Our Top Derm Products

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, all skin types—even oily ones—can benefit from supplemental hydration. That’s where body moisturizer comes in: It helps hydrate and soothe skin, whether it’s on your hands, knees, feet, or elsewhere. Body moisturizer, such as body lotion and body cream, are usually applied as the final step in your daily body care routine to help keep your skin feeling smoother, softer, and more comfortable. 

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, for example, can be used as often as needed to provide 48-hour hydration and strengthen your skin’s protective barrier  after just 1 hour. This lightweight, oil-free body lotion is also formulated with three essential ceramides and MVE Delivery Technology, which encapsulates hydrating ingredients to ensure efficient delivery and slow release over time. 

Body creams and body lotions provide similar moisturizing benefits; however, they’re formulated into different textures. Body lotions, for example, tend to contain more water in their formulations than creams, giving them a more lightweight feeling, which may be more ideal for those with oily or normal skin. 

On the other hand, body creams (such as CeraVe Moisturizing Cream) have richer formulas with more emollient ingredients than body lotions. Their nourishing texture can be helpful for anyone with normal to dry skin or for seasonal dryness that can occur during winter months. Body creams can also be useful for mature skin, which tends to lose its ability to retain moisture with age. To learn more, read our skincare guide on the differences between lotion, cream, and ointment.

Yes! In fact, CeraVe offers multiple kinds of body moisturizer for dry skin—along with a targeted body care routine. Our body lotions and body creams for dry skin also span the gamut according to the level of hydration needed for different types of dry skin. For instance, for normal to dry skin, you can opt for our lightweight Daily Moisturizing Lotion. Or, for a little more oomph in the body moisturizer department, try our rich yet non-greasy Moisturizing Cream, which is suitable for the whole family, ages 3 and up.

If your skin is slightly more parched, and dry or very dry, give our Intensive Moisturizing Lotion or Intensive Moisturizing Cream a try. We also have a range of other body moisturizer options that are more niche, such as body lotion and body cream for rough and bumpy skin, as well as body lotion and body cream to help relieve itchy, dry skin. Ditto with body moisturizers specifically formulated for healing dry or very dry skin, in addition to ones formulated to help relieve dry diabetic, eczema-prone, and psoriasis-prone skin.

Ointments provide an effective moisturizing option for skin that is extremely dry. They can be especially helpful for dry, flaky skin on your heels, knees, and elbows. These rich, occlusive formulas are generally the thickest of all body moisturizer options since they contain the highest concentration of emollients. Some ointments, such as CeraVe Healing Ointment, are designed to help temporarily protect, soothe, and hydrate skin as it recovers from cracking, chafing, and extreme dryness. There are also ointments that can be used to help treat and help prevent diaper rash, such as CeraVe Baby Healing Ointment.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the ideal time to apply body moisturizer is right after you get out of the shower or bath. Putting moisturizer onto clean, slightly damp skin immediately after bathing can help prevent water loss and more effectively retain the moisture in your skin. We recommend adding a body lotion or cream to your daily shower routine to help you get the most out of your body moisturizing products. 

This will depend on the specific body moisturizer formula you choose. Although they may seem similar in appearance, face moisturizers and body moisturizers are not always interchangeable. Some moisturizers may be suitable for use on both your face and body—such as CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Cream, CeraVe Intensive Moisturizing Lotion and CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion—while others are designed for use only on certain parts of your body. Always read the product label carefully to identify whether your moisturizer is designed for use on your body, face, or both. To learn more about face moisturizers, head to our guide on how to choose a facial moisturizer for your skin type.

In general, body moisturizers, including both body lotion and body cream, should be applied twice daily as part of a consistent body care routine, morning and night. This can vary, however, depending on your skin’s unique needs and the specific body moisturizer you’re using. External factors, such as seasonal climate shifts, can also play a role. They can impact your skin’s dryness, and therefore, your desire to moisturize more (or less) often. When in doubt, your dermatologist can guide you in determining the ideal frequency to apply body moisturizer to best complement your lifestyle, preferences, and skincare goals.

CeraVe offers a range of targeted body moisturizer formulas to help soothe the dryness and itchiness that can accompany eczema prone-skin, as well as other chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis.  For eczema-prone skin, we recommend our Eczema Relief Creamy Oil. Formulated with three essential ceramides, 1% colloidal oatmeal, hyaluronic acid, and safflower oil, this body moisturizer intensely hydrates skin to help relieve dryness, itchiness, and discomfort.


On the other hand, Psoriasis Moisturizing Cream, is an excellent body moisturizer option for those looking for a cream to help provide relief from skin itching, scaling, redness, flaking, and irritation. This 2% salicylic acid body cream can help gently exfoliate, comfort skin, and provide smoother skin texture—while also helping to prevent the recurrence of symptoms. However, keep in mind that for eczema, psoriasis, or any other skin condition, it’s always important to consult with a board-certified dermatologist for their expertise on the best body moisturizer options and treatments for your skin’s needs.

Absolutely! At CeraVe, our top priority is developing products that help all different skin types look and feel their best. And a large part of that commitment is ensuring that all of our products, from body moisturizers, body lotions, and body creams to face and body cleansers, and more, are developed without potentially irritating ingredients such as fragrance.

That said, keep in mind that products found elsewhere that may be labeled “unscented” but are not necessarily fragrance-free. Learn what differentiates them, as well as how to decipher other skincare terms such as “non-comedogenic” and “allergy-tested,” as explained by experts.