Exfoliate Your Body in Time for Summer

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absorption, acne, appearance, Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Brush, blackheads, body, cell renewal, cell turnover, chemical exfoliation, congestion, dead skin cells, Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Body Oil reduces blemishes, dirt, dry brushing, evenly pigmented, exfoliate, hair follicles, high-end, high-potency, impurities, ingrown hairs, Lycon Ingrown-X-It Foaming Wash, mechanical exfoliation, Medik8 Smooth Body Exfoliating Kit, moisturise, oil, outermost layer, pimples, plump, radiance, REN Clean Skincare AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum, shave, skin, skincare products, smoother surface, summer, texture, vibrant skin, wax

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

It seems rather ridiculous to talk about bearing our bodies in the summer when it’s almost May and we’re still sitting here wearing jumpers. However, we’ve been assured by the weatherman that warmer days are definitely on their way! That means that we can finally get our summer wardrobes out and wear shorts and dresses once again, but we need to get our skin ready in the meantime. Exfoliating your body before summer can have several benefits for your skin, and we’ve complied a list of five of them:

Removes Dead Skin Cells 

Both mechanical and chemical exfoliation methods work to remove dead skin cells by either physically dislodging them or chemically breaking them down. This process helps improve the texture and appearance of the skin by promoting cell turnover and revealing the healthier, more vibrant skin beneath. Dry brushing is a great way to manage whole-body exfoliation, using an Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Brush, or if you prefer chemical exfoliation, REN Clean Skincare AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum is the perfect solution for both exfoliating and moisturising your skin, all at once. 

Prevents Ingrown Hairs

Exfoliating can help prevent ingrown hairs by removing dead skin cells and unclogging hair follicles. When dead skin cells accumulate on the surface of the skin, they can block the hair follicles, causing the hair to grow sideways or curl back into the skin, leading to ingrown hairs. This can be particularly important if you plan to shave or wax before summer. Lycon Ingrown-X-It Foaming Wash is highly effective in minimising the appearance of ingrown hairs, while calming and decongesting breakouts for the entire body and face.

Improves Skin Radiance 

Exfoliation can stimulate cell turnover, which is the process by which new skin cells are produced and move to the surface of the skin. By promoting cell renewal, exfoliation encourages the growth of new, healthy skin cells. These new cells tend to be more vibrant, plump, and evenly pigmented, contributing to a radiant complexion. Medik8 Smooth Body Exfoliating Kit is a great selection of products which gives you everything you need to keep your skin smooth and radiant. 

Enhances Absorption of Skincare Products

Exfoliating creates a smoother surface and removes the outermost layer of skin, which can be thicker and more resistant to product absorption. By eliminating this barrier, active ingredients in skincare products can penetrate more deeply into the skin, maximising their effectiveness. This is especially important when using a high-end, high-potency product such as Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Body Oil, as you’ll want to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from the formula.  

Reduces Blemishes

As we all know, acne and pimples don’t just occur on our faces – in fact up to ten percent of the world’s population is thought to have suffered with body acne at some point. Exfoliating can help unclog pores by removing dirt, oil, and other impurities that may accumulate on the skin’s surface, making it harder for spots to form. Additionally, when pores are clear, skincare products can reach deeper into the skin and effectively target specific concerns such as acne, blackheads, or congestion.

Get Marathon Ready with our Skincare Guide for Runners

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aloe vera leaf juice, antioxidants, Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser, Bloom and Blossom Legs Eleven Cooling Leg Serum, body, clean, cleanse, cleansing, Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser, Dermalogica Precleanse, Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50, double cleanse, Elemis Ultra-Conditioning Lip Balm, environmental factors, heavy, hyaluronic acid, hydrate, hydration, legs, lip, lips, London Marathon, marathon, Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask, moisture, moisturise, molecules, peppermint leaf oil, protection, Runner, runners, running, serum, skin, sunburn, sunscreen, sweat, tired, UV, UVA, UVB, water

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The London Marathon is just over a week away and runners all over the UK are preparing to take part in one of the most gruelling events of their running career. More than 40,000 people run together in London in a celebration of positivity, diversity and inclusion, raising over £1 billion for various good causes, since it began in 1981. With this in mind, we thought we’d do our bit and share with you some skincare tips which will make running the marathon a bit easier – or even just improve your couch-to-5k, if the marathon is a bit beyond your abilities!

