The 7 Best Cooling Lotions to Keep You Feeling Refreshed on the Balmiest Summer Nights
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What I love about summer: cute white dresses, breezy linen shorts and BBQ parties with family and friends. What I’m less excited about as the seasons change: overheating. Thankfully, cooling lotions and their gel, spray and serum counterparts exist, and are here to save the day. Cooling skin products come in many forms, but can be characterized by their formulations that bring a soothing sensation to the skin, leaving you feeling refreshed no matter the temps.
So what makes them such a powerful tool on sweltering days? “Cooling products work by using ingredients that trigger nerve endings in the skin,” says board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Corey L. Hartman, Founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL. “The ingredients don't lower the temperature of your skin; they instead work by creating a cellular response that sends a signal to your nerves responsible for regulating temperature that the skin is not hot, thus feeling cooler.”
The Best Cooling Lotions at a Glance
How I Chose the Best Cooling Lotions
In an effort to find the best cooling lotions out there, I tapped Dr. Hartman to share his top picks, and I scoured the market to find the brands most beloved by shoppers online. All products included are highly reviewed, contain ingredients that will bring that refreshingly cool feeling to your toasty skin, and promise to provide your skin with the relief we all crave when summer heat becomes a little too much to take. So read on for the best cooling lotions, gels and sprays to ease any heat-related discomfort in the summer months to come.
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The 7 Best Cooling Lotions of 2024
1. Gold Bond Medicated Extra Strength Body Lotion
Whether your need to scratch comes from bug bites, eczema or heat rash, having a lotion on hand to provide relief is a pro move. This lotion is formulated with vitamin E to soothe dry skin and has .5 percent menthol, one of Dr. Hartman’s can’t-miss ingredients for cooling. More than 7,800 Amazon shoppers rate this lotion 5 stars, and at under $10, it’s worth keeping a bottle in stock.
2. Mama Mio Lucky Legs Cooling Leg Gel
Summer days spent running around town, the beach or both can make lasting memories, but can also make for tired, achy feet and legs. This cooling product is specifically designed to soothe those puffy legs and ankles after a long day on your feet. Menthol and aloe are the primary cooling agents here, but the addition of ginger extract may provide a boost of energy to give you the second wind you need for that summer night out.
3. NYX Professional Makeup Face Freezie Cooling Hydration Moisturizer + Primer
If you’re looking for a double-duty product that’ll soothe your face while prepping for makeup, look no further. It has a “frozen sorbet” texture that’ll give your skin a wake-up call while you get ready for the day, and it’s filled with skin-soothing ingredients. Snow mushroom and niacinamide hydrate and tighten pores, and it’s silicone- and fragrance-free, making it ideal for sensitive skin.
4. Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Cooling Gel Moisturizer for Redness
Redness-prone beauty lovers swear by the cream version of this product, but for summer, the gel moisturizer can’t be beat. It boasts CoolSonic technology that both speeds absorption of all the skin-loving ingredients (cica complex and allantoin for redness reduction and deep soothing, to name the primary actives) and provides that all-important cooling factor. Clinical testing says it improves hydration instantly by 27 percent, which could be a game-changer if you live in a dry climate.
5. Jack Black Cool Moisture Body Lotion
Men, you deserve to feel the freshness of cooling lotion in the heat of summer too! The menthol in this lotion will give a chilly effect during application, while the vitamin E and jojoba will impart lasting moisture. This lotion is formulated to be quick-absorbing, so you’ll go from applying it to getting out the door in a flash, all while staying cool as can be.
6. Dermalogica Cooling Aqua Jelly Moisturizer
For those with oily skin, the heat of summer can mean an increase in oil production, and the last thing you’ll want to do is slather your skin with extra moisture. This gel moisturizer promises to deliver glow but not shine and is another one of Dr. Hartman’s top choices. “Even oily skin needs added moisture to regulate sebum production” says Dr. Hartman, and this “hyaluronic acid-based formula with a retinol-like bioflavonoid complex helps add moisture while reducing excess oil.”
7. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Body Lotion Cooling Cucumber
Heat can cause eczema flare-ups, so a cooling lotion can be an essential tool when temperatures climb. Colloidal oatmeal is the skin-saving ingredient in this lightweight lotion and is paired with cucumber to cool and refresh itchy skin. Oh, and it’s made of entirely clean ingredients to boot.
Other Great Cooling Beauty Products to Consider
1. SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Mask
SkinCeuticals is a favorite of PureWow readers and editors alike, primarily for their cult-classic vitamin C serum, but Dr. Hartman urges us not to sleep on this ultra-hydrating mask, especially if you have dry skin. “Hyaluronic acid adds hydration to the skin, while cucumber, thyme and olive oil extracts soothe the skin and concurrently make it feel cooler. It’s also a good choice if you’re sunburned, as dipeptides will reduce some of the heat in the skin,” says Dr. Hartman.
2. Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask
Cold plunges are all the rage for health benefits, so it’s no surprise they’ve inspired a line of soothing skincare. Another one of Dr. Hartman’s picks, this mask is a winner for anyone with clogged pores (read: everyone in summer). “When applied to the skin, this mask feels cool, and it helps calm inflamed acne-prone skin with eucalyptus, green tea, algae and Irish moss extracts,” says Dr. Hartman. On top of these calming ingredients, salicylic acid and lactic acid loosen dead skin and sebum on the skin to clear out clogged pores.
$24 at walmart
3. Tula Rose Glow & Get It Cooling & Brightening Eye Balm
With more than 3,500 5-star reviews on Ulta, this eye balm is a must-have for all seasons, but especially during hot summer months. Not only is this under-eye stick cooling, it also de-puffs instantly and promises to reduce fine lines and wrinkles over time. Aloe, one of Dr. Hartman’s cooling ingredients to look for, is the third ingredient in this product, and along with hydrating rosewater and firming caffeine, this balm will leave you looking and feeling more awake.
4. Stripes The Cool Factor Calming Face Mist for Sensitive Skin
Sometimes the need for a cooling blast can come out of nowhere, and when that feeling hits, grab this mist. Not only does the formulation include aloe for that soothing, cooling factor, but it also has edelweiss extract that’ll help lift and tighten skin over time. The antioxidant mineral blend in this spritz is hormone-free, so is a great gift for anyone experiencing those dreaded menopausal hot flashes as well.
5. KORRES Greek Yoghurt Calming + Cooling Gel
With this product you won’t just be spooning greek yogurt into your breakfast bowl, but rubbing it into your sun kissed skin as well. After a day of a little too much sun exposure, this cream will be just what you need. Greek yogurt increases the water content in the top layers of your skin, bringing relief to a parched bod post-beach day.
6. Elemis Instant Refreshing Gel
Working out in summer is a sweaty situation and can leave your muscles craving a cooldown that involves more than just stretching. Enter this muscle-reviving gel, packed with camphor and menthol for cooling and arnica for deep muscle healing. It’s not just for muscles, however, and can be used on the temples to ease a headache and is even safe for pregnancy.
7. Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint
These jiggly blushes broke the internet when they popped onto the scene recently, and not just because of their appealing, jelly-like texture. The sheer tint is buildable and fresh, like a summer popsicle, and the formula contains soothing aloe, vegan collagen to help firm the skin, and seawater for a refreshing sensation. I recommend tossing one into your bag for on the go lip and cheek touch-ups all summer long.
What Ingredients Should You Look for in a Cooling Lotion?
Dr. Hartman suggests keeping an eye out for products that include cucumber, peppermint, menthol, eucalyptus and aloe vera, as these will all bring that cooling sensation to the skin.
What’s the Best Overall Cooling Lotion?
Gold Bond Medicated Extra Strength Body Lotion is PureWow’s pick for best cooling lotion, based on how well it cools and revitalizes dry, itchy skin. Aloe and vitamin E make it soothing, it’s pretty affordable and it received our derm’s seal of approval.
The Tula Cooling Eye Balm Is Like Cold Brew for Your Under-Eyes—and Psst: It's on Sale
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