Current Body Care Favorites

We might not think of it as often, but body care is skincare! I made it a point at the end of last year to take better care of the skin on my body, especially since my eczema flare-ups are more severe and visible on my body than my face.

Now, that we are spending more time in our homes, who doesn’t love to indulge in a bit of body-pampering? NOBODY! At least nobody who likes to read skincare and beauty blogs, haha!

For me, using a luxurious body wash in the shower can immediately boost my mood. And I often create a spa sort of situation during #selfcaresunday, which involves a nice bath, and an at-home facial. I honestly can’t think of a better way to unwind while still spending most of my time at home.

That’s why I wanted to share with you my body care favorites this season!

Today, I’m sharing my my current body care favorites for:

• Cleansing without tightness
• Hydrating without heaviness
• Protecting my skin from the sun

BODY CLEANSERS

Showering is something you likely do daily or twice a day in this heat and humidity. But, how much thought do you put into what body cleanser you use?

TIP: Now, there’s pretty much a body cleanser for every “body.” But, I always recommend inspecting the ingredients in your body cleansers, as you do with your oil-based and water-based face cleansers, especially if you’re prone to certain skin conditions.

Necessaire The Body Wash (Fragrance-Free)

When I lather myself in Nécessaire, it’s a TRUE experience. I use the fragrance-free body wash, but the body wash is also available in Eucalyptus, Sandlewood, and Bergamot.

The brand epitomizes how to treat the skin on your body like you treat the skin on your face. For a more detailed review of the brand, check out my review here. 

The formula doesn’t contain any sulfates, parabens, or synthetic dyes. And this body wash uses gentle plant-derived surfactants instead of harsher, frothier alternatives. I mean, these cleansers have a pH of 5.5, which is the pH I generally look for in cleansers that I use on my face. And as a woman, I have delicate areas where pH balance is really important, so I feel comfortable using this everywhere if you know what I mean. 

I love the gel-oil hybrid texture, how much it lathers, and how soft it feels. I also love the bottle! There’s no loose cap or hard-to-open flip top. I just turn the top and squeeze the bottle, which helps me not overpour or waste any product.

PRICE: $22
SIZE: 8.4 oz.

Bioderma Atoderm Cleansing Oil

This Bioderma shower oil became a new favorite when COVID started! I tried out a smaller bottle a few months before, but since I received this huge container, I can’t put it down. 

It’s a lightweight oil that turns slightly frothy and milky when you use it and rinses clean without leaving residue on your skin. I prefer using something like this in the colder months, in place of a shower gel because it’s more nourishing. But, I’ve found that it’s not to heavy for me to use in the warmer months either.

This shower oil has become a staple in my body care routine. I even added it to my Amazon Beauty Cabinet. A little goes a long way too! I literally have been using this bottle non-stop since March, and I’m not even half-way through it.

Although this shower oil is targeted to dry, sensitive skin types, it does have fragrance as it’s 10th ingredient. Luckily, I haven’t had any irritation so far. 

PRICE: $19.90
SIZE: 33.8 oz.

Skinfix Eczema+ Foaming Oil Body Wash

Although this is an oil body wash, I love how it creates a foamy consistency for a familiar body wash feel. It’s an extremely mild cleanser that contains coconut, colloidal oatmeal, and jojoba oil, which is perfect for dry, sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

PRICE: $24
SIZE: 12.5 oz.

Aveeno Skin Relief Fragrance-Free Body Wash

Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash removes dirt and impurities without disrupting your skin’s moisture barrier. It has a creamy consistency and contains a prebiotic oat complex and shea butter to soothe itchy, dry skin like mine.

Although I love many of the pricier body washes, Aveeno Body Wash is something I’ve been using since I was a teenager. You can find this in my Amazon Beauty Cabinet too. 

PRICE: $9.99
SIZE: 33 oz.

BODY EXFOLIATORS

Just like the skin on our face, our body regularly sheds dead skin. And dead cells lying on the top layer of skin can make your body feel rough. Exfoliants remove those dead cells from the skin’s surface, resulting in a smoother and more even-toned complexion. And by removing those dead skin cells, you also reduce ingrown hairs and body acne.

I prefer only to use chemical exfoliants on my face, but I love both physical and chemical exfoliants for my body.

In particular, I love reaching for a body scrub in the shower. Exfoliating and hydrating all in one, body scrubs pack results and relaxation in one product. Not only do body scrubs slough away dull, dry skin, they feel, and often smell, like an indulgent treat. It’s a great way to relieve stress and take extra time for yourself. Additionally, body scrubs are a fantastic way to keep ingrown hairs at bay.

Brooklyn Botany Brown Sugar Body Scrub

I’ve been following Brooklyn Botany since I started Beauty In Color Instagram page. I love that their products are affordable, effective, well-made, and contain no harsh ingredients or fragrances.

My first product by the brand was their Brown Sugar Scrub. This scrub is designed for both the face and body, but I personally only use it on my body. I would also advise that if you use this on your face, please be gentle.

