BODY LOTION

Oh, lovely, lovely, luscious future limbs! Your body is so going to thank you for scrolling through this roll-call of winners, because there are some fabulous discoveries to be made. 

There has been a boom in bodycare, in the past few years, with more and more brands promoting the idea that it pays to treat the skin on your body with the TLC that we do the skin on our faces. (And all year round, too – not just in the countdown to summer, when it’s going to be on show.)

We had so, so many entries for this category and a LOT of high-scoring results, with barely a whisker between them. So, you'll find high-tech and natural, luxury and affordable choices, here – and even a body ‘serum’, the first time we’ve had a serum winner, here. Do read the descriptions for an idea of scent, too, as fragrance preferences are so individual.

GOLD AWARD L’OCCITANE Shea Ultra Rich Body Lotion

L’OCCITANE, we’ve lost count of the number of Awards we’ve given you for your shea butter products. But here’s yet another for the mantelpiece, showcasing a hefty 15% of your signature shea butter, sourced via your ongoing, sustainable fair trade project with the women of Burkina Faso… Readers, you’ll want to know that the lotion also incorporates calendula extract (to soothe), honey and sweet almond extracts (for moisture), offering 24-hour hydration, nourishment and relief for even the tightest skin. We know the milky, creamy scent – common across all this shea range – almost has its own fan club.

£29 for 250ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘The fragrance is GORGEOUS! So light and comforting, like a huge cashmere blanket or a fluffy white cloud wrapping you up. Perfect to use with any perfume as it’s so soft and not overpowering; absolutely loved it’ • ‘My skin is like velvet and very glowing with a beautiful soft sheen. I have even noticed my very mild ketosis polaris on my upper arms have disappeared’ • ‘A really nice body lotion that is quick and easy to apply and absorbs within a couple of minutes, leaving skin feeling nicely moisturised all day long, without feeling greasy; it left my skin feeling moisturised for 24 hours, whereas other products feel moisturising on application and for a few hours after, but never this long’ • ‘Skin is so soft but not sticky or uncomfortable; you won’t have to wait long to dress’ • ‘What’s not to like…? Glowing, healthy, nourished and plumped skin with hydration that lasts well after you have bathed or showered, and a beautifully delicate fragrance’ • ‘I used this as an after-sun everyday this summer and beyond and it has been my skin saviour. The dusty grey veil was lifted from my skin and I felt  confident that my bare legs could finally make their debut this summer’ • ‘My favourite body lotion ever, and will be on all my birthday and Christmas lists – it will be hard to use any other product’ • ‘I will be buying for friends! Immediately my skin felt soft and smooth, moisturised without feeling greasy and looked beautifully supple’ • ‘I felt like I had a different body; skin in general felt a lot more healthier, softer and just has a natural radiance to it.’

£29 for 250ml - click to buy 

SILVER (JOINT) AWARD and BEST NATURAL (JOINT) Willowberry Indulgent Hand & Body Lotion

A 99% natural winner for Cheltenham-based, UK-manufactured Willowberry, who promise ‘nutritious natural skincare for grown-ups, for your best skin’; they deliberately avoid the phrase ‘anti-ageing’, and invite us to ‘Age Without Apology’. Still, who doesn’t want super-soft skin, at any age? Our testers raved about this lotion for bodies and hands, boosted by aloe vera, shea butter, plus nutrient-rich sweet almond, rosehip, pomegranate and kakai oils (the latter from the cacay tree). The scent is ‘spa-like’, based around coriander and geranium essential oils – some testers felt it was more of a morning smell, others preferred it before bedtime, but all enjoyed it.

£34.99 for 200ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘I have dry hands and this really helped with improving their texture and feel. A very noticeable change, with soft-to-touch hands all day. Skin soft and supple almost immediately and remained so till morning. My friends commented on my skin’ • ‘I wish this came in a much bigger bottle….but other than that it beats my usual products hands down. I wasn't expecting such richness from a small quantity of product’ • ‘The fragrance is appealing for night-time use as it's very relaxing. Texture easy to apply, absorbed quickly and wasn’t sticky’ • ‘What a lovely lotion; it feels indulgent and you don’t need to use a lot for instantly soft, supple skin’ • ‘The fragrance was wonderful and very soothing on the senses. Love the pump dispenser; couldn’t fault the product in any way and would absolutely buy this again’ • ‘A beautifully fragranced lotion that glides across the skin, leaving no greasy residue. My skin was much less dry and I could clearly see the difference in areas where I hadn’t applied the lotion, these looked dry and flaky skin’ • ‘Dries quickly and non-tacky (bonus now that mornings are chilly!) so you can get dressed instantly, I quickly squirt, rub in and its job done. no fuss, no time wasted perfect for me’ • ‘The smell is amazing! In the morning I just find it really sets me up for the day ahead, wakes me up and makes me feel great; it is so refreshing’ • ‘Despite quite a thick texture, that didn’t stop it being absorbed exceptionally quickly into the skin.  It glided on, leaving behind soft and smooth skin, and I could dress immediately.’

