As soon as it starts to cool down I make a fairly automatic change in the bathroom: I store the body oil I used during the hot months and return to more enveloping creams. It’s not that I stopped liking the oil, but with the first hotter showers and that tightening sensation on the skin that begins to appear on legs and arms, I appreciate a texture that leaves the skin comfortable and that can be spread without making things too complicated.
The change makes more sense if we stop choosing a moisturizer solely because it seems rich. Shea butter, glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid or urea are some of the ingredients we can look for when the skin starts to feel dry and we want to help it maintain hydration. And there’s no need to dive straight into the densest butter: there are creams, balms and even lighter textures capable of providing nourishment without making us wait endlessly before getting dressed.
I’ve also stopped thinking that oil and cream perform exactly the same role. Rather than deciding which is better, I try to focus on how my skin is and which texture I will actually use every day. If the cold brings rough areas or tightness, I can switch to a more nourishing formula; if my skin remains comfortable, perhaps a lotion is enough. Applying it after a shower is, moreover, a good moment to incorporate this gesture into the routine.
That’s why this year I don’t plan to wait until winter truly arrives to change the product I keep next to the shower. The drop in temperatures already seems like a good signal to once again pay attention to the skin on the body, the part that for much of the year I tend to care for much less than the face. And if a cream manages to stop me skipping this step out of laziness, to me it already has a major advantage over oil.
Delicia Drench by Sol de Janeiro.
Delicia Drench by Sol de Janeiro is a velvety-textured body butter designed for those moments when the skin needs something more than a lightweight moisturizer. It helps to maintain hydration and to care for the skin barrier thanks to the hibiscus prebiotic and its soothing complex. The most sensory aspect is its scent, which blends plum and violet with vanilla, amber and a background of sandalwood and vetiver.
Body Butter Pumpkin by The Body Shop.
Body Butter Pumpkin by The Body Shop has that autumnal vibe that feels especially appealing when the weather starts to cool. Its creamy texture melts into the skin, providing nourishment without leaving an overly greasy finish, and the brand notes up to 96 hours of hydration. Add to this a sweet and enveloping fragrance that makes body hydration one of those gestures you’d like to resume with the change of season.
Uukumwe Collection Rich Body Butter by Rituals.
Uukumwe Collection Rich Body Butter by Rituals bets on a formula especially nourishing with marula and baobab oils, shea and cocoa butters, and vitamin E. It has a silky texture that aims to leave the skin flexible and comfortable without a greasy residue. Its scent blends marula, orange blossom water and myrrh with warm notes of clove and cinnamon, very much in tune with this time of year.
Soufflé Coco Colada Body Butter by Tree Hut.
Soufflé Coco Colada Body Butter by Tree Hut can especially appeal to those who want more nourishment without resorting to a butter that is too heavy. Its airy texture spreads easily and is designed to recover hydration, leaving the skin soft. It can be used after the shower or whenever we notice drier skin, with a Coco Colada aroma that maintains that brand’s characteristic sensory touch.
Cashmere Body Cream by La Prairie.
Cashmere Body Cream by La Prairie takes body care into a much more sophisticated realm, with a rich texture that, when spread, feels like a balm. Its formula is aimed at nourishing, improving comfort, and addressing aspects such as elasticity, firmness and softness of the skin. An especially enveloping option to turn body hydration into a more complete treatment.
Topicrem Comforting Body Balm
Topicrem Comforting Body Balm is designed for sensitive, dry or very dry skin, precisely the areas that tend to notice the temperature change the most. Its creamy texture provides nourishment and helps reduce that rough appearance that occurs when hydration is lacking. It also aims to protect the skin against factors that can dry it out, such as cold, wind or hard water, and it can be used by the whole family from the age of three.
