If you’re looking for ways to revive dull, dry, tired skin that’s also contending with the effects of ageing, now is a good time to choose a body lotion that’s specially equipped to deal with the needs of mature skin.
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“When used consistently, anti-ageing lotions can improve the skin’s appearance by reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots,” says Pearl Rimtepathip, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. “Body moisturisers can also improve skin tone, texture, and hydration, which helps with the overall appearance of the skin. I like to think of anti-ageing body lotions as a key tool for skin maintenance.” With that in mind, read on to discover some of the top-rated body lotions for mature skin as approved by .
Of course – like any skincare product – the best body lotions for mature skin are not one-size-fits-all prescriptions. That’s why we’ve tapped the pros to share top picks for any pesky skin concerns. Ahead, dermatologists break down the best body lotions for mature skin, body creams, and body balms for sensitive, crepey skin and more. Prepare for silky smooth skin ahead!
- Why it’s -approved: I have long been a fan of Joonbyrd, the brand founded by consultant dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite. The brand understands that treating the body is as much about the benefits for the skin as it is about the sensorial aspect, and as such, each is beautifully scented and a joy to apply. Skin longevity is a buzzword in the industry, and while its exact definition is still being refined, Dr Granite has done the research, with clinical research backing the Longevity Body Glaze’s formula. This body serum treats the skin at a cellular level and calms inflammation-causing ageing (aka inflammaging). It is designed to minimise the appearance of fine lines and smells delightful while doing it with notes of banana, peach, tonka bean, cacao and musk to boost serotonin.
- Key ingredients: Resveratrol, inulin, squalane and hyaluronic acid
ALASTIN Skincare TransFORM Body Treatment Skin Firming Lotion
- Why it’s -approved: Designed to target crepey skin on the body, Alastin’s firming lotion is made with the brand’s TriHex Technology, which supports collagen and elastin production. Another patented ingredient, Lipodrone, helps the skin look more toned, while dill extract improves its texture. The brand recommends using the lotion after sculpting treatments to enhance results; it can also be used daily on its own. “This one’s excellent for helping with that thin, crepey skin we see on the arms and chest,” Dr Michelle Henry, a board-certified dermatologist in Manhattan, notes. “It supports collagen and elastin production and makes a real difference if you use it consistently.”
- Key ingredients: TriHex Technology, Lipodrone, dill extract
Why it’s -approved: Ceramides are particularly useful when hard water is leaving skin feeling dry and tight, helping to replenish the lipids that are essential to a healthy skin barrier. ILLIYOON’s cult Korean moisturiser delivers them in a rich but surprisingly non-greasy cream that works just as well on the face as it does on particularly dry areas of the body. It’s fragrance-free, suitable for sensitive skin and, according to the brand’s testing, delivers 91 per cent skin barrier repair from dryness in three days.
Why it’s -approved: Unlike many products that have simply adopted the language of lymphatic drainage, Iräye was developed around it. Its patented Lymphactive complex combines five botanical extracts selected for their ability to activate the cells that line lymphatic vessels, alongside caffeine, horse chestnut and butcher’s broom. The brand’s clinical studies found regular use left legs feeling lighter and less heavy, while improving skin hydration, smoothness and firmness. Massage it in using gentle, rhythmic strokes towards the body to complement the formula.
- Why it’s -approved: “This is a gold-standard moisturiser,” Dr Hartman says. “It combines ceramides and hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate and reinforce the skin barrier. It’s affordable, accessible, and great for daily use on mature or dry skin,” Dr Hartman adds. The itch-and-flake-quelling cream is also a multi-tasker and can be used on the face and the body, and can also step in as a hand cream. It’s also safe for the whole family to use. Dermatologist Dr Tony Kaliya seconds this recommendation, adding that he favours it for “serious barrier support and long-lasting comfort.”
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides
Flawless Body Therapy AHA Body Lotion
- Why it’s -approved: If your skin is lacking in glow, feeling rough to the touch, and in need of a bit of firming, this carefully crafted body lotion by dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting is a great place to start. A smart blend of actives that can rejuvenate, revive and rehydrate skin, like bakuchiol, sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide and AHAs, this silky lotion is like a one-stop shop for all your body care needs.
