There is a new slew of bodycare products that are stacked with active ingredients, in sophisticated formulas and offer real results. If you don’t have an easy, effective body care routine, what was once an afterthought, after a few weeks of this guide, grooming your body offers visible results, says editor Trudi Brewer.
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If skincare is your thing, you might be pleased to know you can now show the skin on your body the same level of meticulous care you give to your face. So before we hit high summer, if your mission is to smooth bumpy, blotchy skin or disguise veins, adopting a good body care routine is not only great for your skin but can also be uber-relaxing. Read on to discover how these steps will help, even for those who are pressed for time.
A nourishing cleanse
I have banned soap from my shower. Why? It mixes with minerals in hard water, creating a buildup of scum that leaves a white film on the glass, and most bars have a high alkaline pH, which strips away the skin's natural protective oils. Just like we cleanse our face, we need to cleanse our bodies of oil, sweat, and impurities, too. For anyone with sensitive skin, go fragrance-free on washes. For acne-prone skin, choose washes that include glycolic acid and salicylic acid to help reduce breakouts. If your skin is dry, make sure your wash contains nourishing plant oils and ceramides.
Nécessaire The Body Wash Eucalyptus, from, $27
Using mild plant-derived surfactants to cleanse the skin and restore its pH to 5.5 gently, so it’s non-irritating and won’t irritate. The marula, cacay and meadowfoam oils are naturally rich in vitamins and omegas, while niacinamide helps to support the skin's natural moisture barrier. Finally, the subtle eucalyptus scent is so uplifting.
Soap & Glory Clean on Me Body Wash, $21
This famous creamy shower gel fills the bathroom with zesty mandarin and a blend of bergamot, mandarin, rose, peach, musk, patchouli, and amber. But it’s the nourishing ingredients, including shea butter, cocoa seed butter, coconut oil, glycerin and aloe vera.
The Hi-Tech Hydrators
Retinol may be old news for your skin, but when it comes to body care formulations, it’s still catching up. It targets sagging skin, sun damage and dryness. Essentially, it’s a powerhouse when packed into a body product and helps encourage your skin’s own renewal. There is a lot of buzz around the skin’s barrier, and not just your face. Your body becomes compromised, leading to dryness and scaling. Look for body lotions stacked with ceramides and niacinamide (vitamin B3); they will help heal and restore dry, lacklustre skin. Another powerhouse vitamin is C, which is famous for brightening the appearance of uneven skin tone, reducing the appearance of sun damage, and boosting your SPF by protecting the skin from free radicals caused by UV exposure and pollution. Support skin healing, cell regeneration, and help wounds heal faster, including reducing the appearance of stretch marks. Finally, if you have visible spider veins, vitamin C can help strengthen capillary walls and reduce their appearance.
Murad Retinal ReSculpt Body Treatment, $154
Coined a gym in a jar, this nourishing body cream is stacked with an encapsulated retinol that delivers a potent dollop of vitamin A. Consider this a daily dose of targeted, hard-working ingredients that will help reduce the appearance of cellulite, stretch marks, dimpled skin, and crepey skin, giving your body a firmer, more lifted look. While it’s pricy, consider this an investment in your body.
Tronque Vitamin C Body Oil, $120
The vitamin C THD in this luxe-y oil is 50 times more effective than L-Ascorbic Acid, and sinks in fast to restore radiance, prevent fine lines, and tackle pigmentation. Ceramides are also in the mix to boost hydration and skin firmness. While the gleam it leaves on the skin makes it worth every cent.
The Hardworking Skin Perfectors
Your face is often the focus when it comes to treating it with hardworking ingredients that offer a targeted approach, from back and chest acne to ingrown hairs and heat or razor rash. Even one annoying skin issue, Keratosis Pilaris. As common as it may be, patches of rough bumpiness are caused by a buildup of a hard protein called keratin, which protects the skin from harmful substances and infection. This excess keratin blocks the hair follicles and causes uneven texture, usually on the back of the arms. At times, keratosis pilaris can even look like an acne breakout, while small and non-infected, these bumps can leave marks and hyperpigmentation scars if left untreated. Keeping an arsenal of hardworking skin healers on standby means you can wear that backless dress to a party with confidence.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream, $26
Affordable and practical, this cream does more than smooth skin; salicylic acid and urea gently exfoliate bumpy skin. The addition of hyaluronic acid and niacinamide helps moisturise and calm the skin.
Dermalogica Clarifying Body Spray, $55
Designed to heal breakouts anywhere on the body and clogged pores, thanks to the antibacterial blend of salicylic acid, witch hazel, and tea tree oil, which soothes inflammation and irritation. The easy-to-use mist applicator means that hard-to-reach areas are covered, too.
A skin workout
Physical (gritty scrubs), chemical (acid-packed) or dry body brushing helps brighten and smooth the skin by sloughing off dead skin cells and revealing fresh new cells underneath. This practice is essential if you use self-tan; there is nothing worse than a patchy result or a tan that fades unevenly. Exfoliation removes the outermost layers of the skin (taking the tanner with it), unclogs pores, and reduces acne breakouts. But most importantly, it helps every other product you use sink in quickly, plumping the skin with moisture and making it look younger, smoother, and healthier.
