As a staunch supporter of the before-bed shower—blame it on my (unpopular) preference for an evening workout—I’m frequently in search of anything that will speed up my lengthy nighttime routine. For years, I didn’t go near a body moisturizer because the thought of applying it on my legs ahead of crawling into bed was seriously unappealing. Luckily, there’s now a full slate of fast-drying body lotions, gels, and oils that absorb seamlessly, so, if you’re like me, you can slather, then slip into bed in a matter of seconds. Or put on pants. Or just go on about your life without feeling gooey—which is an especially welcome thing in the summer.
“When the weather gets warmer and more humid, your skin adapts to the changing environment by increasing the production of oil,” says Corey L. Hartman, MD, founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology. He suggests switching up your moisturizer in tandem with that change: “Do away with thicker creams that take a long time to dry as they can mix with sweat and oil on the skin, which is a recipe for a breakout.”
“Hyaluronic acid is a great choice for summer because it’ll act as a humectant, grabbing humidity from the air and drawing it into your skin.” —Corey L. Hartman, MD
In particular, opt for a lighter weight gel or lotion formula. For starters, it’s tough to go wrong with any body product featuring the gold-star of skin hydration, hyaluronic acid. “It’s a great choice for summer because it’ll act as a humectant, grabbing humidity from the air and drawing it into your skin,” he says. You’ll often find hyaluronic acid in gel and lotion formulations, both of which do well in cold temperatures, adds Dr. Hartman, so you can even store them in the fridge for an ultra-cool application that hits just right before bed.
Beyond HA, however, there are several other kinds of body hydrators that’ll soak into skin quickly, from squalane-based sprays to vitamin-E infused lotions, certain oils, and body serums. Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite fast-drying moisturizers for allover hydration without the stickiness.