Hi friends!
I’m talking about feel good beauty all month long on here. If you missed my introduction post to this series, you can catch up here. In the first installment, I gave you recommendations for my top makeup products that feel beautiful to apply to the skin. In the second installment, we dove into salon blowouts at home with the seriously awesome Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer.
Now we’re going to talk about some lush lockdown skin treats particularly for the body. I’m the first to admit that I’m horrible when it comes to looking after the skin below my neck. I used to be quite diligent about moisturizing my body (which is very, very dry and flakey) every night after coming out of the shower. But for as long as I can remember I’ve just been crap at it. I really need to make more of an effort to incorporate it back into my nightly routine.
So in the spirit of the moment, as many of us are using this time in lockdown to indulge in more self-care practices, I wanted to share with you the few body products that I use (have used) that really hydrate, soften the skin, and just make me feel more comforted overall.
Let’s get into it!
BEAUTIFUL BODY WASHES
Let’s start in the shower. I have to say I’m much better when it comes to regularly using body washes rather than body moisturizers. I always have something on the go in the shower. I don’t believe in spending much money at all when it comes to the skin below your neck. Body washes are like cleansers: they’re on the skin momentarily before they get washed down the drain. Save your bucks for your serums, your actives, your high-grade moisturizing factors, and your anti-aging ingredients. This is all to say that 98% of the time my body wash is from the drugstore.
I used to be really into the Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion after it launched, which is supposed to be a cross between a wash and moisturizing lotion. Personally I found it wasn’t enough moisture for my skin so I moved on. Dove body washes are probably my favorite, as they are the ones I have in my shower most of the time. They are gentle, dermatologist-recommended and get a good lather going. I’ve been through countless bottles of the Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash, which has little beads that can slough off dead skin when you massage it gently. But right now I’m nearly done with the Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash. Is it enough to keep my skin hydrated even after the shower? For me I’d say no; I definitely need to follow-up with a moisturizer or body butter afterwards. But I love the lush feeling it has so I’d definitely repurchase it.
The Love Beauty & Planet Radical Refresher Body Wash in the Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower scent is a much newer shower fave of mine. To be honest, it can be a little hard to get your hands on in-store but if you see it snatch it! I first discovered it when I was a member of Birchbox; I went through a mini, one full size bottle and now I’m about to start my second. This is a lockdown skin treat purely because of the scent – it’s a cross between a tropical holiday and gentle floral smell. I don’t know how else to describe it but it’s gorgeous! It’s subtle and doesn’t bash you over the head. Best of all it lingers well after your shower so you feel very fresh and clean.
LUSH BODY MOISTURIZERS
This is where I need to step up my game and actually remember to moisturize my body! (I always want to hop into bed as quickly as possible at night, I can’t help it.) You’re probably tired of me going on and on about the classic, iconic Weleda Skin Food by now, but seriously guys it’s that good. I did an entire post comparing Skin Food and Skin Food Light (which happens to be the most trafficked post on this blog hands-down), and I definitely prefer to use the original, heavier Skin Food formula on the rough/dry areas of my body. Knuckles, ankles, feet, knees, elbows, you get the picture. It provides tons of moisture very quickly and it keeps the skin hydrated for hours and hours afterwards. It doesn’t play around! Because it can veer on the side of greasy, I’d really recommend using it at night.
The Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter is another amazing option if you’re looking for something really lusciously moisturizing. I’ve been through countless tubs of this stuff, and by far the strawberry scent is my favorite. It smells just like strawberry jello! So it’s not only a treat for your skin, but a real treat for your senses too. Considering it’s a “butter” there’s a definite thickness to it, so I’d also recommend using this one night. It’s currently on sale on Ulta.com (linked at the start of this paragraph) so go snatch it!
If you prefer something lighter but still moisturizing, I’ve been using the Hanami Body Lotion from clean fragrance brand Phlur on both my arms and legs. (I got this in a gift bag at a beauty event last year.) It’s a great option to use during the day because there’s zero greasiness, and you can easily layer clothing over it. There is a scent but it’s very subtle and will dissipate soon after application.
Do you have any lockdown skin treats you like to use? I’d love to know!
xo, and be well, Erica
PIN IT!
The Body Shop body butters are scrumptious! Their body yogurts are great too, they’re more of a gel-cream texture and nice and lightweight for summertime 🙂
Ohh that sounds lovely! Will have to look into those then. I love a nice gel-cream texture.
I use a peppermint lavender shower gel that I get from a nearby lavender farm and I absolutely love it! I have to stock up because she closes for the winter. But I still need to moisturize afterwards. Body butters work best for me since my skin is so dry. I’d love to try the Body Shop!
A lavender farm sounds like heaven on earth! Yea, I never find that shower gels or washes moisturize enough even after the shower. The Body Shop is a great brand, and you can get some of the skincare bits in Ulta. I’m telling you the strawberry smells like you’re lathering on jello!
Wait, why Italy doesn’t carry the Dove Exfoliating Body Wash? I’m so mad, I want to try it!! I love the Deep Moisture one, first, I love the scent and second is just the best! It’s the only one I use
It’s a real treat! Can you get it online?
I’ll have to check
Whenever I’ve used creams and lotions to moisturise my body I’ve found that the skin round the back of my legs gets really irritated. I’ve switched to using baby oil and bio oil and it’s made such a difference. X
Interesting. I’ve never used baby oil on my skin before. What exactly is bio oil?
Bio-Oil helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. It’s a combination of plant extracts and vitamins in an oil base that are meant to help improve the skins texture and increase its elasticity.
It also smells really nice…. Well I think it does anyway 😄
Sounds very cool! I’ll have to look it up, thanks for the tip 😊.
That Weleda Skin Food sounds absolutely amazing! I’m on Roaccutane at the moment so my skin is getting loads of dry patches, I’m definitely in need of something super moisturising xx
Skin Food is iconic for a reason! It can be pretty rich though (for me at least), so I tend to use it on my body instead of my face. But you may find it perfect for your needs! I use Skin Food Light on my face which is lighter but still very nourishing.
Great post! I’ve been focusing mainly on moisturizing, though my recent start in a fitter routine definitely helps with that.
Stay safe!
Lindifique
Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Moisturizing is so important, and I’ve been hearing that a lot of other people in lockdown have been experiencing really dry skin too. Stay safe as well!
The Welda product sounds amazing! Have you tried the Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream? Have to say I haven’t, but always hear such great things about it! x
No I have not, but I’ve heard amazing things too! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
omg the coconut water and mimosa flower body wash !! 😀 i absolutely loved the scent in the shampoo and conditioner, i hope i come across it so i can buy it and try it 🙂
as for body moisturizers, i really need to get my hands on ONE TBS body butter because i’ve never tried the brand 🙁 lol
I love how the scent of the Love, Beauty & Planet lingers long after the shower. It’s so beautiful! The Body Shop body butters are awesome. If you want something really luscious, I’d totally recommend.
I love that too! It’s not like those annoying scents that make you want to stop using them lol.
Since we are talking about the body butters, have you used them all year round or only winter? I’d love to know if they feel different in the warmer months or the same.
Honestly, I use them whenever I feel my skin could really benefit from them. So that could be any season really. I have such dry, flakey skin all year long that for me sometimes the seasons don’t really matter, if that makes sense.
Yeah of course. My skin has changed a lot too since my sons birth. It’s been a journey trying to figure out what works and what doesnt as well as what I need versus what I dont