£34.99 for 200ml - click to buy 

SILVER (JOINT) AWARD and BEST NATURAL (JOINT) OSKIA Universal HA Serum

So, serums are now for bodies, too. We’ve seen a few of these popping up here and there, and the principle’s the same: they can be layered under moisturiser for additional nourishment, formulated to offer serious skin benefits in terms of tackling firmness and improving skin density. In this winner, from multi-Beauty Bible Award-winning OSKIA, a triple-weight hyaluronic acid delivers instant hydration, alongside rosewater (much remarked upon by testers), OSKIA’s signature ingredient, MSM (from sulphur), plus the delightfully-named ingredient called red snow (a red flower from Korea). Unlike most of the body lotions here, it can be used on faces – even the eye area.

£64 for 250ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘I love this serum – so quick and easy to use after a shower, with the added bonus that I can also use it on my face to treat it to the benefits of the hyaluronic acid. My skin feels instantly silky, soft and I can definitely notice a difference in radiance. Huge tube; you only need a very small amount so it will last a long time’ • ‘Has a lovely, light natural rose smell – the product says there is no added fragrance so I can only think it's the rosewater ingredient I can smell’ • ‘Super quick and easy one-stop serum that you can use everywhere on your body and face for instantly smooth, silky and hydrated skin’ • ‘My husband noticed and said to me skin is looking healthier and smoother’ • ‘Dry patches are completely healed and are now looking perfect. So easy to apply; its absorbs quickly, leaving the skin soft, and not sticky at all’ • ‘Really featherlight. My skin’s looking healthy and smooth and my husband and kids have noticed’ • ‘A different type of body lotion which is an absolute must to try! I started using this product when returning from a holiday abroad and my skin had started to peel, as it was so dry. The product quickly took care of this and stopped the peeling within a couple of days. I also feel the extra hydration deepened and prolonged my suntan’ • ‘So nice to use a serum as opposed to a body lotion. Comes in a good size and easy to use. It felt like I was being good to myself by using it.’

£64 for 250ml - click to buy 

SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Bea Skincare Retinol Complex

Bea Skincare founder, Harley Street-trained skin specialist and clinical trainer Bianca Estelle formulated her products ‘to support healthy, radiant skin and correct difficult problems like hyperpigmentation, hormonal acne, acne scars, melasma and more.’ This silky-smooth and lightweight lotion – described as ‘serum-like’, or ‘gel-like by some testers – is dispensed via a pump-action bottle. It features retinol-derived ingredients and glycolic acid, with the aim of evening out skintone (it’s targeted at mature/pigmented/sensitive and combination skintypes). For hydration, there’s shea butter and jojoba seed oil, with the bonus of apple stem cells to improve cell regeneration. 

£52 for 200ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘I decided initially to use this only on the left leg, and to continue with my current body lotion on my right leg. After one week the skin on my left leg  looked more even in tone, and less "corned beefy-". It also felt slightly smoother to touch. As time went on, I started to notice less ingrown hairs on my left legk and my skin looked a lot more even tone’ • ‘This lotion was a pleasant surprise – I don't always get on with glycolic acid, so I tried it just on one arm first, and after having no issues with itching, started using it as a full body lotion. There was some flakiness on my legs initially, as they are very, very, dry but it only took a few days for that to stop’ • ‘This was really nice to use in the summer as it so light and even in the height of the heatwave there were no issues; it sank in beautifully and left skin well moisturised’ • ‘This a very efficacious product – it is lovely to use and definitely helps to reduce dryness, while also helping with exfoliation so that skin feels healthier’ • ‘A lovely light, easy to apply moisturising and gently renewing/smoothing skin care gel’ • ‘Just lovely to use and definitely helps to reduce dryness while also stepping up exfoliation, so that skin feels healthier’ • ‘Even though the texture was that of a serum, this lotion offered the same amount of moisturisation as my normal rather thick and rich lotion’ • ‘I saw a noticeable difference in the tone, texture, firmness and smoothness of my skin across all the parts of my body where I used it every evening.’

