Last Updated on October 27, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
My skin’s been drier than the Sahara lately and I kept seeing Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturizing Body Lotion reviews everywhere, people acting like this purple bottle was gonna change their life or whatever. I was skeptical, but my elbows were literally crunchy so I grabbed it. In this review, I’m telling you whether this is the best body lotion for very dry skin, if it’s worth the money, and what you can realistically expect when you use it.
Key Ingredients in Aveeno Stress Relief Body Lotion: What Makes It Work?
AVENA SATIVA KERNEL FLOUR
This is ground up oats. Yeah, the breakfast kind. They have these things called avenanthramides that calm your skin down when it’s pissed off and irritated. When you slather this on, the oats make a protective layer and tell your skin to stop being dramatic.And there’s actual science behind this, not just marketing BS. Studies show that oat extracts help your skin hold onto water better and chill out inflammation.
The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology did research on how colloidal oatmeal fixes your skin barrier and stops that god-awful itchy feeling. Oats also have beta-glucans which pull moisture into your skin and keep it there.The oats in this lotion aren’t just sitting there looking pretty on the ingredient list. They’re genuinely fixing your skin barrier and making everything feel less tight. That’s why everyone with eczema won’t shut up about Aveeno – the oats actually work.
PETROLATUM
Petrolatum sounds scary but it’s literally just purified petroleum jelly. I know, I know, but hear me out: this is one of the most studied ingredients ever and the American Academy of Dermatology says it’s fine for basically everyone. Here’s the deal: petrolatum creates a barrier on your skin that locks moisture in. Studies show it can reduce water loss by up to 99% which is insane. It doesn’t add moisture itself, it just traps whatever’s already there and stops it from evaporating. Think of it as Saran wrap for your skin.
The research on petrolatum is extensive. A study in Dermatitis found that petrolatum-based moisturizers were way better at preventing moisture loss than products without it. In this lotion, petrolatum teams up with the oat flour. The oats calm everything down, the petrolatum seals it all in and protects your skin from getting beat up by the environment. It’s also why this lotion feels thicker than your average drugstore cream: that occlusive layer makes it feel more substantial without being greasy.
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Water: This is the base that everything else gets mixed into. It helps the lotion spread and lets the active ingredients actually get into your skin instead of just chilling on the surface doing nothing.
- Glycerin: This pulls water from the air into your skin (it’s called a humectant but whatever). It’s been used forever because it works and doesn’t fight with any of the other ingredients.
- Isopropyl Palmitate: This is what makes the lotion feel silky and smooth when you rub it in. It softens your skin and makes the whole experience feel less like rubbing paste on your body. But it can be comedogenic on oily, acne-prone skin.
- Dimethicone: A silicone that creates a breathable protective layer. It’s what gives you that instant soft feeling and helps lock in moisture without clogging your pores or feeling heavy.
- Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract: This is where the “stress relief” thing comes from. Lavender has that calming scent (aromatherapy vibes), but it may irritate sensitive skin.
- Distearyldimonium Chloride: A conditioning agent that helps the lotion spread evenly and keeps the ingredients from separating. It also has some antimicrobial properties that help keep the formula from going bad.
- Cetyl Alcohol: Don’t freak out about the alcohol part-this is a fatty alcohol that actually moisturizes. It thickens the lotion and gives it that creamy texture while conditioning your skin.
- Benzyl Alcohol: This is a preservative that stops bacteria and mold from growing in your lotion. It also shows up naturally in some essential oils, and in these tiny amounts it’s completely safe.
- Sodium Chloride: Literally just salt. They use it to adjust how thick the lotion is and help everything blend together into the right texture.
- Fragrance: This gives the lotion that lavender-chamomile smell. It’s a synthetic blend meant to make the stress-relief thing feel more real, though if you’re really sensitive to fragrances you might wanna watch out for this one.
It’s a very rich body cream but not crazy thick, you know? When you pump it out it’s creamy and spreads easily. Doesn’t take forever to rub in which is clutch because I hate standing around naked waiting for lotion to absorb. It sinks in pretty fast, maybe like 30 seconds to a minute of rubbing and you’re good. No gross film sitting on your skin after. Your skin just feels soft and you can put clothes on right away without feeling like you’re gonna leave lotion marks everywhere. If you go overboard with it though, it gets a little tacky for a sec.
Fragrance
The lavender scent isn’t up my alley, let’s put it this way. I got the new formula with the brown cap and it smells so fake and artificial. It’s supposed to be relaxing lavender but it smells more like someone tried to make lavender in a lab and failed. Kinda chemical-y, kinda headache-inducing, definitely not calming. When you first put it on the smell hits you hard, but it fades pretty quick so at least there’s that. Within like 20 minutes it’s mostly gone. If you’re sensitive to fragrances this is probably gonna irritate your skin. If you don’t really care about how your lotion smells then whatever, it’s fine enough.
How To Use It
Put it on after you shower while your skin’s still a little damp. That’s when it works best. I do like a very thin layer for each arm, more for legs. You don’t need a ton because it spreads pretty far. Just rub it in until it disappears, which doesn’t take long. I usually do it at night before bed and wake up with actually soft skin. You can use it in the morning too or on your hands during the day, it’s not greasy so it won’t mess up your phone or anything. If you’ve got really dry patches or eczema spots, layer it. Put a minimum amount on, let it sink in, then hit those spots again if needed.
Packaging
It’s a tube with a flip cap. You squeeze it, lotion comes out. Pretty basic. The flip cap is easy to pop open with one hand which is clutch when your hands are already wet from the shower. Snaps shut so it won’t leak in your bag. The tube’s that squeezable plastic that doesn’t get all wrinkly right away. But yeah, when you’re near the end you’re gonna be squeezing from the middle trying to get every last bit out. It’s the only thing that’s annoying.
