Dubbed the ‘skinification’ of body, it has only been in the last few years that greater attention has been placed on the products that we use on our limbs.
Many of us wouldn’t dream of applying any old lotion or potion we had lying around the house to our precious faces. Yet, we have no problem slathering hotel minis or outdated creams hardening around the edges onto our bodies as soon as we notice dryness or peeling. Now that’s all changed.
“Skinification is the concept of applying ingredients or habits traditionally associated with facial care to other personal care categories,” explains consultant dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite. “98 per cent of our skin is found below the neck, so it stands to reason that building awareness of caring for skin beyond the face is vitally important.”
Searches for Body Skincare Routine are up 1,025 per cent, while the term 'Body Care' is up by 845 per cent according to Pinterest’s 2024 Predicted Trend Report – no doubt in part due to the colder weather impacting the skin barrier and resulting in a loss of moisture.
It goes beyond hydration alone. Much like our facial skincare, body products do more than simply replenish the skin. According to Mintel’s 2023 Hand, Body and Footcare Report, 27 per cent of consumers want products that are backed by science. We are looking for formulas packed with active ingredients that will deliver tangible outcomes that we can see and feel.
As a result, there has been a boom in specialised bodycare products complete with components that already play a vital role in our bathroom cabinet. Brands have imbued their lotions with hyped-about ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, AHAs and BHAs that work in tandem to increase cell turnover, plump the skin and smooth the appearance of wrinkles.
It requires a specialised product too, says Dr Granite, for the simple fact that compared to the face, “The skin is thicker on the body”. She expands: “Utilising active ingredients to tackle spots on the back, for example, calls for formulations that are able to penetrate the skin effectively whilst delivering the right concentration of actives”.
While you may be drawn to a specifically anti-ageing formula for a targeted approach, there are also additional benefits to the ceremonial application of bodycare.
The process encourages you to take a moment of mindfulness and self-care, while also treating your limbs to a daily massage and it is a sensorial experience with the best on the market setting actives alongside nourishing elements like shea butter, vitamin E or glycerin.
See below for the best anti-ageing body creams
Naturium Retinol Body Lotion
NATURIUM has been busy expanding its body care collection and the latest stars one of skincare’s most buzzed-about ingredients.
Retinol is at the heart of the new body lotion, providing a high-performing, anti-ageing solution rarely found in products for below the neck. The vegan formula is made up of an encapsulated stabilised pure retinol complex that is set alongside allantoin to nourish the skin and leave it soft, supple and without irritation.
Buy now £27.00, Space NK
Necessaire The Body Retinol
The sleek, minimal exterior of the Nécessaire collection makes it a stalwart for any self-respecting shelfie curator. Yet fitting seamlessly in your bathroom interiors is just one of the many things to love about this label and specifically The Body Retinol.
The US-born brand creates its formulas using clean, high-quality ingredients – and this includes its bodycare that is made up of facial-grade actives. Retinol takes a starring role in this reparative serum texture designed to minimise the appearance of dark spots, wrinkles and acne. It is combined with AHAs and vitamin C as well as hydrating heroes glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and peptides to leave a silky soft skin feel in its wake.
Buy now £56.00, Space NK
Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream
The eponymous dermatologist behind the Dr. Barbara Sturm label has taken a similar approach to the formulation of her body collection as she does for the face. As such, you can expect the Anti-Aging Body Cream to be brimming with potent ingredients designed to bring you results – and you won’t be disappointed.
The rejuvenating product does what it says on the tin, offering a restorative effect at a cellular level. Whilst it is brimming with free radical fighting antioxidants and firming actives like almond and elder berry blossom, it doesn’t sacrifice on texture, so you can expect each and every application to feel like a luxury experience that leaves your skin smooth and supple.
Buy now £95.00, Cult Beauty
Augustinus Bader The Body Cream
At the heart of the Augustinus Bader range is the brand’s signature TFC8 complex. The component was the result of 30 years of research from the professor who founded the label who is one of the leaders in regenerative medicine, stem cell science and skin health.
Not content on enriching solely your facial care with its nutrient-rich and renewing properties, Augustinus Bader’s The Body Cream tackles signs of ageing from neck to toe to give you full-body firming, toning and skin barrier support.
Buy now £150.00, Augustinus Bader
111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond Body Cream
Harley Street-derived skincare label 111SKIN formulates its range to address the needs of Plastic Surgeon Dr Yannis Alexandrides’s patients. Dr Yannis saw an increase in requests for treatments that went beyond just the face to the neck, hands and the rest of the body but instead of going under the knife, he encourages you to first take a topical approach to your bodycare.
The Celestial Black Diamond Body Cream is aptly named after its unique main ingredient: black diamond particles. This is not just an indication of how luxurious this product truly is but the blingy component is selected for its gentle exfoliating properties that encourages healing and leaves skin brighter. It is set alongside the brand’s patented NAC Y2 complex that improves elasticity and collagen production as well as centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid for hydration.
Buy now £135.00, 111SKIN
Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Magic Body Cream
Dominating the skincare market with her legendary Magic Cream, it felt like only a matter of time before Charlotte Tilbury took on the bodycare space. She takes the components that made the face product such an award-winning and cult buy and incorporates them into a lotion you can slather onto your limbs to nourish and improve moisture levels.
The rich texture is made up of intensely hydrating ingredients that include soybean, sunflower oil and glycerin, all selected for their softening properties. But it’s not just moisturisation that the Magic Body Cream tackles. The product is infused with the brand's own firming Algaktiv Uplift, damask rose water said to be toning and caffeine to brighten and revive the skin.
Buy now £49.00, Cult Beauty
Caudalie Vinosculpt Lift and Firm Body Cream
For those with sensitive skin, famously irritating anti-ageing ingredients like retinol will not be suitable for your bodycare. Luxury French label Caudalie has a kind-to-skin alternative.
The Vinosculp Lift & Firm Body Cream achieves its results through the inclusion of antioxidant-rich grapeseed oil, a wonder ingredient that is brimming with nourishing omega 6 and vitamin E power but also shields the skin from oxidation and counteracts moisture loss. There is also the added bonus of iris extract which is renowned for its toning properties and shea butter for velvety-smooth skin.
Buy now £29.00, Cult Beauty
Nuxe Nuxuriance Ultra Luxurious Body Cream
When you invest in a Nuxe product, you know you are going to be getting a beautifully scented, sumptuous formula that is as science-backed as it is sensorial. The Nuxuriance Ultra embodies this with a restorative, nourishing texture that you’ll relish smoothing all over your skin.
It has a quick-drying formula that makes it easy to slip into your daily routine and incorporates a trademarked component, Saffron & Bougainvillea Bi-Floral Cells to tackle the five signs of ageing that include restoring elasticity. The ingredients are 91 per cent of natural origins and include shea butter and rye extract.
Buy now £29.97, Amazon
