Nothing beats finding (and slathering on) the best lotion for dry itchy skin. While they’re not always the buzziest products on the shelf, that doesn’t really matter: These formulas always feel like a sigh of relief in a bottle, especially when flakes start forming, redness surges, and the urge to scratch becomes almost impossible to ignore.
Products designed specifically for reactive skin harness ingredients like squalane and ceramides, which strengthen your skin barrier (the protective layer guarding against external irritants) and boost moisture retention, calming skin, and stopping the itch-scratch cycle. Because, yes, it actually is possible to stop scratching and take your skin from dry and rough to radiant. To help you get there, we spoke to Allure editors and board-certified dermatologists about their favorite lotions for dry skin, what causes itchiness to begin with, and exactly how to choose the best formula for your needs.
Our Top Picks
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Aestura Atobarrier 365 Ceramide Lotion
Why it’s worth it: The 2024 Best of Beauty Award-winning Aestura Atobarrier 365 Ceramide Lotion is a K-beauty staple that’s equally beloved stateside. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, loves that this lotion has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, and notes that it’s “hypoallergenic and formulated with a patented blend of barrier-strengthening ceramides—great for those with sensitive skin or eczema.”
A blend of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids mimics your skin’s natural lipids, boosting moisture retention, while niacinamide adds even more hydration. Content creator Vincent Tse also applauds the lotion’s lightweight, non-irritating feel. “It’s perfect for dry skin in the fall and winter because it never feels greasy,” he tells Allure.
Tester feedback from commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann
“If I ever magically became low maintenance, this lotion would be a key player in my new, pared-down routine. I love how it works on my face, and I’ve recently come around to using it on my body and it’s equally excellent for both. The texture borders on watery, so it absorbs quickly and doesn’t feel greasy or heavy. My skin is generally sensitive to fragrance and richer formulas, so I love how this gentle this lotion is while still being very hydrating and soothing.”
Best Lightweight: Kiehl’s Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream
Why it’s worth it: Even though many of our favorite Kiehl’s products are pretty darn gentle, the Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream is formulated specifically for sensitive skin, providing deep hydration for up to three days after applying without sitting on top of skin. It’s perfect for skin that needs intense hydration but gets irritated with too much product, thanks to its light and fast-absorbing feel. Squalane moisturizes and smooths while pro-ceramides and glycoproteins get to work to repair the skin’s moisture barrier. Suitable not only for sensitive skin but for those with eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis, this is one of those rare universal products that delivers great results to all skin types.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“Moisturizing from head to toe is non-negotiable—or else my skin gets so itchy that it wakes me up in the middle of the night. I’ve used a lot of body butters, some better than others, but what sets this apart is its whipped texture, which is nourishing enough to keep me from scratching, but sinks in immediately. It’s been a godsend as the temperatures rise, since I don’t have to worry about waiting for it to absorb. And a little goes a long way, so I’m hoping the tub lasts me through summer.”
- Key ingredients: squalane, glacial glycoproteins, pro-ceramides
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Fragrance-Free: Mustela Certified Organic Hydrating Cream
Why it’s worth it: Plain and simple: If it’s gentle enough for your baby, it’s gentle enough for your own itchy, dry skin. Mustela’s Certified Organic Hydrating Cream is one of those unique double-duty formulas, featuring 99% natural ingredients like nourishing olive oil, soothing aloe vera, sunflower oil, and trusty glycerin. This fragrance-free, lightweight cream allows your skin to breathe while providing instant, lasting relief—perfectly suited for babies and grown-ups alike, especially those dealing with eczema and psoriasis.
“After getting pregnant, I became an all-organic-everything person—wherever possible! It’s extremely hard to do this where skincare is concerned, except with Mustela. The French pharmacy brand has an entire Certified Organic line; I used the Essential Care Lotion over raw, stretching, and itchy pregnancy belly. Now, my whole family uses this hydrating lotion. There’s frequent heat rash, eczema, and constant itchiness in the family, and this lotion soothes without making the skin feel suffocated. I love that it’s lightweight enough to use on my baby’s face but nourishing enough to use on my dry, ashy legs. As a chronic eczema sufferer, this daily lotion never fails to leave the skin feeling hydrated and supple—a true feat!”