Wear Sunscreen

Ahead of running a marathon, or any race where you’ll spend a lot of time outside, applying sunscreen is SO important. The last thing you want is to be coming up on mile 25 and realising you’re red from sunburn, not exertion. Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport SPF50 is a sheer solar protection treatment that defends against prolonged skin damage from UV light and environmental assault, and offers 40 minutes of water resistance, meaning you won’t sweat it all off during your first mile. 

Cleanse Properly 

After running the marathon, your skin is going to need some serious cleansing. As well as being subjected to potentially hours of sweat, you’re also going to want to remove all of that grime and pollution which is inevitable in a city. Dermalogica Precleanse is the professional’s deep cleansing weapon, allowing you to achieve ultra clean and healthy skin with a double cleansing regimen which should also include Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser, to help remove build-up caused by environmental factors. 

Replenish Lost Moisture

When we run long distances, our body loses a lot of moisture, some of which you’ll replace by drinking. However, your skin often still needs an extra boost of hydration to get it back to its best. We suggest first treating your skin to a Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask, followed by Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser. The combination of these treatments will replenish lost moisture and protect your skin from further loss of hydration, going forward. 

Don’t Forget Your Lips

There’s a reason that Aussie cricketers look like they’ve got white lipstick on – it’s because they know that spending hours running around in the sunshine can damage the delicate skin on our lips! Elemis Ultra-Conditioning Lip Balm is an instantly hydrating lip treatment, which offers effective delivery and release of the hyaluronic acid molecules to ensure even the driest lips feel replenished, restored and hydrated. 

Soothe Sore Limbs

One of the main issues that people deal with, from their post-marathon body, is tired, heavy legs which can leave you feeling like you’re dragging logs around for days afterwards. Bloom and Blossom Legs Eleven Cooling Leg Serum is a lightweight formula with stimulating peppermint leaf oil to revitalise tired, aching legs. It contains aloe vera leaf juice, which is full of vitamins and antioxidants to give your legs a boost, while algin from seaweed, which is rich in polysaccharides, helps the skin to absorb moisture easily, allowing the serum to effortlessly soak into your skin. 

Which Type of Body Moisturiser is Best for You?

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absorption, aromatherapy, Bloom and Blossom Pyjamarama Dry Body Oil, body, butter, cold pressed grapefruit oil, collagen, cream, Decleor Prolagene Gel, essential oils, evening primrose oil, Evolve Organic Beauty Tropical Blossom Body Butter, fluid, Frankincense, gel, hydrating, hydration, ingredients, lightweight, lotion, moisture, moisturising, moringa seed oil, oil, orange blossom, refreshing, REN Clean Skincare Moroccan Rose Otto Body Lotion, REN Clean Skincare Neroli And Grapefruit Body Cream, rich, tissue

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While many of us spend hours poring over product descriptions and reviews to work out the best formulas for our face, we don’t often take as much care when it comes to the things we use on the rest of our body.  But how do you know which body moisturiser is best for your skin? Today, we’re taking a deep dive into our collection of hard-working hydrators to find your body’s best ally, whether you’re looking for some serious nourishing care or a shot of hydrating fluid that absorbs quickly.

Lotion

Starting with lotions, these are one of the products which are often best for “normal” skin, although some of them offer enough hydration to nurture very dry skin too. Lotions are a good all-rounder as they are a mixture of both oil and water, making them hydrating without being too thick. Lotions are also good if you’re time-poor as they don’t take an age to soak in. REN Clean Skincare Moroccan Rose Otto Body Lotion is a body lotion for all skin types designed to nourish and hydrate skin with the delicate fragrance of rose

Cream

Body creams usually have a slightly thicker consistency than a lotion and take longer to soak in, but will offer a higher level of hydration. They also tend to last longer and often offer more fragrance than a lotion because of the richer formula. REN Clean Skincare Neroli And Grapefruit Body Cream is a rich body cream for all skin types, designed to leave skin deeply hydrated and is formulated with orange blossom and cold pressed grapefruit oil, to hydrate and soften skin while leaving it with an invigorating fragrance.

