What's the cream of the body crop?

By Jenna Macculloch

We slap on the moisturisers to sort the delightful from the dud.

AT this time of year after being blasted by wind, rain, hail and snow, our skin can often look dull, dry and brittle.

The combination of freezing temperatures and dark days certainly isn't the key to outer glowing radiance.

Skin's the body's largest organ and it really lets you know if it's not happy.

But certain measures can be taken to limit the damage and quench your dried-out skin's thirst.

For example, experts recommend using a body moisturiser after bathing or showering in a bid to keep skin in tip top condition and prevent it from losing moisture on a daily basis.

But with so much variety on the market - it's hard to know which to choose to suit your skin's individual needs.

So this week, the ?HN Tried and Tested team have taken all the hard work out of the choice, so our readers can make a smooth decision, without any of the hassle.

Here's what our team thought of the creams, butters and lotions...

Antipodes Ultra Nourishing Body Cream

RRP £26.99, stockists include Harrods, health food stores across the UK and online at ?www.antipodesnature.com

3 stars

ALL the ingredients used in this body cream are natural according to the label. And it certainly smells that way - very earthy. It's made up of avocado oil, essential Omegas 3, 6 and 9 as well as vitamins A, C and E - all of which sound pretty good for the skin. It's dark green in colour, and on first look, it's the most appealing body moisturiser I've ever seen. But don't judge a book by its cover. When you get down to it, this really works. It hydrates very quickly, and rubs in easily. I didn't feel sticky after it, although preferred to use it at night as more of a luxury item. It's great, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. But at £26.99, it's luxury, not everyday.

GreenPeople Body ?Hydrating Lotion

RRP £12.95, available from www.greenpeople.co.uk

4 stars

I use body moisturiser almost every day after showering as my skin does tend to be on the dry side otherwise.

This hydrating body lotion looked and smelt like something I would expect to see in a spa. The smell was fresh, but very clean and was not overwhelming. The bottle was very simple and white in colour, making it look professional.

The lotion itself wasn't so thin that it was watery, like some I have tried, but also wasn't so thick that it didn't rub in properly. It was the perfect texture and rubbed in easily. I enjoyed using this body moisturiser and after a week of use, my skin felt more hydrated than normal.

On the more expensive side of body moisturises available, but I would highly recommend it and feel it's worth every penny. I'll certainly be ordering another bottle.

Malki Dead Sea Natural Mineral Body Lotion

£7.99 from Boots nationwide

4 stars

Since biblical times, dead sea minerals have been hailed as having great healing properties, with even psoriasis sufferers using them to relieve symptoms. So I was interested to try this out, especially with my sensitive skin.

First things first, the plain white packaging did not bowl me over. It looked basic, old-fashioned, and the sort of bottle you could see on your granny's bathroom shelf. However, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, as fancy packaging can sometimes be a gimmick trying to compensate for inferior contents.

So I wired in, and smoothed the thick white cream on my legs which always tend to be dry after shaving. Scented a bit like traditional soap, I noted how the cream instantly soothed and hydrated my skin. And hours later, my skin was still fully moisturised - so you can't argue with that.

There are far cheaper products on the market, but if you really want a moisturiser to do its job then be sure to reach for this.

Laidbare's Butter Me Up Body Butter

RRP £9.99, available from at www.touchmyface.co.uk and at branches of Holland&Barrett, Wholefoods Market and Planet Organic

5 stars

Laidbare's Butter Me Up Body Butter, This body butter is thick and creamy, but surprisingly melted into my skin very easily. It feels and smells like a luxury product, but without the luxury price tag. The smell is fresh, but it's not over-powering and you won't feel like a floral garden after application! I enjoyed using this moisturiser at night, as I felt by the morning my skin really did feel hydrated. It also didn't leave me feel sticky. For under £10 this body butter will last you a long time, so well worth spending the money.

Nature's Best ?Body Butter

RRP £6.95, from www.naturesbest.co.uk

5 stars

This smelled lovely, had a lovely thick non-greasy consistency and just felt lush on my skin. Twelve hours later, ?I could still feel the effects.

At first I wasn't sure about the Green Tea version, as normally that is something I drink! However, its scent was soft and the moisturiser itself melted into the skin so it wasn't too oily, but left my skin so soft and hydrated.

Although it comes in a generous-sized pot, I found myself slapping it on liberally so it wouldn't last too long. However there's a special deal on to buy two for £10 which is well worth the cash.