My Secret to Baby-Soft Skin in the Winter Is This Luxe French Body Lotion

Throughout my life, I mainly stuck with two brands of lotion. It’s the ones my grandma used on my mom. My mom then used it on me. And now I see my sisters using it on my nieces and nephews. These brands from my childhood got the job done growing up, but with my skin aging and my environment changing, it just doesn’t work as effectively as it used to. 

By the time I finish work, my skin is dry and tight, and it has only gotten drier with us moving deeper into winter. You may be thinking, “just reapply it when you feel your skin getting dry.” But I’m personally anti-reapplying body lotion, because I believe if you’ve got a cream that really works for your skin, you won’t need to reapply. Last winter, I suffered through the ashiness until my nightly shower, but I decided to switch things up this year. The body lotion that has been a game-changer for my winter skincare routine and has since replaced my childhood go-to is L'Occitane’s Shea Butter Body Rich Lotion.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Body Rich Lotion

The body lotion is infused with 15 percent shea butter, which nourishes, soothes, relieves tightness, and moisturizes for a full 48 hours. Its rich formula absorbs quickly into the skin but leaves an effortless glow without leaving a sticky or greasy residue. It has a light scent that’s clean and refreshing but won’t overwhelm you. Lastly, there’s an easy-to-pump bottle with a push-down and turn lock function to prevent spills, so you can savor every drop.

It’s been a sad week because I’ve been scraping and taping the bottle onto my palm, trying to get the last bits of this lotion out — it’s just that good. I apply it right after a shower, and it melts into my skin without leaving any residue that could transfer onto my clothes or sheets. It immediately hydrates my skin and stays moisturized for hours, even when I’m out in dry weather. My textured and bumpy skin feels smooth and baby-soft, and despite there being no sunshine, my skin still looks radiant. 

The fresh scent layers nicely with my other body products and fragrances and lasts all day without smelling overbearing. I even find myself washing off the lotion the next time I shower because it has such good staying power on the skin, so the 48-hour moisture claims are accurate. I’ve started converting my family, who said they’d never switch from our childhood body lotion, and they’ve even been impressed with the immediate results. My sister even said it’s been gentle enough not to irritate her eczema while keeping her dry patches at bay. And my mom likes that it’s not so thick that it’s a workout to spread on.

Shop L'Occitane’s Shea Butter Body Rich Lotion and some of my other favorite deeply hydrating body lotions from the brand below.

L'Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate

L'Occitane Moisturizing, Softening Almond Milk Veil

L'Occitane Extra-Gentle Lotion