Body oil vs Body butter

Keep your skin hydrated this season with luscious body butter and hydrating oils. Skin is such a tricky thing to keep soft and smooth, with hydration the name of the game. As well as drinking lots of water, it's important to moisturise your skin from the outside too.

There are a number of ways you can do this, with many people applying a body lotion. However, these products can feel thin and the benefits don't always seem to last very long. A body butter can be a better option, as they are much richer and usually contain more lubricating ingredients, such as Shea butter, as well as natural oils like coconut, olive and jojoba.

Soap and Glory's Butter Yourself Smoothing Body Cream contains that must-have component Shea butter as well as peppermint oil and fruit liquid fig to leave skin feeling super soft and flake-free. Palmer's Cocoa Body Butter is another solid option, containing pure natural cocoa butter with restorative Vitamin E and deeply hydrating Urea to transform even the roughest, driest skin whilst helping to improve the appearance of marks and scars too.

As well as rich creams, a body oil is a great way to get that much needed moisture fix. The best body oils are organic, free of chemicals and extracted from roots, fruits, flowers and leaves. They have a different purpose to butters because they are better at protecting the skin's lipid barrier and are great at preventing moisture from evaporating.

Some people may think that oils will clog your pores, but the truth is that natural versions are easily absorbed, not greasy, and noncomedogenic; that is, they have a low potential to clog pores, which makes them perfect for all skin types.

Dove's Purely Pampering Pistachio and Magnolia Nourishing Body Oil maintains the quality of the lipid bi-layer with the help of natural fatty acids, including pistachio, sesame and sea buckthorn oils as well as grape seed.

Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula Body Oil is an ultra-light, non-greasy, natural oil (not mineral oil), prepared from sesame seed, which is best applied straight after your shower or bath when your pores are open and it can be easily absorbed.