Where I live, in Cleveland, Ohio, fall and winter can get pretty cold and harsh on my skin. Between the heaters going constantly, and the cold, freezing temperatures, my skin dries out very quickly, becomes uncomfortable, itchy, and irritated.

Most regular lotions and cremes did not seem to help too much until a few years ago, I discovered body butters. I will tell you that my favorite body butter is from The Body Shop, so that you know I am biased from the beginning of the this article. I have switched from one type to another in their collection over the years, but have been very happy with their body butters.

I have the kind of skin that doesn't need much moisturizer in the summer, but needs it every day or so in the winter. But I don't like the greasy feeling some moisturizers give me. The trouble is that I need a moisturizer in the winter that will last an entire day from one application because I am also the kind of person who forgets to put it on during the day.

I am not a devotee of The Body Shop although I do applaud their stance on eco-friendly and fair trade personal care items.  However, there is one product that I have bought over and over from them, that is worth every penny that I have spent, and that is the body butter.  When I first started trying their body butters, there were only a few scents, and my favorite one at the time was Cocoa Body Butter.  The Body Shop body butters come in a few different skin types.  For my winter skin, I use the dry and very dry skin types.

They have vastly expanded their line of products since I first started buying them, and now my favorite is the Mango Body Butter.  My husband and I both use it.  Every day after I shower, I put some on in the morning.  I towel dry my skin, leaving a little moisture on my skin, then blend in the body butter.  It is not greasy, and smoothes right into my skin.

Then every night before bed, I put some on any areas that still feel dry, usually my arms and hands are the worst.  I like it because it doesn't get my bed sheets all full of moisturizer, and it smells great.

Besides The Body Shop, there are other companies that make body butters. Some of them come in tins like from The Body Shop. They have the consistency of a cream. There are also some body butters that are solid, like a stick of butter. Those can be nice to keep on a bathroom sink. The only thing I don't like about the stick or bar type is that you need to have a container to keep it in.

If a lotion is claiming to be a body butter, but it is thin and watery, then it is not really a body butter. A body butter should feel more like butter or cocoa butter, and have a creamy consistency. If it doesn't, it won't soften and protect your skin the way it should.

Good body butters are appropriate for anyone to use, including children.  They are not really a cosmetic, they are a skin care product, and we all have skin.  I am a minimalist when it comes to makeup, but I wouldn't give up my body butter.  I consider it an indispensible winter care item.

If you have never tried body butter for your skin, I highly recommend that you do.  It also makes a great gift for the holidays or a birthday.