BODY BUTTER
We realise, perusing the list of winners below, how completely mad we are for body butters at Beauty Bible Towers, because a LOT of these feature on our own bedside tables. (In Jo’s case, constantly threatening to avalanche onto the bedroom floor.)
But the reason is this: we love body butters because nothing really rivals them for tackling post-sun dryness, central-heating relation tautness and putting back moisture that skin-hugging winter clothes wick away from the body. What’s more, one of these body butters the closest you can get to an at-home massage treatment – so our advice is to sit back, be lavish, and indulge your senses, banishing both dry body skin AND stress with one of these. Just remember, with body butters: more is always more.
Do scroll down, meanwhile (you’ll find the ‘Beauty Steal’, at the end). We KNOW there are loads of winners in this category, but they all scored such high marks, each within a whisker of the other point-wise, that it wouldn’t be fair not to share these with you. And BTW, we always ask testers to trial on one side – legs, arms, either/both – for comparison with the untreated side.
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD and BEST NATURAL This Works Perfect Legs Body Butter
This top-scoring body butter may say ‘Perfect Legs’ on the outside of the generous white tub, but trust us: this is an all-over treat, from the aromatherapy-powered brand. It’s 98% natural, harnessing hemp extract to help support the skin’s microbiome, along with shea butter and lashings of hyaluronic acid. As ever with This Works, the fragrance is created from a blend of essential oils, which here include geranium, patchouli, frankincense, rose, vanilla, clove and oakmoss. It’s a very grounding scent that we’d describe as ‘spa-like’.
£25 for 200ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Very generous tub which lasts for ages, immediately sinks in, soothes dry flaky legs and leaves them hydrated all day long. Can be used all over the body and has the most divine, really lovely uplifting geranium and orange scent’ • ‘The skin on my legs is definitely more smooth and supple, not flaky or itchy at all – which it often is, especially in winter. I would recommend to my friends’ • ‘My husband said my knees feel smoother! ’ • ‘Feels luxurious – a real top end product, absorbs easily and getting-dressed time is good’ • ‘No product to compare it with. Would be a product I would gift to a friend who was stressed out or worked on their feet or was pregnant’ • ‘The condition of skin on the leg I used the product was noticeably better overall and smoother to the touch’ • ‘I had thought initially that it would take a while to sink in, but it did so very quickly and left my skin feeling super-smooth’ • ‘Anyone who wants to smell like they've just left a spa, with baby-soft and glowing skin needs to have this body butter in their stash!’ • ‘I’m always looking for a new cream/balm/butter to use on my clients to complete their manicure; this would be loved by them, I’m sure.’
£25 for 200ml - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD L'OCCITANE Almond Body Balm
Silver last year, elevated to Gold, in 2023 – and we’ve lost count of the number of wins for this L’Occitane bestseller. It offers a whacking dollop of skin-loving almond butter and almond oil; L’Occitane have worked in their heartland of Provence to reintroduce almond trees, as part of their commitment to biodiversity – they aim to have protected 1,000 species and varieties of plants by 2025. The almond-y scent of this virtually has its own fan club, and the layering possibilities with the Almond range are endless. Packaged in an aluminium tin, for easy recycling.
£30 for 100ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I have very dry skin on legs and arms but even after one use I found a huge difference in how soft my skin was; dryness seemed to clear up within a matter of days’ • ‘A whipped light texture that feels amazing when I apply it to my skin; sinks in straight away, leaving it soft and moisturised all day long’ • ‘Absolutely would buy again in a heartbeat just for the scent alone, the beautiful whipped texture is an absolute bonus’ • ‘A TRUE HERO PRODUCT! Oh, boy, is it ticking all the boxes for absorbing quickly; literally disappears leaving skin looking and feeling well moisturised’ • ‘Smashes it out of the park! My friend noticed that the skin on my arms looked different; left arm youthful and hydrated whereas the right arm was dry and had fine lines’ • ‘Super-impressed! Really loved the cute and practical tin (great for travel/gym), noticeable smoothing effect that really lasted and also the unusual but pleasing warm almond scent that is unisex’ • ‘My husband, who has really dry skin, wanted to try it (and is usually very sceptical) but was wowed by the moisturising effect – no trace of flakiness at all; he has now commandeered it for his own use – high praise indeed!
£30 for 100ml - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD Liz Earle Skin Replenishing Body Balm
Gold in 2021, Silver in 2022, now Gold again – and we’re really not surprised; this is a personal favourite of Jo’s and she’s rarely without a tub beside her bed. It comes in a very generous 200ml tub packed with West African shea butter, a slew of oils including rice/sunflower/sesame/avocado, plus aloe vera and black oat seed extract. More of a gel-cream than a thick butter, it glides on to deliver a ‘Liz-Earle-ish’ scent that includes eucalyptus, basil and cardamom oils, promising a whacking 48 hours of moisturisation.
