How to apply body lotion

How to apply it, step by step

1. 1Take a warm, not hot, bath or shower. For dry skin, keep bathing to 5 to 10 minutes.
2. 2Pat your skin dry rather than scrubbing it. Leave some moisture on your skin instead of drying it completely.
3. 3Apply lotion to the areas that need moisture while your skin is still damp. Dryness commonly affects the hands, feet, arms and lower legs.
4. 4Reapply when those areas feel dry again. After washing your hands, moisturize them while they are still damp.

How often should you use body lotion?

For dry skin, apply moisturizer 2 to 3 times a day, or as often as needed. Slightly dry skin can need only a light moisturizer at night; very dry skin can need a richer moisturizer every couple of hours. You can apply lotion at other times too, not just after bathing. The amount and frequency depend on how dry your skin is, rather than a fixed number of pumps for every body.12

When should you choose a cream instead?

Moisturizers come as lotions, creams and ointments, so the bathroom bottle does not get exclusive rights to the job. Lotions suit mild dryness and hairy areas. Creams are suitable for broad application, while ointments provide a longer lasting protective layer but feel greasier. For extremely dry skin, choose a cream or ointment: both tend to hold more moisture in the skin than lotion.14

For nummular eczema, which causes patches of eczema, choose a fragrance free, hypoallergenic cream or ointment rather than lotion. Apply it daily and after every bath, shower and handwashing. Choose fragrance free rather than unscented: unscented products can contain fragrance to mask other smells, and that fragrance can irritate skin.3

Can you put body lotion on your face?

The useful question is whether the formula suits your face, not simply whether it moisturizes your body. As general guidance, rich moisturizers that form a protective layer can cause or aggravate acne. Sensitive facial skin can also react with burning or stinging, so do not assume a lotion that feels comfortable on your legs will feel the same on your face.1

What should you expect, and when should you get help?

When dry skin care is effective, improvement usually appears within 2 weeks. See a clinician if dryness persists or worsens, itching keeps you awake, or scratching leaves open cuts or sores. Brief stinging can occur with sensitive skin, but stop using a moisturizer if an allergic skin reaction develops.124