You may take care of your face on a daily basis but what about your body skin? You may not maintain the skin of your body in the same way. Since our skin covers a large part of our body, we should take care of our body skin.
The basic difference between body cream and body lotion is that cream has less water content than body lotion. Both act as a skin protection barrier. Body cream and body lotion are great emollients. They protect the skin as a barrier to the skin and keep the skin hydrated.
Sometimes we need clarification on which emollient is best for our skin’s protection. Our skin is very sensitive, so we need to choose the right products for our skin. If you want to know the fundamental difference between body cream and body lotion and their effectiveness, read the full article till the end.
What are body cream and body lotion?
In terms of consistency, A body cream is a thick product that is usually a mixture of oil and water with a slightly higher concentration of oil. Body creams have a high viscosity because of their low water content, so they act as an ultra-barrier on your skin. The cream has a heavy texture because of the high parentage of oil so you may feel a little greasier on the skin.
On the other hand, body lotion has more water content than body cream, hence its viscosity is less than body cream. Because of its thin consistency, it gets absorbed quickly on your skin. Body lotions contain much less oil than body creams and are a little less sticky. It also tends to be less heavy than body creams as it has a lower consistency.
How do body creams and body lotions protect the skin?
When you apply the cream to the skin, it penetrates the epidermis of your skin. Because of the heavy consistency, it makes a layer on your skin.
- Body cream creates a proper layer on your skin, thus keeping your skin hydrated for a long time.
- It Keeps your skin always bright, radiant, and smooth naturally.
- It protects your skin from ultraviolet rays.
- It prevents your skin from aging faster by removing signs of aging.
- Most body creams contain antioxidants that protect your damaged skin.
Because of the high water content of the body lotion, it absorbs into your skin very quickly after applying it to the body, which is very impressive.
- As we have already discussed, body lotions contain a lot of water. If your skin becomes dehydrated body lotion can replenish your lost moisture. So you can feel hydrated as it is easily absorbed into your skin.
- Lotion helps keep your moisture locked on the skin. As a result, your skin looks smooth and glowing even if you apply nothing for a long time.
- Body lotion makes your skin always glowing, vibrant, and radiant.
How do you use body creams and body lotions in your body?
A body cream will not work as well if you apply the product on the skin improperly. As a result, it will only be a waste of money. You can get to know about it only if you follow the usage rules mentioned on the packaging of the product. There are also some standard and simple usage rules that you should know about a body cream.
- Find your skin type: First, you need to understand your skin type, whether your skin is dry or normal, or sensitive. Select the perfect cream according to your skin type.
- Clean your body first: Use body cream after the bath because the cream should not be applied to dirty skin. When your skin is dirty, it blocks the pores of the skin. That is why it is better if you clean the skin with skin soap or any cleaning agent and then apply the cream.
- Do not forget to apply sunscreen: When you go outside after applying the cream, be sure to apply sunscreen to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays.
- Apply the cream after washing your body: Applying body cream to wet skin is more effective than applying it to dry skin. So wet your skin with water.
Now we should have some idea about how to apply body lotion on the skin.
- Follow the rules according to packaging: Each product’s packaging has some instructions on how to use it. All of them you can follow.
- Shake the bottle before you use body lotion: Before using the body lotion, the bottle should be shaken because the ingredients of some products fall down to the bottom of the bottle. However, in this case, the bottle should be shaken and checked whether the instructions are given.
- Use body lotion in the rough area of your skin: Apply the body lotion to the areas where your skin is too dry or rough. After hand washing, the hand can be dried. Then you can apply lotion on your hands to keep the skin hydrated and smooth.
- Use before radiation therapy: If you have to go through any radiation therapy in your body, then you can apply body lotion to protect the skin from that therapy. However, you can check if the body lotion contains any ingredients that should protect you from skin damage.
Can body creams and body lotions be easily made with homemade ingredients?
Why not! We all have some available ingredients in our house with which we can easily make a standard lotion and cream. You can use them for a long time by storing them at the right temperature.
- Take 142g distilled water and mix it with glycerin in a pot.
- Add other ingredients coconut oil, and emulsifying wax, and melt with heat.
- After cooling, the mixture adds essential oil and vitamin E oil.
- Keep the cool mixture in a small pot.
- Make sure that it is kept away from sunlight.
Basic lotion recipe:
- Take a glass and place 1 Tablespoon of wax, ½ cup shea butter, 1 vitamin E capsule, and essential oil.
- Add ½ cup aloe vera with the mixture if you want.
- Heat a pot with water and place this glass inside the hot water.
- Now stir with a spoon for some time until the wax melts.