£24.50 for 200ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘When being treated for breast cancer, skin care of the treatment area becomes paramount; I’d been experiencing some itching post radiotherapy and my oncologist told me to keep slapping on moisturiser – so I did, with this, and found it really did the trick. It’s now part of my daily routine’ • ‘Smells divine, instantly lifts my mood and really delivers great long-lasting moisture. A keeper for me!’ • ‘I normally need an extremely thick and heavy cream/body butter to get the level of hydration I noted from this; it was amazing to get the same results with something a bit lighter to apply’ • ‘My new favourite body butter – and I have tried a lot. Dry skin felt instantly hydrated, appearance of dry skin disappeared and I could still feel that was skin was softened 24 hours later’ • ‘A product that delivers your best skin, in a tub! I loved this so much and noticed such a difference to my skin that I used the entire jar in four weeks and then bought another! The scent is so good and I was told my several people how lovely I smelt’ • ‘My daughter commented on how good my legs looked! I really liked the texture…not too light, not too thick; skin looks softer, smoother and less crêpey.’
£24.50 for 200ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Emma Hardie Moringa Luxury Body Butter
Emma Hardie is known to Beauty Bible readers for MANY Awards wins down the years, but that skincare expertise is also showcased via a growing bodycare line, cornerstone of which is this jar of luxurious, rich butter. Within the botanical element you’ll enjoy shea butter, jojoba oil, glycerine and sunflower seed wax, plus blackcurrant seed oil and moringa – a signature of Emma Hardie. The fragrance blends essential oils of cedarwood, mandarin, bergamot, bitter orange, with rose and jasmine scampering through. Comes with its own scoop, for application.
£38 for 200ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I'm not normally one for body butters – heavy, sticky. But this is like melting butter into your skin, with no effort to massage it in. The smell is incredible, like having a spa treatment’ • ‘My hubster noticed how soft my skin feels and how nice I smell. I liked the thoughtful addition of the scoop – although the temptation to just plunge my hand into the gorgeous rich, creamy product was irresistible!’ • ‘Instant feeling of cocooned luxurious moisture; any dryness/sensitivity/post-wax irritation completely soothed and smoothed away’ • ‘My skin condition improved overall on my body; it remained smoothed and moisturised. I felt like I was looking after myself despite limited time for grooming/beauty rituals’ • ‘To a friend, I would say it's a treat for your skin and a good investment for sore/dry/sensitive skin on your body – plus it looks lovely on your dressing table, and will last you for ages with its lovely big tub, so a worthwhile purchase in that respect too. Buy it!’ • ‘Only need to use a bit as can warm in palm and goes a long way. Nice to use at night as the fragrance is so relaxing, like a luxury spa. My skin continued to feel moisturised during use; all dry spots, e.g., elbows and heels, felt lovely and soft after use.’
£38 for 200ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Epoch Baobab Body Butter Tube
This sits under the umbrella of NuSkin, available direct as well as through a national network of consultants. Key ingredient is a fruit pulp extract from the African baobab tree – which has a unique place in African myths, legends and way of life – together with shea butter and macadamia nut oil, chosen to help boost skin’s resilience. It’s among the most ‘portable’ of our winners, as many come in hefty tubs; while this 125g flip-top tube won’t make it past airport security, it still won’t weigh down your suitcase. Oh, and about that tube? It’s ‘proudly made with 34% post-consumer resin (PCR).
£35.91 for 125g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I would throw all my other products away (a big sacrifice) if I could only use this body butter. It leaves my skin feeling hydrated and as though it has been sated; I love the scent and the cool edge to the product as it is applied’ • ‘Skin immediately moisturised; I have very dry legs so regularly exfoliate and brush before using moisturiser. Due to my age, there is also a certain amount of wrinkling around knees and thighs, which this disguised beautifully’ • ‘Leaves the skin soft and supple with a lovely, moisturised glow – perfect for summer shorts!’ Well worth buying’ • ‘I used regularly during our lovely hot summer and the skin on my legs and arms looked and felt better for it’ • ‘I absolutely loved everything about this body butter - the smell, the texture, how well it absorbed into my skin, how wonderfully soft and smooth it left my skin feeling. Perfect – best body butter I've ever used!! I’d buy it again in a heartbeat’ • ‘Deeply moisturising, so you feel immediate relief if you have dry skin. I used it on my knees and elbows at night and they were baby soft in the morning.’
£35.91 for 125g - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Thalgo Cold Cream Marine 24H Deeply Nourishing Body Cream
The ‘24H’, here, refers to Thalgo’s hydration promise, which will keep your skin topped up for a full 24 hours, they say. Sitting within a marine-inspired range which marries science with sea botanicals (and some from land, to be fair, including a replenishing trinity of shea, cocoa butter and cupuaçu butters), you will also find soothing marine waxes, a Laminaria ochroleuca brown algae extract, plus phyto-plankton micro-algae oil, rich in fatty acids. And don’t shiver at the word ‘cold’, in the name. It isn’t chilling to apply, in the least. Suitable even for the most sensitive skins, Thalgo promise.
