How often, if ever, do you take a skincare product past your collarbone? It seems that today, we will happily slather on an endless list of face products, yet rarely fork out for anything that works on the rest of our body. In fact, bodycare has always sat in the shadow of facial skincare, with products generally geared towards pampering, not performance. But with spring beckoning and a wardrobe of shoulder-bearing tops waiting to be worn, it makes sense that we now expect visible results from our body products, just as we do our face serum.
“The bodycare market is changing rapidly,” explains Millie Kendall, co-founder of BeautyMART. “Body products today seem to successfully fuse makeup and skincare benefits so, rather than merely pampering, they are making the body look immediately different and better. For example, Prismologie adds crystal technology to their bodycare range – the Diamond and Neroli body cream enhances clarity, while the Ruby and Cedarwood body oil gives you a burst of confidence while stimulating blood circulation with capsicum. These dual-purpose formulations show we are demanding more from our body products than ever before, because we want to feel and look good. We want immediate results, and we expect to see improvements within seconds."
Rising to the challenge, a new host of body beautifiers is seeking to change the way we pamper, using high-tech ingredients usually saved for our faces to tackle issues such as stretch marks, dull skin, and keratosis pilaris (those less-than-sexy bumps on the backs of your arms). Proven chemical actives such as hyaluronic acid and skin-renewing AHAs can be just as effective on our bodies, working to brighten, plump and moisturise – just in time for cold-shoulder season.
The Luxe Body Resurfacing Cloths are the latest addition to Alpha-H’s cult Liquid Gold line. Designed to replenish and hydrate without water, these super-sized wipes are saturated with glycolic acid (the holy grail of chemical exfoliators) along with calming chamomile, marine algae and aloe vera. Unlike physical exfoliators, glycolic acid boasts the ability to penetrate deep into the skin and clear pores from the inside, making it much more effective at minimising unsightly skin conditions.
First, use the textured side of the cloth to slough away dead skin cells and boost circulation, then use the smooth side to soothe and hydrate – simple!
Alpha-H Liquid Gold Luxe Body Resurfacing Cloths, £27, available at Beauty Bay
Prismologie’s body collections are inspired by the mood-enhancing properties of colour, using fragrance and gemstone infusions to reveal each colour’s qualities. Part of the Red Hour collection, the Ruby and Cedarwood Dry Body Oil is infused with ruby micro-crystals – the stone of vigour – as well as warming capsicum to stimulate circulation and energise lacklustre skin. Sandalwood seed extract detoxifies, while argan oil ensures lasting hydration and a gorgeous glow.
Prismologie Ruby & Cedarwood Dry Body Oil, £40, available at Prismologie
Nior founder Anika Patel designed each of her results-driven debut products with a specific skin condition in mind. The Illuminate complexion enhancer is rich in brightening actives that reduce pigmentation and age spots, while the Uplift cream stimulates lipid formation to firm skin that has slackened after pregnancy and breastfeeding. But perhaps the most impressive is the Revive cream, which gets serious with scars and stretch marks. Unlike other formulations out there, Nior’s offering is infused with a host of clinically proven ingredients that do much more than simply moisturise the affected area, working to boost the skin’s ability to rejuvenate itself.
What’s more, 5% of the profits from each and every sale are donated to UK children’s charity Coram.
Nior Revive, £60, available at Nior
Chances are, you’ve already experienced the intense moisture-boosting powers of hyaluronic acid on your face – but have you tried it on your whole body? Hand Chemistry’s Hyaluronic Body Mist contains the prized acid in a low molecular weight, which means it can penetrate deep into the dermis and absorb instantly, delivering hydration without the greasy feel of a rich body cream. Rumour has it that brand insiders like to keep theirs in the fridge, and spray at every opportunity.
Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Body Mist, £17, available at Victoria Health
Aesop’s latest exfoliant is designed to buff and renew from your neck to your toes. The Redemption scrub contains finely milled pumice and bamboo stem that sets to work on tired skin cells, paving the way for your moisturiser of choice. It’s gritty, but not painfully so, and delivers that just-back-from-the-spa kind of smoothness. And the smell? With a bracing blend of fir and pine needles, sage leaf and clove, you’ll probably have to hide it from your partner.
Aesop Redemption Body Scrub, £25, available at Cult Beauty
There’s a sheet mask for almost every part of your body these days, but one of the most genuinely useful comes from clever new brand Skin Laundry. The Rejuvenating Anti-Ageing Neck and Chest mask tackles one of our most neglected and vulnerable areas, using a blend of 19 conditioning extracts to brighten and tighten the décolletage. Antioxidant plant actives – extracted at low temperatures to keep their vitamins alive – work to brighten the effects of sun damage, while niacinamide improves texture and hyaluronic acid delivers a heavy hydration boost. Slip it on (with the bathroom door locked – this is a free-the-nipple kind of situation) and wait 20 minutes, before your super-soft skin is revealed.
Skin Laundry Rejuvenating Neck and Chest Mask, £14, available at Liberty
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