Thymes Fragrance Studio

Moisturize Me

Lotions, Creams & All Things Hydrating

You're standing in the store aisle, considering a multitude of moisturizers. A frothy sea of brands lines the shelves, buoyant with creams, lotions and anti-aging potions, plus sundry balms, whips and conditioning crèmes.

With so many options, which to choose?

Like any tool, opt for the one that's right for the job. But first it might help to know how they differ. Here's a Thymes look.

Like any tool, opt for the one that's right for the job.

Body Lotions

Milkiest of the varieties, body lotions are designed for daily use, swathing skin in a light, gliding layer of moisture. These all-over moisturizers keep skin hydrated, especially when used after shower or bath. Praised as “bodyfood” by one customer, enticingly fragranced body lotions by Thymes contain conditioning botanical ingredients, such as skin-smoothing glycerin, jojoba oil, shea butter, aloe vera and vitamin E.

In your words: Of Lavender Body Lotion, “It has the perfect texture: creamy, not too thick and yet not a thin, drippy consistency. It absorbs into the skin, leaving you feeling moisturized but not oily with that suffocating skin feeling some products I’ve used can give.” Another fan writes: “The soft, relaxing fragrance is part of my daily routine. Not only do I begin and end my day with it, I even carry a bottle with me in my car!”

Body Cream / Creme / Butter

Moisturizers like these offer a thicker consistency than a body lotion and may have a more intense fragrance. Often enriched with shea butter and other natural emollients to target problem dryness or protect areas of heavy use, such as elbows and knees, they're best applied before bed or in the morning after bathing.

In your words: About Goldleaf Body Creme, “It is rich and creamy and absorbs into my skin to make it smooth and supple. Some cremes sit on top of my skin and make me feel like I am suffocating, but the Thymes body cremes are not like that.”

AHA Body Lotion

This specialized moisturizer combines exfoliating alpha-hydroxy acid fruit complex with other skin conditioners to promote the turnover of dermal cells. Typically, they work to smooth and soften skin as natural ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E replenish moisture.

In your words: About Thymes Essentials AHA Body Lotion, “I have very dry skin that itched terribly after a shower. This is the first product I have used that is conquering that itch! After four uses, I can see a difference. This lotion is in my cabinet forever.”

About Bergamot Vert AHA Body Lotion: “I’ve found Thymes AHA formulas to be particularly helpful for reducing the appearance of scars. And now there’s an AHA formula in my new favorite pick-me-up scent. Isn’t it amazing when something good for you is also so exciting to use?”

Body Whip / Souffle

Light, airy and silky smooth thanks to their being whipped with extra emollients, this class of moisturizers offers a loving caress of fragrant hydration, with a lighter texture than a cream. They are typically offered in a wide-mouthed container, for easy access. Because of their often-higher price point, they're especially good for times when you want to feel special.

Garden Alchemy, launching this Spring on thymes.com, offers a body soufflé in three lush, intoxicating fragrances. Stay tuned!

Foot Lotion / Cream

Perhaps the hardest worker of the bunch, foot lotions and creams create an emollient-rich barrier between calloused heels and toes and the socks or sandals—or "mandals," as one male Thymes user calls them—they inhabit. Many contain natural moisturizers, such as shea butter, aloe vera and beeswax. Others feature alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) fruit complex to slough off tired, rough skin while they moisturize.

In your words: One fan discovered Thymes Essential AHA Foot Cream “after a fruitless and perpetual search for an effective foot cream to keep my heels smooth and soft,” adding: “This product is far and away the BEST foot cream I ever used, and I have used just about every trick in the book. I love the fact that the aroma is not offensive, nor is the product greasy, both issues with which I have dealt in my tests with most other products.”

Hand Cream

With frequent hand washings and dryings, plus constant exposure to the elements, cleaning supplies, food, other people, pets and more, hands can take a beating. Luckily, hand cream works to supply moisture all day long. Most often designed in a portable tube, such creams tend to be thicker than lotions, containing lots of special ingredients, vitamins, antioxidants and other skin-penetrating conditioners to hydrate and protect. In general, fragrance levels are lower in hand creams than in other moisturizers, thanks to the frequent proximity of hands to the face.

P.S. Hand cream users can be somewhat fanatical when they find “their brand” (see below).

In your words: Of Olive Leaf Hand Cream: “I get asked, ‘Do you have really dry skin?’ No, I reply, I just am addicted to this scent. I don’t really need to apply more as it lasts and lasts but I am an Olive Leaf junkie now. We need to start a ‘Thymes Support Group’ and I will be President.”

About Bergamot Vert Hand Cream: “It follows me from my purse, to the couch, to bed. Love this scent. My hands are addicted to this cream. It works very well on my cuticles and sun-exposed arms. I always smell like summer!”

Hand Lotion

A great hand lotion should relieve dryness without leaving an oily feeling. An even greater lotion will contain a fresh fragrance that delights its wearer. Typically paired with a pump for ease of application, hand lotions are convenient when placed near the sink, for quick moisturizing after washings.

In your words: About Mandarin Coriander Hand Lotion: “I remember when ‘kitchen hands’ meant chapped, overworked, and crinkled from being in the water too long. With Mandarin Coriander hand lotion, your hands are always fresh, smooth and delicately fragranced.”

Of Eucalyptus Hand Lotion: “I’ve never really been a lotion kind of guy. Aside from work and my athletic activities, I also feed the homeless two nights a week with my church. This, combined with washing my own dishes at home, has made for some really dry skin on my hands this past winter. So, after my shower each night, I squirt a couple pumpfuls of this lotion, and now I’m happy to say that my hands are not severely cracked like they were before I started using this lotion. I suppose my girlfriend is also happy to not hold hands with an alligator too!”