The Most Luxurious Post-Shower Body Care Routine
Words by Maya Avram
You’ve heard of an Everything Shower, but what happens once you step out of one? Despite its calming and de-stressing effect, showering strips your skin of its natural oils, potentially leaving it feeling dehydrated and tight (especially if you’re a fan of long showers). To counter that and bolster your skin barrier, you’ll need to hydrate post-rinse with an effective body care routine. Whether you opt for a body lotion or butter, a serum or an oil, new formulas and innovative ingredients are designed to infuse your dermis with glowing vitality.
For best results, aim to moisturise within two minutes of stepping out of the shower, when your skin is still damp and primed for optimal absorption. “After a shower, the skin is more permeable, making it an ideal time to apply actives that are calming and hydrating,” says Dr Christine Hall, GP, emergency medicine doctor and aesthetic physician. Regarding shower times, think about it this way: “Mornings are about protection and practicality, whilst the nighttime is about comfort, repair and pampering, supporting the skin at a time when it is naturally in repair mode.”
For an Energised Morning
“In the morning, try layering an antioxidant followed by a barrier-supporting moisturiser and broad-spectrum SPF,” advises Dr Hall. To keep things light and fresh, “you can always carry a mist or spray with you for top ups throughout the day.”
Body Lotions
The original post-shower hero, body lotions are recommended by experts as a mean to maintain healthy, well-balanced skin. While different options vary in richness, scent and function, the creamy texture makes them a go-to hydration option after your morning rinse.
Fast-Absorbing Oils
These days, body oils are as popular as ever due to their easy, gliding application and long-lasting benefits. In the morning, it’s best to go for lightweight, non-greasy and fast-absorbing options that will fortify your skin’s natural barrier and protect it from environmental stressors. Pro tip: try scented, glittering or tanning body oils for an ultra-luxe post-rinse experience.
Body Mists
The perfect way to start your day, body mists are a fabulous meeting point between fragrance and body care. Boasting all the benefits of their oil- and cream-based counterparts, they offer instant hydration, easy, even application and a fresh scent that you’ll appreciate when rushing out the door or in need of a midday dose of moisture. Just a spritz and you’re done.
For a Relaxing Evening Routine
Design your evening body care regimen to support your body’s natural cycles, like helping you get better sleep and improve skin cell renewal. “Evenings should focus on repair,” says Dr Hall, suggesting to incorporate “a calming mist or essence, followed by a regenerative serum and a richer cream or oil to lock in moisture overnight.”
Deeply Nourishing Oils
Thanks to their silky touch and feel, rich body oils pack a plethora of restorative ingredients that make evening winddowns particularly indulgent. Whether you go for collagen-boosting formulations or grounding, aromatherapeutic variations, these will become your favourite step in your routine.
Body Butters
The intensely moisturising relatives of body lotions, body butters are formulated for a slower release of skin nutrients, which renders them most suitable for overnight wear. Specialised formulas can exfoliate, tighten and even out the skin, meaning you can expect to wake up the next day to noticeable results.
Hand and Foot Creams
Last but not least, your body care routine will be incomplete unless it includes your extremities. Washing your hands or staying on your feet throughout the day can take a toll on your skin, which is why nighttime is prime time to show these parts a little love.
Your Questions Answered
Your body goes through active and regenerative cycles throughout the day, which means its needs gradually evolve as the hours go by. During the day, says Dr Hall, the “skin is in defence mode, protecting against UV rays, pollution and oxidative stress. Antioxidants like vitamin C help to counteract this.” Then, at nighttime, the skin “enters a regenerative phase, with peak cell turnover occurring in the early hours of the morning. Supporting this with barrier-repair ingredients such as lipids, ceramides and madecassic acid can significantly improve skin texture and resilience.”
Generally speaking, Dr Hall explains that the richer a product is, the more hydration it will give, which is why those of us with dry skin benefit from “richer textures, like butters and oils, that help prevent moisture loss.” On the other hand, she says, those with oily or acne-prone skin “benefit from lightweight, non-comedogenic layers with anti-inflammatory ingredients like centella, whilst actives like hypochlorous solution sprays, salicylic acid and glycolic acid can help with breakouts and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.”
If you’re a member of the sensitive skin society, “avoid fragrances, and look for calming agents such as panthenol or colloidal oatmeal.” Finally, as we age and collagen reserves slowly decrease, we should seek out “a combination of hydration, antioxidants and skin-repairing actives to support elasticity and regeneration.
Every stage of your skin and body care routine should be tailored to your skin type and its unique concerns. When thinking about a post-shower line-up, you should also think about the time of day to ensure that you’re replenishing lost moisture and protecting against environmental stressors during waking hours, and offering a pampering cocoon for peak skin cell turnover in your sleep.
“There are a number of hero ingredients that I will always turn to,” says Dr Hall. “Centella asiatica, also known as cica or tiger grass, is particularly known for its healing, soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Madecassic acid, one of its key actives, is excellent for reducing redness and irritation. I also recommend niacinamide for barrier support, peptides for and hyaluronic acid for hydration. Ceramides are essential for maintaining lipid integrity in the skin barrier. Alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic acid, and beta hydroxy acids, are also key players in ensuring glowing soft skin and are also helpful in conditions like back acne where exfoliation is key.”
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