The Secret to Hydrated Summer Skin, Without the Stickiness
January 20 | 4 minute read
Words by Kaylah Joelle Baker
It may be hot and sticky outside, but that doesn’t mean your body care has to be.
When it comes to looking and feeling hydrated all over, it shouldn’t be a choice between slipping off the Pilates reformer or going flaky. Behold our list of non-greasy, non-sticky (yet ultra-hydrating) body care essentials – and never stick to your car seats again.
Serums or Lotions – Is There a Difference?
In short: yes. In long: they serve different, yet entirely complementary, purposes – working together to ensure your skin is treated to deep, lasting nourishment and hydration all day long.
Applied first, serums are designed to absorb quickly, delivering highly concentrated, targeted actives deeper into the skin. Think hydration, plumping and firming, texture-smoothing, anti-ageing – you name it.
Lotions, on the other hand, are lightweight moisturisers that hydrate the skin by supporting its protective barrier and locking in moisture. They do this by using humectants (ingredients that absorb water, like hyaluronic acid), alongside emollients and occlusives (such as oils) that stop moisture from evaporating away.
Applied first, serums are designed to absorb quickly, delivering highly concentrated, targeted actives deeper into the skin. Think hydration, plumping and firming, texture-smoothing, anti-ageing – you name it.
Lotions, on the other hand, are lightweight moisturisers that hydrate the skin by supporting its protective barrier and locking in moisture. They do this by using humectants (ingredients that absorb water, like hyaluronic acid), alongside emollients and occlusives (such as oils) that stop moisture from evaporating away.
Summer Body Serums
When you’re soaking in every last second of summer, absorption speed is key – and so, a whole slew of body serums was born. Now, let that sink in!
Sharing our frustration with greasiness, Uni founder Alexandra Keating created the lightweight 24-Hour Body Serum – a multipurpose, all-day treatment that’s applied to damp post-shower skin. Powered by the brand’s signature Marine Complex, the serum combines naturally exfoliating lime caviar with antioxidant and vitamin-rich Kakadu plum to support smoother, healthier-looking, hydrated skin.
Sharing our frustration with greasiness, Uni founder Alexandra Keating created the lightweight 24-Hour Body Serum – a multipurpose, all-day treatment that’s applied to damp post-shower skin. Powered by the brand’s signature Marine Complex, the serum combines naturally exfoliating lime caviar with antioxidant and vitamin-rich Kakadu plum to support smoother, healthier-looking, hydrated skin.
Also earning a spot on the must-try list for its innovative water-drop texture is MALIN+GOETZ’s cooling gel-serum, the Eucalyptus Smoothing Body Gel. Like a dip in the ocean, it energises the skin on your body with face-grade hydration.
Rounding out the routine is Nécessaire’s dermatologically tested The Body Serum, which delivers deep hydration while supporting sensitive skin’s barrier with its reigning trio-of-all-trios ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and ceramide NP.
Rounding out the routine is Nécessaire’s dermatologically tested The Body Serum, which delivers deep hydration while supporting sensitive skin’s barrier with its reigning trio-of-all-trios ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and ceramide NP.
Lightweight Body Lotions
When starting your slip-free routine, the kit: Body Nutrition Lotion is a good place to start. While its gym bag-friendly size scores instant points, it’s what’s on the inside that truly shines (or rather, brightens): formulated with a blend of plant oils and herbs, it rehydrates and evens skin texture without any lingering oiliness.
Also making the list is the ceramide and niacinamide-rich Frank Body Barrier Body Crème. As longtime fans of the Smoothing AHA Body Lotion, we needed a little convincing to give something new a try – but this thick-yet-fast-absorbing cream sealed the deal with its unrivalled skin-softening powers.
Also making the list is the ceramide and niacinamide-rich Frank Body Barrier Body Crème. As longtime fans of the Smoothing AHA Body Lotion, we needed a little convincing to give something new a try – but this thick-yet-fast-absorbing cream sealed the deal with its unrivalled skin-softening powers.
And then there’s OSEA’s Undaria Algae™ Body Lotion. Raved about by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Kate Hudson, the brand’s gentle ingredients include clinically tested kelp and marine superfoods to firm and lock in moisture – all with a year-round lit-from-within glow!
Avoid the slippery slope to dry, flaky skin and add these to your post-beach shower routine instead.
Avoid the slippery slope to dry, flaky skin and add these to your post-beach shower routine instead.
