10 Best Body Butters of 2024 (Dermatologist-Reviewed)
Suffering from dry, flaky, or itchy skin, whether on the elbows, cracked heels, and anywhere else on the body's largest organ? A body butter can be a huge help. They're offered in varying scents and formulas, all with deep moisturizing effects to keep your skin healthy and smooth. They're perfect for winter when your skin needs plenty of care, and they can give you beautiful, glowing skin. For moms, they can even reduce the appearance of stretch marks!
However, there are so many body butters on the market these days, it can be difficult to figure out how to find the best. That's why we carefully assessed highly-rated products on the Internet and assembled a list of the 10 best body butters. Our favorite was The Body Shop's Body Butter due to its high number of moisturizers. Read through our other nine options, and also check out our buying guide that has been evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist!
Quick List - Top Body Butters
Dr. Levy is a board certified dermatologist practicing in NYC and Westport, Connecticut. She has expertise in treating inflammatory skin conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. She has an interest in skincare and takes a personalized approach to all of her patients.
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
What Is Body Butter?
There are currently tons of body moisturizing products on the market to nourish your skin, so it's understandable that some people may not know the difference between them and when to use them. If you're confused about what a body butter is and how it's different from a lotion, then you've come to the right place!
Body Butters Provide Long-Lasting Moisture
Body milks, creams, and lotions are a source of quick moisture that can be applied easily to your skin, but they can sometimes contain unwanted chemicals like fragrances which can trigger an allergic reaction.
Body butters often contain natural ingredients, such as shea butter, coconut oil, and jojoba oil. They're great for providing a deep, long-lasting level of moisture to your skin. That moisture builds a protective barrier between your skin and damaging external factors like sunlight.
Body Butter Is Full of Ingredients That Calm Skin Irritation
Because body butters tend to use simple and hypoallergenic ingredients, there are fewer risks of allergic reactions or skin irritation. If you have sensitive skin or a history of bad reactions to other moisturizers like lotion, body butter might be a good product for you!
Body butter is also often packed with nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids to soften and reduce skin irritation, as well as antioxidants and vitamins to slow down the aging process of your skin.
I think of body butter as a deep moisturizer that provides both immediate and long-lasting benefits. The thick and creamy nature provides an immediate softening to the skin that's hydrating and nourishing.
This effect can last for several hours after application. Many of the ingredients in body butters are also anti-inflammatory, which can calm skin irritation for hours after the butter has been used.
How to Choose a Body Butter - Buying Guide
To help you better understand the benefits of body butter and which type of body butter would be good for your skin type, we combined a list of necessary points you need to know about this product. Hopefully, after reading this buying guide, you can comfortably choose a product for yourself.
Know Which Body Butters Work With Your Skin Type
When you choose a body butter, you should consider your skin type and look carefully at the ingredients. Even though body butters can be used for all skin types, certain products will provide more effective results for certain skin types than others.
Richer Body Butters Work Well for Dry Skin
If you're suffering from dry skin, you should choose a heavier butter that is mostly comprised of natural oils. One of the ideal ingredients that you should consider is shea butter. Shea butter contains an abundance of oleic and stearic acid for softening, hydrating, and preventing age in the skin.
Mango butter is also great; rich in vitamins A and E, it protects your skin from UV rays and provides deep moisture to dry or rough spots. You can also look for almond body butter, assuming you're not allergic. Almond butter, or rather the almond oil in the butter, can penetrate quickly into skin layers and keep your skin moist for a long period of time.
Use these richer and thicker body butters in colder weather, when the skin tends to be drier. They can help treat and even prevent the winter itch that many people get as the skin ages. These richer body butters provide hydration and help protect the skin barrier. Shea butter can even help keep moisture to lessen the appearance of stretch marks while pregnant.
Gentle and Non-Comedogenic Body Butters for Sensitive Skin
For sensitive skin, go for a butter that can nourish your skin without causing irritation. Non-comedogenic body butters, which are formulated to not cause pore clogging, often contain aloe or kokum (a great moisturizing, plant-based butter that's good on sensitive skin) and are great for nourishment.
Shea butter, cocoa butter, as well as other oil, floral, and plant-based essences with their strong soothing effects can be other options for you to consider.
If you have sensitive skin or eczema, avoid butters with fragrance as they can trigger eczema and contact dermatitis. Check the ingredient list prior to use. "All-natural" does not necessarily mean that it won't trigger a contact dermatitis or an eczema flare.