£52 for 200ml - click to buy 

SILVER (JOINT) AWARD, BEST NATURAL (JOINT) and BEAUTY STEAL Burt’s Bees Sensitive Body Lotion

Pleased (and relieved!) to have a properly affordable option in this category, from good old Burt’s Bees, whose winning formula offers ingredients of 98.8% origin and has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance (from a respected US body); it is specifically created to ease even extremely dry and sensitive skins. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that perfume is an irritant, the Sensitive Body Lotion is fragrance-free, promising gentle all-day moisturisation via the blend of aloe vera, rice milk and oils of coconut, sunflower, jojoba and castor oils, further boosted by shea butter.

£12.99 for 170g - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘The best cream I’ve used for dry skin! And I’ve tried a lot of different products. It’s rich and gives you skin an instant boost of hydration’ • ‘My husband said my skin fells soft to touch and even noticed my dry areas aren’t dry any more I felt this cream was better than the current one I use in terms of absorbing into my skin with ease (my current one takes a while to rub in and absorb and I have to wait about 20 minutes before getting dressed). I wish I had found this one sooner!’ • ‘A thicker body cream, perfect for sensitive, drier skin types; it leaves skin feeling well moisturised, hydrated and smooth’ • ‘My legs in particular are feeling much more supple; this cream is perfect for the colder months where a richer moisturiser is needed. Skin overall feels hydrated, supple and nourished’ • ‘Really liked this; helped extremely sore, dry ,cracked skin on my hands following a nasty eczema flare-up. Skin instantly more comfortable and improved in appearance over the next few weeks’ • ‘Used the whole tube, got every last blob out of it by cutting the end of the tube...sure sign of a winner! Usually, I use a pricier lotion but will definitely switch to this one’ • ‘Makes skin feel like it’s in heaven – lovely body lotion, where after using it makes skin “smile” and you can apply you favourite perfume, too, as it won’t clash – this is important to me, as a fragrance-lover, and I’m happy to recommend this to people with the same hobby’ • ‘Helps a lot for sufferers of dry skin (like me) to make skin feel better and smoother as well.’

£12.99 for 170g - click to buy 

BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD Handmade by Juliette Orangeblossom Hand & Body Lotion

Price-wise, a lot of bodycare is right up there with facial skincare nowadays – so here (yay) is another of the more affordable options in this category, and in refillable aluminium packaging, too. Founder Juliette Goggin has years of experience in the fragrance and cosmetics world, having trained in Grasse, has written books on how to make your own skincare, and even offers classes. As you’d expect with Juliette’s perfumery background, the scent of this hand and body treat wowed testers, with its citrus-floral notes of orange blossom, May Chang and petitgrain (from the bitter orange tree), swirled into a base that incorporates calendula, sweet almond oil and shea butter.

£15 for 200ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘Easy-peasy, neroli-squeezy! My skin is quite dry and this was very moisturising and smoothing; a persistent patch of dry skin by my elbow has cleared, too’ • ‘My kids LOVE the scent of this…they call it “Orange Sherbet”. We all loved it, in fact: I loved the packaging, the moisturising and smoothing properties’ • ‘I swim daily, in a chlorinated pool, and this seems to neutralise the chlorine smell’ • ‘The stainless steel bottle made it the perfect addition to my gym bag; many other sustainable products tend to be in glass, which isn't as good for travel/gym, and I love that refills are available’ • ‘Lovely fresh-smelling and good hand and body lotion’ • ‘I loved this and will be sorry when it’s all used up. I  don’t use this type of moisturiser every day but when I used this, it worked well and has a very uplifting scent. I couldn’t stop sniffing my arm, to get the  lovely orange blossom perfume! ’ • ‘Skin looks moisturised, is smooth, lightly scented and has a nice sheen/glow to it’ • ‘Sank in quite quickly. The orange blossom isn’t a sweet smell but is lovely and fresh’ • ‘This is a beautiful lotion to use, and it felt very luxurious. Using it overnight, my skin was still moisturised in the morning’ • ‘Knees and elbows much, much softer after using this for a month’ • ‘My skin felt very soft, and in better condition, less dryness. A little went a long way too! The bottle itself is really attractive, in a steel canister and could be refilled once empty making it a sustainable option for body care.’

