Body Lotion Review

Introduction to Body Lotion

In order to find the best body lotions, we turned to cosmetics and skin care expert Paula Begoun, author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, an acclaimed book on skin care, hair care and cosmetics. While her book and companion websites CosmeticsCop.com and Beautypedia.com provide hundreds of product reviews, Begound doesn't cover that many body lotions. Still, the reviews she does provide are thorough, backed by science and extensive research. Both her book and her websites are invaluable resources of information about ingredients and proper care for skin.

Beauty and fashion magazines are another source for body lotion recommendations, but these reviews vary in credibility; some of these lists are based on testing, but other magazines don't provide any details on why some products are recommended over others. Each year, editors of major magazines including Natural Health, Allure, Shape and InStyle test hundreds of beauty of products with the help of dermatologists, beauty experts and reader surveys. User reviews, found on sites such as Drugstore.com, are also helpful for evaluating products over the long term. Consumer Reports has not covered body lotion.

A recent study published in the February 2008 issue of Pediatrics has caused some to consider the effects of using baby lotion on infants. The study found high numbers of phthalates, chemicals that are often used in baby lotions, powders and shampoos to help lotions better penetrate the skin, in the urine of 163 infants. This is alarming because studies link phthalates to male reproductive development problems and early female puberty, as the chemical has been shown to mimic hormones.

Many experts say the study is flawed, though, because the phthalate level of the baby products used was not tested, making it impossible to determine, with certainty, the cause for the high levels in the urine. The Personal Care Products Council also disputes the findings, saying that only one of the phthalates found in the study, diethyl phthalate (DEP), is used in baby products, and only in low levels. DEP is a component of fragrance and has not been linked to any health issues in animals or humans.

Beauty and skincare expert Paula Begoun agrees, calling the study "intriguing as a sensationalized headline" but not a "reason to stop using baby-care products or worry that your child is going to suffer adverse health effects." Begoun is more concerned about the immediate effects of many baby products on a baby's delicate and sensitive skin. She says that "most skin-care products aimed at children are formulated to be anything but gentle and soothing." That's because they are loaded with fragrances and coloring agents that are not good for anyone's skin, especially a baby's.

Begoun, along with other experts, recommends lotions that are "fragrance- and color-free, and completely gentle, with no added sources of irritation or sensitizing ingredients." She does recommend a few gentle baby products, but says that it may be easier to find a suitable lotion in the adult section. One option is Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion (*Est. $6.25/12 oz.), which is fragrance-free and hypoallergenic.