11 Moisturizers To Ward Off Itchy Skin This Fall

As soon as I start itching, I know — fall is coming. No, seasonal body itch (a term I've just coined) can happen as fall goes full throttle, the humidity leaving the air and making your skin suddenly very itchy. The only answer to phantom itch? Don't immediately assume you have bedbugs, as I did this year. Instead, try a groundbreaking moisturizer ideal for itchy skin, or even a body oil if you don't fear a bathroom slip and slide into death. While it's not a permanent fix, the moisture effectively hits pause on the Itchy and Scratchy show your life has suddenly become, while the formulas amp up your skin's defenses.

According to the New York Times, it's "the dryness of the air damages the skin barrier and causes the most common problems," like itching, burning and stinging, and "once that barrier function becomes impaired, it has to be healed before the skin can properly rehydrate on its own." Meaning, if you don't do anything about it, you'll have a metaphorical seven-year itch.

Packed with helpers like ceramides and oils, these guys will build up your skin's protective barrier, so you can spend less time itching and Googling bedbugs (don't do it) and more time doing literally anything else.

1. Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Body Oil

Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Body Oil, $25, Sephora.com

This one's fun. With the consistency of your dad's fluffy shaving cream, a few squirts of the mousse are enough to cover your whole body, and the whip transforms into an oil that sinks in for long-lasting moisture. Plus, the scent is amazing.

2. CERAVE Moisturizing Lotion

CERAVE Moisturizing Lotion, $14.99, Ulta.com

But if scent isn't your thing, there's still no beating go-to derm favorite, CeraVe. With all the fun formulas and innovations that come out, it's a basic that has the goods, loaded with the ceramides (a kind of lipid) that your skin needs to function at top-notch. No fancy packaging needed, which is how you know it works.

3. Beautycounter Lustro Shimmer Oil

Beautycounter Lustro Shimmer Oil, $35, Beautycounter.com

If you do want the fancy packaging (this whole article is just a series of "but ifs," hope you like it) Beautycounter's fittingly beautiful oil is the way to go. With jojoba, grape-seed, and sesame oils and a lightly shimmering bronze tint, this dry oil is also a doppelganger for Nars' Monoi Body Glow I. Good for the rare occasions your legs emerge from tights or pants — they've still got it.

4. It's Skin Cookie & Body Ice Cream

It's Skin Cookie & Body Ice Cream, $10, Sephora.com

I audibly gasped when I saw this, I won't lie to you. It's the spitting image of cookies and cream ice cream! Just look, it's so good. Then use — the "soft cookie chip pieces" melt when massaged into skin for smoothness. High in mineral oil, if that's something you're concerned about, but also all of $10 dollars.

5. Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Spray Moisturizer

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Spray Moisturizer, $5.99, Target.com

The definitive workhorse lotion, Vaseline knows their game, and exactly how to change it. This spray moisturizer is quick, easy, and takes the annoyance out of slathering on body lotion to remain it-.

6. Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Body Gel Oil

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Body Gel Oil, $6.29, Target.com

From the same line, but unique enough to also merit inclusion — the gel oil requires some quick work to slather on wet skin post-shower, but it seriously locks in moisture. It's ideal for that long-lasting, silky skin feel.

7. Babe Body Soufflé

Babe Body Soufflé, $30, Sephora.com

New on the Sephora-block, Babe describes this as a "raw, natural, richly hydrating body cream," and chock full of ingredients like sweet almond oil, macadamia oil, and shea butter, the Soufflé is ace for moisture. Most impressive is its bare-bones ingredient list — while ample ingredients aren't necessarily a bad thing, it's always a pleasant surprise when you can pronounce everything. The packaging is also very cute.

8. NIVEA In-Shower Nourishing Body Lotion

NIVEA In-Shower Nourishing Body Lotion, $5.17, Walmart.com

In-shower body lotions were a big thing a few years ago, but this Nivea has stuck around and proved its worth. It seems made for a very specific clientele of people who like silky skin but abhor waiting for lotion to sink in. If that's you, this is your golden ticket.

9. NEUTROGENA Body Oil Light Sesame Formula

NEUTROGENA Body Oil Light Sesame Formula, $9.99, Ulta.com

An oldie-but-goodie that defines the term. This body oil channels classic '90s Calvin Klein minimalism, which is a tall order for a $9.99 body product. But Neutrogena hasn't messed with a good thing, and we're all the better for it — this light, inoffensively fragranced oil is a guarantee for itch-free limbs.

10. L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Supple Skin Oil

L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Supple Skin Oil, $46, Sephora.com

Scent: phenomenal. Immediate itch vanquishing: near miraculous. The spray mechanism also eliminates the danger of accidentally dumping half a bottle of oil on your leg, which is a danger that I know well.

11. Bioderma Photoderm Autobronzant

Bioderma Photoderm Autobronzant Self - Tanning Spray, $15.29, Beautyspin.com

I'll be honest, I've never gotten any noticeable bronzing action from this "it's French!" impulse purchase. But it's turned out for the better: this clear mist sinks in immediately, and is somehow the lightest, most ultra-moisturizing spray I've ever encountered. The light floral scent is also amazing, but what counts is that I don't think I need to call an exterminator after my itches disappear with it.

Images: Snufkin/Pexels; Courtesy of Brands