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Hidden under winter woollies, tights and leggings for months on end, us Brits don't get much skin-out action.
But don't neglect your limbs just because the weather's bad – when the sun comes out it'll take you that much longer to get bare-leg ready.
Use the cold, damp cover-up months to keep skin hydrated and soft with one of our pick of the best body moisturisers.
From the good value Argan + Ultra-Rich Body Butter to the Emma Hardie’s luxurious Amazing Face Super Rich Body Butter.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent .
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Show all 10 1 /1010 Best Body Moisturisers 10 Best Body Moisturisers REN Moroccan Rose Otto Firming Creme Riche Intensively rich hydrating creams can feel heavy and sticky on this skin, but this souffle-light cream disappears into the skin instantly leaving just a nice sheen. After a couple of week's use skin already feels a bit firmer and tighter. And the rose and camellia oils fragrance blend is simply sumptuous.
£36 for 200ml, renskincare.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers Champneys Energising Lime Body Soufflé Feeling tired and listless on cold dark winter mornings? Rev up your beauty routine with a zingy zesty pick-me-up in a pot. Lime, peppermint and orange extracts will blast your skin with a fresh minty citrus burst – perfect for kickstarting sluggish mornings.
£10 for 300ml (currently on sale £5), boots.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers Nivea In-Shower Body Moistursier Skin Conditioner A genius invention for anyone who doesn't like the feeling of being slathered in moisturiser, or doesn't want to get dressed with that slightly tacky skin feeling. Just shower up as normal and then use this after cleasning, and rinse off. And it really does work. Towel dry and your skin feels like you've already applied moisturiser. Brilliant! There's a heavy duty one for dry skin and one for normal skin.
£3.65 for 250ml (currently on sale at £2.37), boots.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers Emma Hardie Amazing Face Super Rich Body Butter This is an intensely rich body butter, packed with skin-saving vitamin E and all the omega fatty acids (3, 6 and 9) that your skin needs to get into tip top condition for summer. The scent’s incredible; an uplifting blend of citrus oils – bergamot, mandarin and bitter orange – with rose and jasmine oils, all blending down to a base of cedarwood. This cream will add some serious luxury to your beauty routine.
£29 for 200ml, emmahardie.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers Liz Earle Superskin Body Cream With 25 per cent plant oils this is Liz Earle's most intensive body cream and a good buy for ultra-dry skins, or mature skin that needs a major moisture hit to feel plumped up and softened. Orange blossom, rose hip and lavender oils make this a treat to wear, too.
£29.50 for 200ml, lizearle.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers Mio Future Proof Firming Active Body Butter Like a workout for the body this heavy-duty rich butter will help to keep skin strong, supple and work at peak performance – and all without any nasties. It's paraben, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance and colourants, glycols and phthalates free. Without going all science geek on you, let's just say if you like your products very effective, but still natural, this one's for you.
£35 for 240g, mioskincare.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers DHC Olive Body Butter This cult Japanese beauty favourite is finally available in the UK, so get your hands on their body butter while you can. Made with skin hydrating beauty botanicals including shea and cocoa butters, olive, coconut, avocado and argan oils. It seals in moisture as it sinks straight into the skin leaving no residue. Apply while skin is still damp after a shower or bath.
£15.50 for 100g (currently on sale £12), dhc.co.uk
10 Best Body Moisturisers Argan + Ultra-Rich Body Butter The new buzzword in beauty is Moroccan Argan Oil. Known as liquid gold, it's been used for centuries to transform the skin, thanks to its high content of omega fatty acids and antioxidants. In simple terms, it protects the skin's barrier function against ageing free radicals and improves elasticity in one hit. This is exceptionally thick and rich and has worked wonders on my dry knees, ankles and elbows.
£8.99, feelunique.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers Lanolips Triple Buttermilk Body Balm Nature's wonder moisturiser lanolin, that comes from wool-bearing animals (don’t let its alternative name “wool wax” put you off) was the inspiration behind founder Kirsten Carriol's launch of Lanolips. Inspired by a childhood spent on her grandparent's Australian sheep farm, she's produced a moisturiser that leaves the skin with a silky protective veil. This is a serious skin hydrator, and not for the faint hearted!
£13.99 for 170ml, victoriahealth.com
10 Best Body Moisturisers Soap and Glory Righteous Butter Deluxe Body Shimmer Cream I had to slip this one into my 10 best, just because it's so deliciously holiday-scented – and holidays feel like a lifetime ago at this time of year. It leaves a really pretty sheen on the skin and comes with a boudoir-style retro powder puff – for added shimmer on shoulders and décolletée. We love a purse-pleasing beauty treat that adds some glamour to our day.
£14 for 180ml, boots.com
Verdict
This wasn't an easy verdict to make as I'm a sucker for a beautifully fragranced body cream, but the REN Moroccan Rose Otto Firming Creme really is in a league of its own, not only in the scent department, but also in terms of its firming and tightening properties. Runner up, is the zingy zesty and superbly priced Champneys Energising Lime Body Soufflé, and the natural but hardworking Mio Future Proof Firming Active Body Butter – completely nasties-free!
Buy now
1. REN Moroccan Rose Otto Firming Creme Riche, £36 for 200ml
2. Champneys Energising Lime Body Soufflé, £10 for 300ml
3. Nivea In-Shower Body Moistursier Skin Conditioner, £3.65 for 250ml
4. Emma Hardie Amazing Face Super Rich Body Butter, £29 for 200ml
5. Liz Earle Superskin Body Cream, £29.50 for 200ml
6. Mio Future Proof Firming Active Body Butter, £35 for 240g
7. DHC Olive Body Butter, £15.50 for 100g
8. Argan + Ultra-Rich Body Butter, £8.99
9. Lanolips Triple Buttermilk Body Balm, £13.99 for 170ml
10. Soap and Glory Righteous Butter Deluxe Body Shimmer Cream, £14 for 180ml