This brown sugar scrub is formulated with sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil, evening primrose oil, and calendula flower extract. All of these ingredients are great for anyone with sensitive, eczema-prone skin. 

Salt scrubs can sometimes be too harsh for sensitive skin, so this brown sugar scrub is an excellent exfoliating option because brown sugar is gentle but still strong enough to scrub away dead skin cells. Brown sugar is also a natural humectant, so it’s excellent for dehydrated skin too.

PRICE: $15
SIZE: 10 oz.

Brooklyn Botany Coconut Milk Body Scrub

This coconut milk body scrub is formulated with dead sea salt, vitamin E, sweet almond oil, safflower oil, apricot kernel oil, grapeseed oil, and avocado oil. This ingredient list is fantastic for dry skin!

This scrub has become my favorite scrub from the brand! It’s so luxurious, smells delicious, and it leaves my body (especially my legs and feet) feeling SO soft and smooth!

PRICE: $15
SIZE: 10 oz.

Necessaire The Body Exfoliator (Fragrance-Free)

This body exfoliator is both a physical and chemical exfoliator. It comes in a tube which I prefer because there is less mess. It has a gritty consistency from the bamboo charcoal and pumice. Yet, it also contains chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid to help gently slough off dead skin cells.

When I started using this set, I thought the body exfoliator would be a fun scrub, but I didn’t know it would provide any significant results. I was surprised by how gentle it is and how soft and smooth my skin felt afterward. It’s also helped smooth the KP on my arms without irritation. 

This body exfoliator is a pricier one, but if your budget permits, I would try it. 

PRICE: $30
SIZE: 6.1 oz.

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA

This scrub is another multi-exfoliation treatment that I use a few times a week, particularly on my KP. It contains pumice buffing beads to remove dead skin cells and glycolic and lactic acid to help exfoliate and brighten the skin. It also includes an ingredient, bisabolol, which is a soothing agent that also contains brightening properties. 

This scrub is a little more abrasive than the one from Necessaire, but I get quicker results when my KP is more pronounced.

PRICE: $28
SIZE: 8 oz.

Exfoliating Body Gloves

A significant player in my body skincare routine since I was a teenager has been using exfoliating gloves. Exfoliating body gloves can help get rid of dead skin cell buildup with any skin cleanser. I like to get white gloves so I can easily see when I need to get a new pair. 

While there are various options out there, I prefer the ones that are reasonably priced, since these gloves are something I swap out after a few months. I’ve included a few options in my Amazon Beauty Cabinet.

PRICE: ~$9
SIZE: N/A

Silicone Exfoliating Back Scrubber

Now, this has been a game-changer! I have the hardest time cleaning my entire back, much less exfoliating it. In comes, this gadget!

There is nothing more handy than having an exfoliating back scrubber in your shower. The design of a back scrubber allows you to reach your entire back and all those hard to reach areas and can be similarly used on other areas of your body.

I prefer the silicone option because it’s more sanitary. I don’t have to worry about any bacteria lingering on the bristles. Backne be gone! Check it out in my Amazon Beauty Cabinet.

PRICE: ~$7
SIZE: N/A

Diamonds By Dominique RubyBerry Shimmering Body Scrub

On days you want to glow, this is a great option! This body scrub is perfect for dry skin! 

This body scrub is made with mango butter, shea butter, mediterranean sea salts, apricot oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, and strawberry seeds. This scrub gently removes dead skin cells while also sealing in moisture. Your skin will be smooth, soft, and radiant as hell! And a little goes a long way, so you’ll get your money’s worth. 

Using this body scrub on days where I’m showing a little leg is perfection!

PRICE: $45
SIZE: 8 oz.

BODY SERUMS/CREAMS/OILS

Moisturizing is one of the most important and underrated ways to take care for your skin. Your moisturizer is like your coat. It protects your skin from moisture loss. By protecting our skin from drying out, you’re able to keep your skin’s protective barrier safe and keep your skin soft and smooth. Also, keeping your skin moisturized helps people with eczema have fewer flares.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream (Fragrance-Free)

This lotion has been a great addition to my skincare routine this summer. As someone with dry skin, I don’t usually like lightweight lotions. But, this humid weather had me looking for something that moisturizes without looking like an oil slick after being outside for 10 minutes. And this provides exactly what I need right now!

It has a gel-cream cream texture that’s refreshing, lightweight, and absorbs quickly into my skin. Because this contains hyaluronic acid and glycerin, it helps the skin to stay hydrated, all without feeling greasy. This is another goody in my Amazon Beauty Cabinet.

PRICE: ~$9
SIZE: 16 oz.

Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA

This lotion is effective at fighting acne breakouts, treating KP, and diminishing skin redness in general. I personally use this to help with the KP on my arms and if I ever have any backne.

This treatment lotion is lightweight and glides on easily. I don’t apply this on my entire body, and I just use this as a spot treatment. Because of this, the bottle has lasted a while.

PRICE: $28
SIZE: 7 oz.

