Lotion Vs. Cream: A Difference Your Skin Needs To Know About

Everyone wants the best value and quality out of their skincare products, and none may be as essential as a moisturizer. With all the fancy names, marketing schemes, and purported benefits of your moisturizer options, how are you supposed to know what’s best for your unique skin type? And is there even a difference between a lotion and a cream? Let’s find out together.

What is a Lotion?

There aren’t a lot of guidelines that define what is and isn’t a lotion. However, a good place to start is to acknowledge that lotion generally doesn’t have a lot of oil in its formula, it’s mostly water. This allows lotions to be absorbed into the skin quickly, making it feel lighter and perhaps requiring more of it to properly hydrate some skin types.

What is a Cream?

Creams are typically made with an equal amount of water and oil; a 50/50 balance. This means they have much thicker viscosities and are heavier-feeling on the skin. Creams are often advertised for specific body areas, such as the face or feet, depending on the care needed, such as rough foot skin or delicate, dry facial skin.

Differences and Similarities Between Lotions and Creams

The obvious and most simple thing lotions and creams have in common is that they help hydrate your skin from excessive moisture loss with the oils they include. Some products, both lotions and creams, are specifically formulated for the face, whereas others can be used on both the face and body.

Creams are typically recommended for people with deeper hydration needs, as the greater oil content contributes to a stronger skin barrier, helping keep more water within the skin, not lost to the environment. Lotions are generally recommended for most skin types, as creams can be pore-clogging due to their high oil content.

Which is Better For Each Skin Type

Whether a lotion or cream is the best for you comes down largely to your skin type; how much oil you produce on a daily basis. In either case, it’s important to find a lotion or cream with high-quality ingredients that doesn’t irritate your skin and is easily applied.

For Acne or Blemish-Prone Skin

Oily skin tends to be the most blemish-prone, as excess oil can trap dirt, dead skin cells, and other compounds in your pores, providing the perfect environment for the acne-causing bacteria to move in. So although it’s tempting to simply skip using moisturizer and focus instead on drying it out, you’re better off giving your skin a slight nudge toward moisture so it doesn’t get overly dry and ramp up oil production even more.

Because of this, the best moisturizer for oily skin is a light, gentle moisturizer. We recommend our Acidophilus Probiotic Facial Cream. Enriched with Lactobacilli Acidophilus and Micronized Silver to maintain a fresh and flawless looking complexion.

For Dry Skin

People with dry skin are perhaps the most aware of the need for a good moisturizer to keep them feeling hydrated and smooth. But at the same time, going too rich with a cream can leave many people’s skin feeling greasy. That’s why we developed our popular Hydro Plus Moisturizer for people with dry and/or aging skin. Its rich formula strikes the perfect balance between feeling lightweight and absorbing quickly while providing lasting moisture for a soft complexion.

For Normal or Combination Skin

If you have a normal experience with your skincare, you likely don’t need to worry too much about creams, as a little moisture in the morning and evening are all you need after cleansing your face. You can, however, try products that do more than just moisturize, like our Facial Emulsion Enzyme Moisturizer, which is formulated with Epicuren’s Metadermabolic protein enzyme complex. Or try our Nourish Daily Antioxidant Moisturizer for a daily dose of skin-protecting antioxidants.

Professional Formulas From Epicuren Discovery

Whatever your skin type and preference for moisturizer, Epicuren Discovery has the daily care and specialty products that can help you take your skincare routine to the next level. Browse our moisturizers or take our Skin Quiz to discover all the products we recommend for your unique skin type and skincare goals.

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