Cream Me Up, Scotty

CREAM ME UP, SCOTTY
KEEP DEHYDRATED SUMMER SKIN MOIST WITH THESE SERIOUS SKIN QUENCHERS

The summertime can do a number on your skin. Long days spent outdoors, in the pool or at
the beach can strip skin of its natural moisture, leaving it dull and dry. The secret to maintaining
your glow this season—and every season—is simple: moisturizer. Confused by the cornucopia
of skin-quenching salves on the shelves? Below, find our picks for the best balms to make your
body beautiful.

Best for Face

There's plenty of debate regarding whether or not oily skin really needs moisturizer. However, as you get older (sigh...) oily skin usually turns into combination skin, the most common skin type around. If you fall into this category, choose an oil-free moisturizer that’s lightweight enough to soften skin and help your makeup to glide on flawlessly, but won’t clog pores. To shield your skin, pick one with an SPF of at least 15. We love Lorac’s ProtecTINT SPF 30 Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer. If you’d prefer to go color-free, try Boscia’s Oil-Free Daily Hydration SPF 15. ($30, Lorac's ProtectTINT; $27, Boscia's Oil-Free Daily Hydration; www.sephora.com)

If your skin tends to be on the dry side, a good moisturizer is your best defense against uneven texture, fine lines and premature aging. Benefit's Dear John contains Sodium PCA, Vitamin E, and Provitamin B5 to help keep moisture in the skin all day long, minus the greasiness. ($30, www.benefitcosmetics.com)

If you're lucky enough to have normal skin, there’s no need to spend a ton on a powerful moisturizer loaded with problem-solvers. Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer is silky smooth and has SPF 15 to block the sun’s harmful rays. If you’re sensitive, no worries: this baby’s fragrance-free. ($9.62, www.drugstore.com)

Best for Body

There's nothing worse than itchy, dry skin—especially in the middle of tank top and shorts season. Soothe extra dry skin with Olay Body Quench Body Lotion for Extra Dry Skin. Its amino-vitamin complex with Shea butter soothes severe dry skin instantly but doesn’t feel heavy. You’ll adore the delicious yet subtle vanilla scent and its hint of shimmer that makes skin glow. Put it on from head-to-toe right out of the shower and your days of clawing at your dry skin will be a thing of the past. ($9.99, www.walgreens.com)

If you prefer a light-as-air moisturizer, you’ll flip for Origins Ginger Souffle. Infused with ginger and the oils from olives, grape seeds, rice bran and apricot kernels, this whipped decadence will keep your skin looking soft and your spirits lifted. ($26, www.origins.com )

If you’re well-aware of the dangers of baking in the sun but crave golden glow, try Avon Skin So Soft Satin Glow Daily Body Moisturizer, which will not only hydrate skin, but work with your own body chemistry to create a natural-looking radiance. Because it’s a lotion and not a pure self-tanner, it’s virtually goof-proof. ($8, www.avon.com)

If scented moisturizers are your thing, try a cooling citrusy scent this summer. We love Archipelago Botanicals Grapefruit Body Lotion, which is blended with natural Jojoba esters, aloe vera and grape seed extract, a powerful antioxidant. ($28, www.beautyexclusive.com)

Fight flaky African-American skin with Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula for Dry, Ashy Skin. This slightly chocolaty-scented cream contains cocoa butter, vitamin E, Shea butter and exfoliating alpha and beta hydroxy acids to rid skin of dry skin cells and maintain a healthy, glowing skin complexion ($5.69, www.drugstore.com)

Best for Feet

Your feet support you all day long and never complain. Show them how much you appreciate all they do for you by treating them to LUSH's Fair Trade Foot Lotion. This rich rub contains a blend of Arnica Montana infusion, almond oil, cocoa butter, glycerin and cooling spearmint and peppermint oils. After one use, your tootsies will be silky smooth, cooled and relaxed. ($17.95, www.amazon.com )

If you’re a frequent exerciser, calm your fatigued feet with Ole Henriksen’s Muscle Comfort Lotion, which contains calming and soothing seaweed extract as well as invigorating mint and lavender oils. ($28, www.sephora.com)

If dry, callused feet are keeping you from sporting sandals, slather on some Aveeno Intense Foot Relief Cream. This rich lotion will heal the rough, dry skin on your feet—even on heels—and provide all-day moisture, minus the greasiness. ($6.99, www.walgreens.com)

Best for Hands

Your hands are your most useful tools, so keep them as healthy as possible with Aveda's Hand Relief. This intensive moisture therapy soothes hands with plant emollients, humectants and fruit acids help fight signs of aging. The super-rich formula sinks into skin quickly, keeping hands feeling like satin all day long. ($18.50, www.aveda.com)

If you’ve got extremely, rough, scaly hands, you’ll love La Source’s Hand Recovery Cream, which delivers softer and smoother hands almost immediately. In just 60 seconds, this intensive hand recovery treatment cleanses, exfoliates and moisturizes hands with a blend of algae extracts, sea salt, Shea butter, lavender oil, and oatmeal. ($20, store.crabtree-evelyn.com)

If you’re a natural gal, you’ll love JASON 84% Aloe Vera Hand and Body Lotion. Enriched with herbal extracts and vitamins A, C, B5 and E, it will nourish and protect the hands without mineral oil, petrolatum, waxes, animal by-products or parabens. ($7.99, www.cvs.com)

Best for Eyes

Plagued by dull, dry skin around your eye area? Brighten eyes, banish dark circles and reduce puffiness with Dove Energy Glow Brightening Eye Cream with SPF 8. ($8.99, www.drugstore.com)

If you’ve got chronic dark circles, try Hylexin, an under eye circle banisher from Bremenn Research Labs, the folks who make Strivectin. It’s expensive, but a tube should last you a good six to nine months. Plus, it really, truly works. ($95, www.sephora.com)

Dab on Korres Evening Primrose Eye Cream, a velvety balm that instantly helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark circles and contains SPF 6. Its unique formula diffuses the light with a brightening, concealer-like effect. ($31.50, www.sephora.com)

—Hallie Goodfriend

Hallie Goodfriend, a writer in Princeton Junction, NJ, just had her first baby in July.