If you’re paying attention to your below-the-chin skin only in the summer, it’s begging you for some love right now. Swimsuit or ski suit, your body deserves a skincare routine that’s just as comprehensive and effective as the one for your face—just not as complicated. Think of this story as your guide to the essentials for building a derm-approved body-care routine that you’ll actually be able to follow and stick to. Ahead, the 4 don’t-skip steps (spoiler alert, you need body SPF year-round), 21 must-try products, and 6 trending treatments you and your skin need right now.
The core tenets of a good body-care routine: cleansing, moisturizing, and slathering on SPF. Here’s how it’s done.
Cleanse: The only hard-and-fast rule here is to avoid body soaps and washes with sulfates (typically noted as sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate on ingredient lists). They can strip away your skin’s natural oils and compromise its protective skin barrier, says Hey dermatologist Rogers, MD. So pls, do your skin a favor and wash with a sulfate-free formula like the three below.
This All-Natural Option
Josh Rosebrook Probiotic Body Cleanser
This Cleansing Bar
Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar 3-Pack
This Drugstore Option
Aveeno Restorative Skin Therapy Sulfate-Free Body Wash
Moisturize: Everyone—yes, literally you, the human reading these words this very second!—should use a body moisturizer, says dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, MD: “To effectively hydrate your skin and lock in moisture, look for a formula that contains hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and/or ceramides.” You can find them in everything from lightweight gel creams to thick body butters, like the three products below. Find one you love and apply it as soon as you get out of the shower (when your skin is still damp) and then as needed throughout the day.
This Light Gel Cream
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream Fragrance-Free
This Mid-Weight Lotion
U Beauty The Super Hydrator Body
This Rich Body Butter
Karité Crème Corps Hydrating Body Cream
While we’re on the topic of skin hydration, let’s talk about body oil for a sec. This trendy fave complements moisturizer—but doesn’t replace it. Massage it into damp skin and then layer your regular lotion on top, or mix the two together for extra dewiness, Dr. Hartman says. Shop our favorite body oils, below.
This Luxe Formula
Tatcha Hinoki Hydrating Body Oil
This Classic Pick
Bio-Oil Skincare Body Oil
Now 40% Off
This Organic Option
Protect: Without question, you should be applying sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on any part of your body that sees the sun, says Dr. Hartman: “UV exposure is the leading cause of premature aging, not to mention skin cancer—whether it’s July or January.” Look for a lightweight lotion formula with a fast-absorbing texture (like the editor favorites, below) to make applying and reapplying easier.
This Moisturizing SPF 30
Black Girl Sunscreen Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30
This Sheer Mineral SPF 30
Nécessaire The Sunscreen
This Sweatproof SPF 50
EleVen by Venus Williams Game. Set. Match. Body Lotion SPF 50
Everything you just read will keep your skin healthy and happy. But the serums and treatments below—all with potent, high-performing active ingredients like niacinamide and retinol—do the heavy lifting when it comes to things like brightening skin tone or fighting acne, Dr. Hartman says.
An Antioxidant Serum
Paula’s Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum
“If you’re outside even briefly, antioxidants are a must,” Dr. Rogers says. They can neutralize inflammatory free radicals (supple skin’s number one enemy) to help prevent things like redness and sun spots.
A Retinol Treatment
Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Body Lotion
There’s no better anti-aging ingredient than retinol. It’s proven to stimulate cell turnover (aka your skin’s natural renewal process) and collagen and elastin production, which plump fine lines and firm up your skin. Hello, baby-soft skin.
An Anti-Acne Mist
Soft Services Clearing Mist
This one is ideal for getting rid of whiteheads and blackheads on your shoulders, chest, back, and butt—caused by sweat, bacteria, or too-tight workout clothes. The secret sauce: oil-regulating zinc and salicylic acid.
A Soothing Roll-On Gel
Cetaphil Eczema Restoraderm Itch Relief Gel
Made with calming collagen oatmeal and barrier-friendly hydrators, this gel helps minimize the itch and irritation associated with eczema. And thanks to the cooling metal tip applicator, the relief is nearly instant.
A Custom Rx Cream
Online medical provider Musely creates custom prescription-strength body creams (no IRL doctor visit or insurance needed) to treat stubborn issues, like KP and hyperpigmentation, that haven’t responded to over-the-counter options.
An Illuminating Serum
Cay Skin Deepwater Dew Body Serum
Now 80% Off
Your one-stop shop for glazed-doughnut limbs, this moisturizes with aloe, evening primrose, and sea moss. Plus, it’s infused with tiny golden particles that reflect light to give your skin a natural-looking glow.
Using a chemical exfoliator a few times a week is the move here, according to Dr. Hartman and Dr. Rogers. Ingredients like glycolic and salicylic acids dissolve dulling dead skin cells, smooth rough or bumpy texture, and unclog pores. Ahead, three derm -approved body exfoliators to try ASAP.
This Exfoliating Wash
Differin Acne-Clearing Body Wash
Packed with glycolic acid and 2 percent salicylic acid (the highest amount you can get OTC), this body wash removes sweat and buildup on skin while de-gunking pores.
This Exfoliating Serum
Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum With Retinol and AHAs
Time-released retinol, AHAs, and urea come together in this body serum to resurface your skin and improve its tone and texture. Use it if your biggest issues are hyperpigmentation and scarring.
These Exfoliating Pads
Kopari Body Bumps Be Gone Clarifying Body Pads
Keratosis pilaris (KP)—the medical name for the red or brown bumps on your arms, thighs, and tush—can be stubbornLuckily, these AHA- and BHA-soaked peel pads exist to help erase it.
You may have noticed we didn’t include any body scrubs here, and that’s because they aren’t our experts’ preferred method of exfoliation (Dr. Rogers says they can cause inflammation and micro-tears in the skin). But we get it : Scrubs are just…incredibly satisfying to use. So if you’re set on using one, opt for a formula that’s made with nonabrasive jojoba beads or bamboo powder (like Drunk Elephant Scrubbi Bamboes Body Cleanser) instead of jagged shells or seeds and use it once a week max.
This step is for bonus points. These six at-home devices and in-office therapies are your “nice to haves,” because while you don’t need them, they will absolutely level up your body-skin game.
This Massage Stone
Tata Harper Sculpting Body Stone
Inspired by spa treatments, this jade stone can be used to tone, ease muscle tension, and promote better circulation.
This Clinical-Grade Laser
Meet the DIY laser to end all DIY lasers. It’s $$$$, but its brightening and smoothing effects are comparable to what you’d get from a series of pro laser sessions.
This LED Mask
CurrentBody Skin LED Neck and Dec Perfector
This soft, flexible mask is embedded with red LED lights to help reverse signs of aging on your neck and chest. Wear it for 10 minutes five times a week for smoother, more even-toned skin in about a month.
This Firming Treatment
Electrical muscle stimulation and radiofrequency technologies come together to strengthen ab, arm, and butt muscles and firm skin in as few as three painless 30-minute sessions.
This Resurfacing Laser
Dr. Hartman—and Kim K., FWIW—are fans of this radiofrequency microneedling treatment for fading scars and stretch marks and giving skin a tighter, smoother appearance.
This Sculpting Treatment
Depending on the settings and handpiece used, this multitasking machine can do everything from minimize stretch marks to lift and contour skin. The lymphatic drainage benefits are really great for contouring and de-puffing too.
Deputy Beauty Director
Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for nine years at Cosmopolitan and has contributed to Women’s Health and seventeen magazines as well. Follow her on Instagram.