The 4 Best Body Creams on Amazon in 2026

Illustration: an open plain white tub of thick body cream beside a folded white towel on a navy bathroom counter, drawn as a soft 3D render. Not a real product.

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are independently researched, written by TwelveTabs AI and never sponsored.

The top picks

Our top pick for most people is the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. It won the main TwelveTabs search we ran for this guide, “best body cream”, out of 56 Amazon listings. It is a rich, fragrance-free cream for dry and sensitive skin that works on the face and body, and it comes in a big 20 oz tub that lasts.

If your skin is simply dry, the NIVEA Cocoa Butter Body Cream won our dry skin search. For very dry, rough patches, the Eucerin Advanced Repair Body Cream made the final three in two searches. And if you mostly want something that smells good, the Jergens Cherry Almond Hand & Body Lotion won our scent search. Looking for something to wash with first? See our sensitive skin body wash guide.

The method

How this pick was made

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Face & Body, 20 oz is the top pick. This is the work behind that choice.

  1. 170Amazon search results read, across 3 searches
  2. 9finalist pages read in full
  3. 52shopper reviews read
  4. 2expert sources cross-checked: American Academy of Dermatology, Allure

Run on September 25, 2026. AI read the listings and what shoppers say, then wrote this guide. Full method and limits

Our picks in detail

The WinnerBest overall
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Face & Body, 20 oz

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Face & Body, 20 oz

Best for: Dry, sensitive skin that needs a fragrance-free cream

  • $14.12
  • 4.8 (40,830 reviews)5-star 86% · 1-star 2%
  • 20K+ bought last month
  • Pros Rich cream for dry, sensitive skin
  • Cons A tub, not a pump

Prices and ratings as of September 25, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Rich cream for dry, sensitive skin
  • Fragrance-free
  • For face and body
  • Big 20 oz tub

Cons

  • A tub, not a pump
  • No scent, if you want one
Top Alternative
NIVEA Cocoa Butter Body Cream for Dry Skin, 16 oz

NIVEA Cocoa Butter Body Cream for Dry Skin, 16 oz

Best for: Everyday dry skin, with a light cocoa butter scent

  • $7.98
  • 4.7 (28,944 reviews)5-star 83% · 1-star 1%
  • 10K+ bought last month
  • ★ Amazon's Choice
  • Prime
  • Pros Rich body cream made for dry skin
  • Cons Scented, so not for fragrance-sensitive skin

Prices and ratings as of September 25, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Rich body cream made for dry skin
  • Cocoa butter formula
  • Big 16 oz size

Cons

  • Scented, so not for fragrance-sensitive skin
  • For the body, not the face
Top Alternative
Eucerin Advanced Repair Body Cream, Urea Enriched, 8 oz

Eucerin Advanced Repair Body Cream, Urea Enriched, 8 oz

Best for: Very dry, rough skin

  • $9.97
  • 4.7 (52,424 reviews)5-star 85% · 1-star 1%
  • 5K+ bought last month
  • Pros Urea formula for skin barrier repair
  • Cons Smaller 8 oz tube

Prices and ratings as of September 25, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Urea formula for skin barrier repair
  • For very dry, rough skin
  • Exfoliates as it moisturizes

Cons

  • Smaller 8 oz tube
  • More than most people need every day
Top Alternative
Jergens Cherry Almond Hand & Body Lotion, 32 fl oz

Jergens Cherry Almond Hand & Body Lotion, 32 fl oz

Best for: A body lotion that smells good

  • $10.40
  • 4.8 (31,488 reviews)5-star 87% · 1-star 2%
  • 10K+ bought last month
  • Pros Classic cherry almond scent
  • Cons A lotion, lighter than a cream

Prices and ratings as of September 25, 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Classic cherry almond scent
  • Fast-absorbing, not greasy
  • Big 32 oz bottle

Cons

  • A lotion, lighter than a cream
  • Scented, so not for sensitive skin

Compare the picks

Prices and ratings as of September 25, 2026. They change often, so check today's price on Amazon.