Performance & Personal Opinion
It’s solid for basic moisturizing and relief of any sort. Does what it’s supposed to: keeps your skin from being dry and crusty, feels lovely on, and the oats actually helps with irritation and even a really bad flare-up. My skin got noticeably softer after using it for like two weeks. My legs stopped being all scaly and rough. The oatmeal really does calm down any redness or irritation which is great if your skin freaks out easily.
But does it relieve stress? Hell no. The lavender smell isn’t relaxing at all with this new formula. It’s just lotion that smells vaguely like lavender. If you want actual stress relief go take a bath or something. The whole reformulation thing pisses me off though. They had something that worked and people loved and they went and screwed with it. Now it’s just… fine. Not amazing, just fine. For the price though I can’t complain that much. It’s cheap, I can get it anywhere, and it does help with sensitive, dry body skin.
What I Like About Aveeno Stress Relief Body Lotion
- It actually soothes irritated skin and helps with dryness and eczema. Not just marketing hype.
- Good absorption. You’re not waiting ages for it to sink in.
- Not greasy. Doesn’t leave you feeling like a glazed donut.
- Actually keeps you moisturized. One application lasts most of the day. Not reapplying every couple of hours.
- Helps with eczema.
What I DON’T Like About Aveeno Stress Relief Body Lotion
- The smell is artificial and cheap. Nothing calming or relaxing about it.
- This doesn’t relieve stress. It’s just lotion.
- If you’re sensitive to smells this could be a problem. It’s pretty strong at first.
- Gets sticky if you use too much.
Who Should Use This?
Get this if you have normal skin, dry skin and sensitive skin and want a daily lotion you can just put on to keep your skin in top condition. If you have sensitive skin or mild eczema the oat formula will probably work great for you. Perfect for someone who wants zero hassle-shower, lotion, done. Nothing complicated. If you’re lazy about moisturizing (same) but want to actually do it, this makes it easy enough that you might stick with it.
But if you’re picky about natural scents or fragrances give you headaches, the fake lavender will drive you nuts. Also if you genuinely want stress relief from skincare, this ain’t it. Light a candle or take a nap instead.
Does Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Unwind as you moisturize your skin. This unique formula combines the calming scents of lavender to help calm and relax while providing long lasting moisture. | I guess it’s true if you like the lavender scent. |
| Helps calm, soothe, relax & moisturize skin. | True |
Price & Availability
$3.97 at Walmart
FAQ
Is Aveeno Stress Relief better than Palmer’s Cocoa Body Lotion?
Depends what you’re after. Palmer’s has that wonderful chocolate scent and vitamin E which this doesn’t have. But if you’ve got eczema-prone skin or dermatitis-prone skin, the oat formula in this Aveeno is gonna work better for calming things down. Palmer’s is more for general dryness, this one’s better for irritated skin.
Can I use Aveeno Baby Eczema Lotion instead?
Yeah you can, it’s from Aveeno’s eczema line too. The baby version is even gentler and fragrance-free which is better if scents irritate you. But this stress relief one is a decent product if you can handle the lavender smell and want something for your whole body.
Will this work during a flare-up phase?
It helps but it’s not steroidal medication or anything. If you’re in a bad flare-up phase you might need steroidal stuff from a doctor. This is better for maintaining your skin between flares or for mild situations.
How does this compare to other Aveeno products?
It’s basically their skin relief lotion with lavender added. If you want the same oat benefits without the fragrance, go for Aveeno Skin Relief Body Lotion instead. All Aveeno body products use similar oat formulas.
Is this the best product for eczema?
It’s good but “best” depends on your skin. Some people need prescription stuff, some do better with fragrance-free options. This is a solid over-the-counter choice if your eczema-prone skin isn’t too severe.
What if I have really dry skin in the dry season?
This works pretty well for dry season skin. The petrolatum locks in moisture which helps when the air’s sucking everything out of your skin. Layer it if you need extra help on really dry patches.
Can I use this on body folds or back of the knee?
Yeah, body folds and back of the knee are fine. Those areas get irritated easily and the oat formula helps. Just make sure the skin’s dry before applying so it doesn’t get too sweaty and gross in the folds.
Is La Roche Posay Lipikar Baume AP better than this?
They work differently. La Roche Posay uses shea butter and niacinamide to repair your skin barrier, while this Aveeno has oats and petrolatum. La Roche Posay doesn’t have oats so if that’s what your skin responds to, this might work better for you. La Roche Posay is thicker and richer though, so if you need something heavy-duty it’s a fantastic product. This Aveeno absorbs faster and is way cheaper. Depends what your eczema-prone skin needs.
Will this help with poor circulation in my legs?
No, this is just a moisturizer. Poor circulation is a medical thing that needs actual medical help. This won’t do anything for delivery of oxygen or circulation issues. It’ll just make your skin less dry.
Is this safe for external use only?
Yeah, external use only. Don’t eat it, keep it out of reach of children, all that standard stuff. If you accidentally get some in your eyes rinse with water.
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
Depends what you want. If you need a decent everyday body lotion that actually moisturizes and won’t irritate sensitive skin, yeah get it. The oatmeal formula works, it absorbs fast, it’s not greasy, and it’s everywhere. For basic moisturizing it does the job. But if you’re buying this for “stress relief” or expecting some spa-quality lavender aromatherapy thing, you’re gonna be pissed. The new formula smells bad and the relaxation claims are well, up to debate. It’s just a moisturizer with a crappy fragrance.
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour ,Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
