Updated July 14, 2026
You deserve to nourish your skin with gentle, clean ingredients that will give your skin that natural glow. That’s why when it comes to skincare, it’s important to choose products that will work in harmony with your body rather than against it.
In this post, we’re sharing facts on what to look for in an emollient ointment for eczema. We also explore:
- What is an emolllient is
- The different types of emollients
- How emollients help eczema
- What makes a good emollient
- What is the best emollient
- Common mistakes when choosing an emollient
- Choosing the best emollient for your skin
- Our top emollients recommendations for eczema
What Is an Emollient?
An emollient is a moisturizer that helps soften, smooth, and protect dry, damaged skin. For people with eczema, emollients are one of the most important parts of a daily skincare routine because they help restore the skin barrier, lock in moisture, and reduce water loss.
Emollients come in many forms, including creams, balms, ointments, lotions, and oils. Some are lightweight for everyday use, while others create a richer protective barrier that's ideal for very dry or flare-prone skin.
Not every emollient is created equal, however. Some contain fragrances, harsh preservatives, or other ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin. Others are made with gentle, natural ingredients that nourish the skin while helping support long-term skin barrier health.
Emollients Types and Formats
Emollients come in many shapes and forms.
Balms, Ointments & Salves
Balms, ointments, and salves are thicker emollients that create a protective barrier on the skin to help reduce moisture loss. Since they usually do not contain presevatives or alcohols, they are often the best choice for very dry, cracked, or stubborn eczema and are especially helpful before bed or during flare-ups when the skin needs intensive hydration.
Creams
Creams are absorbed quickly, making them a great choice for people with particularly dry skin. They’re good for daytime use because of their non-greasy formula. Creams contain a high percentage of water and thus contain preservatives and alcohols, which can cause a burning sensations on more sensitive, irritated skin.
Lotions
Compared to other emollients, lotions are thin and spread easily. They’re also not as moisturizing as other emollients. Since they contain even more water than creams, they also require alcohols and preservatives and thus can be quite irritating to broken skin and eczema.
How Do Emollients Help Eczema?
Eczema weakens your skin's natural protective barrier, allowing moisture to escape more easily and irritants, allergens, and bacteria to enter. This often leads to dry, itchy, inflamed skin that is prone to flare-ups.
Emollients help by filling the tiny cracks between skin cells with moisturizing ingredients and protective lipids. This strengthens the skin barrier, reduces moisture loss, softens rough patches, and helps relieve itching.
When used consistently, emollients can:
- Improve skin hydration
- Reduce itching and tightness
- Help repair the skin barrier
- Make flare-ups less frequent
- Support prescription eczema treatments by keeping skin healthier between flares
For best results, apply an emollient several times a day and always after bathing while your skin is still slightly damp.
What Makes a Good Emollient?
Not all emollients are the same. The best one for eczema is gentle, fragrance-free, and provides enough moisture for your skin without causing irritation.
Look for emollients that contain ingredients known to support the skin barrier, such as:
- Glycerin
- Ceramides
- Colloidal oatmeal
- Shea butter
- Sunflower seed oil
- Calendula
- Aloe vera
- Honey
- Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl)
Avoid products that contain unnecessary fragrances, harsh preservatives, or drying alcohols if your skin is sensitive. Lotions are creams contain high percentages of water and thus preservatives and alcohols, so keep that in mind and proceed with caution. Learn more in this guide about Ingredients to Avoid for Eczema & What to Use Instead.
What is the Best Emollient?
There isn't one emollient that works best for everyone with eczema. The right choice depends on your age, skin type, climate, and whether your eczema is dry, itchy, thickened, or weeping.
Many people find that using different products for different situations works best. For example, a lighter cream during the day may feel more comfortable under clothing, while a richer balm provides longer-lasting moisture overnight.
The most effective emollient is ultimately the one that keeps your skin hydrated, feels comfortable to use, and becomes part of your daily routine.
Common Mistakes When Choosing an Emollient
Even the best emollient won't work well if it isn't used correctly.
Common mistakes include:
- Applying too little product
- Applying too much product the first time without patch testing for a reaction first
- Waiting too long after bathing before moisturizing
- Only moisturizing once a day during a flare
- Frequently switching between products before giving them time to work
- Using heavily fragranced skincare that irritates sensitive skin
- Forgetting areas that are prone to dryness, such as hands, feet, elbows, and knees
- Using emollients (usually with a preservative or alcohol) that burns the skin
Building a simple daily moisturizing routine often makes a bigger difference than constantly trying new products.
Choosing the Best Emollient for Your Skin
Although there is no one best emollient that works perfectly for everyone, we hope you’ll find something great for your skin right here. Our founder created The Eczema Company after helping to heal her son’s severe eczema via natural means. She has curated a collection of products that work well for a variety of types of eczema all with natural, safe ingredients – all just for you. The idea is, it may take a few attempts to find your path to healing, but we hope to make it easy for you to try a variety of products all from one place.
Take our Skin Quiz for personalized recommendations for your unique skin needs.
Our Favorite Natural Emollients for Different Types of Eczema
The right emollient depends on your skin, the severity of your eczema, and the symptoms you're trying to manage. Here are some of our favorite natural emollients, each chosen for a different eczema need.
You can also view our entire curated collection of Creams, Balms & Oils.
Best Overall Eczema Balm
If you're looking for one versatile balm that works well for a wide range of eczema symptoms, EmuJoy Soothe My Skin is one of our top picks. Its nourishing blend of emu oil, aloe vera, shea butter, calendula, and chamomile deeply moisturizes while helping calm inflammation and support skin repair. Despite its rich, moisturizing formula, it absorbs well without leaving a greasy residue, making it suitable for both the face and body. It's an excellent everyday balm for eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and other sensitive skin conditions.
