Face: juicy, plump and well tended to. Body: dry as the desert. Relate? We have put so much emphasis on the skin above the décolletage that our limbs have taken a backseat. And while the skin on the body is infinitely more forgiving than that of the face (because it’s thicker and more robust), neglecting it entirely doesn’t help. Limbs that glow? It is doable.
So it’s good news that a wave of excellent body care formulas have made their way to market. Many of them contain the same level of active ingredients we expect from our facial care, plus they’re enjoyable to use, while making a noticeable difference to the skin. Aesthetic doctor, Dr Alexis Granite, is the woman many people see to ensure their faces are in good nick, but with the launch of her new wellbeing brand, Joonbyrd, it was the body she chose to focus on.
“I wanted to tap into an area that hasn’t been looked at so closely, in terms of more clinical types of formulations,” she explains. “It’s about taking the actives that you might associate with facial care and moving them below the neck. I’ve noticed an uptick in patients expressing concern about their body, so it made sense.” She also notes that for those with more sensitive facial skin, the body is a good place to experiment with different formulas and fragrance.
The hero of the Joonbyrd line is the Daydreamer Body Serum, which is formulated with a biomimetic (meaning it mimics the body’s natural biological processes) peptide and antioxidants to tighten, firm and lift the body skin, as well as hydrate. It’s the brand’s first body serum offering, with another coming next year: “The next will brighten and smooth, and will be perfect for pigmentation or those suffering with keratosis pilaris,” she adds.
Dr Emma Craythorne, founder of Klira, has also turned her sights to body care, with the launch of her new Body Special. While her facial formula is made bespoke for different skin types (and I can attest that it is excellent, having transformed my skin), the new Body Special offers targeted precision treatment for the chest and hands.
Issues in both areas include sun damage and collagen depletion: “It works by targeting the pigmentation in three different ways along these pigment pathways,” she explains. “So, not only does it reduce the pigmentation that is visibly there, but it also reduces the formation of pigmentation further down the line.” This multitasking cream boasts active ingredients like azelaic acid, niacinamide and kojic acid, alongside collagen peptides, squalane and ceramides to protect and support the skin barrier, while working to reduce inflammation.
Elsewhere, brands like Nécessaire, Clarins and This Works continue to fly the flag for sensorial body formulas that work. Nécessaire’s new The Body Retinol contains 0.1% retinol and alpha-hydroxy acids and promises to reduce crepiness and any lines, while promoting collagen production for plumper skin. Naturium’s The Perfect Salicylic Acid Body Wash unclogs pores and gently exfoliates, thanks to a combination of salicylic acid and glycerin, and This Works’s Perfect Body Vit C Glow harnesses the collagen-boosting powers of 2% vitamin C with hyaluronic acid to deeply nourish the skin and leave it luminous – just like your face.
Far from the lotions and potions of days gone by, the new-gen body care formulas are far more potent but don’t feel sticky or take ages to sink in. Here are some of our favourites to try now.
11 of the best body care formulas
Klira The Body Special
£99
Klira
Joonbyrd Daydreamer Body Serum
£90
Joonbyrd
Nécessaire The Body Retinol
£58
Sephora
£56
Space NK
Naturium The Perfector Salicylic Acid
£18
Space NK
Beauty Pie Superdose™ Vitamin C Bio-Vitamin Brightening & Firming Body Lotion
£30 £17.50
Beauty Pie
This Works Perfect Body Vit C Glow
£38
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The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Body Stick
£15
Boots
Clarins Body Fit Active
£44
Boots
Susanne Kaufmann Cooling Body Mist
£30
Oh My Cream
Whind Marrakech Silk Exfoliating Jelly Body Balm
£35
Whind
Chantecaille Rose de Mai Retinol Body Crème
£135
Chantecaille
