Crepey skin is definitely unpleasant and it doesn’t have a complete cure but you can find the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs to mitigate the effects.
You can smooth out the skin and tighten it. But it cannot be reversed completely.
Moreover,
It’s not like you apply a lotion for a couple of weeks or a month and that’s it, you’re done, no more crepey skin on the body for the rest of your life.
Even though it’s pretty easy to handle, crepey skin requires yet another expense made at least 3-4 times a year and another step in the beauty routine for your body.
Since I have really dry skin and my legs turn into lizard skin if I don’t moisturize and exfoliate daily, I understand the work you need to put into mitigating yet another skin problem. I buy more body lotions and body scrubs than I buy moisturizers for my face.
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Best Lotions for Crepey Skin on Arms and Legs: My 10 Picks
Once you find the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs, you’ll be able to make your skin look and feel smoother. It will definitely create a noticeable difference in time.
Lotions for crepey skin work best for mild cases. They still have limitations, don’t expect miraculous transformations.
Crepey skin can be managed and even prevented but I don’t believe that it can be reversed by simply using a lotion, even if you’re using the best and most expensive lotions on the market.
That’s the case with wrinkles, too: we can prevent fine lines and wrinkles and even manage to postpone the appearance of deeper wrinkles for many years through a lot of effort but you can’t reverse aging or postpone it forever.
1. AmLactin Rapid Relief Restoring Lotion, 14.1 oz – Top Recommendation
This is definitely one of the best lotions for crepey skin on arms and legs and so much more. It’s my first recommendation for a number of reasons.
It promises to visibly improve rough, dry, flaky skin in a short time span. The results will be noticeable after the first application but you have to use it daily to maintain the positive effects.
Some who suffer from crepey skin mentioned that they have noticed results after only a couple of days.
Others say that they have really noticed their skin going smooth and the crepeyness being hardly noticeable only once they were close to finishing their first bottle.
The important amazing fact is that the AmLactin Rapid Relief Restoring Lotion smooths out crepey skin.
AmLactin Rapid Relief Restoring Lotion has some awesome ingredients
- ammonium lactate – one of the best ingredients for crepey skin, an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that gently exfoliates and deeply hydrates the skin but can also create sun sensitivity so, wear sunscreen
- glycerin, mineral oil and petrolatum for keeping the moisture into the skin, these create a barrier between the skin and the environment
- vitamin E
- 3 ceramides – ceramides are essential for having a strong skin barrier, without a strong skin barrier the skin can’t restore itself, doesn’t keep in moisture successfully, and it doesn’t protect itself from environmental factors
The texture is quite greasy, it might be weird at first. You can apply it in the evening and wash it off in the morning. But you can also use it twice daily.
To maintain the results, you will have to use it constantly but everyone should use a hydrating body lotion daily so, you’ll be doing nothing different. You’re just going to use one of the best lotions for crepey skin on arms and legs.
It’s just for the body, don’t apply it on the face.
2. CeraVe SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin
This is another favorite of mine because it’s really effective, whether you’re talking about crepey skin on arms or legs or we’re talking about mitigating back or chest acne.
It gently exfoliates the skin thanks to a powerful combination of salicylic acid and ammonium lactate.
At the same time, it intensely hydrates the body thanks to these ingredients: glycerin, mineral oil, 3 ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone.
3. Moroccanoil Night Body Serum Body Oil, 3.4 oz
This body oil is not only really expensive but also tiny. If I were to use it on my entire body, I would go through the entire bottle in less than a month.
But it’s a pretty great candidate for the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs. And for smoothing out and intensely hydrating dry skin anywhere else on the body.
It’s pretty dreamy but if you want to try the quite cheap option first, give my above recommendation a thought.
For those who don’t want mineral oil in their body lotions, this one can work for you because it’s paraben-free and mineral oil-free. I personally don’t have a problem with mineral oil.
Moroccanoil has gone for dimethicone instead. It helps moisturize the skin by protecting it from water loss. It’s a very good ingredient for creating a barrier between the skin and the environment.
