You pamper your features with serums and oils — now it’s time to elevate the rest of your body to glowing perfection.
The skin on your arms, legs, and beyond often gets overlooked in favor of caring for the skin on your face. After all, as temperatures fall and you’re bundled in sweaters and jeans, it’s easy to forget about applying body lotion or other products. But as the seasons change, your skin needs extra attention — and just a few minutes of daily moisturizing will keep your skin soft and silky from head to toe.
Not sure where to start? We sought advice from skincare expert Marcia Kilgore, founder of Beauty Pie, on how to give your body the same care and attention as your face. Beauty Pie is known for offering high-quality skincare, makeup, and more at incredible prices thanks to its direct-to-consumer membership model.
That might sound complicated, but signing up for this membership is simple and free: Right now, Beauty Pie is offering 60 days of risk-free trial access and 20 percent off your first order with the code 20OFFBP at checkout — and you can cancel at any time. After your free trial is over, a membership is just $59 a year, so you can easily upgrade your skincare routine without breaking the bank.
Below, Kilgore shares why we often neglect the skin on our bodies compared to our faces and her insights on integrating ingredients like retinol into your routine — while considering sensitivity and skin conditions — that can transform and improve the skin on your arms and legs.
Katie Couric Media: Why do you think we pay so much more attention to the skin on our faces than the skin on the rest of our bodies?
Marcia Kilgore: We neglect our bodies mainly because they’re hidden under clothes — until summer arrives or we have a vacation on the horizon. Also, your body can seem like a huge project: You need to apply product on your hands, feet, chest, arms, and legs. It can feel overwhelming. But even just grabbing a good body scrub and a great daily moisturizer can go a long way.
How can we shake that “out of sight, out of mind” attitude when it comes to body care?
As with pretty much anything — people, plants, parts of your body — the more attention you give it, the more rewards you’ll reap. Find products you love using, and you’ll be more inclined to apply them every day. Our Super Healthy Skin™ Deluxe Body Moisture Crème is always one of our top sellers because it feels indulgent, smells incredible, and makes your skin feel soft as silk.
What are some of your favorite ingredients to incorporate into your body care routine?
The secret to body care is that it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can just be smart about using products that contain the same kind of powerhouse ingredients you’d use on your face. For example, our gradual self-tanning drops contain hyaluronic acid, so they hydrate your skin as they bronze. You can also mix them in your daily moisturizer for ease of application. Some other ingredients to look for are retinol to firm, smooth, and minimize signs of aging; niacinamide to soften age spots and clarify; glycolic acid to smooth skin; and vitamin C to brighten.
Retinol is such a buzzy ingredient right now, but it’s also very powerful and can even be irritating for some people. What are some things to keep in mind when using a retinol product on your body?
To put it simply, the same rules for using retinol on your face should apply when using retinol on your body. A few things to keep in mind:
- Start slowly (two to three times per week) and build up gradually.
- Remember that retinol can cause sensitivity to UV light, so wear a broad-spectrum, high-factor SPF everywhere you’re using it. Don’t debate whether you’re going to be outside or if it’s sunny “enough” — just do it.
- Never use retinol if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
Our Youthbomb Body 360° Repair Concentrate is a great choice for skin that needs a bit of help. It helps reduce the appearance of sun damage, wrinkles, and scarring and evens out skin tone, while also being a great overall lotion for dry and sensitive skin. It’s quite the multi-tasker.
Should people with sensitive skin be cautious about introducing active ingredients into their body-care rotation?
If you have sensitive skin, you should be cautious about all new products that you use. With that being said, we’re always trying to make our products as high-performance-yet-gentle as possible. I particularly recommend our Super Healthy Skin collection, which is formulated to hydrate and protect the skin at every step of your routine. That Deluxe Body Moisture Crème feels lightweight, but it also contains hibiscus flower oil and shea butter to help lock in moisture.
Shop Marcia Kilgore’s Favorite Body Care Products
Best Overall Moisturizer
Beauty Pie
Super Healthy Skin™ Deluxe Body Moisture Crème
“There’s a reason our Super Healthy Skin™ Deluxe Body Moisture Crème has more than 4,000 five-star reviews — it’s truly an exceptional body moisturizer. It feels like a comforting hug on your skin after a shower, and offers deep hydration without any heaviness. No matter the season, it keeps my skin nourished without looking greasy. For the best results, I apply it on damp skin right after using the Super Healthy Skin body polish in the shower for extra smoothing power. It really helps lock in that fresh, dewy feeling all day and night.”
$24 for members, $40 for non-members
Best Niacinamide
Beauty Pie
Uber Youth™ Neck & Chest Super Lift Serum-Spray
“Our Uber Youth™ Neck & Chest Super Lift Serum-Spray, which contains 5 percent niacinamide, is like a powerful neck- and chest-firming cream, but in a spray-on serum. It helps lessen the appearance of sun and age spots while supporting the skin’s natural barrier. The before and after pictures that members have sent us are amazing.”
$22 for members, $38 for non-members
Best Vitamin C
Beauty Pie
Superdose Vitamin C Bio-Vitamin Brightening Body Lotion
“This one is a winner: Our Superdose™ Vitamin C Bio-Vitamin Brightening Body Lotion. It’s a high-tech, radiance-boosting body lotion that’s loaded with tranexamic acid, hyaluronic acid, firming brown algae, and stable vitamin C. It’s really effective on sun-damaged skin. You can use it daily for the fastest brightening, firming, and rejuvenating effects, or two to three times per week to help prevent future signs of aging.”
$22 for members, $37 for non-members
Best Body Cleanser
Beauty Pie
AcidEnzyme™ Exfoliating Face & Body Cleanser
“This AcidEnzyme™ Exfoliating Face & Body Cleanser is truly exceptional. The combination of 2 percent Salicylic Acid and our unique 3 percent C-X-Papaya Enzyme Complex delivers unparalleled exfoliation and skin-clearing benefits. It effectively purifies pores and smooths areas prone to bumps or blemishes, making it ideal for both face and body. We’ve crafted this cleanser to target and prevent blackheads and blemishes while maintaining a balance that’s both potent and gentle — perfect for anyone struggling with acne or congested skin. It’s a powerhouse that transforms your entire skincare routine.”
$35 for members, $59 for non-members
Best Body Scrub
Beauty Pie
Soul Providers™ Re-Energizing Dry Oil Sugar Body Scrub
“The combination of raw demerara (aka turbinado) sugar and lemon peel exfoliator in this body scrub provides an effective yet gentle exfoliation, while apricot kernel and evening primrose oils deeply nourish and hydrate,” says Kilgore. “Your skin not only feels incredibly soft after using it, but it also looks radiant and refreshed. This is a luxurious treat to use in the shower, and delivers visible results in just minutes.”
$19 for members, $32 for non-members
