Dry skin sucks. Severe dry skin sucks even worse. I have suffered with this since birth, including eczema. I finally eliminated eczema by changing my diet, but the dry skin has always been there.
Over the years, I have found several products that have done a great job of moisturizing my skin and I want to share them with you. They are in order from my favorites to the ones that do an OK job. There is nothing on this list that I hate. The ones toward the bottom of the list aren’t the best, but they do help, even if I have to reapply. I like them, but the ones up top are the most fantastic.
Before we begin, let me tell you the best way to apply. MOIST SKIN. There… I said it. Right after a shower, towel off by patting your skin. DON’T RUB. PAT! Then apply a thick layer of one of the items on the top of the list.
The moisturizers on the bottom of the list are for application throughout the day when you can’t do heavy-duty moisturizing.
Vanicream
I recently discovered Vanicream Moisturizing Cream about a month ago. My daughter’s pediatrician gave us some samples and HOLY MOLY, I fell in love and ordered right away. It only took me about 2 days to order. I bought if for my face, but use it on my whole body whenever I am extremely dry and need some moisture retention. They have a whole line of skin care products that take care of your face and your body. This stuff is thick, but smooth. It’s not sticky and there is no scent. I appreciate the fact that there are no dyes, fragrance, lanolin, parabins, or formaldehyde which makes it great for eczema and other skin issues. It’s very affordable and you get a lot. Vanicream also has a facial cleanser, a daily facial moisturizer, body wash, lotion, ointment, conditioner, lip protectant, cleansing bar, and a pyrithione zinc bar.
Overall, I am very impressed with Vanicream, especially for my face. I have no cons for this product. It gets great reviews.
Eucerin Advanced Repair
All Eucerin lotions and cremes, as well as other products they sell are great, but the Advanced Repair is at the top of the list for their product line. Let me tell you! It has urea in it. Google it. It is the best dead skin eating monster on the market. So, Eucerin Advanced not only moisturizes, but it also gets rid of the dry skin. I love this stuff. It comes in a lotion and a cream. The lotion is a little more sticky than the cream to me and it’s a little thinner than the cream. They both do the same job, though. It’s all a matter of what you like best. They are only sticky for a minute or so and they leave your skin looking great and feeling great. This product is also paraban and fragrance free. Cons would be the sticky feeling, but it goes away quickly.
Eucerin Original
As I said before, all Eucerin products are great, but the original formula is what I used to use as a child. It does a great job of moisturizing, but it can be quite thick to apply. It always took forever for me to rub it all in. It helps so much, especially with eczema skin. It did leave a greasy feel on my skin for a while and I didn’t like that, but it is the price to pay when you have dry skin. It is fragrance free and doesn’t contain stuff to break you out. Cons: Thick and greasy
Cetaphil
I actually like Cetaphil a bit better than Eucerin, but I ranked it lower because it does not contain Urea. Urea would be a great addition to this creme. Cetaphil goes on smooth and it is thin enough to be able to rub in. It’s stickiness only lasts for a few seconds and doesn’t stay on the skin. It is a great overall moisturizer and very rich for your whole body. It is fragrance free and not greasy. This product line also has a cracked skin repair lotion with urea. Anything with urea is a great option because it eats the dead skin. There is also a rough and bumpy formula, a daily facial cleanser, and a cleansing bar.
Cons: none
CeraVe
CeraVe has a long list of great products that are fragrance free and very comparable to Cetaphil. It is allergy tested and is free from fragrance and other chemicals. The original moisturizing cream is very creamy and is recognized by the National Eczema Association. Cons: none
Aquaphor
Aquaphor is a great product for dry skin and eczema, but to me it should be used on top of a great moisturizer. It contains Petrolatum and is very greasy. It gets all over everything and is more like Vaseline, but it helps keep the moisture in your skin. It puts a barrier on your skin to keep moisture from evaporating. They even have a diaper rash creme and body wash, as well as a few extra products. Cons: greasy, thick, hard to rub in, very expensive
Lubriderm
Lubriderm lotion is for normal to dry skin, so it doesn’t do a great job like all the prior products. It does have vitamin B-5 and is non-greasy. It contains almond oil and mineral oil to protect the skin. It has a light, fresh scent. They also have an advanced therapy lotion with B-5 and vitamin E. They also have an unscented lotion which is best for sensitive skin. Cons: Normal to dry skin only
Aveeno Skin Relief
This product line is mostly for normal skin, but they do have a formula for very dry skin that is fragrance free. I put this lotion on the list because it gets great reviews. I think it is great for regular dry skin, but not for severe dry skin. It does have a smooth formula, but those with oat allergies, such as mine, should not use this formula. Other than this, it is great to apply throughout the day. Cons: normal to dry skin, contains oats and can be an irritant
Gold Bond
This product line has a bunch of options for normal skin. It has 3 different vitamins and aloe to soothe the skin. It is hypoallergenic and smooth going on the skin. It is great for a hand lotion, but I have found that it need reapplying. It does get very good reviews. Cons: contains aloe and needs reapplying, has a slight scent
Jergens Ultra Healing
I love Jergens, especially the classic cherry almond scent. It smells so good! I did not include that one here on this list because I have to reapply that one often to get the desired results. I did include the Ultra Healing because it contains several vitamins and is said to last for 48 hours. It gets lots of great reviews, but needs to be applied often. Cons: needs to be reapplied very often.
Honorable Mentions – Palmer’s Cocoa Butter and 40% Urea Cream
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter just smells so good! It is thick and does a great job of moisturizing, but needs to be reapplied often for severe dry skin. I get so many compliments from everyone saying that I smell so good and the kids say I smell like chocolate. I put a squirt on my hands along with my Eucerin or Vanicream to have a light scented combo moisturizer.
Urea cream is a magic lotion that eats away the dead skin on your body. I would be very careful of using it on your face, but it works great on the body, especially on hard, scaley feet. It is very thick and hard to rub in and you have to wash your hands after, but it really works! Put a pair of socks on your feet to get the best benefit from the lotion.
No matter what lotion you use, be sure to use it every day for the best benefits.
Which lotion is the best in your opinion? Have you tried any of these? Please leave us a comment below.
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