During the hot and humid New York summers I find myself taking daily,  even twice-a day, showers. The first thing I do after toweling off is to apply liberal amounts of my favorite body lotions. That soap and water clean feeling is great but adding lotion is a sure bet to keep you feeling even more smellicious.

Body lotions can be a little problematic because some of the ones that are the most hydrating tend to leave the skin feeling greasy and also take a long time to apply. If they aren’t fully absorbed they sit on top of the skin looking like you just applied maximum sun screen protection before heading out to a full-day at the beach. And while I enjoy massaging yummy-smelling lotion onto my skin, I don’t want to spend 10 minutes doing it. For me, the best body lotions are those with ultra-silky texture that absorbs quickly into the skin.

There are body lotions sold in every price range but I mostly stick with ones that are more affordable, especially during the summer.  I like to alternate my lotions according to the season and they contain moisturizing ingredients like Shea butter, Aloe Vera and olive oil. These ingredients work miracles on sun-exposed skin during the hotter spring/summer months and smooth dry, scaly skin during the winter season.

Here are 5 of my personal favorite best smelling body lotions for this summer:

1)Maui Organics Tropical Lotion, Plumeria Passions

I recently discovered Maui Organics at the airport on my way home from a family vacation in Maui. Maui is such a magical spot and I was looking for something that captured the essence of the island. Plumeria, commonly known as frangipani, is a beautiful, fragrant flower found all over the island. It has a very powerful fragrance which gets stronger at night. These flowers symbolize beauty, charm and grace and also represent new life, new beginnings and birth. In addition to being an organic product with a delightful scent, I like that a percentage of the proceeds made from its sales go to local charities such as the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association and the Surfrider Foundation. After using up the last of my bottle I was happy to discover that I can still buy it on Amazon, not so much when I realized I really over-paid  at the airport 🙁 The price for an 8.5 oz.bottle is $12.50 on Amazon.


2)  Maui Organics Intense Moisturizing Lotion, Coco Manako

This is my second favorite in the Maui Organics line and I love its refreshing, light texture and pleasant, subtle scent. Some of its ingredients are Aloe Vera, lavender, Awapuhi (Hawaiian ginger), avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, papaya and organic green tea. It is very hydrating when your skin is feeling really thirsty but it doesn’t have the greasy, pore-clogging effect that some some “intense” moisturizers have.The price for an 8.5 oz. bottle is $12.50 on Amazon.


3) Tocca Giulietta Crema da Corpo Body Lotion

I’m a huge fan of this clean and feminine scented lotion. Some of the ingredients that I detect are almond, honey, green apple and lavender and it is guaranteed to leave you feeling pretty. It isn’t a heavy lotion but does the job moisturizing no doubt due to the Shea butter, and sweet almond oil. For those who like Tocca perfumes, applying this first extends the lasting power of the fragrance. Pairing this with either the Giuiletta  Eau de Parfum, Cleopatra Eau de Parfum or Florence Eau de Parfum will make you want to book that vacation to Italy ASAP. A 9-oz. bottle costs $20 on Amazon.


4) Bodycology Nourishing Body Cream, Pure White Gardenia

Even for those who aren’t gardenia lovers this smells heavenly and absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving your skin silky smooth . It has a delicate white gardenia aroma which is very understated and lasts throughout the day. Be prepared to have people ask you what smells so good when you are wearing this! Its beneficial ingredients include Aloe Vera, Shea butter and Vitamins C & E.  A 10-oz bottle costs around $10.50 on Amazon.

5) Philosophy Pure Grace Body Lotion

Ever since my older sister Anne introduced me to the Philosophy Amazing Grace body lotion many years ago, I have become a brand patron. I actually loved Amazing Grace until I tried Pure Grace and that became my new favorite of the line. Philosophy’s Falling in Love, Loveswept and Unconditional Love also make my best-smelling list albeit not in the top five. I’m also currently enjoying Summer Grace but it’s seasonal so it won’t be sold for too much longer. Should I stock up while I can? Hmm, maybe I will…

A 16-oz. bottle of Pure Grace costs around $35.00 on Amazon.

Closing tip: If you ever commit the cardinal sin of actually allowing your precious skin to become even slightly sunburned, my go-to treatment is Fresh Sugar Ultra-Nourishing Body Oil. Just rub this on to the affected area before applying your lotion and it will work wonders.  It isn’t a lotion so I’m not including it on my list but it is a staple to have at the ready when disaster strikes. It’s not cheap but a little goes a long way. Plus, it won’t make your skin feel greasy and it smells incredible. The best price I could find was $48  at Sephora for a 3.3 oz. bottle.

This is my short list for feel good, smell good lotion potions for summer. Coming up soon will be body lotions for fall and winter. If you have a favorite that you’d like to share, please drop me a line. I’m always on a mission to find something new to try!

Hasta luego my fabulous friends!