But the star of the show for this Moroccanoil Night Body Serum Body Oil is the argan oil. You might have guessed that from that fact this company is called Moroccanoil.
Argan oil is an impressive anti-aging oil. It has the ability to smooth out skin and to intensely hydrate it due to its high content of vitamin E and polyphenols (powerful antioxidants).
If it works against wrinkles, it will work to smooth out and restore crepey skin, as well.
The other notable ingredients for this night body serum include: camellia oil (rich in vitamins A, B, D, E and nourishing Omega 3,6, 9), vitamin E, basil extract (anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, soothes and calms the skin).
With this type of ingredients, it’s no wonder that I recommend this body oil so soon into the list. Too bad about that small quantity and high price.
4. Paula’s Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment, 4 oz
This is another best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs that’s quite tiny. And the price is pretty high.
It’s a small quantity if you want to use it on the entire body. Maybe just keep it for the areas where you have crepey skin. On the rest of the body apply a nourishing body lotion that doesn’t cost that much.
The ingredients are exactly what you should be looking for if you want to smooth out the skin:
- dimethicone, glycerin, shea butter – for hydrating and preventing water loss from the skin
- evening primrose oil – soothes and moisturizes but also enhances texture and elasticity
- grapeseed oil – protects against sun damage, minimizes fine lines and wrinkles, lightens scars, and moisturizes
- retinol – the main reason for recommending this body treatment as a best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs, it’s the one responsible for increasing cell turnover rate and for restoring skin’s elasticity
- vitamin E in both its forms
It targets uneven tone, loss of firmness, dryness, dehydration, and dullness. It’s definitely aiming for a lot of troublesome things.
5. No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Moisturizing Body Serum, 6.7 oz
The quantity is not the biggest but the price is pretty acceptable for this body serum. It’s a really good choice.
I would say that it’s not exactly the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs but it has the potential to smooth out the skin a bit.
I actually regard the No7 Moisturizing Body Serum as a perfect choice for a hydrating body lotion to prevent crepey skin.
It has some really nice ingredients, a nice presence of antioxidants and even peptides:
- argan oil is a capable ingredient for smoothing out the skin thanks to its high content of antioxidants, it’s also very hydrating
- vitamin E
- hyaluronic acid for those intense hydrating capabilities – it’s one of the reasons for recommending this body serum as having potential to prevent crepey skin
- retinyl palmitate – a nice retinoid, slightly weaker than retinol but still an important antioxidant
- sodium ascorbyl phosphate – vitamin C derivative
- and even 2 peptides – peptides are essential as the building blocks of proteins like collagen and elastin, which makes them very important anti-aging ingredients
6. Juice Beauty Green Apple Firming Body Moisturizer, 8 oz
If you want to go the natural route for the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs, this one might be what you need.
The nice thing is that the quantity is pretty good (not impressive) and the price is quite affordable.
The array of ingredients that this body moisturizer contains in quite overwhelming.
Which is why I will focus just one the most important, the ones mentioned at the beginning of the list because those are present in higher concentration. Many are also organic.
It’s focused on deeply moisturizing, intensely protecting the skin but it also has a focus on ingredients that influence collagen and elastin production.
We have:
- aloe vera juice, apple juice, white grape juice, lemon juice
- glycerin, shea butter for intense hydration
- sunflower seed oil, jojoba oil, evening primrose oil, linseed oil
- 2 peptides – potent anti-aging ingredients that can smooth out the skin
- vitamin B5, vitamin C derivative, vitamin E
- allantoin – intensely moisturizes but can also help heal the skin, helps in cell rejuvenation
7. Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream, 16 oz
If you’re looking for a deeply moisturizing body moisturizer for a really affordable price and a huge quantity, Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream fits the bill.
I’m not saying that all your crepey skin will be gone. It might smooth out the skin a bit but it won’t have miraculous results.
But it’s an awesome body lotion for daily perfectly hydrating the skin. It’s something everyone should do after their evening shower. Or in the morning.
Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream has some really nice ingredients: glycerin, urea, shea butter, sodium lactate and lactic acid, ceramide, and arginine (boosts collagen production).
