The Best Body Lotions in Canada
Body lotion is something you break out just for cold winter weather – it’s something we should be using regularly to help us maintain smooth, soft skin. Still, it can be intimidating and overwhelming to stand in front of shelves filled with a multitude of different lotions at the drugstore.
Not sure what kind of body lotion to go for? Check out our guide below to find the best body lotions in Canada suited for different skin types and budgets. We also have another article in case you’re just looking for the best hand cream to throw in your purse or desk.
Our top picks
How to choose a body lotion
When you’re choosing what kind of body lotion to get, keep these tips in mind:
- Consider your skin type – A body lotion that works great for individuals with dry skin might be too heavy for people with normal or oily skin. Likewise, a light lotion meant for oily skin or normal skin may not be enough for people with dry skin.
- Cost – Like with most skincare items, body lotions can range anywhere from under $10 to well over $100 – more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better. Find one that works with your budget.
- Ingredients – Depending on your skin type, there are helpful ingredients you may want to look out for. For example, urea helps hydrate dry skin and chemically exfoliates skin as well. If you’re sensitive to smells, you probably want to avoid any lotions with added ingredients.
The Best Body Lotions in Canada
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
This is also our pick for the best unscented lotion.
If you’re looking for a lotion that’ll be suited for most people, this CeraVe body lotion is a good fit.
Overall, CeraVe is a well-known brand and its skincare products have been frequently recommended for all skin types.
In particular, this lotion is lightweight and contains both ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Ceramides help maintain your skin barrier and help your skin retain moisture, while hyaluronic acid helps your skin hold onto water.
Additionally, if you’re sensitive to fragrance, you can rest assured that this body lotion is fragrance free. Plus, it’s even been formulated so that you can use this lotion on both your body and face.
Customers noted that this lotion was great for irritated, sensitive skin and even oily skin – on the flip side, a few customers found that this lotion was too lightweight for those with very dry skin.
Pros
- Lightweight and not greasy.
- Can be used on body and face.
- No fragrance.
Cons
- Not moisturizing enough for those with very dry skin.
Best Anti-Aging Body Lotion
NeoStrata Glycolic Renewal
While having well moisturized skin in general helps with aging skin, there are body lotions out there that are specifically formulated to help with reducing the signs of aging in your skin.
One of such lotions is the NeoStrata Glycolic Renewal Smoothing Lotion, which is formulated with 10% alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) in the form of glycolic acid. Glycolic acid has a number of functions in skincare such as chemical exfoliation and reducing acne. In the context of anti-aging, it can help improve fine lines and wrinkles through activating fibroblasts as it penetrates your skin – fibroblasts are what produce collagen, which lessens as you age.
Additionally, this body lotion is fragrance free, meaning you won’t have to worry about fragranced induced headaches or allergies. While this lotion is a pricier than many of the other body lotions on this list, we found that other body lotions containing AHA often had complaints about smelling like chemicals while this one did not.
Overall, customers noted that this lotion works well without irritation and is relatively lightweight. However, some customers found that this body lotion was not moisturizing enough.
Pros
- Has several functions including anti-aging and exfoliating.
- Fragrance free.
Cons
- Slightly pricey.
- May not be moisturizing enough for extremely dry skin.
Best Body Lotion for Women
Lush Sleepy Body Lotion
Whether you’re looking for good lotion that also smells great or a body lotion fancy enough to be a gift, this body lotion from Lush ticks all the boxes.
Made with oat milk, lavender, and almond oil, this body lotion helps calm troubled skin as well as making it silky smooth. Additionally, its lavender scent can be a great natural sleeping aid if you’ve been finding it difficult to get some shut eye lately.
It also has cocoa butter, which helps nourish skin and keep it elastic.
One thing that stands about Lush is that all of its products are vegetarian and cruelty free, while many brands and products are not. This lotion in particular happens to be vegan.
Customers note that this lotion is quite moisturizing, but it requires time to absorb. Additionally, some customers found the scent to be too strong.
While this lotion is pricier than other lotions on this list, it can be worth it for those who want a cruelty moisturizer that’s on the heavier side.
Pros
- Very moisturizing.
- Vegan.
Cons
- Pricey.
- Scent may not agree with everyone.
Best Natural Body Lotion
Attitude Natural Body Lotion for Sensitive Skin
For people that are into natural beauty or want products without the use of chemicals, this body lotion made by Attitude could be a good fit.
All the ingredients used in this lotion are plant and mineral based – plus, all of Attitude’s products are EWG certified, meaning their products are free from harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, mercury, isobutyl, and isopropyl parabens, and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are carcinogenic or potentially damage the body in other ways.
Plus, this body lotion is fragrance free and enhanced with colloidal oatmeal, meaning it’s a good lotion for itchy skin.
Overall, customers find this lotion doesn’t irritate sensitive skin – however, some customers find that despite this lotion not having fragrance, there is a slight smell to it.
Pros
- EWG certified.
- Good for sensitive skin.
Cons
- Some users noticed an odour to it despite being fragrance free.
Best Body Lotion with SPF
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 15
For people looking to add a body lotion with SPF to their sun protection routine, this Aveeno body lotion is a decent choice (note that you should apply sunscreen regardless of whether your moisturizer has SPF or not since moisturizers protect you from the sun much less than sunscreens.)
Body lotions are a great way to add a little extra sun protection – plus they don’t have the dreaded white cast that some higher SPF sunscreens do.
In addition to having SPF, this Aveeno lotion also contains colloidal oat, which as we mentioned earlier, is great for calming down itchy or irritated skin.
Like with many other body lotions, this one is also fragrance free, making it a good choice for those with scent sensitivities.