- Key ingredients: Bakuchiol, sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide, shea butter, AHAs
Lipikar AP+ Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream
- Why it’s -approved: Like a supplement regimen for the skin, “This is a solid multi-vitamin lotion that has a great mix of niacinamide, vitamins C and E, and omega fatty acids,” Dr Bittar says. “It also has shea butter and glycerin to hydrate and strengthen the skin.” The niacinamide in the formula supports the skin barrier while minimising inflammation, redness and dark spots. Meanwhile, the vitamins, delivered via skin-softening plant oils, help moisturise and firm the skin. With a seal of approval from the National Eczema Foundation, the dermatologist-tested lotion also has a microdose of peptides to stimulate collagen production. Available in a fragrance-free version, always Dr Bittar’s pick for sensitive, ageing skin, the body lotion also comes in santal, eucalyptus, and hinoki scents. And for those who don’t like a heavy cream with occlusives, this pick is as lightweight as a gel cream.
- Key ingredients: 2.5 per cent niacinamide, peptides, lactic acid, plant butter and oils
- Why it’s -approved: Combining retinal, one of the most effective forms of vitamin A, with a host of plant extracts lauded for their smoothing, firming and elasticising properties, this thick cream is specially formulated to improve crepiness and tone skin over time. Billed as the ideal solution for ‘skin that’s lost its spring’, this also helps condition and hydrate skin so it feels better as well as looking brighter, firmer and more even.
- Key ingredients: Retinal, milk thistle, bearberry extracts, shea butter, avocado butter
- Why it’s -approved: There’s long been an of buzz surrounding La Mer, with everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Kim Kardashian hooked on its Miracle Broth. The brand’s signature ingredient, a nutrient-rich blend of sustainably harvested sea kelp, vitamins, and minerals, also has approval from medical pros. “La Mer effectively uses the power of sea kelp and algae in its skincare products,” Dr Rimtepathip confirms. “Sea kelp and algae contain powerful antioxidants, minerals, collagen and peptides. Combined with other ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, kelp and algae can soothe skin, increase moisture, and reduce dullness.” In the brand’s glow-boosting body lotion, Miracle Broth is combined with deconstructed waters, a patented technology that optimises the molecular structure of water to help it deliver ingredients more effectively to the skin.
- Key ingredients: Miracle Broth, deconstructed waters
First Aid Beauty Smoothing + Brightening Body Lotion
- Why it’s -approved: KP or keratosis pilaris can affect people of all ages, and if regular lotions and exfoliators aren’t cutting it, then it might be time to look for a better solution. The key component in this excellent formula is ten per cent lactic acid, which gets to work gently but effectively sloughing off the top layers of dead skin to reveal newer skin underneath. This is combined with a hefty dose of urea and ceramides to add intensive moisture, alongside colloidal oatmeal to soothe and glycerin to hydrate. It's a powerful blend that will help nix rough bumps fast.
- Key ingredients: Urea, lactic acid, ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, glycerin
- Why it’s -approved: Urea is known for its ability to draw and retain moisture, but more than that, it can also soften and smooth and help to exfoliate dead skin cells and improve texture. If you suffer from dry, flaky skin that no amount of moisturising seems to save, try this. Although it sinks in immediately, the moisturising effects last and last, leaving skin with a suppleness and elasticity that’s still there hours later. A real game-changer.
- Key ingredients: Urea, amino acids
Santal Bloom Multi-Lipid Body Butter
- Why it’s -approved: New to the UK, Saltair is a brand that believes in using active skincare ingredients, nourishing oils and exotic botanicals in its body care collection in order to deliver visible results. And all bundled up with the dreamiest of scents to make applying them a truly pleasurable experience. This particular body butter is just the thing for skin that’s lacking in suppleness, as it’s formulated with a host of lipids like ceramides, essential fatty acids, phospholipids and phytosterols, which help to reinstate elasticity. To lock in moisture, there are also coconut and sea buckthorn oils.
