The 10 Best Body Lotions for Men to Keep Skin Smooth, Nourished, and Comfortable

Best Overall

Blu Atlas Body Lotion

View on Bluatlas.com

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, jojoba oil, seaweed | Skin Type: All | Size: 8 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This body lotion is a 10/10 product. We wouldn’t change a single thing about the comfortable formula from Blu Atlas. It left our skin looking brighter after regular use and made us feel pampered. A dime-sized amount went a long way and absorbed quickly to imbue our skin with lasting moisture, leaving zero stickiness in its wake and never causing transfer unless we happened to apply too much. It also has a delicate fragrance, which smells like a very close-sitting cologne. We happened to love this, but if scents aren’t your thing, there is a fragrance-free option.

While we have no complaints about the formula or performance, we do wish it came in a larger bottle. We enjoyed it so much that all we want is more!

Best Budget

Nivea Men Breathable Body Lotion

View on Niveausa.com

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, vitamin C, vitamin E | Skin Type: Balanced | Size: 13.5 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: No

We were impressed by this affordable pick—its silky, fluid formula glided across the skin and sank in quickly, delivering a rapid dose of moisture without making our skin feel wet or tacky. It also didn’t leave any residue behind, just nourishment, which we appreciated during the winter months. It features a very mild floral scent (we think it’s lavender), which is subtle and settled into the skin nicely.

Though it initially hydrated our skin well, we wished this lotion left more long-lasting moisture behind—we found that our skin felt a bit dry just a few hours after application. If your skin is especially dry, you may want to seek out a different formula for the harsher months. That said, this lightweight pick could be a nice option for daily use during the warmer seasons.

Best Splurge

Le Labo Santal 33 Body Lotion

$79 at Nordstrom View on Lelabofragrances.com

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, sweet almond oil, avocado oil | Skin Type: All | Size: 8 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The luxuriousness of this lotion was apparent as soon as we applied it, thanks to its indulgent yet fast-absorbing texture that didn’t leave any residue behind, it just quenched our dry skin with a blend of plant oils and butters. The fluid formula spreads easily across the skin, with just a little bit going a long way to deposit nourishment along with the signature scent of Le Labo Santal 33, a sophisticated and sultry blend of smoky, leathery, and spicy notes. We were duly impressed by how soft this product left our skin throughout the testing process.

While it’s creamy, it isn’t thick, and therefore, it might not saturate deeply dehydrated skin with moisture. Before purchasing it, you’ll also want to know if you’re a fan of Santal 33. The scent is truly the star of the show in this lotion and it can come on strong, but if you’re a devotee of the cologne, you’ll want to make this lotion the foundation of your scent wardrobe.

Best Fresh Scent

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Balm

$50 at Dermstore $40 at Nordstrom View on Aesop.com

Key Ingredients: Plant oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, essential oils | Skin Type: All | Size: 3.4, 16.5 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re looking for a lotion that will hydrate your skin and make you smell fresh, this Aesop formula should be in your body care rotation. It has a green, citrusy scent that’s suitable for day or night. Don’t be put off by the name “balm,” which is somewhat deceptive—it has a smooth, lightweight texture that dries down quickly, instantly making skin look and feel smooth. Though our fingers stayed a bit sticky after application, anywhere we’d applied the lotion directly felt smooth to the touch and never transferred to our clothes. 

The fragrance of this lotion is a bit stronger than most, so keep that in mind if you prefer a more mildly scented product for everyday wear.

Best for Date Night

Malin + Goetz Rum Body Lotion

View on Malinandgoetz.com View on Smallflower.com

Key Ingredients: Fatty acids, vitamin B5, avocado oil, grapeseed oil | Skin Type: All | Size: 8.5 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

While some boozy-scented products can leave you smelling like you’ve just left the bar, this lotion’s rum fragrance is subtle, sumptuous, and sexy—perfect for a night out with someone special. The lightweight consistency spread easily, so a little went a long way and absorbed quickly to nourish skin with fatty acids and plant oils. We liked this product so much that we found ourselves applying it more liberally than we would other lotion—it’s that good. 