Oily Skin Calls for Balanced Ingredients and Textures
If you have oily skin, you should look for a body butter that's lighter in texture. Light body butters combine a number of oils and plant-based extracts to get all of that good moisture without clogging your pores and they feel nicer on the skin. Kokum butter and honey will likely absorb into your skin more easily than pure shea butter. These are also often easier to apply.
However, if you're okay with slightly thicker textures, then don't be turned off from shea butter, however, as it's non-comedogenic and works well on all skin types.
If you are acne-prone, avoid coconut oil in your body butter. This can trigger acne outbreaks and pityrosporum folliculitis or "fungal acne."
Choose a Body Butter Based on Your Current Skin Condition
If you have a skin condition such as eczema or wrinkles, you should look into body butter that can address any of these concerns. Below, we've listed some ingredients with great benefits for different skin conditions.
Oils Help Eczema and Psoriasis
People with inflammatory skin conditions like eczema should look for products containing jojoba oil or aloe vera, as their hypoallergenic and healing properties can reduce itchiness, irritation, and flaking. Furthermore, they can be absorbed quickly into your skin and provide an immediate soothing effect.
If you have eczema, your skin barrier is impaired since you are missing important parts of the system that retain water in the skin. This leads to transepidermal water loss, which results in dry skin and rashes. Thick creams and oils can help repair the barrier to prevent transepidermal water loss.
Additionally, those with eczema and an impaired barrier can be prone to skin infections, especially with staph, so keeping the barrier hydrated and intact is important. A cream-based or oil-based body butter can help do this, especially if you're acne-prone.
Certain Ingredients Can Even Prevent Stretch Marks and Wrinkles
Shea butter supplies skin with vitamin E, F, and other fatty acids, which can protect your skin from being damaged by sunlight, cold weather, or other contaminants like pollution. Shea butter is also rich in vitamin A, a nutrient that increases skin elasticity. Therefore, it reduces fine lines and wrinkles and gives your skin a youthful look.
Especially for those who have stretch marks, you should look for products that contain vitamin E. Vitamin E can speed up cell regeneration, so it can heal stretch marks and prevent more from appearing.
Stretch marks are hard to fully prevent because genetics plays a big role in their development. Additionally, how quickly one gains weight also influences the development of stretch marks. That being said, having hydrated skin can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and increase skin elasticity.
In my opinion, there is no magic cream for stretch marks, but keeping the skin hydrated can make them less itchy and less noticeable.
Find a Consistency That Feels Good for You
The body butter's consistency or texture will also play a part in your selection process as this directly affects the application period and how the formula dries on the skin.
For example, unrefined shea butters that are thick with a grainy consistency need to be melted by rubbing before or during application. Other body butters have a creamy consistency that can sometimes feel a bit greasy.
There are also body butters with bases like cocoa that are hard and need extra effort to be scooped out of the container. They only begin to melt and become smooth when in contact with the skin or with the help of a warm water bath. We recommend giving the texture or consistency a quick look to ensure the formula suits your preferences.
Pick a Fragrance You Enjoy
Since many body butter products have attractive fragrances that can last for a long time, they can even be used as a subtle yet effective perfume substitute. Body butters often have sweet scents like vanilla and coconut or fruity scents such as mango and peach. You can also find body butter products with floral aromas such as rose or lavender.
If you prefer an unscented product, there are body butters with only a light scent or no odor at all. We recommend double-checking with reviews if a certain product is truly scent-free, especially if you are sensitive to fragrances.
10 Best Body Butters
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Body Shop Shea Body Butter | | Best for Softening Dry Skin | |
2 | Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter | | Best for Improving Skin Health With Antioxidants | |
3 | Burt's Bees Mama Belly Butter | | Best for Preventing Stretch Marks | |
4 | Pistaché Skincare Pistachio Body Butter | | Best for Fighting Premature Aging | |
5 | bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter | | Best Cruelty-Free Body Butter for Sensitive Skin | |
6 | Tree Hut Shea Body Butter With Marula Oil & Jasmine Extract | | Best for Relieving Skin Dryness in Winter | |
7 | Petal Fresh Pure Restoring Body Butter, Honey & Coconut | | Best for Restoring Damaged Skin | |
8 | Vaseline Illuminate Me Whipped Body Butter | | Best for Adding a Radiant Glow to Dark Skin Tones | |
9 | Avani Dead Sea Cosmetics Ultra Rich Body Butter, Milk and Honey | | Best for Exfoliating Dry and Flaky Skin | |
10 | Jergens Body Butter, Lavender | | Best Lightweight, Non-Greasy Body Butter |
The Body ShopShea Body Butter
Best for Softening Dry Skin
Pros:
- Shea butter provides moisture to dry and damaged skin
- The infusion of cocoa butter, babassu oil, and beeswax also helps soften the skin and prevent dryness
- Lightweight and fast-absorbing consistency
Cons:
- Strong fragrance
The Body Shop's Body Butter uses nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, cocoa butter, and babassu oil. Those ingredients contain a high amount of fatty acids to soften and moisturize dry and damaged skin.
