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Great skin was at the heart of 2022’s beauty trends. With runways, editorials, and plenty of TikToks offering their take on fresh, glowing skin, we couldn’t help but wonder if the new year would bring a new emphasis on skin beyond the face. Would a body care routine become the new area of focus for a multi-step regimen? Should we be treating it any differently?
“Skin is skin,” says Jenefer Palmer, founder of clean beauty brand OSEA. “Just like our facial skin-care routines, we need to exfoliate, wash, and moisturize our bodies.” As a beauty writer, I certainly have noticed a boom in body-care pitches hitting my inbox. A retinol-infused lotion to improve signs of aging. A salicylic acid serum to prevent ingrown hairs. A charcoal-rich scrub to buff away dead skin. An emollient body balm to lock in moisture after a shower. As someone who is rather religious with all her routines, it has been quite an exciting development—my own body-care routine leaves my skin baby soft, without a dry patch in sight. Now more than ever, everyone can give their body the same thoughtfully crafted regimen as their face.
At a Glance
- The Cleansing Wash: Nécessaire The Body Wash, $25
- The Exfoliant: Tata Harper Resurfacing Body Serum, $155
- The Neck Treatment: Tatcha Revitalizing Neck Cream, $112
- The Firm Sculpt: Mutha Body Contour Serum, $95
- The Rich Butter: Osea Undaria Algae Body Butter, $56
- The Body Oil: Costa Brazil Kaya Jungle Firming Oil, $98
Hope Dworaczyk Smith, founder and CEO of skin-care label Mutha, explains that though body solutions were on the rise before 2020, the pandemic put that process into overdrive. Rather than a luxurious act of self-care, it’s become a staple in one’s daily beauty ritual. “I love seeing the developments in the body-care market in recent years; consumers are more interested in self-care in general, but they’re also realizing that skin—no matter where it is—benefits from customized care,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman says. “Your skin is your largest organ, so I’m all for taking care of it from head to toe!”
All of our experts agree that the body-care category will continue to evolve in 2023 as consumers look to improve their overall wellness and mental health practices, while tackling various skin-care conditions. “A regimented body routine can help target specific concerns like dryness, dull skin, acne, keratosis pilaris, and stretch marks,” says Smith, who adds that by pairing high-performance ingredients with proper massaging and lymphatic drainage techniques, you could reduce puffiness and the appearance of cellulite.
Just as you would for your face, be sure to consult a dermatologist or trusted skin expert for guidance on proper treatment. Engelman emphasizes this point, especially to tackle concerns like folliculitis, eczema, and psoriasis, which may require prescription or over-the-counter medications. “If you don’t have any particular skin concerns and just want to give your body a little more TLC, you can start a body-care routine when you’re ready,” Dendy notes, recommending giving it 4-8 weeks (which is 1-2 skin cycles) to see results. “You’ll want to implement a steady routine of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing (and do not forget the SPF!) to ensure that you not only appear healthy, but feel it, too.”
That said, we’ve combed through the vast marketplace to curate Vogue’s edit of this year’s best body-care solutions with a little help from brands like Mutha, Osea, Costa Brazil, and Tata Harper. Whether you’re looking to firm sagging skin or just want to quell flaky, dry skin for good, there’s a product for everyone. Here, all you need to create your personalized body care routine.
The Cleansing Wash
Just like the face, body care begins with a thorough cleanse. Though you might currently have a formula you’ve used for years, there are several new marketplace additions worth using instead. “I think it is great how body washes have begun to become more targeted to specific skin needs and skin types, similarly to how face wash has been marketed and constructed in the past,” says Engelman. “As we move from bar soap to a body wash that includes ingredients such as smoothing salicylic acid, we can take into account exactly what our skin needs and reap the most benefits!”
Nécessaire’s wash is a cult-favorite, featuring a blend of botanical oils and niacinamide to gently condition the skin. The three fragrance versions are just an added bonus. Similarly, Byredo has turned its classic parfums into acclaimed washes too, meaning you can lather on Gypsy Water’s bergamot lemon scent even before you step out of the shower. On the other hand, one could pick their body wash for its skin-nourishing benefits. There’s Dr. Barbara Sturm’s pick which is powered by prickly pear extract, hyaluronic acid, almond oil, and purslane extract to protect and nourish. Or, Olay’s wash, which is enriched with vitamin B3 and hyaluronic acid, to promote long-lasting hydration.