- Now put the mixture in a small pot
- After cooling, this mixture adds water or hydrosol and then other ingredients. Then mix until the creamy texture is formed.
What guidelines do you think should be followed while using body lotions and body creams?
The guidelines you should follow for using body creams and body lotions are almost the same, there is no significant difference. There are several things that you should maintain before using body cream and body lotion to avoid skin damage.
- Our eyes and mouth are very sensitive organs of our body. Try to avoid those body parts while applying cream and lotion.
- Be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging of the product on which areas it should be used.
- If the skin is cut somewhere, if there is irritation, refrain from applying cream or lotion at that place. Because there is a possibility of infection if you apply those at that place.
- Applying them to the skin is beneficial after consultation with a skin specialist.
What types of body creams and body lotions are used for skin effectiveness?
Body creams and body lotions are not only used to hydrate the skin but there are many other types. Somebody creams and body lotions smooth your skin, some work as a moisturizer, some brighten the skin, and some act as skin whitening.
Body cream and body lotion for whitening skin: Applying creams rich in ingredients that reduce melanin will lighten the skin. The cream contains kojic acid, vitamin C, glycolic acid, azelaic acid, retinoid, etc which are said to contribute to your skin whitening. They also brighten and smooth the skin making your skin look vibrant.
Smoothing body cream and body lotion: We need to use smoothing creams and lotions to soften and smooth the dehydration lines on our skin. It also helps to provide moisture to your skin. Extracts from various fruits such as papaya, citric fruits, etc are used for skin smoothing also other ingredients like glycerin, and cucumber is used. These ingredients keep your skin soft throughout the day.
Body care cream and body lotion: This type of body cream or body lotion helps the skin nourishment. Helps remove dead cells from your skin which will make your skin extra glowing.
Can body creams and lotions be used on the skin every day?
The answer is yes! You can use body cream body lotion every day to maintain your skin. Air pollution or sunburns damage our skin every day. If we want to prevent the skin from this problem, our skin should make a barrier. That’s why we should use a daily skin moisturizer that can be both body cream or body lotion.
You should use body lotions and body creams daily to protect your skin from environmental damage. However, while using them, you should be careful so that your skin does not have any negative impact. If it does, you should avoid those products or use them once or twice a week. Neither creams nor lotions will harm you if your skin creates an opposite reaction.
Will the cream last longer on your body or the lotion?
Body creams last longer on your skin than body lotions because of their greater thickness. We have to go out to the workplace every day to maintain the continuity of our daily life. Being outside too much can dry out the skin because air strips moisture from our skin, leaving our skin dehydrated. Therefore, which product will protect us from dehydration of skin for a long time, is a big concern for us.
Creams have a higher oil content than body lotions, which creates a thick layer on the skin and last longer. As a result, the moisture cannot be easily removed from your skin, it goes slowly. Body lotion on the other hand does not give your skin a heavy greasy look as its viscosity is very low compared to body cream.
You may know that body lotions have a high water content which makes your skin absorb the light consistency lotion quickly. Therefore, if you want to keep your skin protected for a long time, to save your skin from dryness, then applying body cream will be suitable for you.
What criteria should I follow to choose the best body cream and body lotion for my skin?
To choose a good body cream and body lotion, you should know about the effectiveness of its ingredients. For a good body cream, the ingredients used are mentioned on the packaging cover, you should know how they act on your skin before you buy.
First, you need to focus on your skin type. If your skin is dry, then use body cream. If you want to buy a long-lasting heavy creamier texture, then buy a cream having ingredients like hyaluronic acid and dimethicone. Also, lanolin, mineral oil keeps the skin hydrated. Look for these ingredients and choose the product.
In selecting a good body lotion, one should keep in mind that it contains cetyl alcohol, cetyl ester, glycerin, etc. Those ingredients are beneficial for your skin. A good body or body lotion should be bought from a trusted brand.
Otherwise, negative effects may occur on your skin.
Depending on the different skin types, body lotion should be preferred or body cream should be preferred?
If you want to take proper care of your body’s skin, you need to ensure that you choose a suitable product for your skin type. Depending on your skin type, you should use a body cream or a body lotion. Otherwise, it is often seen that your skin does not get the care it needs because of the wrong choice of product for your skin.
Dry skin: If you have dry skin, the cream is perfect for you. Dry skin can easily become dehydrated. The body cream is able to give your skin a heavy texture and greasy coverage. For those whose skin gets dry quickly, it will keep the skin hydrated for a long time.
Combination skin: If you have combination skin then you can use both lotion and cream. Those with combination skin have some parts of the body that are very rough, such as elbows and knees. You can use body cream on these rough parts and body lotion is better on the rest of the normal skin parts.
