Body lotion ranks right above soap and deodorant on the scale of how much I am willing to spend on beauty products. However, my older sister seems to think that I deserve better than plain old St. Ives, so she gave me a tube of Elizabeth Arden's ultra-luxe 8-hour body creme for Christmas.

I'm not sure how she stumbled across this particular product to begin with, especially since Elizabeth Arden is so not her style. But for whatever the reason -- desperation or serendipity -- the stuff really works. The lightly scented lotion has a thick emollient quality, which moisturizes without feeling greasy. The 8-hour creme is particularly good for hands as well, since it holds up to washing and never gets in the way when you are trying to open a door.