These Body Balms Will Keep Your Skin Baby-Soft All Winter Long

Colder weather is on its way, which means hot drinks, cozy sweaters, and for lots of us, dry, itchy skin. While the latter is not something we look forward to, there are some things you can do to keep dry skin at bay. One of the most important things you can do is remain hydrated and protect your skin externally, too—we suggest investing in a good humidifier, hand cream, and gloves, as well as a rich and hydrating body balm. Many balms can be used not only on your body but also on hands, feet, lips, and anywhere else that can get severely dry.

Though there are a lot of balms out there that claim to help dry skin, we saved you the trouble of trial and error and picked our favorites that will actually get you feeling baby-smooth on the coldest days of the year.

The Best Body Balms

How to Choose a Body Balm

Balm Versus Lotion or Cream

While balms, lotions, and creams will all help moisturize your skin, they are not the same thing. Lotions will offer the lightest coverage. They typically have the highest water content, which means they hydrate your skin but don't really create a barrier. Creams will be a bit thicker, but some still include water. They are most often used on your hands, feet, and face, though you can find full-body creams as well. Balms will be the thickest of all with little to no water content and often an oily, waxy residue. This helps them lock in moisture, and they work best after a bath or shower when your skin already is already moist.

Irritants

If you have sensitive skin, you will want to make sure that your balm is free of common irritants like fragrances, dyes, and parabens. There are many options out there—including those listed in this article—that are sensitive-skin-friendly, but a good rule of thumb is the fewer ingredients, the better.

How We Selected

To find the best options among the many body balms on the market, we picked s0me top sellers and customer favorites for all different types of skin. We then took into account ingredients, feel, efficacy, scent, and price, as well as researching customer reviews to settle on the body balms you'll find below.

Part of keeping your skin soft is investing in proper cold-weather clothing. Check out our top picks for hats, gaiters, and winter socks.