The Politics of Moisturizing: A Love Letter to the Ritual
NewBeauty Facebook Pinterest Instagram Youtube find a doctor Face Adult Acne Antioxidants Anti-Aging Celebrity Chronic Skin Conditions Eye Hydration Hyperpigmentation Makeup View All Eyebrows Eye Color Foundation Fragrance Lip Color Makeovers Male Skin Care Peels Pre-Event Prep Sensitive Skin Skin Care Skin Health Smile Sun Care Treatments Fillers Microneedling Post-Procedure Skin Care Neurotoxins Regenerative Aesthetics Skin Lifting Body Body Sculpting Breasts Butts Cellulite Hair Removal Hands + Nails Legs Pregnancy Find a Doctor Hair Bond Repair Celebrity Dry Hair Frizzy Hair Gray Hair Hair Color Hair Growth Hair Repair Scalp Health Styling + Tips Awards NB100 Awards 15th Annual Beauty Awards 2025 NewBeauty Readers’ Choice Awards Shopping Gift Guides Product Reviews NewBeauty Storefront Wellness Fitness GLP-1s Health Menopause About Us TESTTUBE Search for: Search HomeBody The Politics of Moisturizing: A Love Letter to the Ritual Never leave the house without applying lotion. By Larry Stansbury Published: Feb 24, 2026 We may earn commission from links on this page. Each product featured has been vetted and chosen by our editors. ILLUSTRATION BY: SAMANTHA HAHN This article first appeared in the Winter 2026 issue of NewBeauty. Click here to subscribe In my house, lotion was never optional. It was, and still is, a requirement. After every shower, before school, after gym class, or even stepping out of the house, my mother made sure I was moisturized from head to toe. There was always a bottle of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter or Vaseline within reach. If I even thought about leaving the house with ashy elbows, she’d stop me at the door. “You’re not about to go outside looking ashy,” she’d say, half-loving, half-serious. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. But looking back, I realize moisturizing was never just about appearance—it was about pride. Growing up Black, moisturizing wasn’t a suggestion,…