Naomi Jamieson
Delivering nourishment and a delightful scent to your skin, the best-smelling body lotions are one of the easiest ways to enhance your routine and even your mood. From luxe, spa-like blends to indulgent creams that radiate summer, there's a lotion out there to suit every preference.
Though the best body moisturisers do an excellent job at soothing dry skin and leaving you with silky-smooth limbs, sometimes you want a little bit more from them. Like a gorgeous scent, for instance, that not only envelopes you but has the power to supercharge your favourite long-lasting perfume or allows you to skip spritzing it entirely - on days when you want to smell good, but not obviously perfume-y.
According to Jane Foultson, who owns Emma Hardie skincare, the power of scent shouldn't be underestimated, especially when it comes to body treatments. "A pleasant aroma can transport the senses, and using a body cream or butter with a fragrance you like can be a real mood enhancer," she tells us.
So if you're indeed looking for a summery lotion or an indulgent, cosy cream to apply before bed, our team have slathered themselves in an array of best-selling formulas - and these were their favourites...
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The 9 best-smelling body lotions, reviewed by our beauty team
From whipped body butters to indulgent, spa-like creams, these are the best scented lotions to invest in, per our Senior Beauty Editor, Rhiannon Derbyshire, who tested them all first-hand.
RRP: £22.90 for 220ml | Notes: Citrus, floral, cedarwood, sweet orange
When I told the beauty team that I was working on this list to find the best-smelling body lotion, this was mentioned by three different team members straight off the bat. When I tried it, I immediately understood why. It's energising, bright and sunny, and has a lovely texture that sank in quickly. Beauty Writer Annie Milroy was a particularly vocal advocate, describing it as smelling like "pure happiness, like your favourite summer holiday."
RRP: £21 for 75ml | Notes: Pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla
You knew this was coming, didn't you? No list of the best-smelling body lotions would be complete without a product from TikTok-favourite Sol de Janeiro. In fact, all of their body creams were candidates, but I had to go for the original purely for the cult factor; it's the lotion that launched a thousand copycats.
The combination of pistachio, vanilla and salted caramel is very sweet, akin to the most dazzling dessert in a Paris patisserie. I know that could all sound sickly, but it's nicely balanced and quite sunny and warm in reality. Every time I catch a whiff of it, I let out an involuntary "ahh".
RRP: £42 for 200ml | Notes: Ginger, lemon, lime, bergamot
The ingredients in this cream are both tangy and zingy, like a ginger shot for your skin. That little revitalising kick means it serves a dual purpose – in the summer, it'll refresh sun-soaked limbs, while in the winter it'll invigorate your skin.
The texture of this cream is also worth mentioning – it's incredibly light but luscious, like freshly whipped cream.
RRP: £64 for 175ml | Notes: King william pear, freesia, patchouli
Did you know that the best Jo Malone fragrances are also available as body products? English Pear and Freesia is my favourite. It's fruity but still grown up, balanced with floral notes of freesia and patchouli. The blend of cocoa butter and sweet almond oil gives it a really rich, creamy texture. This doesn't mean it's heavy, however – it works into the skin beautifully, impressively smoothing scaly legs in minutes.
It's also worth noting how luxurious the packaging is – it's a seriously weighty jar. Sure, you don't have to spend this much money on body lotion, but if you're looking for a gorgeous beauty gift idea, look no further.
RRP: £38 for 200ml | Notes: Moringa seed, citrus
Fans of this brand’s much-loved best cleansing balm will love this body butter, which smells exactly like it. If you haven't smelled the cleanser, the best way to describe its scent would be essentially a spa in a jar. It's herbal and relaxing, with zingy citrus notes to revitalise your mind.
This is the richest buy on this list – definitely more of a body butter than a lotion, but that means it's incredibly nourishing, making it the best body cream for dry skin on this list. That's because it's infused with a blend of natural oils, including hemp seed, blackcurrant seed and moringa.
RRP: £30 for 300ml | Notes: Rhubarb, grapefruit, vanilla, rose
While Molton Brown has this scent available as a dedicated hand cream, I'd argue that the texture of the body option is pretty similar – light, sheer and non-greasy. The scent is very heavy on the rhubarb, which I absolutely love; it's tart, zingy and incredibly uplifting. The Eau de Toilette is one of my favourite scents for summer, so I loved that I could enjoy this best fruity perfume in another form.