Oily skin: Here comes the part of oily skin. Sebaceous glands produce oil in your body’s skin. So this type of skin already makes a greasy layer in your skin. So it will be better if you use body lotion instead of body cream.
What are the ingredients in body creams and lotions that are beneficial for the skin?
There are some ingredients in body cream that play an important role in your skin.
Alpha Arbutin: Alpha Arbutin reduces excess melanin production in your body. It acts as a skin-whitening agent. It also helps prevent hyperpigmentation and induces new cell production.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps in your skin smoothening. Not only it helps in skin smoothing but it can make your skin flawless and revitalized.
Glycolic acid: Glycolic acid is a colorless ingredient. It exfoliates your skin and improves your skin tone. If the sun damages your skin, this will fade through collagen production.
It also keeps your skin pores clear if they become blocked with dirt.
Lanolin oil: Lanolin oil is known as an emollient and is widely used in the cosmetic industry. The main function of this ingredient is to hydrate the skin in your body.
Cetyl esters: Cetyl esters act as an emulsifier in body lotions which comprise saturated fatty alcohols and saturated fatty acids and are also safe for the skin.
Dimethicone: Any areas of the body’s skin that are rough and dry, such as the elbows, keeps them smooth for longer. This ingredient is widely used in body creams to keep the skin nourished for a long time.
Fragrance: Since many types of ingredients are used in the skin, such as esters, alcohol, etc, They can emit a bitter smell. That is why the fragrance is added to body cream removing this unpleasant smell.
What kind of effective ingredients are used in body lotion?
Different body lotions contain different ingredients. However, there are some standard ingredients that need to be used.
Dicaprylyl carbonate: It is a kind of emollient and at the same time solvent that exists in body lotion. This ingredient helps the lotion to absorb easily on your skin. As it is also a skin conditioning agent, it will increase your body’s smoothness. It has no significant side effects though.
Shea butter: It has properties that help reduce any swelling area on your skin and also soften your skin as well.
Cetearyl Alcohol: Cetearyl alcohol is used in body lotion to stabilize the product as it is a stabilizer. It is able to thicken the lotion and soften your skin.
Sorbitan olivate: It is used as an emulsifier in body lotion which is a waxy fluid.
Palmitoyl: Palmitoyl helps to stimulate collagen production in your body’s skin and can make your skin glowing.
Linolenic acid: The very important function of this ingredient is that it reduces the melanin production of your skin and makes the skin brighter.
Propanediol: Propanediol helps to absorb other ingredients to your skin easily.
Tocopherol: The most important function of tocopherol is it can make your skin radiant and healthy.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an important component that protects the skin from various deleterious effects. These types of effects are caused by solar radiation and vitamin E protects the skin from the effect.
Essential oil: Essential oil helps to treat microbial inflammation in your skin and make your skin relieved.
How do body lotions and body creams affect the skin?
Not only do body creams and body lotions have benefits, but they can also have some side effects as well. Body creams and body lotions have almost the same side effects.
- There are some ingredients that are used in lotions that can make your skin irritated. For example, cetearyl alcohol causes skin irritation.
- Can occur some allergic reactions to your skin
- Skin infection can also occur.
- the rash may appear on your skin
This is because the ingredients you use are incompatible with your skin. As a result of which the ingredients have a negative impact on your skin. In this case, you should change the product, and if the condition of the skin is worse, then you should consult a good dermatologist.
FAQ
Which one should I use for summer and winter?
Almost all of us face the problem that the skin becomes parched and looks dull in winter. Our skin becomes dry because of a decrease in moisture from the air. As discussed earlier, body creams have a very fine consistency and form a fine layer in the skin, It protects your skin from drying easily.
It is better to use body lotion in summer because in summer, skin does not dehydrate quickly. And besides, body lotion does not have a heavy consistency, because the amount of water is high. So it will be comfortable for your skin to use body lotion in summer and body cream in winter.
Should body creams and lotions be applied before or after the bath?
You should definitely use body lotion and body cream after both. Daily exposure to dust clogs the pores of your body’s skin. Because of those clogged pores, body cream or body lotion will not work on the skin. It will be a total waste of money. For this you have to bathe with clean water, you can also use soap or any kind of cleaning agent to wash your skin from dirt.
Conclusion
A large part of our body comprises skin. So this big part of our body should not be neglected. We must take care of it with body cream or body lotion whatever you want to use. You have to choose and apply a body cream or body lotion according to your skin condition. If you face any problems, don’t forget to consult a dermatologist.
