy to spread lotion contains purified petrolatum to coat and protect the skin, but it dries fully without leaving you with a greasy or heavy feeling.
Best Daily Lotion for Dry Skin
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion
According to Zeichner, "Colloidal oatmeal is the ultimate multitasker in moisturizing. It protects, soothes, calms, hydrates, and helps repair dry skin. It also has prebiotic benefits to help promote a healthy microbiome on the skin."
Best Water-based Lotion for Dry Skin
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Daily Repair Moisturizing Lotion
"This lotion is based in calming thermal spring water which is rich in selenium. The water has been shown to normalize the skin's microbiome and promote a healthy skin barrier. It also contains skin-softening shea butter, and soothing niacinamide", Zeichner shares with Teen Vogue.
Best Splurge-worthy Lotion for Dry Skin
Sisley Paris Restorative Body Cream
"This lotion contains a variety of calming botanicals, oils, and sugars that form a protective coating on the skin to protect and hydrate dry skin," says Zeichner.
Best Lotion for Extremely Dry Skin
AmLactin Ultra Smoothing Intensely Hydrating Cream
If your skin is always filled with rough, dry patches, this lotion is for you. Its high levels of lactic acid are ideal for skin that needs a bit more of exfoliating.
Best Lotion for Dry and Sensitive Skin
Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream
Having dry skin is one thing, but having sensitive skin too is a whole other ball game. Because the hunt for a lotion that can moisturize your skin without irritating it can feel endless. Cue Vanicream. It’s free of almost everything (no dyes, no fragrances, no lanolin, no parabens, etc) so if you have sensitive skin this should become your go-to product.
Best Clean Beauty Lotion for Dry Skin
Nécessaire The Body Lotion
Nécessaire’s Body Lotion is jam-packed with all the best ingredients including antioxidants, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Omega-6, and Omega-9, so no wonder it's an
Teen Vogue Acne Award winner and one of our favorite lotions to combat dry skin during the winter.
Best Lotion for Eczema-prone Skin
Dove DermaSeries Fragrance Free Body Lotion for Dry Skin
Raise your hand if you've been personally victimized by eczema, just like me! Luckily, this lotion helps tame your eczema -- trust me. Last year, I tried out Dove's new Derma Series products and was an instant fan. Their creamy formula doesn't feel sticky making this dermatologist-tested lotion the perfect body moisturizer for eczema-prone skin.
Best Affordable Drugstore Lotion for Dry Skin
Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion
Eucerin's Advanced Repair Lotion provides 48-hour moisture for your dry skin. So, don't be fooled by its lightweight formula. Because since it's enriched with ceramide-3 and natural moisturizing factors, it improves the skin's protective moisture barrier, and fast.
Best Lightweight Lotion for Dry Skin
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion
When you find a brand that works, you stick with it. That's how we feel about Cetaphil. Whether it's the lotion's lightweight consistency, which helps moisturize your skin and locks in that moisture, or the fact that it's a tried and true classic, Cetaphil has your back (and whole-body) covered all through winter.
Best Lotion With SPF for Dry Skin
Supergoop!® Forever Young Body Butter with Sea Buckthorn SPF 40
SPF is important no matter even when you are all bundled up. That's why this lotion from Supergoop made our list. With its sea buckthorn extract, your skin will feel rejuvenated the moment you smother it all over.
Best Classic Lotion for Dry Skin
Kiehl's Since 1851 Creme de Corps
According to Nordstrom sale reps, this lotion is a cult-favorite and every year during Nordstrom's Anniversary sale it sells out. Why so? Well, this lightweight formula filled with beta-carotene, cocoa butter, and sesame oil, slides on like butter and leaves you feeling like a million moisturized bucks.
Best Lotion for Inflamed Dry Skin
Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cream
When it comes to alleviating redness and inflammation due to dry skin, reach for this lotion from Avene. Based on a formula created around the active biotechnological innovation I-modulia®, it reduces itching sensations from dryness while successfully moisturizing your skin.
