When we’ve been getting up close and personal with our pores eight hours a day during your video chats, it’s obvious why we’ve been focusing a lot on our faces during the pandemic. Skincare sales have risen as a result: Facial steamers, for instance, have seen a 70% increase in sales, and facial massaging tools like gua sha purchases have grown 33.4% last year in comparison to pre-pandemic times, according to Spate.
But, what about the rest of our bodies from the chin down? Since the skin on your body is thicker, it doesn’t tend to show signs of aging as quickly as your face does, so we tend to forget that your body skin needs the same TLC until you start seeing symptoms like dry hands, back acne, or chest wrinkles. If your existing body care routine still consists of washing it down with bar soap and slapping on the occasional lotion, it’s time for an upgrade.
For your hands
Between cold and flu season and COVID-19, chances are you’ve been obsessively washing your hands and sanitizing. Unfortunately, this combination is a recipe for dry, itchy skin. Like your face, since your hands are also regularly exposed to UV light, use a hand cream that’s packed with SPF like UnSun Cosmetics Hand Cream SPF 15. It’s a mineral sunscreen made with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to block both UVA and UVB rays, so you’ll prevent and treat age spots and discoloration. And, if you’re assuming that you can just use your regular face lotion on your hands and call it a day, think again: A specific hand cream is usually thicker in texture and more emollient, which is great for the extra-dry patches of your hands like the knuckles. Keep your hand cream near the sink so you remember to use it after every wash.
For your body hair
Your razor is the unsung hero of your routine and having one that works properly makes shaving feel less like a burden. The Allure Best Beauty Buy-winning from Billie features a five-blade razor — with an ergonomic handle in fun colors — for a super smooth glide. If you shave a few times a week, you should be replacing your blades about every month for the best experience (we bet you’re way overdue). Billie will send you four razor refills in each shipment so you’re always staying sharp.
For body sculpting
From weight fluctuations (we’re looking at you, quarantine) to pregnancies to accidental sun damage, your body skin goes through a lot. If you’re starting to see skin sagging or dimpling, look for a body cream like BeautyBio The Sculptor that contains caffeine can help aid in collagen production. It also features green tea seed oil and spirulina that smooth out skin and improves elasticity so you have firmer-looking skin.
Want to take body contouring to the next level? Chat with your dermatologist about supplementing your body care routine with Emsculpt Neo, a non-invasive procedure that builds muscle and reduces fat at the same time. Four 30-minute visits are equivalent to up to 16 weeks of high-intensity interval training — all without breaking a sweat. The device emits radiofrequency and high-intensity electromagnetic energy to painlessly contract your muscles so you can tone your abdomen, butt, arms, calves, or thighs. You might feel a little sore afterward (the way you would after an intense workout), but because there’s no downtime, you can get right back to your busy lifestyle. You can expect to pay anywhere from $750 – $1,000 per session depending on your provider.
For your feet
Even if your feet spend most of their time buried in UGGs when the cooler weather hits, the mix of dry winter air and indoor heat can create fissures or cracks in your feet — leaving your feet’s skin barrier vulnerable to bacterial infections. Protect your body’s foundation by slathering them in O’Keeffe’s Foot Cream. It uses a combo of glycerin, paraffin, urea, and allantoin that pulls moisture in your skin to comfort dry, calloused skin. If you can handle the intense peeling for two weeks, Baby Foot Exfoliation Foot Peel uses lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid to slough off the top layer of your feet’s skin for seriously smooth results.
For your neck and chest
Aside from your face, the neck and chest are the first parts of your body that may show signs of aging since the skin in this area is thinner. Smooth out the appearance of wrinkles and creases with Truly Goodnight Moon Chest/Neck Sleep Mask that nourishes your décolletage in hyaluronic acid to retain moisture, which hydrates and plumps the area. Ginseng boosts circulation to encourage collagen (the protein in charge of healthy-looking skin) production and improve your skin’s elasticity.
For your pits
Why do all deodorants seem to have that same baby powder smell? Native changes the deo game with out-of-the-box, addictive scents like oat milk latte, cherry and vanilla macaron, matcha and sweet cream, plus earl grey and mulberry. They’re all aluminum-free, which could mean less armpit irritation and still allows your body to go through the natural (and necessary) process of sweating. Instead, they rely on magnesium hydroxide and baking soda to neutralize odor-causing bacteria.
For an all-over glow
Hopefully, you’ve long abandoned your tanning bed habits, but that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve a gorgeous glow. Mastering the skill of self-tanning can be challenging, but when you have the help of the right products, you’ll have everyone asking which beach vacation you’ve gone to. First, exfoliate your body with Sunday Riley Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body Scrub and moisturize notoriously dry areas like your elbows, ankles, and knees. Then apply Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse — its lightweight formula is easy to use and dries quickly to give you streak-free results. If self-tanner really isn’t your thing, Sunday Riley Fairy Godmother gives your skin a subtle, tinted golden shimmer while nurturing skin with hydration.
For baby-soft skin
The skin on your body is easier to dry out than your face because it doesn’t have as many oil glands to keep it naturally hydrated. Avoid steamy hot showers that dry out your skin even further and invest in a cleanser that gently exfoliates as it moisturizes the skin. Kosas Good Body Skin AHA + Enzyme Exfoliating Body Wash is the ultimate body care multitasker with glycolic and lactic acids that stave off body acne, tropical fruit enzymes that brighten dull skin, and allantoin to condition skin from neck down.
Apply a body moisturizer when your skin is still damp (it’s easier for the ingredients to absorb into your skin). For the super-dry skin types, the new Eight Saints Island Time Body Spray Lotion gives you all-day moisture and the spray format makes it convenient to get hard-to-reach places like your back. The organic formula is packed with coconut and jojoba oils that mimic your skin’s natural oils, plus vitamin E to obliterate free radicals. And, as always, wear SPF 30 (at a minimum) no matter the time of year to create a protective shield against UV rays, which is the ultimate tip to keeping skin looking and feeling its best.
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