£51 for 200ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Oh, oh, and oh! Thalgo Marine Cream is a product I would never have found without Beauty Bible. My 62-year-old skin is challenged by the drying effects of drugs and natural aging. This was an instant joy to test, giving a lovely, plumped sheen to the skin on my legs – especially shins, which are always dry’ • ‘This sounds crazy but I would have to say that Thalgo takes about 10 years off my body skin. I have worn so many summer dresses this year (and bought too many, too!) and it is down to this’ • ‘The skin on my shins was always dry, but Thalgo adds a sheen, has augmented my suntan (fake and real) and given me such confidence to wear the floaty and flirty dresses I yearned to wear but never did’ • ‘Fewer dry patches, skin smoother and could apply tan more even’ • ‘The richest, most luxurious body cream to have existed – has to be experienced to be believed’ • ‘Was very sceptical before using for the first time that any body cream would replace my usual form of moisturisation – a body oil – but I was astounded, from the very first use: skin felt hydrated, plump and soft and this feeling LASTED!’
£51 for 200ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Kiss the Moon GLOW Night-Time Body Cream
Jo Foster gave up a high-flying corporate career to launch Kiss the Moon, her own wellness/beauty venture, which includes this ‘night-time’ body cream, formulated ‘to help you get a better night’s sleep and wake up with happy skin.’ The all-natural blend of skin-nurturing ingredients include shea butter and mango butter, which are ‘whipped with orange blossom water and our mood-reviving GLOW aromatherapy oils’ (think: rose geranium, citrusy Litsea Cubeba, myrrh and petitgrain). Just one thing: ‘As with all aromatherapy products, best to check with your midwife before use during pregnancy,’ they caution.
£36 for 200g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘The fragrance of this and its nourishing qualities make this a game-changer – no other body cream could match up to this. My skin continued to feel hydrated, soft and smooth for about a week after finishing using this’ • ‘My husband commented on how soft and smooth my skin felt. I love it! Used it in the evening and my legs were still nourished in the morning’ • ‘Love the texture of this product – looks like expensive yoghurt. I wish this jar would never end; this body cream has completely stolen my heart’ • ‘Texture is rich and creamy, and you need just a bit of product to nourish your skin. Even though, it is a “night-time” product, I am heavily abusing it throughout the day as I just can’t get enough of it’ • ‘The result is breath-taking, when applied before bedtime, my skin still feels moist and nourished in the morning’ • ‘A sumptuous night-time treat for your skin with a beautiful, relaxing fragrance. It applied really well and absorbed quickly, so I didn’t have to wait ages to get dressed. My elbows and knees felt smooth and well moisturised. I particularly enjoyed the powdery finish on the skin because I hate feeling tacky. Skin is super soft, plump, texture improved.’
£36 for 200g - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Caudalie™ Vinotherapist Replenishing Vegan Body Butter
We go back with Caudalie a very long way (Jo was the first journalist ever to visit the spa at the chateau where co-founder Mathilde Thomas grew up, near Bordeaux). From the get-go, their USP was to harness the potent skin-boosting powers of grape extracts, and the range has massively expanded over the years to include this intensely moisturising body treat, which they claim can work to repair atopic eczema-prone skin, nourishing and delivering long-lasting comfort (up to 24 hours, in trials). Ingredients are 98% natural, and the fragrance – which is slightly marzipan-y – is of 100% natural origin. As the product name communicates, it’s vegan.
£26 for 250ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘By far the most superior body butter that I have used. I have very dry skin on my legs and the difference is remarkable; I applied this after bathing and showering and quickly absorbed – there is a high temptation to keep touching your skin initially and I was amazed at the difference in moisture levels’ • ‘Skin drank in this body butter and condition is visibly improved over the 28 days’ • ‘So good it made me want to use it more; gives your skin a Hollywood glow; the texture is silk -ike, glides on like a sheer cream, rather than a thick, sticky butter’ • ‘As a more mature lady, my skin is ageing fast on the underside of my arms, but the ageing is now not so marked on the arms. I especially like the product on my legs and hands – a rich and luxurious encapsulating experience’ • ‘It's important to stress that I really do struggle finding body moisturiser that absorbs well on my skin, especially on the rough areas around the top of my arms. This sinks in better than any butter I've tried. My boyfriend commented almost immediately on how soft my skin was feeling.’
