Body Butter or Lotion...What's the Difference?

OK - let's get this out of the way first. There is a place for both body butters and lotions in the daily skincare routine. But I think the science of why is important, and the world could really use a little more science these days.

The catalyst that pushed me to wanting to write this article was seeing those crunchy mommy bloggers posting about how you shouldn't buy lotions as they're up to 70% water and just a waste of money, and how their oil and butter only butters are so much better, more concentrated, and water free. I hate to break it to you, but that's the whole reason you SHOULD use lotions. Not the money wasting part, but the water content.

Our skin needs water. And the combination of water, oils, and humectants in a lotion are exactly what your skin needs. You are not wasting your money if you buy a product that contains water. You are nourishing your skin.

Scientifically, anhydrous (body butter) products cannot moisturize or hydrate. Hear me out, as I literally see and hear over and over and over and over on social media and on websites, people advertising their body butters (even lip balms) as being moisturizing and hydrating for the skin.

They simply cannot. From a purely scientific point of view, moisture/hydration comes from water. Full stop. Oils and butters are emollient, softening and conditioning the skin, and may provide nutrients, although that's beyond the scope of this writing.

We all know (I hope) that our bodies need water, and lots of it, to remain healthy, including and especially our skin. That water should come from what we put into our bodies along with what we put on our bodies. And in order for our skin to be healthy and function properly, it needs both water and lipids (fatty acids, cholesterol, ceramides).

Water will plump the skin and prevent our cells from drying out. Lipids provide additional protection, locking in that moisture, creating a barrier on our skin. This is a very simple explanation, but I just want to explain what both do for our skin, and why you need need them!

Oils and butters by themselves are not hydrating or moisturizing - because no water! They are, however, important. They are emollient, and help soften the skin. They also help "lock" in moisture, and keep it from escaping!

We also have humectants like glycerin, which help draw moisture from the air onto our skin, and are just as important in a good formulation, but that's another topic!

So, what do I recommend for your skin care routine? Both! If you're a die hard body butter aficionado, then I recommend applying a water based lotion directly out of the shower, and then locking that moisture in with your favourite body butter. The next best thing is applying your body butter to your damp skin, again to try and lock in that moisture.

Or better yet, the best of both worlds. An emulsified body butter. I make a nice light lotion I love for my hands and the summer time. But I also make an emulsified body butter I use year round. Here's why.

I haven't met a body butter I've liked. They're all too greasy and heavy, no matter how hard I've tried to formulate with the lightest, fastest absorbing oils out there. When I stumbled into the world of emulsified body butters, I was hooked. Finally a body butter I liked. You get the benefits of all those lovely butters and oils, and all that hydration from the water. The bonus is they don't melt or separate, even in the heat of summer.

When you apply it, you can actually feel the moisture, and you can feel the humectant quality of the cream, without that greasy, heavy, slick feeling on your skin, drawing the moisture in.

I hope this article helps you make an informed decision on your skincare routine. Sifting through a trove of opinion and anecdotal based articles can be overwhelming. But I encourage you to seek out science based, peer reviewed research on the subject, and any subject you'd like to make an informed decision on.