- Key ingredients: Ceramides, essential fatty acids, phospholipids, phytosterols
- Why it’s -approved: Developed with exclusive SIREN capsule technology, which intuitively delivers long-chain hyaluronic acid to the driest areas of the body, U Beauty’s Super Hydrator Body brings the benefits of its beloved face cream below the neck. Also formulated with hyaluronic acid, shea butter, collagen, peptides and niacinamide, this anti-ageing powerhouse remains true to its name thanks to a seemingly endless list of hydrating ingredients. It can also visibly smooth crepey skin.
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, hyaluronic acid, collagen, peptides, niacinamide
Sol de Janeiro
Collagen Boosting Beija Flor Elasti-Cream Body Cream
- Why it’s -approved: The appeal of Sol de Janeiro’s elasticity-boosting cream goes beyond its pretty pink packaging and its lychee, jasmine, and ocean-air-spiked scent. Made with the natural retinol alternative cacay oil, “This is a fan favourite, and for good reason,” Dr Chacon says. “Collagen is a key ingredient here, and as we know, collagen will help firm and plump the skin and support skin elasticity.” She notes that the inclusion of coconut oil and glycerin gives the product a hydrating punch that makes it ideal for anyone looking to address fine lines. “It’s also perfect for those with dry skin looking to deeply hydrate,” she says. Plus, with a thick, ultra-creamy consistency akin to body butter, the product feels luxurious on the skin. Just note that some sensitive skin types can be reactive to fragrances, so be sure to patch-test the fruity-floral salve if you have any doubts.
- Key ingredients: Cacay oil, polypeptides, plant squalane
Do mature body lotions work?
“The short answer is [they] can work,” Dr Bittar says. “After sun damage, dryness is one of the biggest things that can give our skin an older appearance. So a solid moisturiser can go a long way to giving our skin a smooth and youthful look.”
He notes that certain anti-ageing ingredients, such as niacinamide and ammonium lactate, can help with dark spots and skin texture, but only to a certain degree. “If the damage is significant, then lotions will likely not be enough,” he says. “In these cases, in-clinic procedures such as laser treatments, bio-stimulatory injectables, or photodynamic therapy can help to turn back the clock.”
Which ingredients are best for mature skin?
“Sunscreen is the most important anti-ageing ingredient and has the biggest payoff,” Dr Rimtepathip says. “I recommend my patients use at least SPF30 to block harmful sun rays, and I remind them to reapply frequently.” She and Dr Bittar also recommend the following ingredients for those with mature skin.
- : “These are antioxidants that reduce cellular damage, improve skin tone, and can prevent dark spots from forming.”
- “Retinoids are one of the best-studied and most widely recommended products to combat ageing,” Dr Rimtepathip says. “Retinoids stimulate collagen production, improve texture, and reduce wrinkles.”
- “These help build collagen and elastin, which, in turn, help decrease sagging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles,” Dr Rimtepathip says. “However, the effects are usually mild.”
- Hyaluronic acid: Dr Rimtepathip calls this “a powerful humectant.” She explains that humectants can help increase water absorption and reduce moisture loss. In turn, “This reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, because hydrated skin is more plump,” she says.
- This is a go-to anti-ageing ingredient for many dermatologists, including Dr Bittar. “Niacinamide has a host of helpful properties as it helps minimise inflammation and redness and can also help brighten dark spots,” he says. “It is not a hero ingredient that is going to make a huge impact by itself, but it plays a great supporting role.”
- Shea butter: “It's popular for a reason,” Dr Bittar says. “It's a fat derived from the shea tree, and is a simple and effective natural moisturiser. It hydrates the skin while feeling rich and soft.”
- “Ceramides are lipids, or fatty acids, that make up a large portion of your skin and are crucial to maintaining a healthy barrier,” Dr Bittar says. “Moisturisers with ceramides can help support this barrier function and lock in moisture while keeping out irritants.”
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