Let’s get a few facts straight before we answer this question.
First in the US things like lotion are regulated by the FDA. I can only speak to that, as that is my experience.
Second, the word “cure” is operative here. As such, those lotions, for the most part do not cure or treat dry skin. *They only mask the symptoms.*
In the US for something to have a treatment effect, it is what’s called an “Over the counter Drug”. It has to have shown and demonstrated a function change in what the ailment is. A good example of a real functional cure is petrolatum for chapped lips. The FDA has a guideline at what levels can be used and how it’s labeled. If it’s a drug it will say, “Contains 80% by weight petrolatum”, if it’s not a drug, it will only have the ingredients listed.
What lotions typically do is use humectants to hold water against the skin reducing *the appearance of dry skin.*
Now you can put things into lotion that have a treatment effect without claiming the treatment. Dimethicone and petrolatum are used often in lotions for their humectant properties, but if you don’t make a claim, then they aren’t a treatment, and results may vary from person to person. Plus they have to be used at very specific levels, and often not at those levels.
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