Hempz Winter Mint Lotion Smells Exactly Like the Name

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Very fragrant. That was my first thought when I pumped this out, and the second was that it smells a little like a holiday candle, in a good way. Winter vibes, right out of the bottle. Hempz sent their Winter Mint lotion over for me to try, and within a minute I’d already decided it was a gift idea before I’d decided anything about my skin.

My skin did need it, though. I’d gotten some sun and my arms had that tight, lined look, so this got a real test instead of a polite one. And I like the bottle. A green pump bottle with ornaments on it is going to sit on a bathroom counter and look like December.

Why does the mint in this lotion do more than smell nice?

Most holiday lotions are a regular lotion with a seasonal fragrance stirred in. This one has peppermint oil in the formula itself, so there’s a light cooling feel when it goes on. Subtle, not shocking, and it’s the reason the “frosted” in the name lands on your skin and not just in your nose.

Underneath the scent is the same hemp seed oil and shea butter base Hempz uses year-round. That’s the part doing the moisturizing. The holiday version just gets to smell like cranberries while it works. There are two more winter scents in the lineup, and I tried both: Vanilla Bean & Coconut Snowball and Honeycrisp Apple & Cherry Chai.

Hempz Winter Mint lotion specs at a glance

• Size: 12 fl oz pump bottle
• Scent notes: Sweet mint, frosted cranberry, amber vanilla
• Key ingredients: Peppermint oil, vanilla extract, shea butter, hemp seed oil
• Hydration claim: Up to 48 hours, per the label
• Formula: Paraben-free, gluten-free, phthalate-free, dye-free, cruelty-free, 100% vegan, THC-free

Who is the Hempz Winter Mint lotion best for?

This is a post-shower, every-day lotion for normal to moderately dry skin during the months when the heat is on. If you swap to something richer every winter and want that swap to smell like the season, this is the one.

It’s also one of the easier gifts I’ve come across this year. The bottle already looks wrapped, the scent is festive without being loud, and it pairs with the candle warmer lamp I reviewed if you want a whole “smells like December” bundle for someone. If the list has a Hello Kitty person on it, the jewelry advent calendar I opened last year is the other easy one.

How did it do on my sun-dried arm?

I put it straight onto the driest patch of my forearm and watched. It sank in faster than I expected from something with shea butter in it. No greasy film, no standing around with my sleeve pushed up. Once it settled, the tight, lined look was gone.

The scent hung around for a good while afterward, but it stayed on my arm. It didn’t fill the room every time I moved, which is the line between “fragrant” and “too much” for me.

Three things I noticed after the first day

• The pump bottle: One-handed, no cap to lose, and it looks like a decoration on the counter. Small thing, but it’s why it’s staying out instead of going in a drawer.
• The texture: Closer to a lotion than a cream. It spreads easily and disappears, which is exactly right for arms and legs and not what you’d pick for cracked heels.
• Amber vanilla in the background: The mint and cranberry get the billing, but the vanilla is what keeps it from smelling like toothpaste. It rounds the whole thing off.

What I liked about the Hempz Winter Mint lotion

• Smells exactly like the name promises
• No residue, dressed right after
• Light cooling feel from the peppermint
• Gift-ready bottle with no wrapping required

What to know before buying the Hempz Winter Mint lotion

• The fragrance is noticeable and it doesn’t fade fast. Unscented is a valid rule, and if it’s yours, this isn’t the one.
• It’s a lotion, not a body butter. For deeply cracked skin, start with something like the urea cream I tested on cracked feet and use this for everything else.

Hempz Winter Mint lotion questions answered

Other winter body lotions to compare

• Hempz Original Moisturizing Body Lotion: The same hemp seed oil and shea butter base in the classic floral and banana scent, with ginseng and vitamins A, C, and E instead of peppermint. Bigger 17 oz bottles sold as a pair. For the year-round version with no holiday scent and no cooling feel.
• Eucerin Advanced Repair Body Cream: The unscented route for very dry skin. A 16 oz jar with 5% urea and ceramides, fragrance-free and dye-free, in a medium-weight cream. Pick it if fragrance is the dealbreaker or your skin needs more than a lotion.
• Tree Hut Peppermint Pearl Body Lotion: Another brand’s holiday peppermint, swirled with vanilla, built on ceramides, squalane, and fruit oils instead of hemp seed oil. An 8.5 oz bottle marked limited edition. For a second mint to compare against this one.

My take on the Hempz Winter Mint lotion

I’d have bought this one myself. It fixed a sun-dried arm without any fuss, and it left the bathroom smelling like December for the rest of the afternoon, which I count as a bonus.

Keep a bottle for yourself for the cold months, and put a second one on the gift list for the person who’s particular about what goes on their skin. If unscented is your rule, look at the comparison list instead.

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