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Lunchtime Poll

Lunchtime Poll: Butter, Cream or Lotion

No, this isn’t about condiments (please don’t eat any kind of lotion).

The missing word here is “body.” While I can see a clear difference between body butter and body lotion, body butter and body cream make me scratch my head a little. Do you have any preferences?

By freckle [M]

Freckle can't decide between writing fact or fiction, so she does both, on a very regular basis, and sometimes even for money.

5 replies on “Lunchtime Poll: Butter, Cream or Lotion”

I was really sad when I go to “lotion” and realized this wasn’t about food. I’m all of the above. I really like the convenience of a pump lotion and tend to use any product more often if it’s easy, so I use lotions more often when I’m getting ready in the morning, by the sink after I wash my hands, and at my desk at work. I tend to use creams and body butters at night when I’m not in a hurry and don’t mind digging into a pot or jar of something.

The way I see it, lotion takes the shape of the container it is in, is easily spreadable and usually has water listed as the first ingredient. Cream is something you can press a finger into and the dent will stay (like those tins of nivea) and body butter is something that is butter-based, like shea or cocoa or mango or kokum. I used to get really into making my own body butter out of cocoa and shea butter, but lately I haven’t felt like doing that. I also have a hard time finding mango butter. Shea and cocoa are sold in bulk bins at whole foods (if you want to try a few oz. without committing a ton of money) so that’s usually where I used to buy it.

Now I live really close to an African store, so I can buy fresh shea butter in plastic tubs but I’ve only done it once because they sell a whole pound for like ten bucks. Also they have homemade soaps that remind me of my grandma’s homemade soaps. It’s funny because one is cocoa based and one is olive oil based, but they both remind me of old lady smell. I have a bar for when I feel nostalgic.

I don’t have a strong preference, but body lotion makes me think everyday, post-shower, practical application. Body butter makes me think of something a little more extravagant, and maybe the body cream has milk in it? I’ll have to pay more attention the next time I’m at the store.

Also, if you say “body” too many times in your head, it starts to sound strange.

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