Best Oil for Eczema
Calendula oil is one of our favorite natural emollient oils for dry, sensitive skin. This 100% USDA Certified Organic formula is rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and plant compounds that help soften skin, reduce dryness, and support the skin barrier. It absorbs quickly without feeling heavy and can be used directly on dry patches or added to bath water for an extra moisture boost. Gentle enough for babies yet effective for adults, it's a wonderful option for eczema, psoriasis, and other dry skin conditions.
Best Lotion for Eczema
For those who prefer a lighter moisturizer, BIA Eczema Relief Lotion offers an impressive combination of ingredients that both hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier. It features 1% colloidal oatmeal to relieve itching, Ceramide NP to replenish the skin barrier, hyaluronic acid to attract and retain moisture, and a patent-pending BiaComplex® 2.0 made with probiotics and botanical extracts to help soothe irritated skin. Nourishing oils including sunflower, meadowfoam, moringa, macadamia, and shea butter provide lasting hydration without a greasy feel. Clinically tested and accepted by the National Eczema Association, it's an excellent choice for everyday use on the face and body once the skin is no longer severely cracked or weeping.
Best for Itchy Eczema
Emily Skin Soother's Baby & Adult
Created by an acupuncturist to help his daughter's eczema, this award-winning balm is one of our favorite natural remedies for dry, itchy skin. Made with just three traditional Chinese herbs in a simple olive oil and beeswax base, it helps calm itching while supporting the skin barrier without unnecessary fragrances, preservatives, or harsh ingredients. Gentle enough for babies and suitable for adults, it's an excellent everyday choice for eczema, keratosis pilaris, and other dry, itchy skin conditions.
Shop our collection for Itchy, Dry Eczema
Best for Thickened Eczema
Emily Skin Soother's Super Dry
When eczema leaves skin rough, cracked, thickened, or painfully dry, this richer herbal balm provides long-lasting moisture and protection. Originally formulated for severe dry eczema and psoriasis, it combines traditional Chinese herbs with nourishing oils to soften stubborn dry patches while helping support the skin's natural healing process. It's especially popular during winter or for dry hands, feet, elbows, and knees.
Shop our collection for Thick, Scaly Eczema
Best for Red, Inflamed or Weeping Skin
Emily Skin Soother's Hot Skin Soother
When eczema becomes red, hot, inflamed, or begins to weep, this specialized herbal balm is designed to help calm irritated skin. It is particularly helpful for heat-triggered eczema, sweat rashes, skin folds, and areas prone to moisture such as the armpits, groin, and behind the knees. Many families also reach for it during more intense flare-ups when the skin feels especially irritated.
Shop our collection for Weeping Eczema.
Best for the Most Sensitive, Allergy-Prone Skin
The Healthy Porcupine's Grass-Fed Tallow Balm
For people who react to many skincare ingredients, sometimes less is more. This simple grass-fed tallow balm is made with minimal ingredients and closely resembles the natural lipids found in healthy skin. It deeply moisturizes, strengthens the skin barrier, and is well suited for eczema-prone, allergy-prone, and sensitive skin. Available in both an unscented version and a lightly scented lavender option, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking for a traditional, naturally nourishing moisturizer.
Best for Facial & Eyelid Eczema
Bodyceuticals Calendula Facial Cream
The delicate skin on the face and around the eyes requires extra care. This lightweight facial cream combines calendula, aloe vera, rooibos, MSM, and other naturally derived ingredients to soothe dry, irritated skin while supporting the skin barrier. Gentle enough for facial and eyelid eczema, it provides lightweight hydration without feeling heavy, making it an excellent daily moisturizer for sensitive facial skin.
Shop our collection for Facial Eczema and Eyelid Eczema
Best for Lip Eczema
The delicate skin on the lips often benefits from the simplest formulas. This nourishing lip balm contains just three ingredients: calendula, beeswax, and vitamin E, providing rich moisture without unnecessary fragrances or fillers. It helps soothe dry, cracked lips while protecting the skin from further moisture loss. Because of its gentle formula, many customers also use it as a spot treatment on small eczema patches elsewhere on the body.
Best for Babies
Emily Skin Soother for Babies & Adults
Finding an eczema moisturizer that's gentle enough for babies can be challenging, which is why this simple herbal balm has become a longtime favorite. Made with just three traditional Chinese herbs, olive oil, and beeswax, it's free from fragrances, preservatives, colorants, and unnecessary additives. Gentle enough for even the youngest skin, it helps calm itching, soothe dry patches, and support the skin barrier while remaining equally effective for children and adults. It also works well for cradle cap and other dry, sensitive skin conditions.
Best for Travel & On-the-Go Relief
EmuJoy On the Go Skin Soother Stick
Perfect for purses, diaper bags, backpacks, or travel, this mess-free balm stick makes it easy to soothe irritated skin anytime, anywhere. Made with emu oil, calendula, and comfrey, it helps calm itching, reduce inflammation, and support the skin's natural healing process. Its solid formula won't leak, making it ideal for quick touch-ups on eczema flare-ups, bug bites, scrapes, chapped skin, or irritated noses while you're away from home.
Healthy Skin Starts with Consistency
There is no single best emollient for eczema because everyone's skin is different. The goal isn't to chase the newest product, but to build a simple routine that keeps your skin hydrated, protects your skin barrier, and helps reduce flare-ups over time.
Small daily habits, like moisturizing after bathing, avoiding irritating ingredients, and choosing products designed for sensitive skin, often make the biggest difference.
If you're building your skincare routine, explore our collection of natural moisturizers, natural cleansers, and educational resources like our Eczema 100 series to find products and information that support healthier skin every day.
Looking for personalized solutions for your eczema, Take Our Skin Quiz.
