Several months ago, I put out the call on Twitter for a good quality body lotion.  The response was resounding.  Dozens of people recommended Kiehl’s Creme de Corps, including the stylish Johanna Cox–and when Johanna tells you to buy a product, you better find a store and pick one up pronto.

Splurge: At $47 for 16 ounces, Creme de Corps is by no means inexpensive.  And for a Hill Staffer, staying well-moisturized would take a raise or a sugar daddy.  However, the product is fantastic.

This cream is luxurious without being greasy. Packed with beta carotene and shea butter the product is also very nourishing.  The scent is light and clean instead of treacly.

Unlike many moistuizers, where the softness evaporates after a few hours, Creme de Corps keeps your skin silky from shower-to-shower.  And during the winter months, this moisturizer holds up while others fade faster than a toddler before nap time.

When I first purchased this product, I was instantly smitten.  Every time that I applied it, I felt like I was indulging in a little bit of me time.  But after I purchased my second or third bottle, I started to think, “Shouldn’t I be putting this money in savings? Or at least in the Jimmy Choo fund?”  So I went searching for a cheaper alternative.

Save: I purchased three or four different products before I tried c. Booth 4-in-1 Multi Action Body Cream (Soap.com, $11 for 32 ounces).  But could it live up to the Creme de Corps?

The first thing that struck me about the c. Booth body cream was how unbelievably big the bottle was.  Seriously, it’s gigantic.  Like check the receipt and make sure there wasn’t an error huge.

This lotion is a multi-tasker.  Alpha-hydroxy acids remove dead skin cells.  Shea, apricot kernel and sweet almond hydrate.  Vitamins and minerals nourish, and caffeine tightens.

I purchased the coconut/fig, which is okay, a little nutty, a bit fruity, not to sweet.  However, my neighbor uses the lemon sugar and it smells lovely.  So if scent matters to you, choose wisely.  Mostly because it will take you 71 years to use all of this product, so you are going to be smelling it for awhile.

Like the Creme de Corps, this lotion creates a softness that lasts.  It also gives your skin a lovely, hydrated sheen.  And the scent lingers, in a good way, throughout the day.

Unlike the Kiehl’s, it contains mineral oil, so it’s a bit greasy on the hands and can cause acne on the shoulders and chest if you’re prone to blemishes.  That hasn’t happened to me yet, but I’ve been using another lotion on those areas because I’m paranoid about it.

Verdict: Splurge and buy the Kiehl’s, but buy it on eBay.  I picked up 32 ounces for $61, but the selection isn’t fantastic, so be prepared to check the site regularly to score the best deal.

The truth is, I like the c. Booth lotion.  I’m still using it while I wait for my Creme de Corps to arrive from the seller in Odessa, TX.  But the mineral oil freaks me out, and my skin and my hair are the two things that I don’t scrimp on because they will be with me for life.  So buy the Kiehl’s, but in a more fiscally responsible way.