Butter

Body butters might be more your thing if you have extremely dry skin or the cold winter air is causing damage. Body butters are a mixture of rich butters and oils that hydrate dry skin and promote a smooth surface, in contrast to body lotions, which typically contain a mixture of water and oils. They also keep your skin hydrated for a long time after you use them. Evolve Organic Beauty Tropical Blossom Body Butter contains nourishing organic shea butter and natural Tahitian coconut monoi macerated in exotic blossoms of gardenia. It leaves skin smooth, soft and fragranced with exotic natural hibiscus.

Oil

An alternative to creams and lotions that provides all-over moisture is body oil, a hydrating skincare product with many uses. Body oils can be applied to dry skin in the morning and evening, or after a bath or shower, due to their ease of absorption and lasting softness. Many body oils can also be used on the face and hair and will provide a deep level of nourishment, and will often contain fragrant essential oils which offer an aromatherapy benefit, too. Bloom and Blossom Pyjamarama Dry Body Oil is a lightweight oil to help calm the skin and mind before sleep. The ingredients are 99% naturally derived and it contains frankincense, moringa seed oil and evening primrose oil.

Gel

Gel-based body products are water-based products which typically do not contain any oils, making them very fast to absorb. They often have a very refreshing feel to them and they hydrate and moisturise the skin without leaving a film or residue. Many gel moisturisers are formulated with hyaluronic acid which can deeply hydrate skin. Decleor Prolagene Gel is a body treatment which supplies the deep tissue with the active ingredients necessary for the reconstruction of its natural collagen. Toning as well as firming, the gel leaves an invisible supportive and protective film making it perfect to use during and after weight loss, particularly during pregnancy, for smoother and firmer skin.

Dry Skin on Your Body? No Problem!

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Aromatherapy Associates Rose Indulgent Body Cream, body, body butter, body cream, body oil, CBD, CBD oil, cracked, cruelty free, Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Body Oil, dry, dry skin, eczema, Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream, glowing, hydrating, hydration, Korean skincare, leathery, nourishing, oil, painful, Psoriasis, REN Clean Skincare Neroli And Grapefruit Body Cream, rose, scaly, South Seas - Pineapple Express CBD Body Butter, tight, Vegan

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Dry skin can occur anywhere on the body, but the hands, face, elbows, legs, feet, scalp, and arms are the most common areas. Often, the dry skin patches occur in regions which are more uncovered than others, like areas which are exposed to cold air in winter. The skin’s ability to hydrate can be disrupted by both internal and external factors, resulting in extremely dry skin.

When the skin on the body becomes extremely dry, it may feel very tight, scaly, or leathery, and frequently itches or hurts, with some dry skin being bad enough to become cracked or even infected. That’s why we’ve gathered together some of our best products for dry skin so that your body can hydrate and heal:

South Seas – Pineapple Express CBD Body Butter

Although you may associate South Seas with being a tanning brand, this CBD-infused body butter is so rich and restorative that it’s well known for being popular amongst people with dry skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, not just the tanners amongst us! It’s packed with nature’s finest ingredients from around the world, and the unique formula assists with hydrating your skin to help improve damaged skin by moisturising and treating affected areas to restore your skin’s natural beauty. 

REN Clean Skincare Neroli And Grapefruit Body Cream

Although it’s suitable for all skin types, this vegan, cruelty-free body cream from REN Clean Skincare is so nourishing that even the driest skin will benefit from using it. Formulated with orange blossom and cold pressed grapefruit oil, this creamy moisturiser not only hydrates and softens skin, it leaves it with an invigorating fragrance, too. The cream has a silky-soft finish which makes skin feel comfortable with no annoying residue. 

Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream

This body cream from Elemis is formulated with “excessively dry skin conditions” in mind, harnessing the power of natural ingredients to offer deep nourishment. It contains concentrated milk protein and nourishing camellia, macadamia and jojoba oils, which combine to replenish dry skin, whilst softening and balancing the acid mantle. The soothing extracts of oat kernel and limnanthes alba, combined with the lipid rich sesame and shea butter base ensures skin is left silky soft and healthy looking.

Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Body Oil

This body oil from Dermalogica is not just rich in moisturising oils – it also contains high levels of antioxidants, which help to replenish, calm and moisturise the skin. The blend is made from French plum seed oil, avocado oil and sunflower seed oil, which are rich in omega fatty acids and vitamin E, and help protect skin’s lipid barrier. It’s also packed with calming fermented red ginseng, inspired by Korean skin care rituals, which calms and nourishes to deliver glowing skin.

Aromatherapy Associates Rose Indulgent Body Cream

Last on our list of body creams for dry skin, but by no means the least, is this rose-infused treat from Aromatherapy Associates. The cream is crafted using a pure expert oil blend of warm rose, geranium and palmarosa. Furthermore, Alpine rose from the Swiss Alps is blended with antioxidant rich almond and jojoba oils to hydrate and enrich your skin, leaving you with deeply nourished, hydrated and radiant skin beautifully scented to uplift you throughout the day.

Rebalance Your Mind and Body with Hay’ou

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beauty, body, Chinese, flower, Frankincense, Gua Sha, Hayo'u Mineral Bath, Hayo'u Mineral Shower Wash, Hayo'u Revive Beauty Oil, Hayo'u Revive Body Oil, Hayo'u Scented Candle, Hayo’u, ingredients, lemongrass, lotus, massage, mineral, mineral oil, oil, oils, petrolatum, products, self care, shower, skin, SLES free, SLS free, wash, ylang ylang

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If you’ve heard of the Hay’ou brand before, it’s more than likely that it’s because you’ve seen their range of luxury quartz beauty tools and bamboo body tappers. However, you might be surprised to learn that the brand also offers other products, such as oils and body washes, all of which work synergistically with their tools to give you an aromatherapy treatment which can rebalance your mind and body. Here are five of our favourites: 

Hayo’u Revive Body Oil

Body oils are an incredible multitasking product which can benefit both body and mind. Hayo’u Revive Body Oil has been created for self-massage purposes and has ingredients which both benefit the skin and have therapeutic properties through fragrance, too. It’s made from iconic Chinese ingredients, such as lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang, which are intensely nourishing and hydrating for your skin.

Hayo’u Mineral Bath 

Bathing is a fantastic way to help to relax your muscles and slow down amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life. This potent blend of nutrient-rich rose quartz, Himalayan pink salt and lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang essential oils help you to deeply relax, rescue and replenish. The formulation is naturally paraben, SLS and SLES free, and does not contain mineral oil or petrolatum, giving you added peace of mind. 

Hayo’u Mineral Shower Wash

If you don’t have a bathtub, don’t like baths or simply don’t have the time to soak, you don’t have to forego the benefits of Hayo’u products altogether. Hayo’u Mineral Shower Wash is packed with iconic Chinese ingredients such as lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang, all of which have been used for thousands of years to improve circulation and reduce stress. Rescue and rebalance with this intensely invigorating shower wash and start the day feeling refreshed and energised.

Hayo’u Revive Beauty Oil

While we’re not focusing on gua shas today, this beauty oil from Hayo’u is intended to be used with a gua sha or other beauty tool for facial massage, though it can be used on its own. It also contains lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang, but with slow absorption to protect skin during this powerful massage. Perfect for gua sha, or as a deeply nourishing treat for your skin, in the morning or at bedtime.   

Hayo’u Scented Candle

Nothing says aromatherapy quite like a scented candle, and this one from Hayo’u contains the same fragrance notes as the other products we’ve mentioned above. This allows you to create an environment of peace and tranquillity while using Hayo’u products, knowing that they all complement each other perfectly. The candle, which contains lotus flower, frankincense and ylang ylang, also has lemongrass and will instantly help to reduce stress and anxiety, relax your nervous system and boost your mood. It has an epic burn time of 55 hours, is housed in environmentally friendly plastic-free packaging and contains no mineral oil or petrolatum.