RRP: £35 for 200ml | Notes: Mint, rosemary, geranium, shea butter
If you like earthier and herbal scents when it comes to body lotion, you'll love this. The blend of rosemary and mint makes for a fresh summer scent, while the texture is silky and lightweight – a perfect middle ground between an oil and a lotion.
Of course, all scents are unisex, really, but this would be one I think any man in your house would happily share. Maybe too happily – so consider stashing it in a drawer if you want to keep it to yourself.
RRP: £30 for 200ml | Notes: Frangipani flowers, monoi, macadamia
ELEMIS makes some of the best skincare products around, so it makes sense that their gorgeous bodycare products work just as hard to overhaul tired limbs. The lotions feature a blend of rich oils, including macadamia, sesame and monoi, to deeply nourish even the thirstiest of skins.
The team battled it out over this and the more oceanic Sea Lavender and Samphire scent – but Frangipani is a real favourite of mine and I got the final say (smug). The reason I love it so much is that it feels really warm and inviting. The florals take centre stage, but the sweeter macadamia notes give it this enveloping feeling. To me, it's the best-smelling body lotion to use in the winter if you want to really thaw frosty limbs.
RRP: £20 for 215g | Notes: Lavender, tonka bean, cocoa
If you prefer to do your body care routine at night, this is the best-smelling body lotion for the job. In fact, it's gone viral a couple of times for helping people fall asleep quicker and sleep deeper.
Some of the best sleep aid beauty products, such as pillow sprays, lean too heavily on the lavender and are a bit pungent as a result. However, this isn't the case with this yoghurt-like lotion – the lavender is mellowed by cocoa butter and tonka bean, and it feels nicely relaxing without being aggressive about it.
How we tested the best-smelling body lotions
A selection of the best-smelling body lotions tested for this guide
Each product featured here was tried by me before making it onto this list of the best-smelling body lotions. Some of them are longstanding tried-and-true favourites that I’ve loved for years, while others were recommended by fellow members of the woman&home beauty team. In the case of the latter, I thoroughly tested the product to ensure that the recommendation was valid (and it always was).
To narrow down this edit, I tried a lot of options, from cult classics to newer launches. I wanted to include buys at every budget that would also cover all scent preferences, so I tried a huge variety of options to ensure that this list was definitive and had something for everyone. When testing these body lotions, I made sure to consider the following factors.
- Scent: This one’s the most obvious; first and foremost I had to love the scent, but it also had to last on the skin throughout the day. As preference in perfume notes is so subjective, I also roped the woman&home beauty team into the testing process so I could draw upon a wider range of opinions.
- Moisturising abilities: again, this may sound like an obvious one, but as well as smelling great, these lotions also had to work well functionally as body lotions – otherwise it's like you're applying one of the best perfumes for women in non-spray form. I tested each one on its ability to nourish and soothe the skin, and how long that moisturisation lasted.
- Skin benefits: The inclusion of other beneficial skincare ingredients, rather than just humectants or emollients, is a good sign. These facial skincare-worthy ingredients can really be the thing that sets them apart from your bog standard lotion. If they have them, they'll usually be flagged in the specifications.
- The price point: Scented products can get a little wild in the price tag department. To that end, I wanted to ensure that each buy included in this guide was really worth spending hard-earned cash on, in order to help you find those that are the ultimate value for money.
How to choose from the best-smelling body lotions
When choosing a fragranced body lotion, there are a few things to consider before buying, namely the scent itself, as this is personal and very subjective. We would therefore suggest opting for formulas that share similar or complementary notes with your go-to perfumes - especially if you're hoping to layer them. Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, for instance, would pair beautifully with a sweet, gourmand scent or a summery perfume that smells like sun cream.
The formula, in general, should also be taken into consideration. If you want a glow-boosting cream, invest in a body lotion that has a bronzing shimmer or if deep and lasting hydration is the goal, opt for a cream that is packed with oils. We all have different wants and needs for our body moisturisers, so be sure to invest in a cream that meets yours - especially if you hope to wear it daily
If you have very sensitive skin, we would recommend steering clear of scented lotions, though, as fragrance can irritate - or at least, trialling a small amount on a patch of skin first, to see how it reacts.
