This story first appeared on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
Applying body lotion always felt more like a chore than a ritual to me, until I started using the Kate McLeod body stone. Something about rubbing the little stone of cocoa butter all over my body before bed feels very luxe. And now I wake up with super-smooth skin each morning, still gently scented from the essential-oils blend of vetiver and bergamot. —Dominique Pariso
A big belief of mine is that a body lotion should be cheap — it’s covering your whole body! I can’t imagine myself dropping more than $20 for one (unless it comes in a huge tub). Aveeno’s does the trick. It goes on smoothly, and you can slather it on with abandon. I like lavender. I got a bad rash at the beginning of summer a few years back — it was the only thing that my body didn’t react badly to. (I credit this to the calming oat in there.) I’ve been a loyalist ever since. —Ambar Pardilla
I’ve tried so many body lotions, but Nécessaire’s is the king of my heart. Strongly scented body lotions often conflict with my perfume, so the fragrance-free aspect is paramount. Sure, plain old Cetaphil can get the job done, but Nécessaire’s lotion has a richer, creamier texture that makes it feel much more luxe. It soaks right in, though, so it’s not sitting heavily on your skin. I’ll stray and experiment with different products, but I’ll always have a bottle of Nécessaire at the ready. —Kitty Guo
I, unfortunately, get KP around my chest, and after some Reddit digging, I found this body lotion. It uses urea, which is exfoliating and hydrating, as well as ceramides to get rid of the bumps. I’ve only been using it for a couple of weeks, but my skin does look and feel smoother. —Arielle Avila
When I was a teenager, my dad got my mum a huge box of Soap and Glory for Christmas (complete Christmas Eve panic buy; he clearly didn’t read our gift guides). Anyway, there was too much for her to get through, so she let me take a few bottles, including this body lotion. I’ve kept it faithfully in my rotation ever since. As with body washes, I like products that smell sweet without becoming sickly. This scent is delicately fruity and floral. The formula also contains shea butter and doesn’t take forever to absorb into the skin. I rotate this with a gradual-tan moisturizer, depending where I am in my self-tanning routine. —Rachael Griffiths
Lately I’ve been very into Aveeno’s body lotion. It’s the perfect consistency — rich but not greasy — and spreads easily. It’s fragrance-free, contains oat, a soothing ingredient, and supports the skin’s barrier. It’s no-frills but gets the job done and, over the past few months, it has been a sleeper hit in my routine. —Tembe Denton-Hurst
I test a ton of body lotions but keep coming back to CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. It’s truly for all seasons, scent-free, and keeps my skin properly hydrated and plump-feeling. I also like that it comes in a tub. I use a lot of lotion, so the scoop-out is convenient. —Crystal Martin
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