Body lotion and oil are great for keeping your skin softer and supple. However, maintaining moisture is crucial for more reasons than just how it looks and feels.
Your skin serves as a barrier to protect the rest of your body. Moisturizing is essential for both the health of your skin and your general body. Maintaining hydrated skin is crucial in colder and drier areas or if you already have diseases like eczema or psoriasis that affect your skin barrier function.
When making your selection, you might be unsure which oil or lotion will benefit your skin the most. Don’t worry. In this article, we will give you the ins and outs.
What's the difference between body oil and body lotion?
Body oil
You guessed it: oil makes up the majority of body oil. An occlusive is an oil. A physical barrier is erected on the surface of your skin by an occlusive to stop transepidermal water loss. Oils are frequently included as components in moisturizers because of this.
Emollient, meaning "softener" or "soother," is another use for oil. The top layer of your skin can crack and flake if insufficient water leaves holes between the skin cells. Using an emollient fills the gaps with lipids and fatty compounds that have a softening and relaxing effect.
However, body oil doesn't spread well because it is thicker than body lotion. Oil might therefore find it more difficult to enter those areas.
Body lotion
Emollient substances make up the majority of body lotion. To help you obtain the best of both worlds, many body lotions also include occlusive substances, such as oil.
Lotion usually spreads more quickly because of its lighter formulation. Additionally, body lotion penetrates the skin better than oil. Because of this, when you apply it to dry, tight skin, you immediately notice the soothing and softening effects.
Things to keep in mind while buying.
- Your existing skin concerns
- Your skin goals
- What results do you expect from the product
The lotion is the way to go if you have normal skin but experience seasonal dryness, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
However, if you're approaching perimenopause or are over 50, you might want to forgo both body lotion and oil. Instead, choose a cream-based moisturizer, which may help to alleviate dryness brought on by hormone changes more successfully. Creams typically contain more fat than lotions do.
Another way to stop moisture loss is with a lotion with oil or another occlusive ingredient. Other occlusive substances, in addition to diverse plant oils, include:
- Shea butter and cocoa butter are beeswax silicone butter.
- Petroleum glycerin
However, adding a more occlusive lotion to already dry skin may not be beneficial because a barrier that keeps moisture in might also keep essential moisture out.
Creams or ointments may be more beneficial for dry skin if you have chronically dry skin. Body oil might be effective if you don't have dry skin and wish to keep moisture in to keep your skin hydrated.
The bottom line
Both body lotion and oil have the same fundamental function: keeping your skin hydrated. It comes down to your wants and preferences when choosing between the two.
If you don't like how lotion or oil feels on your skin but still want to hydrate it, cream or ointment can be a better option. Be mindful of current allergies or skin issues while looking for a product.