The 3-step routine for a body as glowy as your face
May 23 | 3 minute read
Words by Kerri Gordon and Gemma Dawkins
While we’re all happily layering our skincare products for our faces, it’s time to show our bodies some love too.
Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting top to toe retinol or slathering on an entire bottle of serum! Instead, we’re setting you up with a simple three-step body care routine for even, hydrated, healthy-looking skin, right from the ground up. You probably don’t need the reminder to cleanse your body, but when it comes to exfoliation and hydration, we’re all guilty of skipping out on those steps from time to time. But just as it is for our faces, consistency is key when it comes to our bodies too.
By maintaining a regular routine of exfoliating and moisturising, you’ll give your body the best chance of avoiding rough, patchy skin and pesky breakouts. And if you’re a fan of a tan (faux, of course), this three step routine will keep streaky applications at bay and provide the perfect base for smooth tan sailing. Let’s go!
Step one: cleanse your body
You’re highly likely to have this step covered (we hope!) but it bears repeating. Using a soap, wash or cleanser – whether liquid, foam or bar – to cleanse away the day will leave you feeling fresh, whilst also ensuring your pores and follicles don’t get clogged or irritated by sweat, oil, product or pollution.
Our favourite body washes include the Mecca Athletica Skin Perfecting Body Wash for those with textured or dry patch-prone skin, Nécessaire’s The Body Wash Eucalyptus for those with skin that’s more on the sensitive side and Soap & Glory’s Clean on Me™ Body Wash as your everyday all-rounder.
Step two: use a physical or chemical exfoliator
Whether it’s seasonal, environmental or hereditary, no body is immune to a bout or two of dry, dull or flaky skin. But, with the right routine and a little consistency, you can avoid it altogether. How? Exfoliation.
You’ve got options. There’s the traditional physical scrub, like Frank Body’s Original Coffee Scrub (this one’s for you if you love the feel of granules), Soap & Glory’s TikTok famous The Scrub of Your Life Body Scrub and REN Clean Skincare’s Anti-fatigue Exfoliating Body Scrub which instantly buffs away noticeable texture and flakiness, and really smoothes out those knees and elbows pre-self-tan.
Or there’s chemical exfoliation, which relies on alpha, beta and polyhydroxy acids (think lactic, glycolic and salicylic) to dissolve dead skin cells and reveal a new, brighter, smoother, and glowier layer of skin. The results may take an extra day or two, but the effort is halved.
Our favourite chemical exfoliators? Dr. Dennis Gross’ Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment (the doctor’s beloved powerful peel pads, but for your body!), Kosas’ Good Body Skin AHA + Enzyme Exfoliating Wash and REN Clean Skincare’s AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum.
Step three: hydrate your skin
If you tapped out when body creams and lotions were thick, greasy and over-scented, please know that this is no longer the case. In fact, today’s high-performance formulas sink into the skin in seconds (read: no oily residue).
You wouldn’t leave your face hanging without your favourite moisturiser, so why leave your body out to dry? A good body moisturiser will leave your limbs soft, nourished and luminous.
For a firming effect, try Mecca Athletica Ultra-Firming Body Lotion. If you have extra flaky or bumpy skin, or a condition like keratosis pilaris, and require additional exfoliation, reach for Sol de Janeiro’s Bom Dia Bright Cream (hello fruit AHAs!), or Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion which comes spiked with the brand’s T.L.C. Framboos™ AHA blend.
Just looking for a hydrating body moisturiser? These creams are equally great, so all you need to do is choose your favourite scent: Go-To’s Skin Party conjures a field of roses, Summer Fridays’ Summer Silk Nourishing Body Lotion is deliciously vanilla-scented and Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream – with over a thousand five-star reviews and multiple MECCA Beauty Election wins under its belt – is a tropical holiday in a jar.
