If you’re like us, you care about your skin. At least when it comes to the face, there are routines, materials, products and habits. However, when it comes to the body, what prioritizes may not be that clear. If you’re wondering what ingredients are needed in your body care routine, or if you want to know why you don’t use your favorite face wash anywhere, experts have the answer.
Featured experts
Should you be looking for active in your body care?
The simple answer is, yes, effective body care has the active ingredients that are probably recognized by your skin care routine.
“Yes, active body care is essential!” says New York dermatologist Kally Papantoniou, Maryland. “Ingredients that are useful for the facial skin are very effective on the body. Activities such as retinol, niacinamide, and mild exfoliating acids can do amazing things for tone, texture and hydration.”
For Omaha, NE dermatologist Daniel Schlessinger, Maryland, Active, working for body care, is strategic and sometimes has a “more” approach. “Body skin can benefit from many of the same active ingredients we use on our faces, but the skin is thicker and less sensitive than face, neck and décolletage, so you can use these activities more freely,” he points out.
What materials should I look for?
“We want a gentle peeling of retinol, lactic or glycolic acid, which helps to improve skin tone and firmness,” says Dr. Papantoniou. “Niacinamide is great for supporting skin barriers and night tones, while hyaluronic acid helps maintain hydration and smoothness.”
NE Dermatologists Omaha, Joel Schlessinger and MD also recommend barrier support ingredients such as ceramides and antioxidants to protect the body’s skin from environmental damage. “SPF has always been a major recommendation,” he adds.
Retinol: Addresses skin texture, body acne and excessive luminescence by increasing skin cells turnover antioxidants: Protects from environmental damage like UV ceramide: Strengthens niacinamide in skin barrier: Provides hydration, improves skin texture, and improves acidic acid (glycol, salicillic, etc.): Replenishes skin. Sun-related aging
What is the difference between body care and skin care?
“The key is to use formulas made for the body,” says Dr. Papantniu. “Because the body’s skin is often thicker and more elastic, body care products are specially designed to make these ingredients effective and easy to apply to larger surface areas.”
These formulas have a higher concentration of active ingredients than are found in facial skin care.
“Body formulations may require higher concentrations and richer bases to penetrate thicker skin,” explains Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “Body products tend to have a comprehensive base that helps to penetrate the thick layer of stratum corneum while maintaining skin hydration throughout the area that doesn’t produce as much natural oil as the face.”
Take home
So, you can use body products with the right ingredients for your face, but the formulation may be strong enough to cause irritation to sensitive facial skin or leave your face greasy and oily. And the other way around, using face products on our bodies may not be able to deliver those active places where they need to go.
“You can use facial skin care on your body, but it’s not very practical or effective,” says Dr. Papantoniou. “The amount required for body application is much larger. Relying on facial products is inefficient and expensive. In more sensitive areas such as the neck and chest, facial products may still be appropriate, but for the rest of the body, the target formulation is more effective.”
Body care recommended by experts
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