£26 for 250ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Soak Sunday Cleo's Paradise Body Butter
Soak Sunday is a relatively new British natural brand, who believe in ‘Time to sink in, time to switch off and savour… We’re bringing back bath time as a moment to indulgently relax, unwind and unite body and mind, losing yourself in the art of slow beauty… telling stories through thoughtful design and indulgent experiences.’ Among the treats on offer, this soft, whipped body butter, boasting oat, shea butter, almond and manuka oils, plus chamomile, in a formula that our testers agree would do Cleopatra – queen of bathing – proud.
£14 for 225g - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘My legs have been like a horror show all summer - scaly, dry and flaky! I've tried a lot of products, which worked well for a short time, but the dryness kept coming back. I used this body butter for a month and then stopped and…big improvement! The scaliness and flakiness have not come back’ • ‘Really light fluffy texture which was a pleasure to apply to the skin, soaked in quickly and didn't leave any film/greasiness to the skin at all’ • ‘Whenever i apply the usual body lotion, my skin tends to get dry again quickly, but with this butter my skin felt more supple and stayed moisturised and hydrated for a longer period of time’ • ‘Friends have noticed how soft my skin is; I really loved this product, it was the first one I tried and the first I finished and was genuinely sad to have got to the end of the jar as I found it a joy to use’ • ‘Dry areas around my knees were definitely improved; it didn't feel like the skin was so sandpaper-like anymore’ • ‘Of all the products tested, this was my favourite. It has transformed my dry, scaly skin and worked wonders in keeping it nourished and soft. Top marks, too, for the natural ingredients.’
£14 for 225g - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD NEOM Organics Perfect Night’s Sleep Body Butter
It’s a TRIPLE for NEOM’s Perfect Night’s Sleep range (Sleep Body Oil and Perfect Night’s Sleep Face Oil also won Beauty Bible Awards 2023). Its spa-like Tranquility™ fragrance features of English lavender, sweet basil and jasmine. The rich base of shea butter, aloe vera and coconut oil is also ‘supercharged’ with magnesium, a mineral known to help relax, squeezed from a tube rather than decanted into a tub. We like NEOM’s how-to, here: ‘Massage the equivalent of a heaped tablespoon of the body butter all over your body and do some mindful breathing, in for 7, out for 11.’
£36 for 200ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘My partner commented on the aroma, saying I smell like a divine angel! Did make me feel divine; if you like a very natural product that has a strong, long- lasting fragrance, don’t hesitate to buy’ • ‘By the end I was totally convinced that this should be part of my daily routine. Smells lovely, feels luxurious, gives spa vibes – a delightful fragrance, perfect to put you in your calm zone before bed. If you are looking for an indulging bedtime routine, use on your hands and arms (better than legs) and feel wrapped into a cocoon before bedtime. I would absolutely buy as gift for friends quite easy’ • ‘It is called a butter, but I didn’t find it heavy at all, and the tube is quite easy to dispense’ • ‘Delivers very soft skin, supple especially on elbow and knees with a lovely feeling of calmness to put you to sleep’ • ‘My elbows in particular are much more softer and smoother and don’t get as rough so quickly after using this; • ‘I have dry skin on my arms and my hands are feeling the impact of the winter months and so this is a life saver! Makes me feel like I am really looking after myself!’
£36 for 200ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL Argan+ Ultra Rich Body Butter
Huzzah! We are always pleased to have an affordable option in any category, and here’s one we have long rated ourselves, from a range whose signature is Moroccan argan oil. That swirls here as part of a five-oil blend, alongside baobab, kukui, Sacha Inchi and moringa oils, ‘each rich in nutrients that contribute to skin health, and chosen for their nourishing and restorative properties,’ Argan+ tell us. This is probably the richest product in their popular bodycare range, featuring vegan-friendly ingredients, delivered in a generous and fully recyclable plastic jar.
£9.50 for 300ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘A really nourishing skin moisturiser with a lingering scent that reminds me of a holiday. It smoothed my skin and really nourished my dry areas, performed better than my other product and its now my go-to body moisturiser’ • ‘My skin felt soft and smooth with no dryness on my elbows or knees after using the product for one week’ • ‘Would I buy again? Absolutely, yes – in fact I already have!’ • ‘Softer skin immediately and a fantastic quick fix – great for a day when the sun suddenly appears and your legs resemble sandpaper after a winter in jeans’ • ‘A lovely, scented daily treat that smells good enough to eat! Absorbs well and makes an immediate noticeable improvements to your skin’ • ‘I suffer from dry skin, especially on my legs, which gets worse in the autumn months. Since using this product, I noticed a significant improvement, as my legs are in better conditioned as they are moisturised and the chronic dryness not as bad’ • ‘I love this body butter. It makes your skin feel good without feeling greasy and has a lovely refreshing smell, and also absorbs really quickly. I found I could get dressed almost straight after application’ • ‘Skin is definitely smooth and soft after application – it still feels moisturised the next day!’
£9.50 for 300ml - click to buy