£15 for 200ml - click to buy 

BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD Olverum Firming Body Moisturiser

Ah, ‘firming’ – music to the ears of those of us experiencing loss of tone, elasticity, sagging (and more). One of a number of extensions to Olverum’s range, this reworks the much-loved aromatic scent of that classic, famed bath oil, offering notes of rosemary, bergamot, lavender, geranium, patchouli and Atlas cedar. The formula itself is created to boost collagen production, as well as protect against dryness. Botanicals harnessed here include extracts of crambe Abssinica, rice extract, meadowfoam and Lapland-grown crowberry (we have to admit, that’s a new one on us), Alaria Esculenta (from seaweed), plus papaya enzymes for smoothing, and coriander and frankincense for cell renewal.

£42.75 for 200ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘My skin is fair, maturing and has some crêpiness and dryness. I noticed an immediate effect of toning and smoothing, which lasted the whole day. I had less of the tight feeling on my legs, where skin does tend to get drier’ • ‘Made a lovely soothing aftersun treatment to put the moisture back into my skin, especially on shoulders, which were tight from sun exposure. Skin on my upper arms feels more supple and firm; it has a delicious, very premium naturals smell, not overpowering, but strong enough that it can still be smelled on the skin a couple of hours later. Luxurious and spa-like!’ • ‘Very easy and quick to use which is a big bonus when you're in a hurry to get ready! My skin felt and looked so much better after application and I could dress straight away as it absorbs very quickly, leaving the skin soft, smooth and smelling beautiful’ • ‘I saw a massive improvement in my skin. It took away any dry patches and my skin felt so much softer. I would buy, and use this product regularly; my skin definitely felt smoother and softer, especially my knees, at work I do sometimes end up kneeling and the skin is often dry and scaly’ • ‘No stickiness, applies brilliantly, and felt fab. What a great experience.  Love it, love it, love it! I have extremely dry skin that can sometimes physically hurt after bathing, plus I am also taking medication which all-round, makes for a double whammy!  This was great for the dryness; my skin feels great and for that I am really happy.’

£42.75 for 200ml - click to buy 

BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD StriVectrin Crepe Control Tightening Body Cream

Another of the more high-tech contenders, here, from a results-driven skincare company that has done so well over the years in these Awards, and has another three winners in 2023’s line-up. Again, a ‘tightening’, firming action is promised, with the flip-top bottle of cream targeting thin, crêpe-y skin, the formula powered by ‘potent peptides, plus lifting and brightening agents to visibly tighten and even skin tone.’ There’s a long list of botanicals alongside some more scientific ingredients, including jojoba, aloe vera and a ‘butter blend’ of shea, murumuru and cupuaçu.

£52 for 200ml - click to buy 

OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:

‘My new go-to; I have weight issues and when I lose weight my skin takes time to catch up, leaving me with saggy underarms and tum, legs also doughy. I have been using this religiously for a month and lost a stone in that time and my skin has not sagged so far! I will be buying this as I continue my weight loss journey as really addresses the areas that flounder!’ • ‘I must admit straight away my skin felt firmer; the best cream to use for over 50-year-olds - gives a spring back into the skin’ • ‘The scent was a beautiful lemony one, not too tart, more a sweet-smelling yummy cheesecake or lemon drizzle cake smell. Gorgeous! I loved it and found it really lifted your senses and emotions. When tired it brightened you, when in a fog lifted the emotions beautifully’ • ‘Lotion soaked into skin quickly and leaves a lovely, hydrated sheen with no tacky, sticky residue or transference. A dream to apply as it glided on effortlessly; the texture is beautiful and light but still feels really nourishing on the skin, like an instant drink. I also felt the scent was really light and refreshing – think of a gorgeous Greek beach with the wind carrying the fresh smell of lemons down to you’ • ‘Such a lovely moisturiser; they need to super-size it’ • ‘Elbows and knees have really improved; less flaky and visibly smoothed. Any discolouration has also eased a little with the continual use on both heels and knee areas. Skin is firmer around the upper arm area and texture feels smoother too; this cream instantly makes my skin feel smooth, moisturised and supple, leaving a very slight sheen on the skin.’

£52 for 200ml - click to buy