Just as you switch your lightweight face moisturiser for richer textures as the mercury plunges, the same should be true for your bodycare. Our parched limbs deserve the same love, care and attention as our complexions, but in the interest of speed, many of us eschew this important nourishment, despite the fact that the skin is the largest organ in the human body. That’s where body butters come in.
’s top body butters at a glance:
I have long associated body butters with The Body Shop, as the brand’s Shea Body Butter was one of the first “skincare” products I was ever gifted, kickstarting an obsession throughout my teen years with collecting the various scents from the juicy mango to the floral rose. I can’t catch a whiff of any of them to this day without being sent back to a simpler time, before I discovered the multi-step layered routine that now defines my body routine.
As the last step after exfoliation and potentially fake tan, depending on the time of year, I call upon my trusted body butter texture when my skin is crying out for an intense moisture boost. “Body butter is essentially a richer, more concentrated form of moisturiser, formulated to provide intensive nourishment and help prevent moisture from escaping the skin,” explains aesthetics expert Dr Munir Somji. How they differ from body lotions or creams, the expert continues, is regarding formulation and texture. “Body lotions tend to be lighter, with a higher proportion of water, making them ideal for everyday use and quick absorption. Creams generally contain a greater proportion of oils and emollients, giving them a richer consistency, while body butters typically have an even thicker texture, often incorporating ingredients such as shea, cocoa or mango butter.”
While supporting the skin barrier, body butters provide deep nourishment for typically dry areas like the elbows, knees and heels, and are, according to Dr Somji, ideal for “during the colder months when our skin can become more dehydrated.”
See the team’s top formulas below, as well as everything you need to know about the bodycare hero, from the ingredients to look out for to which skin types are best suited to slather on the nourishing goodness.
- Why it’s -approved: Promising 72 hours of hydration, the relaunched body butters from The Body Shop still smell as good as they always did. Plus, 97 per cent of the ingredients are natural.
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
The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Butter
Why it’s -approved: I was first introduced to this formula by Hailey Bieber, who swore by it for her pre- and post-pregnancy bodycare routine. While rich in nourishing oils like rosehip and jojoba oils and the kind-to-skin quad of shea butter, glycerin, squalane and plant-based peptides, it feels lightweight on application. A product you’ll endlessly restock.
Sol de Janeiro
- Why it’s -approved: Inspired by Brazil’s appreciation for pert behinds, this formula blends Guaraná extract with Brazil nut and a selection of oils, antioxidants and fatty acids to leave skin firm and tight. What’s more, its buttery formula scents the skin with delicious nutty notes – we’ve used it in the morning and had compliments and questions follow all day long.
Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration Face & Body Moisturiser
- Why it’s -approved: “This lightweight but effective moisturising cream provides immediate hydration without leaving the skin feeling greasy,” says Dr Garshick. Formulated with colloidal oatmeal and allantoin, the cream acts as a soothing balm on itchy, eczema-prone skin.
- Key ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, allantoin
- Best for: The multipurpose cream can be used all over the body, relieving dryness from head to toe.
eyeam Magnesium Glymphatic Sleepy Butter
Why it’s -approved: This magnesium butter from neuro-cosmetics label eyeam can be used on the body as a transdermal infusion of the restorative nutrient designed to ease tension in muscles and encourage relaxation and recovery. However, my favourite way to use it is by slathering it on the soles of my feet around 20 minutes before I doze off, and it makes a huge difference, promoting a deeper sleep. The magnesium is only enhanced by the lavender and chlorophyll, also included in the formula.
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
- Best non-fragranced stretch mark cream
- Why it’s -approved: If your stretch marks are looking and feeling red and angry, you need something nourishing that can also take any irritation or inflammation down. Infused with plenty of fatty acids and botanical extracts, this rich cream helps soothe and comfort skin while encouraging better clarity.
- Turmeric, rosehip oil, argan oil, almond oil, jojoba oil
- Good to know: Non-scented, so perfect for those with a sensitive sense of smell
What ingredients should you look for in body butter?
The most common ingredients include skin-loving butters like shea and cocoa, which advanced medical aesthetics expert Dr Preema Vig tells me are “great for softening the skin” and are “rich in fatty acids and help soften and smooth dry skin.”
There are also ingredients that are easily recognisable from the skincare products that line our bathroom shelves. These extend to glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which are humectants and, as such, “help attract moisture,” adds Dr Vig and ceramides, which are part of our natural protective barrier. In terms of the latter, she reveals, “As the barrier becomes compromised, epidermal water loss can take place as moisture can escape more easily, leaving skin feeling dry, tight and sometimes irritated. Replenishing these lipids can help support the barrier and improve hydration.”
She concludes, “The best formula will depend on your skin’s needs, but a combination of hydrating and nourishing ingredients is a great place to start.”
What does body butter do?
Supporting the skin barrier and imparting nourishment are where body butters shine, but that is not all. “Body butters are excellent for relieving dry, rough or flaky skin, improving softness and helping reduce moisture loss by supporting the skin’s natural barrier,” Dr Somji reveals. This is important, he tells me, as our limbs are so often left exposed to the elements, much like our face and yet without protection. “We often concentrate on anti-ageing ingredients for the face, but the skin on our neck, décolletage and hands can be just as vulnerable to dryness and environmental damage. These are areas that often reveal visible signs of ageing, yet they’re frequently overlooked in daily skincare routines.”
They may also improve the appearance of stretch marks, although in this situation, the expert believes it’s important to manage expectations. “While moisturising can improve the surrounding skin’s hydration and texture, making stretch marks appear less noticeable in some circumstances, a body butter cannot remove them or reliably prevent them from developing.”
He also cautions about the extent to which they can brighten skin and even out skin tone. “Improving hydration can make the skin look brighter and more even, but this isn’t the same as treating pigmentation.”
Which skin types should use body butter, and which should avoid it?
According to the experts, the skin types that will maximise the benefits of body butters are those with dry, compromised or mature skin and “especially when the skin feels tight, rough or flaky,” explains Dr Vig. This frequently occurs, she says, in the winter months “when cold weather and central heating can contribute to moisture loss.”
They can also be beneficial for those with normal skin. In this case, “a body butter can provide additional nourishment when needed, particularly on areas such as the elbows, knees and heels.”
For those with oily, acne-prone skin or sensitive skin, more caution is required. These skin types “may find very rich formulations too heavy, especially on areas such as the chest and back where breakouts can occur. In these cases, a lighter, non-comedogenic moisturiser may be more suitable,” she advises. Pay close attention to the formulation when dealing with sensitive skin, especially. “I would generally recommend choosing fragrance-free products and avoiding unnecessary essential oils or potentially irritating additives, as these can aggravate already reactive skin. It’s also worth remembering that ‘natural’ doesn’t necessarily mean suitable for sensitive skin. Even plant-derived ingredients can trigger reactions, so introducing new products gradually and checking how your skin responds is always sensible.”
Meet the experts