One drawback for some reviewers was the strong fragrance. However, many others find that their skin becomes much softer and moisturized after use. It's said the body butter has a lightweight texture and doesn't make the skin feel greasy.
Josie MaranWhipped Argan Oil Body Butter
Best for Improving Skin Health With Antioxidants
Pros:
- Contains fatty acids to strengthen the moisture barrier and plump the skin
- Uses natural antioxidants from argan oil and white tea extract to boost skin health
- Shea butter moisturizes and smooths the skin
- Suitable for all skin types
- Can leave the skin feeling greasy
Josie Maran's Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter deeply moisturizes dry skin with argan oil and shea butter. It also contains white tea extract, which is packed with antioxidants to protect the skin from oxidative stress and keep it looking youthful.
There are some reports that this body butter doesn't absorb well into the skin. On another note, many buyers are pleased with the ultra-moisturizing formula that leaves their skin feeling soft and smooth after application. Another plus point is that the body butter is unscented, making it suitable for those with fragrance sensitivity.
Best for Preventing Stretch Marks
Pros:
- Infused with effective moisturizers like shea butter, jojoba butter, and almond oil to smooth your skin
- Fragrance-free and suitable for those with fragrance sensitivity
- Designed to relieve stretched pregnant skin
- Free from potential irritants like parabens and phthalates
Cons:
- Thin consistency
Formulated with pregnant moms in mind, Burt's Bees' body butter is enriched with many moisturizers such as shea butter, jojoba butter, coconut oil, and cocoa seed butter to ease the appearance of stretch marks. It's also free from fragrance and works well for people with sensitive skin.
A few complaints have been voiced that the consistency is too watery. Still, many reviewers praise that this body butter is very effective in preventing stretch marks and enhancing the skin's elasticity. There are also reports that the product alleviates itching and irritation.
Pistaché Skincare Pistachio Body Butter
Best for Fighting Premature Aging
Pros:
- Pistachio oil has strong antioxidant properties to fight premature aging of the skin
- Contains blue-green algae to hydrate and firm up the skin
- Does not leave the skin feeling greasy
- Suitable for all skin types
- Heavily fragranced
This body butter from Pistaché Skincare is formulated with pistachio oil, which is packed with vitamin E, fatty acids, and lutein to neutralize free radical damage and prevent premature aging. The inclusion of blue-green algae further tones the skin and gives it a nice glow.
The main complaint about this body butter is the strong and artificial scent. Besides that, many buyers are happy with the smooth and creamy texture that absorbs instantly and doesn't leave behind any greasy residue. This body butter is also highly moisturizing and works great for all skin types.
Best Cruelty-Free Body Butter for Sensitive Skin
Pros:
- Nourishes the skin with shea butter and coconut oil
- Algae extract has strong soothing properties to relieve dry skin and calm inflammation
- Certified cruelty-free formula
- No greasy residue
- Does not irritate sensitive skin
Cons:
- Not moisturizing enough for extremely dry skin
Bliss' body butter is made with natural plant-based moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, and algae extract. Combined, they can soften and nourish the skin on a deep level. Algae extract is also effective in soothing dry skin.
According to a few reviewers, the consistency is thin and the formula isn't super moisturizing. Yet, many others confirm that the formula isn't oily and goes on the skin nicely. Users with sensitive skin are happy that the body isn't irritating. The lemon and sage scent is also pleasant.
Tree Hut Shea Body Butter With Marula Oil & Jasmine Extract
Best for Relieving Skin Dryness in Winter
Pros:
- Shea butter and safflower seed oil restore hydration to dry and rough skin
- Has a light and sweet scent derived naturally from jasmine and marula oil
- Suitable for winter use
- Thick consistency that doesn't sink in quickly
Containing shea butter and safflower seed oil, Tree Hut's body butter can replenish skin's moisture and is particularly great for those with dry and cracked skin. It also contains jasmine flowers and marula oil to smooth your skin while leaving it delicately fragranced.
