I’ve Used In-Shower Lotion for Years, and I’m Never Going Back to Regular Lotion

In-shower lotion is actually everything it’s cracked up to be.

When it comes to lotion and moisturizer, I’m not exactly an aficionado. I like having moisturized, non-dry, non-itchy skin, of course. I don’t hate the scents of fancy, buttery lotions, and like any person my age, I’ve been gifted plenty of Bath & Body Works lotion kits over the years. But as long as my skin is smooth and flake-free, I’m not too picky when it comes to my lotions.

For years, my casual relationship with body lotion meant that I wasn’t exactly consistent with application. Most days, I’m running out the door after I shower (because I find that the morning is the best time to shower), with little time (or patience) to stop and apply lotion properly. For a while, that meant I didn’t apply lotion at all, and I often found myself with itchy, dry skin because of it, especially in winter. I’d resigned myself to hating the minutes I spent applying body lotion after I showered and always forgetting to apply it at night before bed, and then I gave in-shower lotion a try. It was, in a word, life-changing (or maybe just routine-changing).

I’ve used (and loved) two types of in-shower lotion. The first type I tried, NIVEA In-Shower Smoothing Body Lotion, goes on in the shower (after you’ve washed your skin) and rinses off. The second type—which I still use today—is Jergens Wet Skin Shea Oil Body Lotion, which you apply to wet, clean skin after you’ve turned the water off. I keep a bottle in my shower, so I never forget to apply, and I’m never wondering if lotion expires because I use the whole bottle up.

With both in-shower body lotions I’ve tested, application is so much easier than with traditional lotions or moisturizers. There’s no rubbing the lotion in, realizing you squeezed too much out of the bottle, and then finding a roommate or family member to give the excess to. You simply smooth the in-shower lotion over your skin, and that’s that; no waiting for your skin to absorb it or anything. I use the Jergens instead of the NIVEA today simply because there’s no rinsing, either. I don’t notice much of a difference in moisturizing levels between the two, and neither leaves my skin feeling sticky.

As a lotion utilitarian, as long as my skin isn’t irritatingly dry, I’m happy. Plus, at just $5 or $6 per bottle, these in-shower lotion options are definitely in my budget. I get smooth, moisturized skin every day with just a moment’s work, and for an affordable price: It’s a win-win-win for me.

With my switch to in-shower lotion, I actually apply lotion every single day—and I’m able (or patient enough) to apply it to my whole body because it takes just seconds, instead of the endless minutes applying traditional body lotion takes. My skin has never been more moisturized, and this time of year, that’s a must.

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