Eye care, facial skin care, neck care, scalp care—you name it. The skin is the largest and most exposed organ of our body, it is also an organ that reveals much about ourselves. Well taken care of skin is often a reflection of many desirable qualities while some may see skin imperfections as a flaw. Most would not dispute the desire to maintain a smooth and healthy-looking complexion as this often seen as a symbol of youth, health and vitality.
For those who invest heavily in #skinvestments and treatments for the face, neck, and scalp, overlooking the body could be undermining your efforts. It is often said that the hands of a person reveals their true age as the hands is often overlooked in our anti-aging routine. With more than ever frequent hand washing during the pandemic, our hands have become more susceptible to dryness and skin barrier damage (which contributes to dryness). In the long run, this would accelerate the ageing process of our hand’s skin.
Home care for body skin can be as easy and simplistic as you want it to be, however, undeniably, everyone loves to occasionally indulge in at home spa days for some #metime. Here are some ideas on how you can turn your evening at home into a spa like experience and some tips on daily maintenance.
Daily Maintenance
Hydration and sunscreen (unsurprisingly). The same principles apply for your facial skincare. However, many of us experience drier skin on certain parts of our bodies such as our legs and arms. Since our body skin, particularly on our legs and arms, has less pores and is less prone to congestion, using oils and body creams would unlikely cause any breakouts like on our face.
Sun protection is particularly important as UV rays can damage our skin and reduce collagen and elastin levels—the two most important proteins that keep our skin looking youthful and bouncy.
A good habit would be to use a hand cream after washing our hands to seal in the moisture and repair the skin’s barrier integrity. Since this is not practical all the time, we recommend doing it as often as possible. Carry a tube of hand cream with you at all times or pack some body cream with you in a makeup container to keep in your handbag. The MV Skintherapy Hand Rescue is a handy product to keep on hand.
Using a body oil, particularly immediately after showering or taking a bath, will lock in the moisture and prevent dryness. We highly recommend the OSEA Undaria Argan Oil for the hands, neck, and chest, or even on the face. This soothing face oil delivers calming hydration and instant radiance to dry, sensitive skin. Moroccan Argan Oil infused with Undaria algae nourishes with essential fatty acids to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Perfect for maintaining the appearance of visible areas such as the neck and chest. Our client, Angelia Lim says she “Love(s) how it keeps my skin supple, yet not leave a too oily feeling”. You can then use the OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil for a comforting and pampering experience for the rest of your body. This oil leaves the skin feeling soft like velvet and has a silky texture, we use this in our facials for the body massage.
If you are looking for a lighter weight body hydrating product, we highly recommend the OSEA Ocean Lotion which contains Nutrient-rich seaweed delivers vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Shea Butter, Macadamia and Kukui oils increase the appearance of elasticity. If your skin is particularly dry, you may use this as a serum below an oil.
If you are concerned about loss of skin firmness, The Organic Pharmacy Neck and Chest Firming Lotion contains some ingredients worth paying attention to. Formulated with Hibiscus Extract that densifies and stimulates collagen and it is also rich in amino acids. High performing extract of Kigelia has superior firming properties and contains antioxidant phytonutrients. Its remodelling efficacy has been proven on the breast and bottom after 42 days of use. A significant moisturizing and elasticity increase has been shown after 28 days of once a day use. We love using this on our hands as well to give it an added boost.
At home spa body treatments
Apart from hydrating, exfoliating regularly helps to buff off dead skin cells and grime, leaving us with softer and more youthful looking skin. Our two favourite scrubs are the OSEA Salts of The Earth Body Scrub and The Organic Pharmacy Cleopatra’s Body Scrub. They both contain gentle naturally derived scrubs that buff off the skin without causing microscopic damage which is often a problem with harsher scrubs. As an added benefit, the organic oils will help boost your mood while uplifting your senses, transporting you to a state of ultimate relaxation.
We recommend scrubbing twice a week and following immediately with a moisturiser or oil. Pro tip: if your skin is dry, slap on some oil before laying down in your bathtub.
