If you soak in water, you hydrate the skin. But if the skin doesn’t have a healthy barrier to retain the moisture, it becomes dehydrated and flaky again. That’s when you need the best body oils for dry skin.
Body oils are occlusive, meaning that they seal in the hydration. You’ll get the best results if you apply oil when the skin is damp after bathing.
So, which is the best oil for the body? We prefer natural plant oils because of the vitamins and nutrients they provide. Some oils like grape seed and sesame are proven to help the skin regenerate faster (1).
Here are our favorite body oils for dry skin:
| The best body oils for dry skin | Why we love them |
|---|---|
| Neutrogena Lightweight Body Oil |
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| Ancient Greek Remedy Organic Blend of Oils with Vitamin E |
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| Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil |
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| Sheamoisture Daily Hydration Body Oil |
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| Alba Botanica Hawaiian Body Oil, Deep Moisturizing Kukui Nut |
|
| Jason Skin Oil, Vitamin E 5,000 IU |
|
| Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Dry Body Oil Mist |
|
Best Body Oils for Dry Skin in 2024
Neutrogena Lightweight Body Oil
Neutrogena’s body oil is made to moisturize dry skin. It’s less greasy than some lotions – try it if you don’t believe us! It only takes a few drops to do the whole body if the skin is damp. This means putting it on immediately after turning off the shower. That’s right, before you use a towel, rub on the oil.
We’ve seen it clear up keratosis pilaris, that bumpy chicken skin on the backs of arms. It fixes dry elbows, knuckles, and heals, too. But at the risk of being repetitive, we have to emphasize that the oil works best on wet or damp skin. You can also add it to bathwater while you soak.
The magic comes from sesame oil extracted from white sesame seeds. It’s not a very viscous oil like olive oil, for example. Instead, it feels lightweight and absorbs quickly. Once it sinks in, you don’t have to worry about grease staining your clothing. Moreover, it leaves the skin noticeably smoother.
The oil is lightly fragranced with a scent similar to suntan lotion. After a while, you can only smell it if you put your nose right against the skin.
If there’s any downside, it’s that it contains a preservative called propylparaben that keeps the natural oil from going rancid. The problem with parabens is that they are endocrine disruptors that imitate hormones. However, much of the clinical research was done on animals which were given much higher doses than are used in skincare products. At the time of writing, this ingredient is still generally recognized as safe by the FDA (2).
Pros:
- Sheer, non-greasy body oil extracted from white sesame seeds
- Can be applied to wet skin immediately after bathing or used in bathwater
- Absorbs rapidly, doesn’t stain clothing, and leaves skin noticeably smoother
- Subtle summertime scent
Cons:
- Contains a paraben and an artificial fragrance
Ancient Greek Remedy Organic Blend of Oils with Vitamin E
Grape seed is one of the best natural body oils for dry skin. It’s rich in antioxidants that repair damage and combat premature aging. It’s also mild enough for the face as it doesn’t clog pores.
This product is a blend of grapeseed with other natural oils like organic sweet almond, olive, and lavender. It’s infused with vitamin E, which increases its healing power and also acts as a preservative. As you might imagine, the oil has a mild natural fragrance, but you can also get it in an unscented version.
Not only is it good for the body, but it can also be used on the face and hair for extra conditioning. It doesn’t take much to get the job done. Like other body oils, it performs best if applied to damp skin or hair.
There’s good news for sensitive skin – this oil has no artificial ingredients, GMOs, or gluten. The manufacturer offers a satisfaction guarantee, too. They offer a full refund without the need to send back the bottle.
Pros:
- Made with natural and organic plant oils – sweet almond, olive, grapeseed, and lavender
- Boosted with vitamin E which acts as a natural preservative
- No artificial ingredients, no GMOs, and no gluten
- Mild herbal fragrance, but also available in an unscented version
Cons:
- None
Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil
If you’re looking for scented body oil, you’ve got to try this one. It has the brand’s signature scent blend of spice, amber, and musk with floral notes. It’s intoxicating and long-lasting, but not overwhelming. You can catch hints of it all day, or invite someone into your personal space to enjoy it with you.
The oil comes in a spray bottle which simplifies applying it right after a shower. You’ll still want to massage it into the skin, however. It feels weightless, yet it leaves the skin silken. Although it features a blend of argan, avocado, and olive, which are excellent moisturizing oils, it’s not greasy or sticky.
If there are any cons, it’s that this is a small bottle. You should also be aware that it has an artificial fragrance, so those with extra sensitive skin should do a patch test.
Pros:
- Scented body oil with an intoxicating fragrance of spice, amber, musk, and floral notes
- Fragrance lingers all day, but isn’t overpowering
- Blend of argan, olive, and avocado oils
- Leaves the skin silky soft, never sticky or greasy
Cons:
- Small bottle for the price
- Has an artificial fragrance, however delicious it smells
Sheamoisture Daily Hydration Body Oil
This delightful body oil isn’t just a moisturizer, but it’s also a bath oil. It’s fragranced with an attractive essential oil blend that’s just right. Enjoy it like a spa treatment when it’s your time to relax.
