No matter the season, you’ll want to make sure your skin is extra smooth and moisturised. While we do not have to be a skincare guru to know the basics of skin hydration, fighting off perpetual dryness, dullness, or irritation can feel like an endless chore.
But guess what? It doesn’t have to. There’s a saying about doing what you can with what you have, but sometimes that means knowing what you have in the first place. In this case, it’s all about finding the right body scrubs and nourishing lotions for smoothing your skin and making it work! If you’re looking for how to get smooth body skin, then you've come to the right place!
What Causes Dry or Rough Skin?
Reality check, no one is born with a flawlessly smooth skin. However, not knowing your skin enough and how to take care of it are some of the reasons why we have skin concerns! While there can be medical reasons for why your skin isn’t smooth, (e.g: eczema), dry or rough skin is normally caused by old daily habits such as harsh, drying soap or seasonal issues.
Here are a few common causes of dryness to keep in mind when looking for how to get smooth body skin:
Use of Harsh Products - Soaps, lotions, detergents, chemical dyes, and fragrances, you name it! Our skin gets dried out at the drop of a hat if we’re not careful (and sometimes even if we are). Some body washes, lotions, and other skincare products can contain ingredients that dry out your skin, such as alcohol or sodium lauryl sulfate. Choose naturally hydrating products instead, like the Sand and Sky Tasmanian Spring Water Wonder Body Lotion made with Sea Kelp and Hyaluronic acid for a lightweight, citrus-infused experience.
Dry Weather - Protect your skin at all cost from low humidity conditions and excessively hot or cold weather. These two can sap moisture from your skin (especially if your skin barrier is compromised!) and, if it’s windy, they can even cause skin chafing. Use sunblock to protect against UV rays and bundle up in winter to keep cold, dry air from doing too much damage to your skin (especially if it’s sensitive).
Excessive Washing - In an effort to exfoliate skin or make it smoother, you may be causing some dryness or minor irritation in the process. Scrubbing too aggressively, washing too frequently, and exfoliating too often can strip away your skin’s natural oils and throw off the balance of your skin’s pH.
Hot Water - It’s a pretty well-known fact that using hot water to bathe dries out your skin (and also your scalp). Dial the temperature back just a little bit to keep your skin supple and soft.
Poor Skincare Routine - If you routinely skip exfoliating skin or very rarely lather on a creamy, nourishing lotion after a shower, then you’re doing your epidermal layers a disservice. And as we’ll explore below, part of a good skincare routine comes with having the right products (such as *coughs* ours). Make sure you’ve chosen the right ones for your unique skin and that you’re not over-exfoliating or adding too much moisture and causing breakouts.
If any of these causes sound familiar, the good news is there are several steps you can take to make sure your skin gets healthy and stays smooth. Eliminate some of the causes within your control, like a less-than-stellar body lotion or the temperature of shower water. For the things you can’t control (like the weather), dial in your skincare routine to protect against the elements and everything else unpredictable life throws at you.
If you’re having serious redness, itchiness, or any other more severe symptoms, contact your doctor or dermatologist. Similarly, avoid body exfoliation and any abrasive products if you have sunburn, a rash, or irritation where the skin is broken. Body scrubs will only irritate the skin further and prolong the natural healing process.
How to Get Smooth Body Skin
Knowing how to get softer skin, how to smooth skin, how to be radiant — it can feel like a miniature odyssey though it may be simpler than you think! There are three basic steps you can take to hydrate skin — exfoliate, moisturise, and limit damage.
When shopping for the right products, look for things such as vitamins C and E, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and macadamia oil for long-lasting smoothness. Most of these types of ingredients are humectants or emollients, meaning that together they’ll introduce moisture to your skin while softening it at the same time! Psst... They work wonders for every skin type too!
1. Exfoliate with Body Scrub
The benefits of a body scrub for exfoliating skin are so numerous we wrote an entire blog dedicated to the topic! Use a scrub to get rid of dead skin cells, surface-level dirt, product buildup, and for clearing out pores. Body scrubs can even help prevent ingrown hairs, as having clear and open pores promotes hair to grow out instead of back into the skin. Most body scrubs will include physical exfoliants such as sea salt, coffee grounds, shell, or sugar.
Use a body scrub in the shower after washing with soap, being sure to follow up with a moisturising lotion once your skin is still damp to lock in the moisture. Generally, you can exfoliate two or three times a week if you have normal skin or every week to ten days if your skin is especially sensitive or prone to irritation (see our fave body scrubs for senstive skin!).
Look for multitasking body scrubs with additional hydrating properties to nourish your skin, soothe irritation and and improve microcirculation. Our Australian Pink Clay Smoothing Body Sand is made with macadamia oil, Australian Pink Clay, coconut, and macadamia shell to gently exfoliate, reduce the appearance of stretch marks and back acne, tighten pores, and leave skin moisturised without the grease.
2. Hydrate and Moisturise
Mineral-rich body lotions work wonders for dry skin. They introduce water to the outer layer of your skin while providing a thin protective layer for long-lasting softness. They can even repair cell damage and help restore your skin’s lipid content, meaning that long-term use can clear up minor blemishes and wrinkles while improving overall skin elasticity and appearance.
Using a moisturising lotion or product as part of your regular bodycare routine is fundamental to get smooth body skin. Rehydrate after showering or when your skin is especially dry and tight, from head-to-toe or in rough patches such as your elbows, knuckles, or knees. Look for ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid or aloe vera to support skin renewal and hyaluronic acid for reinforcing your skin’s barrier and increasing moisture retention. Not to state the obvious, but be sure you’re using a separate moisturiser for your body as for your face.
3. Be Proactive
We’ll keep this brief since we already mentioned common causes of dry skin above and what’s keeping it from being smooth and soft as an angel’s wings. In short, try to avoid harsh chemicals or nasties, turn down the temperature in the bath so it’s not too hot, keep it simple on the exfoliation, and choose impeccable products for your skin! With these things in mind, you’re well on your way to having a softer and more radiant complexion.
So take a deep breath. With the right exfoliator, body lotion, and a little proactivity, you can say goodbye to dryness. We hope these tips have helped and that you are well on your way to having the smooth, beautiful skin your ancestors could only dream of.
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