It’s fragrance-free.
8. Replenix All Trans Retinol Smoothing Body Lotion, 7 oz
Let’s end this list for the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs with my most expensive recommendation.
Let’s see what a really high price offers compared with all of the above options.
First of all, the quantity is not impressive, given the price.
Let’s see if the ingredients are able to wow us. Hint: they will wow us.
We can already deduce from the name that the focus is on retinol.
The Replenix Smoothing Body Lotion actually contains all-trans retinol, which is not as powerful as all-trans-retinoic-acid but it still has outstanding properties. A certain percentage of this stable form of retinol is converted to retinoic acid on the skin. That’s what makes it powerful.
That’s definitely a good indicator that this body lotion targets sagging skin, concentrates on bringing firmness back. It’s especially formulated for lifting and tightening skin.
It also strives to hydrate and to protect the skin against free radicals.
The manufacturer also recommends it for cellulite.
The other ingredients are just as nice and powerful: glycerin, dimethicone, hyaluronic acid in 2 forms, 4 ceramides, squalane, caffeine, resveratrol (a powerful antioxidant), green tea, and bisabolol.
9. Medix 5.5 Retinol + Ferulic Acid Anti-Sagging Treatment, 15 oz
Some users absolutely love this lotion and say that their crepey skin has been reversed, while others mention that it hasn’t done anything for them. It’s certainly a bit controversial.
However, what made me recommend it as one of the best lotions for crepey skin on arms and legs is that it’s not that expensive. I mean it’s under $20 at 15 oz. I find that price more than OK.
Thus, my point is that if you want to give it a chance, you can do that. Hopefully, it works on smoothing out your skin, like it has done for others.
It can be used on the whole body and it’s advertised as having benefits for fine lines, dark spots, redness, wrinkles, aging. Basically, what we’re looking for.
It promotes smooth, firm, healthy-looking skin by reducing the look of sun damage and supporting a strong skin barrier.
You might have encountered ferulic acid in vitamin C serums. Medix has decided to add ferulic acid to their retinol body cream, which is nice.
We’re not informed about the concentration of retinol but is mentioned on the list of ingredients quite early so that’s good.
10. Adamia Therapeutic Repair Lotion, 16 oz
This is another affordable lotion for crepey skin, a cream that replenishes and moisturizes our body skin. It moisturizes distressed skin and repairs dry skin, skin tears and more.
The manufacturer informs us that their cream mimics skin’s own oils. The skin absorbs it quickly and there’s no greasy residue. I know quite a lot of people who don’t like moisturizing their body because they’re afraid of a greasy residue.
It is formulated with pure macademia oil, an ingredient that is incredibly soothing. It is rich in omega-7.
Some users describe it as the holy grail for crepey skin and the best moisturizer they’re ever purchased. Those are all the endorsements I need.
Best Lotion for Crepey Skin: Ingredients to Look for
- ammonium lactate – this is simply an awesome ingredient that is used to treat dry or scaly skin, it’s an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that increases skin hydration and gently exfoliates
- alpha & beta hydroxy acids (lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid) – these are chemical exfoliating ingredients with a lot of positive effects especially for the face but also for the body: increased cell turnover rate, boost in collagen and elastin production, a better hydrated skin
- retinol – this is a powerful antioxidant that’s famous for handling fine lines and wrinkles on the face but due to its impressive abilities it can also help with smoothing out crepey skin and restore its elasticity by thickening collagen and elastin
- hyaluronic acid – when it comes to ingredients that hydrate the skin, hyaluronic acid is one of the best humectants, you should definitely look for it for plumping out crepey skin
- argan oil paired with moisturizing ingredients and antioxidants
- antioxidants – vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols etc. are all capable of boosting collagen production but most importantly they can play an important role in reversing sun damage and protecting the skin from environmental factors (UV rays, pollution)
If you can afford it and lotions don’t do as much as you expected them to do, you can visit a dermatologist. Or you can try out fractionated lasers. Read about it, it’s a very interesting concept.