First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub With 10% AHA, from $20
This concoction of glycolic and lactic acids offers intensive exfoliation and keratin buildup from your pores. At the same time, pumice-based buffing beads polish the skin’s surface, leaving it smoother and softer. Although its primary purpose is to treat Keratitis Polaris, this scrub is brilliant for treating rough patches on your elbows, knees, and feet.
Pure Fiji Sugar Scrub, $55
We have had a love affair with Pure Fiji for decades, and the Sugar Scrub is a pure skin treat. Raw sugarcane crystals, rich in alpha-hydroxyl acids, buff away dry skin, while the brand's famous infusion of virgin coconut, dilo, sikeci, and macadamia seed oils instantly nourishes the skin, giving it a gorgeous glow for days.
The Tried and Tested Sunscreen
While we should wear SPF all year round, in preparation for summer, it’s one product that needs your full attention. Lately, many of the so-called ‘trusted brands’ in New Zealand have failed to meet regulatory standards or conduct regular testing. Almost two dozen sunscreens in Australia have been recalled, paused, or are now under review due to concerns about their SPF claims. Consumer New Zealand found 16 out of 20 popular sunscreens didn’t meet their SPF claims either. So, to get across what you need from a trusted UVA and UVB sunscreen, read more below.
Essano Suncare Hydrate & Glow Body Lotion SPF50+, $24
From the pearlescent mica that gives skin a subtle shimmer to vitamin E and aloe vera to nourish, this SPF is so divine once on the skin. It also works hard to keep your skin protected from UVA and UVB rays, and it’s water-resistant for 4 hours. But most importantly, this new sunscreen meets the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the highest standards of rating for safety and efficacy. The brand says think of this body-glow-giver as a lit-from-within radiance boost and an excellent life choice with SPF 50.
Avène Cicalfate+ 50 Multi Protective Restorative Cream SPF50+, $40
If you know the power skin healer Cicalfate, the brand has now blended into an SPF —and it’s brilliant. Cicalfate was made to calm and correct dry, itchy, cracked skin associated with eczema or skin sensitivities. Now this multipurpose cream is stacked with ceramides and vitamin B5, SPF 50+ broad-spectrum UVB/UVA protection, that has meet TGA approval. A four-hour water-resistant formulation, with the consistency of a nourishing day cream.
More-Than-Pampering Plant Oils
If your regular moisturiser isn’t cutting it this summer, it’s time to up the ante. And don’t worry – if oil makes you think greasy, not glossy, today’s nourishing plant oils will change your mind. Essentially, oils sink deep into the skin and serve as food for your body. Why? Quality plant oils mimic the natural lipids found in our skin. This allows for the regulation and repair of the skin's moisture barrier and your natural oil production, which, in turn, helps achieve a more balanced, brighter glow.
GINGER&ME Bath & Body Oil – Happy, $76
First up, what is not to love with a body oil called Happy? Next, the scent is exquisite, a blend of zesty orange blossom, jasmine, black currant, and pear offset by creamy vanilla. Finally, it’s stacked with the most exotic plant oils, including inchi and kakadu plum oils, and a soybean extract.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Florale, $68
I discovered this beautiful French beauty brand in Paris back in 2019 and have been in love ever since. This floral blend features seven exotic oils, including tsubaki, borage, hypericum, sweet almond, camellia, hazelnut and macadamia, infused with the scent of grapefruit zest, magnolia, and musk. Infused with pearl particles to leave a pretty pink-gold glow on the skin. Made for all over your body, it also doubles as a finishing hair oil. Finally, 96 per cent of the ingredients are of natural origin.
The clever gadgets
The benefits of body massage are endless, from reducing pain and muscle tension to eliminating the stress and anxiety of a busy day, while improving circulation to reduce spider veins and cellulite. It can also boost immune function and promote relaxation, helping you sleep better. Finally, experts agree that it will also help increase flexibility and improve overall vitality.
kit: Gua Sha Body Tool, $53
Drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese medicine, used for centuries to stimulate circulation and ease muscle tension, this stainless steel Gua Sha body tool helps with DIY massage all over the body. To use, prep the skin with a balm or lotion and run the tool flat against the skin in upward massaging motions. Store the tool in the fridge to add a cooling effect, or run it under warm water for a hot-stone-like massage.
My Beauty Room Sculpt + Detox Cup with the Sculpt + Detox Oil, $99
New Zealand’s body-sculpting and lymphatic-drainage massage specialist, Nicky Watkins, created this home massage kit to stimulate lymphatic flow while firming the skin. Our style director has mastered the art of her suction-style massage to help with circulation in her spider veins. She is impressed. That massage oil combines ingredients like coffee extract and organic coconut, jojoba, rosehip, and grapefruit oils. Watkins swears by the vitamin C and E with coco caprylate as excellent ingredients for any body routine.
For smooth, firm skin, even if you’re pressed for time.