Many Body Lotions Shouldn’t Go on Your Face. But This One Works for Both.
Although your skin is technically one big organ, the skin on your face is different from the skin on your body in a few ways. First, facial skin is thinner and more sensitive, said dermatologist Dendy Engelman. So when it comes to using products with potentially irritating ingredients, such as fragrance, the skin on the face may be more reactive.
To be clear, not everyone is sensitive to fragrance in skin-care products, and some people may be able to tolerate fragranced face products just fine. But heavily scented body lotions— such as those touting aromatic experiences like cherry blossom bloom or warm vanilla sugar — pose a greater risk of causing irritation.
These lotions contain more concentrated fragrances, to ensure the aromatic experience is strong even when the product is applied far away from the nose, said cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong. This is great for those who love perfume-like body products. But it’s not so great for those wanting to use body lotion on the face, since highly scented lotions may cause irritation such as redness and itching.
The good news is there are plenty of fragrance-free products out there, body lotions included. And, yes, the CeraVe Moisturizer Cream checks this box because it’s fragrance-free. (It even has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance, a testament to its gentle nature when used on skin.)