Overall, customers find that this body lotion is affordable as well as not greasy. However, some customers have noted this lotion has a little bit of a sunscreen smell.
Pros
- Has SPF.
- Good for soothing skin.
Cons
- Smells like sunscreen to some.
Best body lotion for glowing skin
Vaseline Intensive Care Body Lotion Cocoa Radiant
If you’re looking for a healthy, moisturized sheen, this Vaseline body lotion is a great affordable option.
It contains cocoa butter, shea butter and micro-droplets of Vaseline jelly to help smooth, soften and lock moisture into the skin. Unlike pure Vaseline jelly, this lotion doesn’t have a sticky texture.
Overall, customers found that this lotion sinks in quickly and relieves dry skin quite fast. However, the scent may make it unsuitable for people who are sensitive to smells or infants.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Sinks into the skin quickly.
Cons
- Scent may not agree with everyone.
Best drugstore body lotion
Eucerin Complete Repair Plus Moisturizing Lotion
If you’re looking for an accessible body lotion that does more than the basics, this Eucerin moisturizing lotion might be what you’re after.
It contains both ceramides and urea – like we mentioned earlier, ceramides help maintain your skin barrier and moisturize it. On the other hand, urea helps chemically exfoliate dry, peeling skin and draws moisture into the skin so you’re left with moisturized, soft skin.
Plus, it also has shea butter to further assist in helping your skin to be soft and moisturized.
Overall, customers find that this lotion is very effective in moisturizing and helps with skin conditions such as keratosis pilaris and eczema. On the flip side, many find that this lotion is very greasy and can smell odd.
Pros
- Great for dry skin and for skin with conditions like eczema and keratosis pilaris.
Cons
- Too greasy for some people.
- Smells odd.
Best in-shower body lotion
Nivea In Shower Body Lotion
If you’re on the go and you don’t have the time to moisturize your body regularly, in shower body lotion is a good option.
How it works is that after you’ve rinse off your body wash in the shower, you rub this in shower body lotion all over your entire body and then rinse again. No need to take an extra 10 minutes after your shower to moisturize, plus now your hands won’t be slippery from lotion.
In particular, this body lotion has almond oil, which is an emollient that helps your skin absorb moisture.
Customers find this lotion convenient and easy to use – on the flip side, many also find that this in shower body lotion is quite a bit more expensive than many regular lotions.
Pros
- Saves time.
Cons
- More expensive than regular body lotions.
How we picked the best body lotions
For this guide, we spent over 10 hours reviewing various body lotions available in Canada. We compared and contrasted several customer reviews and only included body lotions that had at least a rating of 4 stars on Amazon. Things we took into consideration were pricing, ingredients, and overall customer feedback. Additionally, we referred to trusted websites as needed for any further information and clarifications that we needed.
Frequently asked questions about body lotions
Body Cream vs Body Lotion: What’s the difference?
Both are a blend of oil and water – however, body creams have a higher oil concentration and body lotions have a higher water concentration. Generally, body creams take a longer time to absorb into your skin while lotions take less time and feel less sticky.
What is a body lotion used for?
Generally, body lotions are used to moisturize skin and keep it healthy. However, they can also serve other purposes such as treating rashes, burns, eczema or various other skin conditions depending on the ingredients added.
Should you use body lotion after a shower?
After a shower is the best time to use body lotion – it’ll help lock in the moisture from your shower into your skin rather than letting it evaporate away. Another tip: don’t dry off completely before using body lotion so that your skin gets as much hydration as possible.
How to use a body lotion?
Take a small amount in your hands and rub your hands together to warm up the lotion. Then, rub the lotion into your skin all over your entire body in circular motions, especially in areas you feel are dry. If you feel like your skin doesn’t feel moisturized after this process, you can repeat until it does.
If you’re using medicated body lotion, you should read the label for instructions.
What is a body lotion?
Body lotions are topical preparations made of mostly water with some oil added – they’re meant to moisturize your skin and prevent dryness.
How often should you use body lotion?
This varies with everyone – many people tend to use body lotion once per day. However, you can also apply it whenever your skin is feeling dry or after you’ve gone swimming or taken a shower.
Eucerin vs Cerave: What’s the difference?
The main difference between these body lotions are the ingredients that are used.
In Eucerin body lotion, urea and ceramides are the key ingredients, while in Cerave, hyaluronic acid and ceramides are the key ingredients.
Ceramides are the fats found in skin cells – they help keep our skin barrier intact and form a protective layer that prevents moisture loss and protects against pollution.
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that draws moisture from the air to keep the outer layers of your skin moist – it can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles or fine lines by keeping your skin plump.
On the other hand, urea helps loosen dry, scaley skin in addition to drawing moisture into the skin.
Can I use body lotion on my face?
Generally, we wouldn’t recommend putting body lotion your face – body lotions tend to be richer than products formulated for your face, meaning you may experience clogged pores and breakouts from using body lotion on your face.
However, some body lotions such as the Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion have been formulated for both face and body use.
Should I use body butter or body lotion?
Compared to body lotions, body butters are thicker and creamier, and contain more oil. Whether you use body butter or body lotion depends on personal preference – some people may find body butter too thick or greasy while others may find body lotions may not be moisturizing enough. You can even layer them together to better moisturize your body.
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Updated date
November 28th, 2024
About the author
Pearl Tsui
Pearl Tsui is a writer that’s written anything from posts showcasing adorable animals to guides detailing what you can do to reduce your utility costs. When she’s not typing away at her laptop or avoiding the sun, she likes to explore the Edmonton River Valley as well as spoil her boyfriend’s cat with various catnip toys.
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