I am cursed with extremely dry skin. Growing up in Colorado, this was only exacerbated by the extremely dry climate. Every winter, my skin would get flaky, itchy, and irritated—and no matter how much normal body lotion I slathered on, I could not get any relief. Desperate, I finally turned to a dermatologist for answers and found the key to all of my problems: body butter. Using body butter instead of body lotion gave my skin a touchably soft appearance that would be at home in a shaving cream commercial, even in the harshest winter months.
There are tons of body butters out there, but finding a good one that will actually work for you is key. I tapped DiAnne Davis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Dallas, Texas, and Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, for the lowdown on all things body butter.
The main difference between body butters and body lotions are the weight and the consistency. “Lotions have higher water content and a more liquid consistency, while body butters are usually thicker and creamier,” says Davis.
King adds that body butters also have more oil and less water than a lotion. “Body butters are thick creams that contain mango, cocoa, shea, palm or other butters, and they may contain other oils such as coconut or avocado,” she says.
Everyone can use body butter, but people who have dry skin will benefit the most from adding body butter to their bodycare routine. King says that body butters are so beneficial for dry skin because they are so emollient and occlusive, which means that they help soften skin and keep moisture locked in.
Look for butters, but also look for key hydrating ingredients:
Humectants: According to King, humectants are “low molecular weight substances that bind water into the stratum corneum. They need to be used along with the other components in order to retain the water content.” Look for hyaluronic acid and glycerin.
Emollients: Emollients help repair the skin barrier and improve skin’s overall texture and appearance, according to King. Look for cholesterol, squalene, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and ceramides.
Occlusives: “Occlusives are oils and waxes which form an inert layer on the skin and physically block transepidermal water loss,” says King. Look for petrolatum, beeswax, mineral oil, silicones, lanolin, and zinc oxide.
Davis also recommends looking for moisturizers that come in a jar. “Their consistency is going to be creamier and thicker and provide maximum hydration for their skin,” she explains.
Packed with shea butter, honey, bee pollen, and vitamin E, this body butter deeply hydrates and nourishes skin. Its unique whipped texture also sinks in instantly, making it easy to apply. This body butter also has a light, delicately sweet scent.
As far as body butters go, this one is on the richer side. Thanks to tons of shea butter, its texture is thick and luxurious, making it the perfect body cream to slather on before bed.
When I was in college, one of my roommates was experiencing skin so dry it was nearly bleeding. She discovered this cream and has never gone back—it’s that intensely moisturizing. Cupuaçu butter, açaí oil, and coconut oil work together to soften and smooth skin. Plus, the pistachio, caramel, and vanilla scent is downright addictive.
Ethically sourced African oils are blended together to create this luxurious body butter. There’s shea butter sourced from both Uganda and Ghana, but there’s also jojoba oil, baobab oil, and sweet almond oil to create the most nourishing experience possible.
For the purists among us, Eu’Genia Shea offers 100 percent shea butter, with no added ingredients. A little goes a long way, and it’s perfect for even the driest spots.
In this tropically scented body butter, hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant to soak moisture into the skin. Mango seed butter and coconut oil hydrate and repair the skin.
Weleda is known for its rich and luxurious creams, and this body butter is no exception. Cocoa butter and shea butter work in tandem with each other to moisturize skin.
Formulated to help repair your skin barrier, this thick cream also has colloidal oatmeal to soothe dry, irritated skin. Botanical cholesterol also works to protect and nourish the barrier.
This body butter is King’s recommendation. “A combination of murumuru butter, bacuri butter, shea butter, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, and borage seed oil offers humectants, emollients and occlusives as well as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties,” she says.
Want a body butter that feels like the height of luxury? Look no further than this cream from Byredo. Byredo’s beloved Gypsy Water fragrance is blended together with shea butter for a body butter that smells as good as it makes your skin feel.
If you truly want a body butter that feels like butter, this is the pick for you. Shea and mango butters are blended with vitamins A, D, and E to make a super-nourishing and luxurious cream.
Protect your skin while hydrating it. This body butter has SPF 40 for a highly protective cream. Argan and meadowfoam seed oils soften and moisturize.
Think of this stone as a solid body butter. It glides easily onto skin, imparting tons of moisture. This is one of my favorite body moisturizers—it feels like a luxurious ritual every time I spread it on my skin. Cocoa butter is blended together with almond, apricot kernel, avocado, and coconut oil for a sumptuous experience.
This was the body cream that changed everything for me. Petrolatum acts as the butter-like ingredient that makes this cream super rich. A dermatologist recommended this cream to me when I was young, and it’s the first cream I turn to if my skin is ever really irritated—it’s non-comedogenic and dermatologist tested. Next: 4 Pros Share Their Techniques for an At-Home Lymphatic Massage
