11 Best Body Lotions for Sensitive Skin: 2018 Reviews & Guide

Updated 6 years ago

Your skin is the first line of defense for your body. It’s imperative to fortify it with a high-quality moisturizer. But any old lotion won’t do when you have sensitive skin.

We know that conditions like eczema, dermatitis, acne, and rosacea can react badly to fragrances, alcohols, and other irritants. That’s why we researched the 11 best body lotions for sensitive skin and reviewed them here for you.

Top Body Lotions for Sensitive Skin

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion

Did you know that the National Eczema Association granted their Seal of Acceptance to CeraVe? This brand is also highly recommended by dermatologists throughout the United States.

Part of the reason why CeraVe’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion is so effective is because it contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Once you apply the moisturizer, the ceramides are released over the next 24 hours to enhance your skin’s natural protective barrier. Meanwhile, the hyaluronic acid refreshes your skin to help it look and feel younger.

Fortunately for customers with sensitive skin, the formula does not contain perfume, oils, or drying alcohols. Instead, it has a base of purified water and glycerin. The only downfalls are the parabens that CeraVe uses as preservatives to keep the lotion fresh for longer.

Eucerin Skin Calming Body Lotion

Eucerin is another well-recognized brand of skincare products. Their Skin Calming Body Lotion is recommended by doctors to patients of all ages who suffer from itchy, dry skin.

Although the ingredients list includes mineral oil, the lotion’s texture is thick, but not greasy. There are no fragrances or dyes. Much of this product’s power comes from colloidal oatmeal that soothes dry skin, and glycerin that locks in moisture.

If you read the label, you may notice that it mentions cetyl and benzyl alcohols. While benzyl alcohol is a preservative, cetyl alcohol is derived from fats and beneficial to skin.

Lubriderm Moisture Body Lotion For Sensitive, Dry Skin

Lubriderm’s Moisture Body Lotion can keep your skin hydrated for a full day after you apply it. It contains ingredients to support healthy skin, like vitamin B5, glycerin, and fatty alcohols. Users report that its texture is lightweight; that it sinks in fast and heals cracked skin.

Do be aware that, at the time of writing, the label shows that the formula contains petrolatum. But on the plus side, there are no artificial fragrances nor parabens.

Cetaphil Daily Advance Lotion, Ultra-Hydrating

Cetaphil promises 24-hour hydration from their Daily Advance Lotion. This fragrance-free moisturizer combines the power of Shea butter and Macadamia nut oil to promote silky smooth skin.

Users with sensitive skin report that they appreciate the Daily Advance Lotion because it absorbs quickly and helps heal their skin. The list of ingredients reveals the presence of vitamin E, vitamin B5, and glycerin, but no parabens. It does, however, contain Phenoxyethanol, a preservative that has garnered attention lately. Companies are increasingly using Phenoxyethanol in place of parabens. While it may not have the same effect on hormones, it has been shown to be an irritant to skin.

Curél Fragrance-Free Comforting Body Lotion for Dry, Sensitive Skin

Curél’s Fragrance-Free Comforting Body Lotion is described as both hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. It keeps skin moisturized for up to a full day of relief from itching and dryness. And Curél says that it’s gentle enough to use on your face because it won’t clog pores.

On the plus side, this moisturizer contains glycerin, Shea butter, and ceramides. On the minus side, it also has parabens and petrolatum.

Eucerin Advanced Repair Dry Skin Lotion

Eucerin’s Advanced Repair Dry Skin Lotion has a secret ingredient that helps it repair dry skin. This component is alpha hydroxy acid. It’s a gentle exfoliant that gets rid of dead cells and stimulates the growth of new skin.

Unless you continually suffer from very dry skin, you may want to rely on this moisturizer for occasional use only. The alpha hydroxy acid can make you prone to sunburn.

On the other hand, users love this lotion because it sinks in quickly, doesn’t leave a greasy film, and continues to hydrate skin for up to two days.

Vanicream Lite Lotion Pump for Sensitive Skin

Vanicream’s Lite Lotion avoids lanolin, parabens, formaldehyde, dyes, phthalates, and artificial fragrances that can cause skin irritation. As a result, this lightweight moisturizer won the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association. But do be aware that you’ll find both white petrolatum and propylene glycol inside the bottle.

CeraVe Baby Lotion with Essential Ceramides and Vitamins for Protecting and Maintaining Baby's Delicate Skin

Some adults with sensitive skin opt for using baby lotion in an attempt to avoid harmful ingredients. CeraVe´s moisturizer for infants contains ceramides to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier. It also has vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide.

The National Eczema Association accepts CeraVe’s baby lotion as an effective product for treating dry and irritated skin. It moisturizes for up to 24 hours after it’s applied. And you won’t have to worry about parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or artificial scents.

Aveeno Active Naturals Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion for Sensitive Skin

Aveeno’s Active Naturals lotion relies on oat oil and Shea butter dry, itchy skin. Doctors have known for more than 50 years that oatmeal is effective at relieving rashes. So it’s no surprise that colloidal oatmeal is a powerful ingredient for skin moisturizers.

Fans of Aveeno’s lotion like the fact that it softens their skin for up to 24 hours. It contains no fragrances or steroids.

Kiss My Face Olive & Aloe Fragrance-Free Body Lotion

Although the Kiss My Face Body lotion moisturizes skin with olive oil and aloe vera, it’s fragrance-free. Like other products from Kiss My Face, it’s produced with gluten-free ingredients and certified to be cruelty-free. You won’t find any parabens or phthalates in this formula.

Soothing natural ingredients will hydrate your skin so that it looks and performs at its best. And you can even apply this moisturizer on your face under makeup.

The label reveals further details like the inclusion of Shea butter, glycerin, fatty alcohols, grape seed oil, and ginger root extract, plus panthenol and vitamin E. But if you are allergic to Phenoxyethanol, you may want to look elsewhere.

Puracy Organic Hand & Body Lotion

Puracy continues to evolve their best-selling Organic Hand and Body Lotion. They are currently selling their third-generation formula created by doctors to soften rough skin for up to 24 hours even after you wash.

There are many skin irritants that you won’t find here, like formaldehyde, petrochemicals, silicones, parabens, artificial fragrances, phthalates, dyes, animal byproducts, or nut derivatives. On the contrary, you may be relieved to discover that the Puracy lotion relies on organic ingredients to enrich skin with moisture.

It contains vitamin E, Shea butter, and sunflower and jojoba oils. There is no heavy scent, and the creamy formula sinks into skin quickly. If you aren’t completely pleased with the results, Puracy offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Conclusion

When you’re in doubt as to which body lotion to choose for sensitive skin, you have a variety of tools to help you. The first is finding out what users say about a product. First-hand knowledge shared by someone you know may be more reliable than online reviews, so ask around.

Second, a company might tout their lotion as hypo-allergenic or designed for sensitive skin, but they can’t hide the ingredients. Read the label to see what’s inside the bottle and learn which scientific terms might reveal potential irritants.

Third, test a new product on a small area of skin, then wait for a day to see how you react. You’ll see if the lotion is effective, too.

We hope you found the perfect body lotion today, and we wish you the best of health in the future.