I Asked Editors to Reveal Their Favorite Expensive Body Lotions and the Dupes That Are Just as Good
No matter how good a particular product may be, it's sometimes hard to rationalize spending your hard-earned money on beauty essentials that will eventually have to replaced. It's tempting to snag trendy luxury products after trying them—only to realize that you'll squeeze the last drop of product out and be left with an empty tube one day. If you're finding yourself doubting your shopping habits and wondering what's on the market that can help you achieve your self-care goals for less, you've found yourself in the right place.
I tapped Who What Wear's beauty editors for their go-to luxury products and the less-expensive options that offer the benefits they're after for much less. I'm talking about nearly half the cost for some. Ahead, see the six expensive body lotions we love and their high-performing alternatives at drugstore price points that deserve love.
1. If You Love Osea's Undaria Collagen Body Lotion…
Senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider was excited to share this Osea find. The newly formulated Undaria Collagen Body Lotion is crafted using skin-loving ingredients, including undaria seaweed, vegan collagen, and hyaluronic acid, to deliver lasting hydrating and radiant skin. Its scent is a refreshing blend of grapefruit, lime, and cypress and offers an elite aromatherapeutic experience second only to a trip to the spa.
…Try Osana Naturals' Body Lotion
"Both Osea and Osana Naturals deliver the ultimate spa-like experience, not only in terms of scent but also when it comes to consistency," Schneider tells me. "Both have silky, luxurious textures that glide on the skin and take a few seconds to rub in, which helps me slow down during my bodycare routine. I leave the bathroom feeling so grounded." Her drugstore pick from Osana Naturals is enhanced with natural extracts like shea butter, coconut oil, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and protect the skin.
2. If You Love Le Prunier's Plumbody Body Créme…
According to associate social media editor Emma Hughes, this body moisturizer is one of the thickest, most hydrating and luxurious-feeling formulas she's gotten her hands on. "I experience dryness, especially on my legs, but feel significantly less itchy and irritated when I slather this on post-shower. It's also fragrance-free, which is great for my sensitive skin," says Hughes. The body cream both delivers and locks in moisture, keeping skin looking and feeling its best.
…Try Vaseline's Advanced Repair Unscented Lotion
When Hughes isn't using Le Prunier's best-selling body lotion, she opts for this classic drugstore option. Its nongreasy formula provides hydration for up to 48 hours, a must-have for anyone with dry, rough skin. "I've lost count of how many times I've repurchased this body lotion. It's hydrating and soothing and definitely more cost-effective than other pricey options. I also love that it's unscented, and I like to add a little bit of body oil to make it feel more luxurious," she tells me.
3. If You Love Kiehl's Since 1851's Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter…
"This classic body butter has been part of my personal collection for years," says associate beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock of her favorite Kiehl's product. "I love its thick, whipped texture and skin-soothing soy milk and honey mix. It moisturizes and softens my skin like a dream." In addition to being luxuriously scented, the body butter is lightweight and quick absorbing with absolutely no stickiness.
…Try Naturium's The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Butter
McLintock's top drugstore pick is Naturium's Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Butter with all the same benefits for half the price. "This is the closest I've ever come to finding a dupe for the Kiehl's Body Butter," she explains. "It has a similar whipped texture that melts into the skin. Rich in botanical oils, shea butter, and glycerin, it has a similar moisturizing and softening effect on my skin. It even smells somewhat similar!"
4. If You Love Tronque's Firming Body Butter…
According to associate beauty editor Shawna Hudson, Tronque's Firming Body Butter is truly unmatched. "It has so many amazing ingredients that firm, tone, and hydrate the skin," she says. The body butter uses 22 high-performing ingredients, including rosehip oil, niacinamide, kelp, and hyaluronic acid to provide long-lasting moisture while hydrating, plumping, and firming the skin. You'll definitely want to add this one to your cart if you're also looking to restore your skin's elasticity.
…Try Soft Services' Carea Cream Moisturizing + Softening Body Lotion
While Hudson hasn't fount an exact dupe of Tronque's Firming Body Butter, she raises one as a money-saving alternative. "The Soft Services Carea Cream is a close second when it comes to hydration and softness added to the skin," states Hudson. Formulated with sensitive, chronically dry, and weathered skin in mind, Soft Services' cream addresses bumpy textures, dead-skin buildup, and persistent dryness and itchiness by hydrating and exfoliating the skin.
5. If You Love Nécessaire's The Body Lotion…
I discovered this body lotion in the early days of the pandemic and couldn't imagine my everything-shower routine without treating my skin to its moisturizing formula. It has five peptides that work together to firm the skin, niacinamide and fatty acids to strengthen the skin barrier, and naturally derived oils to infuse the skin with vitamins for up to 48 hours. It's also fast absorbing and nongreasy, which makes for easy application.
…Try Paula's Choice's Daily Replenishing Body Cream
Another moisture-replenishing lotion I've been using nonstop has been the Daily Replenishing Cream by Paula's Choice. It has a sheer, fast-absorbing formula packed with nourishing antioxidants, ceramides, and targeted peptides that give my skin a smooth, firm appearance with an all-over glow. No matter what season my skin is in, this body cream practically performs miracles.
6. If You Love Augustinus Bader's The Body Cream…
Funnily enough, I got hooked on this luxurious body cream after spotting it being used in Challengers by Zendaya as injured tennis star turned coach Tashi Duncan. Its formula delivers hydration using a powerful blend of shea butter and bisabolol for soft and smooth skin. The cream also helps reverse signs of aging and supports barrier function. Since using it, I've noticed my skin feels firm and plump.
…Try Avène's XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cream
To achieve the same effect for less, I like to use Avène's XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cream. Designed specifically with ultra-dry skin in mind, this cream uses patented I-modulia (a powerful complex derived from Avène's thermal spring water) and primrose-derived Cer-Omega to provide instant hydration, calm irritation, and support the skin's defense system.
Maya Thomas is Who What Wear's Associate Beauty Editor based in New York City. Her strong love for all things beauty and fashion stems from a strong childhood interest in the fine arts. During a gap year spent in Paris studying the history of French fashion, she shifted her focus to English literature and journalism as a student at Loyola Marymount University with the goal of one day pursuing a career in fashion. After graduating in May 2021, Maya began freelancing for Parade.com as a contributing commerce writer while also building a following on her lifestyle blog, Itsmayalala.com. When she's not writing, Maya spends her free time catching up on reading, perusing art galleries, and enjoying a night out at the ballet every now and then.
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