Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
Image by Stocksy | Guille Faingold
June 28, 2024
My body skin used to be half as smooth as my face—and it’s no wonder why. When it came to facial skincare, I was diligent with serums, creams, and plenty of SPF, but I neglected my body.
Once I decided to give my skin equal care from head to toe, everything changed for the better.
I battled plenty of texture and sagging skin on areas like my knees, upper arms, and inner thighs—but by focusing on the three steps below, I’ve seen significant improvement, especially in texture.
Naturally, I’m here to share what made the biggest difference.
1.
Find a body lotion with firming ingredients
First, choose your body lotion wisely. Rather than solely focusing on hydration, look for ingredients that specialize in tightening and lifting the skin, such as:
- Hyaluronic acid
- Squalane
- Caffeine
- Peptides
- AHAs
- Retinol
The last two can cause irritation when used in excess, so it’s wise to have one daily lotion and one treatment lotion with retinol or AHAs in your beauty cabinet.
These firming ingredients will likely be paired with a rich butter or oil—shea, coconut, cocoa, and so on. This will ensure the lotion is easy to spread and keeps your skin soft throughout the day.
2.
Make inside-out collagen support a daily ritual
At mindbodygreen, we’re all about skincare from the inside out—and crepey skin is one area where this is particularly true. Here’s a short explanation of why:
Crepey skin is caused, in part, by the degradation of collagen and elastin fibers in the skin. This happens for a number of reasons, including normal, healthy aging. This process is accelerated by excess time in the sun, lack of topical care, and yes, even your diet.
Your natural collagen bank can benefit from supplements, but you’ll want to make sure they’re hydrolyzed collagen peptides, so they can be effectively absorbed into the body.
When scanning the supplement market, look for additional ingredients like vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to boost skin laxity and support overall hydration. To start, check out this list of expert-approved collagen supplements.
3.
Exfoliate once or twice a week
Last but certainly not least, exfoliation is essential for crepey skin—in fact, it’s a must for your skin in general, from face to body to feet and more. This step ensures a healthy rate of cell turnover and helps to slough off dead skin, revealing your brightest, smoothest layer.
When it comes to body exfoliation, you have a couple of different options:
- Physical exfoliation: You can use a dry brush, an in-shower scrubby pad, or body scrubs with salt or sugar granules. No matter which method you choose, make sure to let the tool or product do the work by applying light pressure. If your skin is bright red afterward, you may have pressed too hard, so keep it gentle.
- Chemical exfoliation: You can use chemical exfoliants like alpha-hydroxy acids on the body as well. Opt for a body lotion or body serum with ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid, urea, and so on. Use these products a day or two before shaving, rather than right after, to avoid irritation and potentially worsening texture.
Generally, body skin can tolerate stronger exfoliation than facial skin, but it’s still best to patch-test any new products, especially those containing AHAs or retinol.
To ensure your crepey skin gets the attention it needs to tighten up, exfoliate at least once a week in your body care routine. Follow up with your firming body lotion and you’ll be set—no need for a 10-step body care routine (unless you want to, of course).
The takeaway
Just like any skin concern, tackling crepey skin on the body takes time and attention. Start with a simple but effective body care routine, focusing on exfoliation and hydration.