We Are in the Midst of a Body-Butter Bonanza
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It seems like every skin-care brand is launching a body butter or some kind of deeply moisturizingbody cream. It’s great news for me, a body-care enthusiast, but what’s really notable about this latest wave of products is how different they feel from the body butters of yore. Traditionally, body butters are moisturizers that don’t contain water, though cosmetic chemist Dr. Julian Sass says there’s no industrywide definition. I grew up using body butters like this—shea and cocoa butters that came in big tubs and were purchased from tables on Jamaica Avenue or Fulton Street. Those ultrathick butters had to be emulsified and warmed up in your hands before applying, and even then you had to really rub it in. More recently, I’ve had luck with brands likeHana Hana Beautyand Mutha, which make texture improvements on the classic body butter format but stay true to the waterless formulation.
This Second Wave of body butters is different. These are thinner, slicker, and easy to spread. Water is often the first ingredient, followed by an oil. They’re largely indistinguishable frombody creams, the main difference being a slightly thicker feel and heavier oils. When I asked Sass to review the ingredients of the new-school butters I tried, he agreed that these aren’t body butters in the traditional sense butbody creamsthat have been tweaked to simulate the moisture level and shine of a body butter. Some include silicones to help with spreadability or lightweight humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to attract moisture into the skin. Comparing the old school versus the new school, I believe both have their merits. Mostly, it comes down to preference. Personally, I think of the new formulas like rich lotions and reserve my tried-and-true body butters for days I need extra moisture or want my skin to shine.
I tested 11 of these new formulas to see how they held up over the course of a day. In evaluating them, I considered a few things: spreadability, longevity, skin-feel and price. I like a body cream that doesn’t feel like it’s just sitting on top of the skin and isn’t too heavily scented. I also considered the value of the body butter for the money — the more expensive it was, the more I expected from its performance and moisturizing capabilities. My thoughts on those, below.
The best lightweight, glowy body butter
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This was designed in collaboration with a panel of Black women, so I was excited to see what they came up with. It has a unique texture — thin, lightweight, and almost a little wet when first applied. The sensation goes away quickly, though it dries down near immediately. Of all the body butters, this had the thinnest texture, which can be explained by the high level of glycerin (it’s the second ingredient). It also made my skin the glowiest. That said, it wasn’t ideal for me personally — I prefer a richer formula.
The best body butter for people who hate body butter
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I tested this at the recommendation of a friend who likes that it isn’t too thick but is still nourishing. It’s very lightweight, so much so that I wondered whether it belonged in a tub. I wasn’t thrilled with how moisturized I felt throughout the day. It’s also slightly greasy, like all that moisture wasn’t really absorbing into my skin. Even though I have my reservations, I wouldn’t write it off outright. It does spread easily and would be a good option for someone who isn’t looking for deep moisture or wants the benefits of a body butter without the super-thick texture.
The best lotionlike body butter with lots of scent options
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Before setting out on my body butter quest, I heard about this formula the most. Lots of beauty-editor friends are fans, so in testing it, my expectations were high. I tried the unscented option, Nearly Naked, which is pleasantly neutral. The scented formulas are incredibly popular, too, but as I’ve said, I prefer a non-scented or fragrance-free option, if possible. The texture is reminiscent of a thick lotion — it breaks pretty easily when you scoop it out — but it’s still rich enough to give skin that nourished, deeply moisturized feel. I applied this a few times, both on slightly damp and fully dry skin. Between the two, I prefer it on slightly damp skin; it has a better sensorial feel. Of all the body butters I tested, this had the longest staying power, to the point that when I showered that night or the following day, I could feel it rinsing off my skin. I didn’t love that feeling, but it didn’t stop me from liking it, and I would recommend it to anyone who asked if it was any good.
The body butter that will work for most people
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This is where I started in my body-butter testing, and after trying a bunch of different options, it soon became clear that this would be the one to beat. It’s instantly nourishing and applies nicely on wet or dry skin. The consistency reminds me a bit of spreadable frosting, where it isn’t runny but also goes on easily — I don’t have to work too hard to work it in. TheNaturiumbody butter ticks all of my boxes: I feel moisturized for hours, it makes my skin shiny, and it doesn’t cost a lot of money. At $20, it’s an approachable price, and I wouldn’t think twice about repurchasing it on my own. The one thing I don’t love is the smell. It’s the same scent as the other products in this line — the body oil and the triple-lipid lotion — but it’s a bit more concentrated in the body butter, which is a bit off-putting, yet not enough to stop me from using it. I got used to it eventually, and to its credit, the scent doesn’t linger on the skin. While this wasn’t my absolute favorite of the bunch — I’ll get to that next — it’s the one I’m most likely to be using a year from now.
The splurgy body butter that’s expensive but worth it
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I had no expectations for the Clinique body butter going in. I hadn’t heard anyone mention it, but a quick read-through of the reviews seemed promising so I called it in. At first swipe, I thought,Wow, there were scientists in the lab with this one. It feels like someone at Clinique climbed in my brain and crafted a body butter to my exact specifications. It’s fragrance free, thick but easily spreadable, lasts for hours, and soothes mydry skin. On the ingredients front, it’s pretty straightforward. Like lots of the body butters on this list, it contains shea butter, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, but there’s also a little silicone in there, which helps with the spreadability and feel. When I went over the ingredients with Dr. Sass, he agreed it was well formulated. While a bit pricy, it’s a product I’d save up to buy on repeat — it’s just that good.
MorebodybuttersItested
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Nice and thick, but that didn’t translate to feeling nourished. Instead, it sat on top of my skin.
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This has nice ingredients and an appealing texture, but it's pricy for what it is.
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The texture of this was off to me. It’s too lightweight, too scented, and dries down strangely.
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Nice texture, but I was weary of the inclusion of essential oils, particularly lavender.
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This seemed to sit on top of my skin, especially when damp. It also wasn’t that moisturizing.
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Good ingredients, but I didn't like the texture. It’s lightweight but took a while to absorb.
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