open pink jar of smør body butter with a scoop taken out, a thick swipe of butter on the table and a pair of folded cotton socks on a blush pink background

the best body butter for very dry skin: what to look for, and how the options compare

the short answer: very dry skin does best with a thick moisturizer that has little or no water, no added fragrance, and the ingredients dermatologists point to, like shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oil. a dense, water-free body butter checks those boxes. rich creams and ointments work well too. lotion usually runs out too soon. put it on within a few minutes of a short, warm shower and again whenever your skin feels tight. if your skin cracks and bleeds, or the itch keeps you up at night, see a dermatologist.

here's what to look for, how the different kinds of moisturizers compare, and how some popular picks stack up.

what very dry skin needs from a moisturizer

five things matter more than the brand name on the jar.

  1. thick, not runny. the american academy of dermatology says "ointments and creams add more moisture to skin and are more effective than lotions." for very dry skin on the body, mayo clinic suggests a thicker moisturizer or an oil, and notes that oil stays on the skin longer than lotion.
  2. ingredients dermatologists name. shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oil are on their lists, along with glycerin, ceramides, urea, lactic acid, lanolin and petrolatum. body butters bring the plant butters and oils. creams often add glycerin, ceramides or urea.
  3. no added fragrance. dermatologists recommend products labeled fragrance-free for dry skin, and warn that "unscented" can still hide irritating ingredients. they also suggest skipping products with alcohol.
  4. little or no water. water is what makes lotion light, and it's why water-based formulas need a preservative. with no water, everything you put on is butter and oil, so a small amount goes further.
  5. a texture you'll actually use. very dry skin needs moisturizer several times a day: after every shower, after washing your hands and whenever it feels tight. pick something you don't mind reaching for that often.

how the options compare

for very dry skin, the richer end of this table does more. the right pick depends on where you're dry and how much shine you'll put up with.

kind what's in it how it feels for very dry skin
lotion mostly water, some oil, an emulsifier and a preservative light, soaks in fast usually not enough on its own; you'll reapply often
cream water plus more oil, often glycerin, ceramides or urea thicker, spreads easily a solid everyday option; dermatologists rate creams above lotions
whipped body butter plant butters and oils with air whipped in; check the label, some also add water fluffy, spreads easily works, but the jar holds less butter, and it can turn hard over time
dense body butter plant butters and oils, no water, not whipped rich, melts as you smooth it on one of the most concentrated options; can feel heavy on breakout-prone spots
body oil plant oils slippery, best on damp skin stays on longer than lotion; lighter than a butter
ointment mostly petrolatum (petroleum jelly) greasy, sits on top the heaviest seal; great for cracked hands and heels overnight, too slick for many people all over

mayo clinic names thicker moisturizers, oils and petrolatum products like vaseline and aquaphor for very dry skin on the body. many people end up using two: a body butter or cream all over, and an ointment on cracked spots at night. more on the first two rows in our guide to body butter vs lotion, and on whipped vs dense butters in what is body butter?

how popular picks compare

four of these six popular picks list water first, including two that are sold as body butters. the two without water are an ointment and a solid whose first ingredients are cocoa extract, mineral oil and wax. facts are from each product's ingredient list, checked october 25, 2026.

product what it is first ingredients water added fragrance whipped
cerave moisturizing cream cream water, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol yes, first no no
aquaphor healing ointment ointment petrolatum (41%), mineral oil, ceresin no no no
the body shop shea body butter body butter water, shea butter, cetearyl alcohol yes, first yes no
tree hut vanilla whipped shea body butter whipped body butter water, glycerin, glyceryl stearate (shea butter is fifth) yes, first yes yes
palmer's cocoa butter formula original solid solid cocoa extract, mineral oil, microcrystalline wax (cocoa butter is fourth) no yes no
sol de janeiro brazilian bum bum cream body cream water, methyl glucose sesquistearate, phenyl trimethicone yes, first yes, sixth on the list no
smør body butter body butter organic shea butter, avocado oil, cocoa butter no no no

none of this makes the others bad products. cerave and aquaphor are dermatologist favorites for a reason. it does show why reading the label beats reading the name: "body butter" on a jar doesn't tell you whether it's mostly butter.

how to use body butter on very dry skin

the routine matters as much as the jar. this is what dermatologists suggest, with a body butter in it.

  1. keep showers short and warm. five to ten minutes, warm water, not hot. long, hot showers strip your skin's natural oils.
  2. use cleanser only where you need it. armpits and groin. on the rest of your body, water is usually enough.
  3. pat yourself dry. rubbing with a towel can irritate very dry skin.
  4. put it on right away. warm a small amount between your hands and smooth it over your driest spots first: elbows, hands, knees, shins and heels. then the rest of you.
  5. reapply through the day. after washing your hands and whenever your skin feels tight.
  6. help it overnight. run a humidifier in the bedroom, and give hands and heels an extra layer before bed.

more on timing, amounts and where to put it in our guide: how to use body butter.

where smør fits

we make body butter, so here's our honest pitch. smør body butter is nine ingredients: organic shea butter, avocado oil, cocoa butter, organic jojoba oil, organic sweet almond oil, organic castor oil, organic olive oil, organic rosehip seed oil and vitamin e. no water, which means no preservatives, no silicones, no alcohols and no added fragrance. it's never whipped, so the jar is full of butter instead of air, and it's handmade in arizona, where the air is about as dry as it gets. a 3.4 oz jar is $48.

it's a good fit if your skin is dry all over, you live somewhere dry or cold, your elbows, hands and heels get rough, or you're avoiding added fragrance.

it's not the right pick if you want a scented moisturizer, your skin breaks out easily (use it on your driest spots only), you're allergic to tree nuts (it contains sweet almond oil), or you want something that disappears in seconds. and if your skin is cracked and bleeding or itches enough to keep you up, see a dermatologist first.

what customers say:

  • "I literally brought my cream with me to Tahoe because my skin is always wayyyyy too dry there... This left my skin so soft and moisturized without being too oily." Kathryn
  • "Extremely hydrating, especially for the dry AZ weather. I gifted one to my mom and she loves it as well. It works on her dry, cracked hands." Barbara O.

want to try it first? the 0.67 oz mini is $20 and fits in your bag or carry-on.

common questions

is body butter good for very dry skin?

yes, for most people. it's thick, has little or no water, and is made of the kinds of butters and oils dermatologists suggest, like shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oil. if lotion leaves your skin tight again within an hour, a body butter is the next step up.

body butter or petroleum jelly: which is better for very dry skin?

both have a place. petroleum jelly and ointments like aquaphor are the heaviest seal, but they're greasy and sit on top of your skin. body butter softens rough skin and feels nicer all over. many people use body butter all over and an ointment on cracked spots at night.

is whipped or non-whipped body butter better for dry skin?

both can work. whipping adds air, so a whipped butter feels lighter and the jar holds less of it. a dense, non-whipped butter is more concentrated, so a small amount goes further. either way, check the label for water and added fragrance.

how often should i put on body butter if my skin is very dry?

several times a day: right after every shower, after washing your hands and whenever your skin feels tight. a little goes a long way, so a thin layer each time is enough.

when should i see a dermatologist about dry skin?

when it doesn't get better with self-care, when it becomes red, painful or cracks deep enough to bleed, when the itch keeps you up at night, or when you get open sores or large scaly patches. dry skin is sometimes a sign of a condition that needs treatment.

sources

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