What Causes Crepey Skin?
Crepey skin gets its name from the fact that the skin is as thin as paper or like a crepe. So, it’s thin skin that can appear wrinkled, loose, and sagging.
One would think that the number one cause for crepey skin would simply be getting older. But that’s not the whole picture.
The good news is that if you are aware of the causes early on, you can do a lot to mitigate them and actually prevent getting crepey skin on arms and legs and face when you get a bit older.
The No 1 cause is sun damage
Crepey skin on arms and legs can be actually traced to one major factor: sun damage.
It seems that crepey skin has that in common with the appearance of wrinkles.
Some wrinkles can also be caused by repeated muscle movement and smoking and excess drinking but each skin problem has different causes. You just need to be aware of them in order to prevent them.
It’s very easy to understand why sun damage leads to both crepey skin and wrinkles on the face.
UV rays (UVA and UVB) damage collagen and elastin fibers because they’re able to penetrate deep into the skin.
Collagen gives skin its structure and elastin its stretch.
Collagen breakdown happens at a more accelerated rate when the skin is exposed to the sun without protection than it happens because of normal aging.
Elastin fibers can be compared to an elastic band because those are the fibers that allow our skin to stretch and then return to its initial state without any visible marks.
The sun can damage those fibers until they aren’t able to repair themselves after repeated sun exposure. If the elastin fibers can’t repair themselves, they can’t get our skin to look nice, smooth, and perfectly stretched.
It’s not something that happens in a few weeks of sun exposure but it does happen and it has a lot of consequences, one of them being this skin problem that has made us look for the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs.
Other causes
Old age is definitely a factor when getting crepey skin on arms and legs and face.
It can begin to appear when we’re in our 40s, which is definitely pretty early. I’m sure that there are plenty of people who associate this skin condition with people in their 60s or 70s.
For those who are avid tanning-bed users, it can even happen in their 20s. That’s really early, it’s just a bit scary to think about.
We are already aware of another factor that causes crepey skin. It’s what it’s most generally called loose skin after weight loss. A simple best lotion for crepey skin won’t be able to help with that at all.
How to Prevent Crepey Skin
These are just a few simple recommendations that don’t involve too much time or effort but they’re worth it if you want to prevent crepey skin for a long time.
1. Wear Sunscreen
Since sun damage is the number one factor that causes crepey skin is only natural that I would recommend wearing sunscreen when your skin is exposed to the sun.
Or sticking to the shade whenever you can.
In the summer, most of us daily expose our arms and legs to the sun.
That is why, before going out, you should apply sunscreen on the areas that are not covered by clothes. Even when there are clouds outside.
We should apply sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF on our faces daily but we should not forget about the rest of our body either.
Nowadays, people are definitely more conscious about sun damage. It’s not like it was 20 years ago when I was younger. Then, we only applied sunscreen when we where at the beach, that’s it.
Antioxidants are another ingredient that can prevent and even reverse sun damage.
It’s important to have a balanced diet as well as using the right topical creams and lotions.
2. Hydrate
It’s just such a simple but important thing to do.
Maintaining a properly hydrated face and body can go a long way in preventing quite a lot of skin conditions.
Having a healthy skin barrier will make our skin more resilient in the face of external factors, from UV rays to pollution.
It’s best to start seriously hydrating our body when we are in our 20s.
In our 40s, our body doesn’t produce the same oils that have the role of protecting the skin from the environment. That’s where a proper hydrating routine can really change things.
Furthermore, by using a best lotion for crepey skin you can mitigate the skin damage, make the skin look smoother and plumper.
3. Exfoliate
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells but chemical exfoliation can also speed up cell turnover, just like retinol does.
The skin produces new skin cells at a faster rate, just like it does on its own when we’re in our 20s. That means that our skin looks smooth and vibrant and it even boosts collagen and elastin production.
Exfoliation is just a great step for those suffering from dry skin. It can lead to better hydration for the skin. If you’re using the best lotion for crepey skin on arms and legs that contains chemical exfoliants (AHAs and BHAs) you’ve already got this part covered.
