Skincare shouldn’t stop at your face—your entire body needs love too. While most people focus on facial routines, healthy body care is just as essential for smooth, glowing skin.
Without it, issues like dryness, dullness, and irritation can build up. Thankfully, taking care of your body is easy if you focus on three basic steps.
Experts reveal that the body sheds around 30,000 to 40,000 skin cells every minute. Imagine leaving them unattended—these dead skin cells can accumulate, making the skin look dull, rough, and in the worst cases, irritated.
Issues like dry, flaky, and irritated skin can be prevented with proper body care. For instance, exfoliation removes dead skin cells and results in smoother, softer skin.
Moisturizing products repair rough skin patches and leave a glowing appearance. Most importantly, healthy skin boosts your confidence to wear whatever you like without hesitation. Let’s dive deeper.
Hygiene comes first
Personal hygiene is essential. Be sure to shower and use deodorant to keep areas like your underarms free from unpleasant odors. Showering isn’t just about removing dirt from the body—it’s also a chance to refresh yourself.
Choose soaps and shampoos that are gentle and nourishing for the skin. Nowadays, convenience stores, minimarkets, and supermarkets offer a wide range of soap products that are not only nourishing and fragrant but also budget-friendly. So, there’s no excuse to skip a shower.
Ideally, you should shower twice a day—morning and night. However, in regions with extreme hot or cold temperatures, your bathing routine may vary. Also, consider investing in a loofah, sponge, or soft-bristled body brush. Using these tools helps exfoliate the skin and remove built-up dead skin cells.
Moisture is the key to healthy skin
After showering—especially following exfoliation—locking in moisture is the next crucial step. Exfoliating removes the outermost layer of dead skin cells, which generally serves as a protective barrier, exposing a fresh new layer of skin.
This newly exposed layer needs to be protected with hydration, particularly for those with dry or sensitive skin. This step is vital, as such skin types are more prone to discomfort after exfoliation.
Choose body moisturizers with ingredients like almond oil or shea butter to keep your skin soft. Also, pay attention to the overall formulation of the product—look for added beneficial ingredients that suit your skin’s needs, such as vitamins, antioxidants, or brightening agents.
Just like your face, your body needs sunscreen too
It’s not just your face that needs sun protection—any exposed skin should also be covered with sunscreen. For daily use, experts recommend a sunscreen with at least SPF 30. If you’re engaging in outdoor activities, opt for SPF 60 or higher.
In addition to SPF, consider the type of sunscreen. Sunscreens typically fall into two main categories: chemical and mineral. These two types function differently. Chemical sunscreens contain active ingredients like avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and similar compounds.
They work by absorbing UV rays when they reach the skin, converting the energy into a small, harmless amount of heat, which is then released from the skin. However, chemical sunscreens are not suitable for sensitive skin.
For sensitive skin, use a mineral sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient. Like chemical sunscreens, mineral formulations absorb UV rays and convert them into heat.
Mineral sunscreens also have the added benefit of reflecting a small portion of UV rays off the skin’s surface. However, they often leave a visible white cast, especially on darker skin tones.
After taking care of your skin externally, don’t forget another important aspect it is internal care. This involves maintaining a healthy daily intake of food and fluids to prevent dehydration.
A dehydrated body can cause your skin to appear dry, while a lack of vegetables in your diet may result in dull skin and premature aging.
Vegetables are a rich source of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber—all of which play a crucial role in maintaining the skin’s integrity and function.
Taking care of your body doesn’t have to be complicated. Focus on these three basics—cleanse, moisturize, and protect—and you’ll notice smoother, stronger skin in no time.