The texture is a little thicker than some options but thinner than others. It hits the sweet spot, conditioning the skin without feeling oily.
It’s a blend of the best natural oils for the body, including sunflower, sweet almond, apricot kernel, jojoba, and virgin coconut oil. Yet it also contains exotics like Acacia Senegal gum and coconut fruit juice for extra nourishment. Happily, it’s free of parabens, mineral oil, and phthalates.
Pros:
- Delightful blend of oils to pamper the body
- Conditions without feeling greasy, can be used as a bath oil
- Extra moisturizing with coconut fruit juice and Acacia Senegal gum
- Fragranced with essential oils
Cons:
- None, although it may make the tub slippery if you use it in the bath
Alba Botanica Hawaiian Body Oil, Deep Moisturizing Kukui Nut
What’s the best body oil for glowing skin in summer? We like this one with kukui nut and macadamia, plus organic sweet almond and sunflower seed oils. It’s the kind of moisturizer where it’s hard to believe how soft it leaves the skin. Seriously, one of the reviewers couldn’t stop gushing about it, claiming she looks and feels ten years younger.
If there’s any shortcoming, it’s that the oil takes slightly longer to absorb than some of the competition. But it’s great for relieving itchy skin and keeping it in top condition. What’s more, it’s cruelty-free and has no parabens or phthalates. What’s more, the bottle is made from post-consumer resin.
Pros:
- Relieves itchy skin and leaves it soft, smooth, and radiant
- Conditions with kukui nut and macadamia seed oils
- Also features organic sunflower seed and sweet almond oils
- Cruelty-free, with no parabens or phthalates
- Plastic bottle made from post-consumer resin
Cons:
- Absorbs a little slower than some body oils
Jason Skin Oil, Vitamin E 5,000 IU
Vitamin E is an amazing antioxidant that appears in a wide range of skincare products like moisturizers. It counteracts the damage caused by UV rays and environmental pollution. Plus, it accelerates healing and keeps the skin healthy. Those are just some of the reasons why it’s worth trying this nourishing vitamin E body oil. It provides an intense dose of conditioning for your body.
If you have hyperpigmentation from acne scars, you’ll discover another pleasant side effect of treating the skin with vitamin E. It gradually fades the discoloration and smoothes the skin.
If you aren’t convinced yet, just know that we think this is the best-smelling body oil. The scent resembles sugar cookies.
Lastly, it’s cruelty-free and paraben-free, with no petrolatum or phthalates. But unfortunately for our friends with wheat allergies, it has wheat germ oil.
Pros:
- Intense dose of vitamin E to heal damaged skin and fade hyperpigmentation
- Smells like sugar cookies
- Contains no parabens or petrolatum; cruelty-free
Cons:
- Contains wheat germ oil which may be problematic for allergies
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Dry Body Oil Mist
You know if you can spray it like a mist, it’s a lightweight oil. Better yet, when it says “dry body oil”, you can bet that it won’t be greasy at all. That’s the best way to describe this non-messy moisturizer.
It’s hypoallergenic for sensitive skin, with no phthalates, mineral oil, parabens, artificial colors, silicone, or drying alcohol. That’s not surprising as it’s made by a dermatologist-recommended brand. Nevertheless, they recommend not using it on the face.
The formula is 98% naturally-derived with jojoba and oat oil. That was surprising for us as we didn’t know it was possible to get oil from oats. It turns out that oat oil is actually full of fatty acids and lipids, while jojoba is overflowing with vitamin E.
Even better, this is a tried and true solution for dry skin. Ninety-two percent of the participants in a clinical trial said that the spray made their skin look smoother immediately after application.
With that said, you can’t just spray and go. The best benefits come from massaging it into the skin. All this kind of defeats the purpose of packaging it as a spray, it’s still surprisingly non-greasy. It makes the skin dewy without turning it oily. Users say it has a nice scent, too.
Pros:
- Hypoallergenic body oil with no mineral oil, parabens, artificial colors, silicone, phthalates, or drying alcohol
- Pleasant, light scent and dry feel, not oily
- Leaves the skin smooth and dewy
- Made with oat oil and jojoba
Cons:
- Not suitable for the face
Conclusion
The best body oil for dry skin is the one you’ll want to use every day. Get the most from it by smoothing it on right after you wash.
As you shop, we hope our reviews help you find your new favorite moisturizer today. If you’re having a good experience with it, we’d love to hear more. Feel free to leave us a comment below.
Source:
1. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2016/7965689/ Dorsaf Moalla Rekik, Sameh Ben Khedir, Kamilia Ksouda Moalla, Naziha Grati Kammoun, Tarek Rebai, Zouheir Sahnoun, “Evaluation of Wound Healing Properties of Grape Seed, Sesame, and Fenugreek Oils”, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2016, Article ID 7965689, 12 pages, 2016.
2. https://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/152336-PROPYLPARABEN/