- Key ingredients: aloe vera, olive oil, sunflower oil, glycerin
- Fragrance free: yes
Best Drugstore: Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion
Why it’s worth it: Skin-care aficionados know that sometimes, the most no-frills packaging boasts the absolute best formulas. Exhibit A: Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion. You’ll spot this humble lotion on the shelves of any drugstore—and on the recommendation lists of countless dermatologists. Packed with barrier-strengthening pro-ceramides, deeply moisturizing shea butter, and hydrating glycerin, this lightweight cream sinks quickly into your skin and delivers 24-hour moisture without clogging pores. Bonus: It’s versatile enough to use from face to feet (and everywhere in between). The original formula is lightly scented, but fragrance-sensitive folks can opt for the fragrance-free version. And if you need extra itch relief? The brand’s Advanced Therapy Lotion is another great pick.
Tester feedback from senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor
“Maybe it’s because I have a dry skin type. Perhaps it’s because I take pretty hot showers. But my body needs to be moisturized daily, or I get lines and cracks on my hands, arms, and legs. The Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion is lightweight and quickly absorbs to feel silky (but not sticky or greasy). It also has a very clean scent, which I appreciate, since strongly scented body care products can overwhelm me.”
- Key ingredients: ceramides, shea butter, glycerin
- Fragrance free: no
Best Exfoliating: Flamingo Deep Nourishing Cream
Why it’s worth it: Flamingo’s Deep Nourishing Cream has an approachable price tag that belies its luxurious feel. An effective combo of exfoliation and hydration can be credited to white willow bark and papaya extract. In tandem, these ingredients gently slough off dead cells to reveal glowy, hydrated skin underneath, while shea butter reinforces the skin’s natural barrier and squalane delivers immediate, long-lasting moisture. It’s scented with the brand’s signature, herbaceous mix of vetiver, lavender, and Asian pear (it smells fantastic, but if you’re reactive to fragranced skin care, steer clear).
“This is thick and buttery enough to handle the dryness on my legs and arms, but it also sinks into my skin a matter of seconds. These qualities—plus its moisturizing power—make it perfect for slathering on before bed for an extra boost of whole-body hydration. I like it when I need a little extra TLC, like in the dead of winter and dealing with sandpaper-y knees and elbows.”
- Key ingredients: shea butter, squalane, white willow bark, papaya extract
- Fragrance-free: no
Best for Sensitive Skin: Soft Services Carea Cream
Why it’s worth it: Soft Services Carea Cream is a lightweight, healing option for people with dehydrated skin for whom thick creams might feel suffocating. The formula contains 10% urea (a compound naturally found in skin), which Michele Green, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, calls “a powerful moisturizing ingredient that helps with protecting [the skin’s] moisture from the environment—soothing and hydrating.”
Urea also mildly exfoliates, sloughing off dead skin buildup and smoothing bumps. The inclusion of 5% squalane further conditions and hydrates skin, and colloidal oatmeal calms and soothes moderate itching. Gentle enough for daily, full-body use, this lotion not only alleviates dryness but locks in moisture to prevent it from making a comeback.
Tester feedback from contributor Leah Prinzivalli
“As one of those people who doesn’t leave home without at least four steps of skin care yet has nary a body moisturizer on her product shelf, this cream felt luxurious and light enough to break my habit of forgoing body moisturizer entirely. Plus, its earthy scent, perhaps due to its 1.5 percent concentration of calming colloidal oatmeal, gave it a sophisticated touch far from the pina colada-scented body lotions I grew up with.”
- Key ingredients: urea, squalane, colloidal oatmeal
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Rough Skin: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion
Why it’s worth it: La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion leverages exfoliating and smoothing urea to treat roughness, flakiness, and bumpiness swiftly and soothingly. It sloughs dead and dry skin without disrupting the skin barrier, putting shea butter to work to restore lipids and allantoin, protecting and hydrating. It’s perfect for people who want physical relief, visual improvement for their dry, rough skin, and noticeable skin-softening and itch relief after only one application.
Kate Edwards, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in San Antonio, TX, also recommends La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Body cream, which treats dry skin while restoring the moisture barrier, replenishing lipids, and rebalancing the skin’s microbiome.
- Key ingredients: urea, shea butter, allantoin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Faces: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Why we love it: The dermatologists we spoke to consider drugstore superstar CeraVe Moisturizing Cream the ideal product for dry, itchy skin. Kate Edwards, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in San Antonio, TX, considers it a go-to for patients suffering from dry, itchy skin, while Michele Green, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, calls out its contents of hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and other humectants as ideal for locking in moisture and boosting hydration. This cream is fragrance-free and completely non-irritating, making it a great choice for those at any level of skin sensitivity who need intense hydration and itch relief. Sexy? Maybe not. But it’s a reliable, powerful workhorse that’s a classic for good reason, and its undeniable efficacy makes it a great first port of call for treating dry and itchy skin.
