Everything You Need To Know About Bodycare

When it comes to skincare we want the best of the best. Spending €40 on lotions and potions and hours on TikTok ‘researching’ the next best thing in skincare is how many of us choose to spend our time. So why then do we pay so little attention to the skin below the chin?

For supposed skincare aficionados, it seems our collective skincare knowledge falls apart when it comes to looking after the body. For our face, we know to pack on the hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to combat dehydration and vitamin C to boost a dull complexion.

Yet somehow this thought process doesn’t seem to come into it when it comes to taking care of our bodies. We ignore it. Dry scaly skin on the legs? Trousers it is. Irritated underarms? it couldn’t possibly be the €3 deodorant, just keep using it, it’ll work itself out. That being said the skincare options have always been there for us with aisles and aisles of facial serums, moisturisers and eye creams. But the bodycare options have been a little lacklustre in the past.

We’ve been so focused on pinpointing that lusted-after glow that it became a bit of an afterthought. How about we up the game in the bodycare department? Thankfully bodycare is stepping into the spotlight in a big way following the pandemic and our need for self-care is greater than ever before. Considering the skin is the biggest organ we have, we think diving into active bodycare is worth the little extra effort. 

We’re all guilty of skipping out on full-body TLC but if your face deserves to be pampered and primed then so does your body. Gillian MacMahon lead skincare trainer at Neostrata says we should implement a better bodycare routine if we want to age smarter: “The simple answer is to have healthier-looking skin on the body.”

Interestingly, retinol has been a huge focus in many skincare routines over the last number of years to help combat premature ageing, but yet we leave our hands and necks product free. Two of the fastest ageing areas of the body! Carmelita Gibbons, owner of the Galway Aesthetic Clinic who also has 11 years of dermatology experience says certain areas can really give away our age.

“The neck, décolletage and hands can reveal our true age faster than our faces… Poor elasticity on any three can give away our age easily the older we get.”

While many would say the more complicated a routine the better, this is in fact false when it comes to bodycare. The simpler the better, in all honesty. “Exfoliate one to two times per week using warm water to open the pores. Use circular movements and be gentle,” advises Gillian.

Photo by Anna Shvets

The most important thing is to first identify what your skin concerns are below the neck whether it’s brightening, hydrating, exfoliating or smoothing. According to Maria Sarris, Product Development Manager and resident skin expert at Body Proud we should be using a similar routine on our bodies as our faces. “For bodycare, a routine should consist of a cleanser and a moisturiser for basic ingredients to nourish and boost the health of your skin,” she says, adding: “Exfoliating is also something I advise to incorporate every so often into your routine to target areas prone to Keratosis Pilaris”. 

As with any new routine it will take you a while to wrap your head around things, but the simpler it is the more likely you are to actually be consistent – yes, I’m speaking from experience! Starting with a gentle pH-balancing body wash will help to reduce body odour more effectively, repair a damaged skin barrier and maintain a healthy pH level.

The pH scale goes from one to 14. Seven is considered neutral; anything below seven is considered acidic and above seven is looked at as alkaline. According to a vast majority of experts a healthy skin pH falls between 5.4 and 5.9. For someone with dermatitis, dry patches and even fungal infections or eczema are said to have alkaline skin. While someone with acidic skin is benefitting from reduced flaking and enhanced moisture retention.

A body wash like Bondi Sands pH balancing body wash is excellent for changing depending on what your body needs. It’s great for someone who isn’t quite sure where they fall and needs something that ticks all the boxes. Plus the coconut scent makes for serious holiday vibes. As with the face, moisturisers absorb into the skin more effectively when the skin is damp, so apply your serums and moisturisers straight after the shower.

Our body’s skin is that little bit tougher than our face making chemical exfoliants your best friend for wicking away dry skin. The Body Proud Smooth Talk Exfoliating Body Serum gently exfoliates the skin to help brighten and smooth the surface layer. Using the dropper provided it feels just like adding a serum to your face – a total game changer. The Paula’s Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum is also a great option to help in hydrating the skin deep beneath the surface. 

Following a chemical peel, you must moisturise, moisturise, moisturise and what’s the most effective way to moisturise? You got it, Hyaluronic Acid. Q+As Hyaluronic Acid Post Shower Moisturiser glides onto the skin and soaks in easily leaving no greasy residues behind. The Neostrata Resurface Lotion is also a great active addition to help resurface and hydrate that second layer of skin. The body is more resilient than the face, so it’s a little easier to experiment with products to find your perfect match.

If you’re feeling like your skin needs some TLC, step up your game with these products and you’ll be soft and glowing from head to toe.  

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• skincare