A few reviewers complain that the body butter has a thick consistency and is hard to spread. Meanwhile, the majority find their skin soft and nourished after application. It's said to help with stretch marks, too. The highly moisturizing formula is also great for winter use, some buyers mention.
Petal Fresh PureRestoring Body Butter, Honey & Coconut
Best for Restoring Damaged Skin
Pros:
- Honey helps protect the skin against damaging UV's rays
- Provides long-lasting moisture with coconut oil, shea butter, and argan oil
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Smooth texture that absorbs well into the skin
- Not recommended for those with eczema
One of the key ingredients in this body butter is honey, which has strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to protect the skin against oxidative damage. It also helps promote skin regeneration and repairs damaged skin. The formula contains many effective moisturizers like coconut oil and shea butter as well.
Some reviewers with eczema warn that this body butter irritates their skin. On a positive note, many rave about how deeply it moisturizes and softens their skin. The mild and pleasant coconut scent is another bonus for most buyers.
VaselineIlluminate Me Whipped Body Butter
Best for Adding a Radiant Glow to Dark Skin Tones
Pros:
- Contains petroleum jelly to intensely moisturize and soothe cracked and dry skin
- Adds a shimmering glow to the skin
- The combination of shea butter and glycerin enhances the elasticity of the skin and supplies moisture
- Light cocoa fragrance
- Thin consistency
Vaseline's Illuminate Me Whipped Body Butter is designed to give a shimmering glow to dark skin. Formulated with glycerin, shea butter, and Vaseline jelly, this product can moisturize and soothe even the most cracked skin.
Some buyers wish the texture was thicker. But as a whole, this product is praised for its moisturizing properties. Many buyers also comment that the formula makes the skin feel smooth to the touch and gives it a beautiful glow. The mild cocoa scent receives compliments as well.
Avani Dead Sea CosmeticsUltra Rich Body Butter, Milk and Honey
Best for Exfoliating Dry and Flaky Skin
Pros:
- Contains aloe vera, sunflower seed oil, olive oil, and jojoba oil to provide the needed moisture to the skin
- Features vitamin E and Dead Sea minerals to flake off your dead skin and rejuvenate dull, dry skin
- Fast-absorbing and creamy texture
- Not recommended for people with fragrance sensitivity
This body butter is infused with Dead Sea minerals to gently remove dry and flaky skin. There is also vitamin E to reduce signs of aging and provide your dull skin with a healthy, shiny glow. The combination of shea butter, coconut oil, aloe vera, and other natural ingredients further provides your dry skin with deep moisture.
Some reviewers find the scent too overwhelming. On the other hand, many others compliment the moisturizing formula and further mention that it soothes their dry and itchy skin. The creamy texture is another bonus point as it sinks in quickly into the skin.
Best Lightweight, Non-Greasy Body Butter
Pros:
- Combines shea butter, cocoa butter, and mango butter to keep the skin nourished and moisturized
- Softens the skin effectively
- Creamy, non-greasy consistency for easy application
- Works for all skin types
Cons:
- Mild scent that goes away quickly
Jergens' body butter boasts a combination of shea butter, cocoa butter, and mango butter to provide the skin with intense moisture. Those plant-based butters are rich in fatty acids and can help soften the skin as well. Plus, the floral scent comes naturally from lavender essential oil rather than artificial fragrance.
However, a few buyers complain that the scent is too subtle and fades away quickly. But this moisturizing body butter is still loved for its creamy and non-greasy texture that is easy to work with. After using this body butter, the skin also becomes smooth and moisturized.
Moisturize Your Skin With These Other Skincare Favorites
If you're looking for additional or alternate ways to hydrate your thirsty skin, we've got some suggestions for you.
Buying Guide Reviewed by Board Certified Dermatologist Dr. Lauren Levy
This expert reviewed the contents of the buying guide for accuracy and provided factual corrections when necessary. They did not participate in the product selection process, nor are they affiliated with any of our choices unless explicitly stated so.
Top 5 Body Butters
No. 1: The Body Shop｜Shea Body Butter
No. 2: Josie Maran｜Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter
No. 3: Burt's Bees｜Mama Belly Butter
No. 4: Pistaché Skincare ｜Pistachio Body Butter
No. 5: bliss｜Lemon & Sage Body Butter
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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