The multitude of beauty products can be confusing, right? We get you. While everyone knows moisturizing is an essential skincare step, the market has three different products for it - body lotion, body cream and body butter. So, how do you decide which one to pick?
Well, the answer majorly depends on your skin type and weather conditions. Today, we're here to clear your confusion and list out all the differences between body butter, cream and lotion. Ready to understand which one's right for you? Let's get started.
Highlights:
Why Are Body Lotion, Body Cream And Body Butter Used?
Body lotion, cream and butter are skin care products used for the same purpose - moisturizing. All the three forms of moisturizers maintain your skin's hydration levels, keeping it healthy, soft and supple.
Here are some of their additional benefits:
1. Reduce Dryness & Blemishes
Body moisturizers keep dry skin at bay and can help reduce blemishes [1]. Skin experts suggest that applying moisturizer on damp skin right after a shower is beneficial. It gives you a healthy shine and locks the water in your skin to keep it hydrated and moisturized.
2. Slow Down Ageing Signs
With age, you will inevitably face ageing signs like wrinkles, rough patches, fine lines and dryness. It is impossible to permanently stop them. But, daily use of lotions, creams or butters can slow it down. Nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin B3 and B5 [2], often present in these products, keep your skin firm and youthful.
3. Fight Against Acne
Sometimes your oil glands overproduce sebum due to hormonal changes or change in diet. It clogs the pores of your skin, which leads to acne breakouts. But if you keep your skin properly hydrated, your oil glands will produce only the necessary amount of sebum. Vitamin C [3] is a potent antioxidant and helps to reduce acne. You can opt for a moisturizer enriched with Vitamin C.
4. Soothe Sensitive Skin
Most people with sensitive skin have dry and itchy patches. Sometimes redness and irritation may also occur. Thus, it needs special care. To stop such skin problems, you should use a moisturizer that offers soothing relief to your irritated skin. Ingredients like aloe vera, shea butter, vitamin E and colloidal oatmeal are some of the soothing elements used in body moisturizers.
What Are The Key Factors To Determine Your Skin's Moisture Level?
1. Age
Skin moisture depends on the hydration level in the uppermost layer of your skin. It keeps your natural youthfulness intact. A healthy skin barrier contains an adequate amount of moisture by preventing water loss from your skin. According to NCBI [4], the moisture level among old people was significantly lower than the younger people. Therefore, it is clear that with age your moisture level decreases.
2. Genetics
Your genetics are responsible for a lot of your characteristics. Just like genes influence your looks, hair texture or eye colour, in some cases, it can affect overall skin health. Some people have genetically low moisture levels in their skin. They may face dryness and eczema.
3. Surroundings
Your surroundings play an important role in retaining moisture in your skin. The more time you spend under ac or heater, or if you live in an extremely cold region, it dries out your skin. Moisturizing your skin with body butter, lotion, or cream will help you refill the lost moisture in your skin.
4. Eating Habit
No matter how great a moisturizer you are using, your unhealthy eating habit can subside all the goodness of the product. To maintain the moisture level in your skin, drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet enriched with protein, vitamins and essential minerals.
SkinKraft Tip
Keep your showers short (5 -10 minutes) to protect the moisture level of your skin. A long bath may strip away the oil from your skin's surface, making it dry and dull. [5]
What Are The Major Differences Between Body Lotion, Cream & Butter?
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Body Lotion |
Body Cream |
Body Butter |
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Body lotions are mostly made of water, oil and of course, other moisturizing ingredients. |
Body cream is also made of water and oil. But the amount of oil used in a body cream is more than a lotion. |
Body butter contains essential oils and butters along with other deeply hydrating ingredients. It has an amount of water in it. |
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It is lighter than body cream and body butter. |
Body creams are thicker than body lotion, but lighter than a body butter. |
Body butter is the thickest among all the moisturizers. |
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It moisturizes oily skin perfectly. But if you have dry skin, it may not moisturize your skin as much as a body butter or cream. |
You can include body cream in your skincare regimen if you are seeking complete nourishment for your dry skin. |
Body butter lasts longer than any lotion and cream. It offers deep moisturization and is best for treating dry skin, rough patches and dullness. |
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Body lotion has both emollients and humectants as the moisturizing ingredients. It also contains vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which keep your skin hydrated and protect your natural skin barrier. |
Body creams contain emollients. But they are neither as light as lotions nor as strong or hydrating enough as compared to the emollients used in body butter. |
Carrier oils used in them carry the essential ingredients and deliver them to the skin's deeper layers. Essential butters are filled with fats and minerals, derived from natural ingredients like shea, cocoa, palm, mango, etc. |
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Lotions are typically applied on arms, neck and legs. They also get easily absorbed into your skin. You can apply body lotion after a shower for the best result! |
It takes around half an hour for the cream to get absorbed into your skin. |
It usually takes a longer time to get absorbed into your skin. We advise you to leave it overnight to get the perfect outcome. |
What Is Best For Your Skin Among Body Cream, Lotion And Butter?
What works best for you depends on your skin type and problems. As we have mentioned earlier, lotions contain more water and fewer oils, which makes it perfect for your oily skin. Oily skin needs a light moisturizer.
For mild dryness, you will require a moisturizer thicker than lotion, but not as greasy as a body butter. Body butter works best for extremely dry skin. If your skin is in need of complete hydration, you should opt for body butter.
Wrapping Up
Body lotions, creams and butters are forms of moisturisers with different consistency and ingredient ratios. So choose the best product for your skin type based on its needs and the climatic conditions. In general, lotions work better for the summers and butters and creams work best for the winters.
Most over the counter products are made to address generalized skin issues, while your skin needs a unique solution that only caters to your problem. SkinKraft offers a customized skincare regime that will provide a personalized solution just for you!
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