The Exfoliant
We already know the best exfoliants to reveal bright, glowing skin by sloughing away dead skin cells from the outermost layer of the skin. Fans of Dr. Dennis Gross’s facial pads might reach for its body treatment which transforms dull skin through a blend of salicylic, glycolic, and lactic acid. Its single-use pads make these easy to throw in your travel beauty bag. Exfoliating serums are another way to go. There’s Topicals’s sought-after formula powered by AHAs, urea, and a gentle form of retinol to soften skin texture and even skin tone. Tata Harper’s is a plant-based alternative to smooth and hydrate, enriched with exfoliating acids, vitamin C, orange peptides, and hyaluronic acid. Those partial to body scrubs should consider the True Botanicals option, which uses physical exfoliation through a blend of organic sugar, sandalwood, camellia, jojoba oils, and kaolin clay to reveal polished skin.
The Neck Treatment
When you’re looking to curb signs of aging, you might want to consider neck and décolletage maintenance. Engelman is a fan of SiO’s medical-grade silicone smoothing patches for an overnight or hours-long treatment. “The patches help lock in hydration and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” she explains. Pre-moisturizer, you might look towards 111Skin or La Mer’s formulas. The former serum uses the brand’s NAC Y² antioxidant trio to improve the look of wrinkles and sagging skin, while addressing texture and discoloration concerns. The latter, on the other hand, is powered by La Mer’s beloved Miracle Broth complex to rejuvenate the neckline. As a final step in your routine, Tatcha’s neck cream promises firmer-looking skin over time through botanical actives, vitamin C, and Japanese superfoods.
The Firm Sculpt
To address firming and sculpting concerns across the rest of your body, these solutions work wonders. The Mutha Body Contour Serum is a Vogue editor favorite as it tightens, exfoliates, and nourishes through a supercharged cocktail of ceramides, fruit extracts, and niacinamide. U Beauty’s compound is another top pick to target the arms specifically. Powered by the brand’s Siren Capsule technology, the treatment promises to help depuff and tone by counteracting the effects of gravity. SkinCeuticals Body Tightening Concentrate does this too, but through a blend of peptides, yeast extract, hydrolyzed rice protein leaving an instant cooling effect. For a multipurpose treatment, though, RéVive’s cream solves for hydration and lifting thanks to the featured hyaluronic acid and firming proteins.
The Hydrator
There’s never a wrong time to revisit your body lotions and creams, especially with so many excellent variants to choose from. Remember: it’s essential to lock in moisture and support your skin barrier after cleansing. The U Beauty Hydrator or Augustinus Bader cream are good year-round as both of these are infused with powerhouse skin ingredients to instantly quench thirsty skin without feeling too heavy or greasy. Then, Pharrell’s Humanrace and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty hydrators have left a lasting impression if you’re interested in a celebrity take on photoshoot-ready skin.
The Rich Butter
Especially in winter, a body butter takes the hydration up a notch. While it certainly varies from brand to brand, these formulas tend to be much thicker and richer than their cream counterparts. Smith explains that Mutha’s butter continues to be the brand’s best-selling product and a mainstay in her personal regimen. “I’ve always had stretch marks and, using this during pregnancy, prevented new stretch marks and diminished the appearance of old ones,” she says. “It’s clinically proven to hydrate for 48 hours and reduce the color and fine lines inside a stretch mark by 76%.”
Hanahana’s body butter offers a similar feel. Along with its comforting amber scent, this blends shea, cocoa, and mango butter to smooth and nourish skin. Otherwise, Susanne Kaufmann and Osea’s formulas expertly combat dryness and transform flaky skin.
The Body Oil
When we asked Vogue editors to detail the best beauty products they tried in 2022, both Chioma Nnadi and Nicole Phelps named Costa Brazil’s firming oil. The lightweight oil is infused with Omegas 3, 6, and 9, along with vitamins A and E, to soften and illuminate skin; whereas, Monastery’s oil has Italian squalane at the heart of its elixir. Alternatively, Palmer dubs Osea’s oil as “the one and only” for its non-greasy, lightweight formula perfect for addressing skin elasticity and deep moisturization. Those with sensitive skin, however, might gravitate towards Avène’s she, camelina, and safflower-based oil to not only hydrate, but protect skin from oxidative stress.