Necessaire The Body Serum

Now, this is my first body serum. I mean, you don’t find many serums for your body.

The Body Serum is a non-greasy, fast-absorbing hydrator for your body. It has a thick, silky gel texture, and it’s made with a blend of exceptional ingredients you might already use on your face, including hyaluronic acid, ceramides, vitamin B3, and vitamin B5. There’s no fragrance or silicone in here.

I feel the most benefit from it when I layer it with their body lotion, much like I use a hyaluronic acid serum on my face. 

PRICE: $45
SIZE: 5.1 oz.

Necessaire The Body Lotion

Since I have dry skin, I tend to stick to emollient body lotions and body butters, especially in the winter. But, these hot, humid days have me feeling a little different!

This body lotion uses ingredients like Vitamin A, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Omega 6, Omega 9, and Niacinamide to keep the skin healthy. The texture has a bouncy, full texture, but it absorbs quickly and doesn’t have a greasy lotion feel. I mean, we all hate that greasy feel!

This lotion is perfect for the summer months if you have dry skin and layers exceptionally well with their Body Serum. However, I will need to layer this with a body oil in the winter months.

PRICE: $25
SIZE: 6.8 oz.

Sknmuse Cacao Body Butter

This is one of the richest and decadent body butters with a cocoa butter scent that’s not overpowering. Infused with avocado oil, rosehip oil, this luxurious shea and cocoa butter-based body butter is thick yet melts into my skin almost immediately. 

This body butter has become one of my favorite nighttime treatments this summer. I love to apply it as an all-over body cream on slightly damp skin. But, it’s also been a cure for ashy elbows and dry heels. Sknmuse has other scents if you’re interested. This body butter is a must-have in my household. And because a little goes a long way, I’ll be able to enjoy this in the fall and winter months when I can use this during the day and night. For more black-owned brands that carry products for sensitive skin, check out my blog post here.

PRICE: $30
SIZE: 9 oz.

Karite Creme Corps Hydrating Body Cream

This is another shea butter-based body cream I’m excited about! This cream has a very different texture than the Sknmuse body butter. 

This decadent, dermatologist-developed, hypo-allergenic moisturizer includes 30% raw, unrefined shea butter sourced from Ghana. It also contains organic unrefined coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and an antioxidant-rich blend of rosemary and West African rooibos.

This body butter is creamy and thick, yet it melts into my skin quickly and easily and does NOT leave me feeling greasy! I actually feel comfortable wearing this on summer days as long as it’s not 90 degrees!

PRICE: $46
SIZE: 5.5 oz.

Kiehl’s Creme De Corps

If you want your skin to feel like butter, this is IT! This body lotion has a creamy, elegant texture, and when I use this, I have no dry patches at all, just smooth moisturized skin!

I’ve kept this in my arsenal for years and make sure to buy the big bottles when they’re on sale (thanks, Vince!) since its pricey. And during the hot and humid months, I tend only to use this at night.

PRICE: $78
SIZE: 33.8 oz.

Bioderma Atoderm Cream

Yet, another creamy body lotion! Can you see a theme?!?

This lotion has a bouncy, gel-cream yet bouncy texture, making it more lightweight than my body butters and creams I talked about above. 

This lotion is great for sensitive skin, eczema, and any dry, irritated skin that needs nourishing & soothing. It’s fragrance-free, plus it comes in this massive tub with a pump. I’ve used this in the colder months, and it still just as nourishing. But, because it’s not heavy or greasy, it’s been great to use in the summer months. I like that I can use this lotion in the morning and get dress immediately after applying it. You can find this lotion in my Amazon Beauty Cabinet!

PRICE: $30
SIZE: 16.7 oz.

Angella Irving Deep Satin Body Oil Moisturizer

Now, I don’t find myself using body oils often in the summer, but after a long bath, I’m known to layer a body oil on top of my moisturizer. My skin feels so good afterward! 

This ultra-moisturizing body oil contains organic almond oil, camellia seed oil, shea oil, castor oil, and vitamin E. And a little goes a long way!

I like to pump a few drops of this in my hand and massage it in after a bath or shower to achieve a state of complete bliss. And if your body craves deeper moisture during the winter months, you can definitely layer this over your moisturizer or mix a drop or two in with your favorite lotion.

PRICE: $15
SIZE: 4 oz.

BODY SUNSCREENS

No single factor is more important to preventing aging than avoiding excess sun exposure! The best way to do that is by wearing sunscreen. UV light breaks down the elastin and collagen in your skin, causing discoloration, skin thinning and sagging…and ultimately wrinkles. 

I know I’ve talked about this in regards to your face but the skin on your body is included too. Sunscreen is one of the ESSENTIAL skincare steps in your routine. 

As someone who’s pretty lazy when it comes to body SPF, I need to beef up my arsenal in this area. My go-to body sunscreens are the Black Girl Sunscreen and Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Body Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 45 spray as they’re both easy and quick to apply. 

What are your favorite body care products? 
Have you tried any of these brands?

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