Love you, love your BODY

Good skin isn’t just about your face – these hard-working ingredients and innovative formulas are great all over

Body care has come a long way from fruity shower gels, with active ingredients now common in our creams and lotions. But we’re not about to set you off on a seven-step daily ritual. ‘Taking care of your skin from the neck down is just as important as it is for the face, but it doesn’t have to be as complicated,’ says Paula Begoun, founder of Paula’s Choice. A few simple steps will change the way your body looks – and how you feel about it.

CLEANSE

Unless you’ve worked up a sweat, our skin doesn’t need vigorous cleaning. Using too much cleanser, particularly one that strips the skin, can cause more harm than good. ‘A poorly formulated wash that contains drying ingredients or abrasive scrub particles, or is loaded with irritating fragrance, will damage skin,’ says Paula. For everyday washing, choose caring formulas that aid moisture levels. Ameliorate Nourishing Body Wash, £12, lookfantastic.com, a soap-free ph-balanced

lotion, will cleanse, hydrate and reduce bumps and blemishes.

EXFOLIATE

EXPERT

TIP Apply your creams after you cleanse. ‘I like to do it after a shower while the skin is still damp, as this locks in moisture,’ says skincare expert Abigail James.

‘Body brushing makes your skin appear brighter and younger, and promotes an even-looking tone,’ says leading skincare expert Michaella Bolder. ‘It encourages blood flow, stimulates lymphatic drainage and sloughs away dead cells,’ she adds. You don’t have to do it every day. ‘Brushing three or four times a week is enough,’ advises Michaella. Additionally, an AHA or BHA body exfoliant can make a difference to your skin. ‘Use them three or four times a week and look for ingredients like salicylic, glycolic and lactic acid, as they can reduce signs of sun damage and discolourations,’ advises Paula. Medik8 Smooth Body Exfoliating Kit, £49, cultbeauty.co.uk, is a three-part system that ticks off every exfoliant you would need. A scrub to smooth the skin, a body mitt to help target rough areas, and an AHA and Bha-enriched lotion to gently resurface the skin.

TONE

Just as a facial massage makes your complexion glow, kneading the skin on your body can give it a lifting effect. ‘It helps feed it with fresh oxygen and nutrients,’ says Michaella. ‘An easy way to do it is to spend a little more time applying your moisturiser, and to do a daily workout for your muscles via your fingertips.’ Or take things a step further with body combing.

‘Working in a similar way to brushing, body combing is effective for water retention and cellulite,’ says founder of the Hayo’u Method, Katie Brindle. ‘It can help clear congestion and aid the skin to beat conditions such as keratosis pilaris.’ Try Hayo’u Jade Beauty Restorer Comb, £38, net-a-porter. com, and run it all over your body with or without oil, whatever is best for you.

MOISTURISE

You have probably spent most of your life focusing your moisturiser on your face, but as we age, our skin’s structure weakens, and this can happen everywhere – from our eyes to our elbows. To stop the skin from cracking, a cleverly formulated cream can repair and build layers within our skin. Look for ceramides, which help to create a barrier that locks in moisture, and antioxidants to protect the skin from external stress. And humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid are also excellent at retaining H2O, keeping complexions looking plump. Try Philosophy Nature In A Jar Cream-to-water Body Lotion, £25, lookfantastic. com, a lightweight cream-to-water lotion that melts into the skin and leaves it feeling supple and hydrated.

The stress effects of flushing, itching and sweating are well known. But if a short burst of anxiety can cause your skin to react in such a way, imagine what ongoing factors can do. Restless emotions cause our bodies to release the stress hormone cortisol, which attacks and weakens our immune system, making the skin less able to defend itself. This can lead to allergic responses, delay healing and create conditions like acne or eczema. If you want to improve a skin issue, one of the best things we can do is not stress about it. Easier said than done. But with the right products, and some patience, you will be able to improve whatever concern might be bothering you.

TREATING BLEMISHES

EXPERT

TIP ‘Salicylic acid also works as an anti-inflammatory, to bring down redness and irritation, and can halt further breakouts from occurring,’ says

Jennifer.

Our activewear has become so stylish that we never want to take it off. But what if we told you that, post-pilates, heading for a coffee instead of showering could be the root cause of spots on your back? One of the most common triggers of ‘bacne’ is when we postpone a rinse after exercise. ‘Make sure you shower as soon as possible to stop pores from clogging,’ says cosmetic doctor Dr Rekha Tailor from Health & Aesthetics Clinic. ‘Incorporate cleansers that are antimicrobial and contain gentle exfoliators like salicylic acid, as they will help to keep skin clear.’

La Roche-posay Effaclar Micro-peeling Purifying Gel,

£14.50, Boots, is a salicylic acid-based shower gel that tackles blemishes without stripping the skin. Or try Clinisoothe+ Skin Purifier, £14.95, Boots, an antimicrobial liquid that is used in specialised clinics to treat the appearance of acne. Apply after cleansing to remove

bacteria left on the skin.

SMOOTHING BUMPS

Usually found on the legs and arms, keratosis pilaris forms due to a build-up within the pores. ‘Using salicylic acid can be incredibly beneficial’, says Jennifer Rock, dermal facialist and founder of Skingredients. ‘It penetrates pores and helps to dissolve dead skin cells and sebum,

along with reducing redness and the size of the bumps.’ Skingredients Sally Cleanse Salicylic Acid Cleanser, £30, skingredients.co.uk, is a sophisticated face wash that can also be used on the body. Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment, £58, Selfridges, uses a blend of alpha and beta hydroxy acids to gently exfoliate and lift away dead skin cells, while smoothing and brightening skin.

ANTI-AGE WITH RETINOL

Widely known for the effect it can have on our faces, retinol is now used to aid the skin-renewal process all over our bodies. ‘Sagging skin happens when the supporting elements in the skin get broken down by sun damage, ageing, weight fluctuations and gravity,’ says Paula. ‘There isn’t much you can do about gravity, but preventing sun damage is a major way to maintain strong skin elasticity. It is also helpful to use products loaded with anti-ageing ingredients that encourage collagen production.’ Paula’s Choice Skin-smoothing Retinol Body Treatment, £33, paulaschoice.co.uk, is an advanced anti-ageing treatment containing a specialised retinol complex that firms the skin and reduces the appearance of an uneven skin tone. Or try The Solution

Retinol Smoothing

Body Lotion, £9.99, feelunique.com.