In the winter months, the cold weather can really take a toll on your skin. Wind, snow, and freezing temperatures can wreak havoc, causing cracked, dry, red, and sensitive skin. Most people notice these issues on their faces given the fact it is the most exposed, but the skin on our body can suffer just as much.
Having the heat on 24/7 is extremely drying for your entire body. It has a huge effect on your skin’s health throughout the winter. It is frustrating because you obviously need to have the heat on when temperatures drop. Even heat from a fire or fireplace can be damaging. All you can do is try and remedy the damage of the two extremes: heat inside and cold outside.
Your skincare routine is probably much different than the one you use on your body, and that is a good thing. Our bodies have much thicker and tougher skin than our faces do. The good news is that means it is much easier to take care of the skin on your body because it can withstand more products and treatments.
In this article, we will discuss the differences between body cream and body lotion. Many people make the mistake of thinking they are the same product with different names, but that is simply not the case. In fact, they are two different products made for different uses. Read on to find out more!
What Is Body Cream?
The biggest difference between cream and lotion is that cream is better for dry skin. It is a thicker, more moisturizing formula that helps repair dry skin. The texture is different because it has more oil and less water, making it a thicker product. It contains a higher viscosity, which simply means it has more oil than water, resulting in a sticky mixture.
Oftentimes, creams will be a mixture that is 50% oil and 50% water. The higher oil content sometimes means the cream will take more time to dry into the skin. Your skin might feel a bit greasy or oily to the touch after application.
Oftentimes, body cream can help to form a protective barrier over the skin to lock in moisture. Body cream will help to provide the ultimate relief for severely dry and cracked skin. You will need less of this product to provide thick, full coverage for your skin that will help to repair damage from the cold weather.
What Is Body Lotion?
Body lotion can still help moisturize the skin. It aims to do the same thing as a body cream, but with a thinner formula. Body lotion is great for everyday maintenance and helping to keep the skin healthy and smooth. It is better for normal to mildly dry skin. It is also recommended to use body lotion during the winter months when there is less humidity, and moisture levels in the skin can be depleted.
The difference is that body lotion has more water than oil, making it a thinner product that is less likely to deeply penetrate the skin. For surface-level moisture, body lotion is great and can definitely provide some relief for dryness. You will need more of this product to achieve the same results as a body cream. The higher water content also results in a non-greasy formula that will pretty much always settle right into your skin without any stickiness or greasy residue.
What Are Some Examples of High-Quality Body Creams and Lotions?
While drugstore brands are great and can definitely help with moisturizing your skin, buying a high-quality body lotion or body cream will ensure the ingredients in the product will really work to moisturize the skin and help to repair it from any damage caused by dryness.
Anything that says “body cream” or “body lotion” can be used on your entire body, including your hands and feet. The one exception is your face. You should always consult your dermatologist to determine what type of moisturizer you need for your face because it is more delicate and sensitive than the skin on your body.
Spongellé has a great collection of high-quality body lotions and creams. We offer the lotions in a variety of scents to choose from, from floral to neutral. Our body lotion contains shea butter, argan oil, and macadamia oil. These are combined with vitamin E for the perfect soothing and moisturizing product.
Our hand cream will help to make sure your hands and cuticles are nourished and soft. It is enriched with hyaluronic acid and shea butter, which means you will be hydrated after every use. The scents include Coconut Verbena, French Lavender, Papaya Yuzu, and a few others.
If you are looking for something a bit different than lotion or cream, we also offer a few scents of body souffle. These have a whipped texture and are in-between a lotion and cream texture. It is not as thick as a cream, but it is thicker than a lotion.
Should I Exfoliate Before I Use Lotion or Cream?
Yes! You should absolutely exfoliate before you use either body lotion or body cream. This is a great way to ensure the product can fully absorb into your skin and will give you the added benefit of extra smooth skin. In fact, it is better that you do exfoliate your skin before using a lotion or cream. Exfoliating will help to remove any dead skin cells which clog the skin. Then, the lotion or cream can lock in moisture in the skin.
There are two great products from Spongellé that are perfect for exfoliating the skin. Our body buffers are three-in-one products that come in the form of a body wash-infused sponge. These buffers work to exfoliate the skin by gently scrubbing away dead skin, dirt, and other impurities. The buffer acts as a physical exfoliant, and the body wash works to lather and wash away anything the buffer scrubs off.
Our other product is an exfoliant that can be used on your feet. Our pedi-buffers are perfect for rough and dry skin on the feet. The buffer exfoliates dead and dry skin while also acting as a massage for the feet. On top of that, it soothes dry skin with its moisturizing cleanser. If you are a guy who wants to take care of their feet, we have got you covered as well—check out our men’s pedi-buffers.
Conclusion
While there is not a huge difference between body cream and body lotion, there is still enough of a difference that they should be used for different skin issues. The biggest difference between the two is that body cream is very thick, whereas body lotion is thin, and in some cases, it is even water-like.
The reason for this difference is that body cream has a higher oil content than water content, although, in some brands, the ratio is 50/50. The higher oil content results in something called viscosity, which is when something is very sticky. Some people do not like cream because it can leave a greasy residue on your body after using it. However, it is much better for dry skin.
Body lotion is the perfect product for everyday maintenance. It is light enough to use when the weather is hot and humid but can also be used daily, even during the colder months. It is great to use every time you wash your hands so they do not get dried out or right before bed so they can retain moisture while you are sleeping.
If you exfoliate with our Spongellé products before using body cream or body lotion, your skin will be prepped for an even better application, and it will be even smoother and softer afterward!
Sources:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/297228-body-cream-vs-body-lotion/
