6 Best Lotions for Rough and Bumpy Skin, From KP to Serious Dryness

So you want smooth skin, and you want it now. But before stocking up on the best lotions for rough and bumpy skin, it helps to figure out what’s behind that texture in the first place—which can then guide you to the right solution. “Sometimes, the culprit is a buildup of keratin around the hair follicles, as with keratosis pilaris (KP); other times, a compromised moisture barrier leaves skin dry, flaky, and rough to the touch,” says Sumeet Thareja, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Tampa. Small bumps can also be blemishes caused by clogged or inflamed pores, particularly on acne-prone areas like the chest and back. And because skin loves to keep things interesting, more than one of these issues can show up at the same time.