Aveeno Creamy Moisturizing Oil Lotion: how to use it for dry skin

What is Aveeno lotion with oil?

A lotion with oil is a moisturizer. Moisturizers add moisture, while emollients soften and smooth the skin. Many formulas combine ingredients that attract water with ingredients that help keep it from evaporating. An oil ingredient alone does not tell you how rich the finished lotion will feel or whether it will be enough for your dryness.2

For comparison, Aveeno Skin Relief Fragrance Free Moisturizing Lotion contains oat flour, oat extract, oat oil and shea butter. Its ingredient list also includes glycerin, dimethicone and petrolatum. Aveeno describes that separate product as a nourishing, fast absorbing, nongreasy body lotion for very dry, sensitive skin and directs users to apply it as needed. Those details belong to Skin Relief, not to every Aveeno lotion containing oil.3

Is a lotion rich enough?

Choose based on the dryness, the area you are moisturizing and the texture you find comfortable. Pick a moisturizer you find comfortable to use, rather than awarding the job to the bottle with the most adjectives. You can use different formats at different times, such as a cream in the morning and an ointment overnight.5

How to apply a moisturizing oil lotion

Keep baths and showers to five to ten minutes and use warm water. Wash with a gentle cleanser only where needed rather than building a thick lather over your whole body. Gently pat your skin with a clean towel instead of rubbing it dry, and leave it slightly damp for moisturizer.1

1. 1Wash your hands before applying the lotion.
2. 2Dispense the moisturizer. If it comes in a tub, use a clean spoon rather than putting your fingers into the container.
3. 3Apply immediately after bathing, smoothing it gently in the direction your hair grows rather than rubbing vigorously.
4. 4Leave a thin layer to soak in for about ten minutes. A leave on moisturizer does not need rinsing off.

How often should you use it?

Use a moisturizer whenever your skin feels dry or tight, including after washing your hands. For ongoing dryness, two to four applications a day or more can be appropriate. Cold weather can increase the need for reapplication. Morning and evening are both suitable; the useful timing is after washing and whenever dryness returns.45

What should you expect?

Moisturizers reduce dryness and help maintain the skin's barrier, the outer layer that limits water loss. Their benefits are greatest during the first six hours after application, so regular use matters more than a single generous coating. Choose a texture you will keep using, because a moisturizer left on the shelf has an excellent view and no job. If a lotion leaves your skin persistently dry, try a richer cream or ointment rather than assuming the word 'oil' means it must be enough.2

What if you have sensitive skin or eczema?

For eczema, choose a fragrance free cream or ointment rather than a lotion. Fragrance can trigger a flare, and 'unscented' is not the same as fragrance free: an unscented product can contain fragrance whose smell has been masked. Other ingredients can also trigger a reaction.6

Before using a new product widely on eczema prone skin, apply an amount about the size of a quarter to the inside of your arm every day for seven to ten days. If the area stays clear, you can proceed with using the product. Moisturize after bathing and whenever skin feels dry, while following your eczema treatment plan.6

Can you use it with a prescription cream?

Leave 20 to 30 minutes between an emollient and a steroid cream or another skin treatment, and ask your doctor which to apply first. Separating them avoids diluting the treatment or spreading it onto skin that does not need it. If you receive ultraviolet light treatment or radiotherapy, ask your treating team for specific moisturizer instructions.45

When should you stop or get help?

Stop using a moisturizer that makes your skin itchy or sore. Contact a doctor, nurse or pharmacist about persistent burning, stinging, inflamed hair follicles or a worsening facial rash. If dry skin continues despite regular moisturizing and gentler washing, see a dermatologist; persistent dryness can need treatment beyond a different lotion.145

Keep emollients and fabrics containing their residue away from flames and cigarettes. Clothing, bedding and dressings can catch fire more easily, including with products that do not contain paraffin. Washing does not completely remove the residue. Clean up moisturizer spills and take care on wet or tiled floors, where emollients can make surfaces slippery.4