The Ultimate Guide: Body Butter vs. Body Lotion vs. Body Oil — How to Choose & Top Scented, Nourishing Picks
Introduction
Choosing between a body butter, body lotion or body oil to hydrate and scent your skin can feel overwhelming. In this guide, we’ll break down the differences and recommend top-rated, nourishing options for every preference.
What’s the Difference?
Body Butter: Best for Dry Skin, Sealing Moisture & Subtle Fragrance
Body butters are thick, rich balms made with dense emollients like shea, cocoa, or mango butter. They’re ideal for very dry skin and colder months because they are best for retaining the skin’s moisture.
Traditional body butters are made of just butters and oils like coconut or grapeseed. This makes them occlusive, meaning they are sealants that lock in moisture – they do not hydrate. Emulsified body butters contain water, giving them a lighter and less greasy texture that can provide light skin hydration, absorb into skin faster and help retain the skin’s moisture.
- Texture: Thick, creamy, often whipped
- Best for: Sealing hydration, colder climates, extending perfume wear
- Fragrance Strength: Low (subtle, skin-close scent)
Body Lotion: Best for Soft Scent Base & Maximum Skin Moisturization
Body lotions are lighter than butters, due to their lower concentration of butters and oils and higher concentration of water. Body lotions often smells strong initially, but their higher water content causes fragrance to evaporate faster than in body butters or oils. They also absorb quickly into the skin, making them perfect for everyday moisture without heaviness. Many lotions also include fragrant notes that can subtly enhance your scent layering routine.
- Texture: Light to medium
- Best for: Daily hydration, normal to combination skin
- Fragrance Strength: Fragrance Strength: Moderate (strong opening, faster fade)
Body Oil: Strongest Scent Payoff & Best Option for Body Oil Perfume Lovers
Body oils provide lightweight moisture retention and a natural glow. They are usually a mix of the actual perfume oil and a base of carrier oils like coconut, castor, jojoba. Similar to traditional body butters, oils are occlusive sealants that do not moisturize dry skin, but are best used to retain moisture either directly after a shower, while skin is still damp, or after applying body lotion, or even emulsified body butter.
- Texture: Light to Medium
- Best for: Sealing hydration, glowing skin
- Fragrance Strength: High (best projection and longevity)
Best Scented & Nourishing Body Butters
These body butters provide some of the heaviest scents when compared to their peers and are a mix of traditional and emulsified to meet your moisture and sealant needs.
L’Occitane Almond Body Balm
$43.00; 3.4oz
Parfums by Cherie Marshmallow Crush
$45.99; 8oz
skinBUTTR
$25.00; 3.4oz
DIY - Make Your Own!
$20.00; 16oz
Highlights:
- L’Occitane Almond Body Balm – A fresh, creamy almond scent and thick, rich texture that sits on skin for over an hour before absorption.
- Parfums by Cherie Marshmallow Crush Body Butter – An emulsified butter that hydrates and locks in moisture and provides a cotton candy marshmallow scent
- Skin BUTTR – Another traditional butter that is fully occlusive, this comes in a variety of scents, including pomango and cocoa vanilla.
- DIY Traditional Body Butter – Using 3-5 ingredients and a mixing bowl, you can follow a quick YouTube video to literally whip up your own batch of unscented body butter. You can then add your favorite perfume oil for scent. Mango or Kokum butter is best (vs. shea or cocoa) as they are least fragrant and won’t compete with your perfume. Price includes perfume oil
Tip: If you want to indulge in body butter application before bed without transferring product onto your cotton sheets, consider investing in some comfortable and luxurious feeling satin pajama pants. They help your skin retain moisture, look great and protect your bed linens.
Top Body Lotions for Hydration + Scent
These lotions combine moisture with aromatic appeal — perfect as a daily hydrator or base before your sealant or your perfume:
L’Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate
$37.00; 3.4oz
Bond No 9 Body Silk
$85-$140; 6.8oz
Giardini di Toscana
$55.00; 8.4oz
DIY - CeraVe + Perfume Oil
$40-$50; 16oz
Highlights:
- L’Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate – A fresh, creamy almond scent and light non-greasy feel that moisturizes dry skin for up to 8 hrs.
- Bond No 9 Body Silk – The formula feels like actual silk on your skin - light and whipped, but moisturizing for at least 4-6 hrs for dry skin. Scents match their fragrances, like Nolita or NY Nights and help extend their longevity.
- Giardini di Toscana Body Lotion – A thicker lotion with strong fragrance, the two available scents - Bora Bora and Bianco Latte, match the eponymous perfumes perfectly.
- DIY Scented Body Lotion – CeraVe is a thick and hydrating lotion that is so thick it comes in a jar. Mixing this with your favorite perfume oils allows you to have multiple scented body lotions that all nourish your skin. Price includes perfume oil
Best Body Oils & Scented Body Oil Perfume Picks
Body oils provide the optimal mix of moisture, glow and scent, especially in warmer weather.
Brown Sugar Babe Body Oil
$25+; 4-8oz
SAFA Body Oil
$29.00; 4oz
L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil
$53.00; 3.4oz
DIY - Baby Oil Gel + Perfume Oil
$40.00; 16oz
Highlights:
- Brown Sugar Babe Body Oil – Scents range from gourmand to musky fresh and are complimented by a base oil blend that is arguably the thickest, richest and longest lasting in the industry
- SAFA Body Oil – A refined floral vanilla scent and a light and fast absorbing oil that gives skin a soft glow
- L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil – Cult-favorite and for a reason. Same scent as the balm and lotion, but in a nourishing, non greasy but highly occlusive oil.
- DIY Scented Body Oil – Mixing your favorite perfume oil (you can find some at Sephora or even you local beauty supply or Arabic store) into a bottle of sweet almond oil, baby oil or baby oil gel will give you fragrant and high shine skin
Tip: If you do not plan to apply lotion first, apply body oil on damp skin right after showering — this helps seal in moisture and enhances glow.
How to Layer Body Lotion, Body Oil & Perfume for Long-Lasting Scent
If you love fragrance, consider this scent layering routine:
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BATHE – this is non-negotiable; start with a clean base
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Apply scented body lotion — subtle fragrance base that hydrates.
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Add body oil or butter — adds deeper, longer-lasting scent with shine.
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Finish with your signature perfume — locks everything in and amplifies the scent story.
This multi-layer approach keeps scent longer and gives your skin a nourished, soft feel all day.
Note: If you plan to use perfume oil, apply it to your pulse points (wrists, neck, etc.) after applying your body oil or butter. Rub any excess product from your hands either (1) through your hair or (2) over your clothes to maximize your scent bubble.
Conclusion
Whether you’re after deep nourishment, light daily hydration, or a richly scented body oil perfume experience, there’s a perfect product for every need. It all comes down to what matters most to you and how much time you have to moisturize for the day.