Our picks, side by side
PictureProductOutcome
1Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Face & Body, 20 ozCetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Face & Body, 20 ozTexture: Rich cream · Scent: NonePrice $14.1220K+ bought last monthRating 4.840,830 reviews5-star 86% · 1-star 2%Winner. Best for: Dry, sensitive skin that needs a fragrance-free cream
2NIVEA Cocoa Butter Body Cream for Dry Skin, 16 ozNIVEA Cocoa Butter Body Cream for Dry Skin, 16 ozTexture: Rich cream · Scent: Cocoa butterPrice $7.9810K+ bought last monthRating 4.728,944 reviews5-star 83% · 1-star 1%Best for: Everyday dry skin, with a light cocoa butter scent
3Eucerin Advanced Repair Body Cream, Urea Enriched, 8 ozEucerin Advanced Repair Body Cream, Urea Enriched, 8 ozTexture: Urea cream · Scent: Not statedPrice $9.975K+ bought last monthRating 4.752,424 reviews5-star 85% · 1-star 1%Best for: Very dry, rough skin
4Jergens Cherry Almond Hand & Body Lotion, 32 fl ozJergens Cherry Almond Hand & Body Lotion, 32 fl ozTexture: Lotion · Scent: Cherry almondPrice $10.4010K+ bought last monthRating 4.831,488 reviews5-star 87% · 1-star 2%Best for: A body lotion that smells good

How to choose a body cream

Every jar promises soft skin. The American Academy of Dermatology and Allure’s dermatologists point to a few things that actually matter.

  • Cream or lotion. Creams and ointments add more moisture to skin than lotions, the American Academy of Dermatology says. A cream is thicker and suits dry skin. A lotion spreads faster and feels lighter, which some people prefer in summer. Allure’s experts add that a gel cream suits people who run warm or live somewhere humid.
  • Fragrance or none. For dry or sensitive skin, dermatologists recommend products labeled “fragrance-free”. If your skin is happy with scent, a scented lotion is fine, and it is often the reason people reach for it every day.
  • Ingredients that hold water in. Allure’s dermatologists name ceramides, glycerin, shea butter, petrolatum, lactic acid and urea as solid bets. Urea also gently exfoliates, which is why it shows up in creams for rough skin.
  • When you put it on. Both sources agree on timing. Apply your cream within a few minutes of a shower, while skin is still a little damp, so it seals the water in. The dermatologists also suggest short, warm showers of five to ten minutes, and patting dry rather than rubbing.
  • Tub or pump. A tub makes it easy to scoop a thick cream. A pump is quicker and cleaner for a thinner lotion.

What we left out, and why

Our three searches returned 170 listings. TwelveTabs shortlisted 30 of them, read the listing pages of 9 finalists, and named a winner and two runners-up in each search. We kept four and left out the rest:

  • Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream in an 8.8 oz tub, a runner-up in our dry skin search. It is our top pick in a smaller size.
  • eos Shea Better Body Lotion in Crème de Pistachio, a runner-up in our scent search. It is a second scented lotion, and we kept the search winner.
  • eos Shea Better travel-size lotion in Sparkling Amber, also a runner-up in our scent search. It is a small 2.5 fl oz bottle.

Wirecutter’s guide to body lotions names several picks, but we could not read it this time and Google’s results do not say which one is its top pick, so no Wirecutter pick is in the comparison table. None of the lotions its results name, from Aveeno, CeraVe, Cetaphil and Olay, appeared in our searches’ shortlists.

How we researched

On September 25, 2026 we ran three live TwelveTabs searches of Amazon: “best body cream”, “body cream for dry skin” and “body cream that smells good”. Together they returned 170 listings. TwelveTabs shortlisted 10 from each search, read the listing pages of 9 finalists and named a winner and two runners-up in each. We kept four that each suit a different need, and left out the same creams in other sizes. AI wrote this guide from that research.

Listings change: we read them on September 25, 2026, and a formula, size or seller may differ today.

Prices, ratings and review counts come from Amazon and were read on September 25, 2026.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a body cream and a body lotion?

A cream is thicker and holds more oil, so it adds more moisture. A lotion is thinner and absorbs faster. The American Academy of Dermatology says creams and ointments are more effective than lotions for dry skin. If you want a body lotion with retinol, our retinol body lotion guide covers four.

What is the best body cream for dry skin?

The NIVEA Cocoa Butter Body Cream won our dry skin search. If your skin is also sensitive, the fragrance-free Cetaphil cream is the better fit, and for very rough patches, look at the Eucerin urea cream.

When should you put on body cream?

Right after a shower or bath, while your skin is still slightly damp. Both the dermatologists and Allure’s experts say this seals in the water already on your skin.

Is a scented body lotion bad for your skin?

Not for everyone. Dermatologists suggest fragrance-free products for dry or sensitive skin. If your skin does not react to fragrance, a scented lotion like the Jergens is fine.

How did TwelveTabs choose these body creams?

TwelveTabs ranked the Amazon listings for “best body cream”, “body cream for dry skin” and “body cream that smells good”, read the pages of 9 finalists and named a winner in each search. From those 170 listings, we kept the four that each suit a different need, as of September 25, 2026. We checked the advice against American Academy of Dermatology and Allure. TwelveTabs, our AI shopping agent, compared the Amazon listings, and AI wrote this guide from that research. To see what it picks today, run the search yourself with the button on this page.