We highly recommend this to those looking for a lightweight, pleasant-smelling lotion to hydrate their skin. The only caveat is that it’s only available in one size—we wish it came in jumbo-sized bottles and travel-friendly minis, too.

Best Fragrance-Free

Hawthorne Medium Weight Body Lotion

View on Hawthorne.co

Key Ingredients: Vitamin B5, ginger root extract, lime fruit extract, | Skin Type: All | Size: 12 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you prefer fragrance-free products, this one is worth checking out. It features a thick, rich texture that absorbs quickly, and we appreciate that a little went a long way to deeply hydrate our skin. The long-lasting moisturizing effects of this lotion allowed us to occasionally skip a day—even when we missed an application, we found that our skin still felt soft and smooth. And, yes, though it’s formulated without synthetic fragrances, it features a pleasant natural scent, likely courtesy of the lime and ginger extracts.

Our only (admittedly nitpicky) gripe is the packaging. The matte finish of the bottle looks elevated, but it can pick up fingerprints and grime easily which can be hard to remove.

Best Lightweight

Bevel Body Lotion

View on Getbevel.com

Key Ingredients: Shea butter, argan oil | Skin Type: All | Size: 16 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This lightweight lotion features a very satisfying and unique texture—something of a hybrid between water and shaving cream. It spread easily across the skin and felt incredibly smooth. After consistent use, our skin was softer, smoother, and looked more radiant than usual. We also enjoyed its pleasant, subtle aroma. 

While we appreciate that it’s pretty affordable, given how much product comes in the bottle, we do wish it was offered in additional sizes that would be more suitable for travel.

Best Cooling

Jack Black Cool Moisture Body Lotion

$32 at Amazon $32 at Sephora $32 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Soy protein, vitamin E, jojoba oil, macadamia nut oil, menthyl lactate | Skin Type: All | Size: 3,16 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This formula from Jack Black combines unique cooling properties and impressive moisturizing capabilities. We tried this product during the winter when our skin gets extremely dry and found that it left our skin nourished for about 12 hours without feeling heavy or greasy. At no point did our skin peel or crack during the brutal cold front; using this formula ensured our skin was left glowing by the end of our test. We also appreciate that a little went a long way (we used about a finger’s worth of lotion for our application), which makes the lotion’s large size a great investment. 

Though we liked the scent (a combo of citrus, mint, and oakmoss), it was strong, so keep this in mind if you’re sensitive to fragrance

Best Absorption

Hempz Original Herbal Moisturizing Body Lotion

$7 at Target $20 at Walmart $24 at fragrancenet.com

Key Ingredients: Organic hemp seed oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil | Skin Type: All | Size: 2.3, 17 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Usually, our hands look dry and feel scratchy during the winter season, but that never occurred while using this lotion. Though this formula features a very rich texture, it spreads easily and absorbs incredibly quickly, leaving no residue behind. It didn’t transfer to our clothing nor did it leave our hands feeling greasy, just moisturized. While we were very satisfied with the results, we weren’t thrilled with the product’s fragrance, which is described as a sweet, floral, tropical banana scent. It’s pretty intense, so we’d love to see the brand release a fragrance-free version. 

Best for Warm Weather

Marlowe. No. 002 Sensitive Skin Body Lotion

View on Marloweskin.com

Key Ingredients: Green tea leaf extract, brown algae extract, stearic acid | Skin Type: All | Size: 15 ounces | SPF: None | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Though this lotion’s texture was dense enough to hold its form, it spread easily and absorbed within a minute of application. After slathering it onto wet skin post-shower and pre-bed, we woke up to soft, comfortable skin. We did notice our skin starting to get dry again about eight hours post-application, so it might not be rich or long-lasting enough for super dry skin or cold climates.

Our testers with sensitive skin didn’t experience any irritation when using this formula, but it’s worth noting that it contains a synthetic fragrance, despite being formulated for those with sensitive skin. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but fragrance can be irritation-inducing for reactive skin, so be sure to patch-test it first.