Tester feedback from contributor Kaleigh Fasanella
“It feels almost like a weighted blanket—but for the skin—cocooning my chronically dry limbs and soothing it on days when it’s especially sensitive and inflamed. If I had to propose one con, it would be that I go through the stuff like water.”
- Key ingredients: ceramides, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best With Steroids: PCA Skin CliniCalm 1%
Why it’s worth it: Sometimes, ultra-gentle treatments just won’t cut it—that’s when dermatologists recommend PCA’s Skin CliniCalm 1%. As the name suggests, this soothing cream features 1% maximum-strength hydrocortisone to quickly relieve itching and irritation. “PCA Skin CliniCalm 1% is one of my go-tos for facial eczema,” says Scott Paviol, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Charlotte, NC. Beyond eczema, it’s also great at calming discomfort from psoriasis and dermatitis flare-ups, though only for seven days at a time (so as not to cause steroid-resistance in the long term). The hydrocortisone is supported by hyaluronic acid, honey, phospholipids, and sphingolipids, which team up to lock in moisture and bolster your skin barrier. Cica extract steps in to protect collagen from breaking down, promoting healthier cell regeneration for calmer, happier skin.
- Key ingredients: hydrocortisone 1%, hyaluronic acid, honey, phosopholipids, sphingolipids, cica
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Eczema: Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion
Why it’s worth it: Another essential for eczema-affected skin is Vanicream’s Moisturizing Lotion. Take it from a dermatologist: “Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion is my gold standard for extremely sensitive skin,” says Pooja Rambhia, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm based in New York City. “What sets it apart is its total lack of common irritants—no fragrance, dyes, formaldehyde releasers, or parabens. Despite that, it still hydrates effectively with a mix of petrolatum and glycerin.” It absorbs quickly and skips the greasy residue, making you actually want to apply it day after day. “Time and again, my patients tell me this was the ‘turning point’ product—the one that finally soothed their irritated skin after countless failed attempts,” Dr. Rambhia explains.
- Key ingredients: petroleum, glycerin
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Families: Bioderma Atoderm Crème Ultra
Why it’s worth it: If the whole family (kids included) could benefit from a calming lotion, Bioderma’s Atoderm Crème Ultra is another safe bet. “This is a go-to for very dry skin because it’s a rich, nourishing cream that absorbs easily without feeling heavy,” says Elizabeth Houshmand, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist in Dallas. “It also contains La Roche-Posay’s signature thermal spring water, which is key in supporting the skin’s microbiome. This formula is safe even for extremely sensitive skin, including eczema and psoriasis patients.” Shea butter and glycerin are also at play, keeping moisture locked and lasting for hours.
- Key ingredients: shea butter, glycerin, thermal spring water
- Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently asked questions
What do dermatologists recommend for extremely dry, itchy skin?
According to Dr. Green, the best thing to do for dry, itchy skin is to apply moisturizer liberally and multiple times a day. According to dermatologists, thick creams with high oil concentrations are especially effective for locking in moisture and hydrating the skin (Dr. Edwards even suggests skin-sealing petroleum jelly like Vaseline). Dr. Green recommends looking for moisturizers with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, which pulls in water from the environment; glycerin, which acts as a humectant to retain moisture; colloidal oats, which reduce inflammation; and ceramides, which restore the skin barrier. However, she cautions against products with irritants like alcohol and fragrances, as they can exacerbate dryness. Dr. Edwards also advises looking for the blue seal that says, “Accepted by the National Eczema Foundation” when picking out a moisturizing product.
In addition to using hydrating lotions. Dr. Green recommends washing dry, itchy skin with a product like a soothing colloidal oatmeal bath treatment before using a gentle, hydrating cleanser, thoroughly rinsing the area, then applying moisturizer. Dr. Edwards endorses the “soak and grease” method, which consists of bathing daily for five to ten minutes in lukewarm (not hot!) water, then applying a thick moisturizer immediately after exiting the bath or shower and patting dry. Dry, itchy skin can sometimes be associated with overactive histamines, and suggests taking a daily antihistamine until the condition has resolved.
How should I choose a lotion for dry, itchy skin?
Dr. Edwards emphasizes looking for products that feature ceramides to help lock in moisture naturally lost throughout the day. Dr. Green also advocates for products with urea, which soothes skin in addition to providing hydration. However, for severe itching or eczema-prone skin, both doctors advise that topical prescription steroids may be needed to calm down inflammation resulting from a compromised skin barrier.
What cream stops itching fast?
According to Dr. Edwards, topical steroid creams such as hydrocortisone are one of the quickest and most effective ways to relieve itching. Dr. Green recommends using over-the-counter hydrocortisone twice a day to the affected area to help soothe itchiness.