This essay first appeared on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
My notoriously dry skin keeps me on the hunt for all things moisturizing. Serums, lotions, body washes — anything, or a combination of things, that’ll get me to my goal of being an anthropomorphic glazed donut. Plus, if I only use lotion on my body, I still see dry spots, so layering is a must.
I recently reached new heights of glowiness after figuring out the ultimate three-step routine. It starts with a recent discovery: L’Occitane Shower Oil. I first spotted it on my former spin instructor’s Instagram Story back in March. For context, I spent many Mondays getting sweaty in a Wall Street gym basement with Briana, so it’s safe to say I trust her. She’d reposted another friend who was using the shower oil and said, “Don’t tell my secret,” so naturally, I called it in and integrated it into my routine.
In a few days, I noticed my skin was hydrated even before I stepped out of the shower. My arms were silky smooth and my legs looked freshly lotioned. As someone who has always thought of the shower as the cleansing rather than moisturizing step of my routine, this was a revelation. It’s an expensive body wash (eight ounces is $29), but after a month, only a quarter of the bottle was gone, even though I’d been working up a rich, almond-scented lather every day.
The magic is in the oils, a mix of sweet almond and grapeseed oils, which are known to soften skin. There’s something to the texture too. It comes out as a thick liquid and quickly turns creamy and soapy once it’s emulsified with water. It’s a perfect hydrating follow-up to cleansing with my Dove bar soap. (I’m sure you could use this body wash on its own, but I’m a bar-soap evangelist and don’t feel clean without it.)
Step two isn’t a recent find. I’ve been using the Naturium body lotion for years, and if you’re a loyal Strategist reader, you’ll be familiar with its many gifts. It manages to hydrate my ultra-dry skin — even in the dead of winter — and is rich without being heavy. I’ve even named it my favorite lotion for dry skin. After lotioning up, I spritz myself with the Aveeno Body Oil Mist. I found this one on TikTok while watching one of those shower-routine videos and picked it up at a Target before a trip to Myrtle Beach. Even though I was spending eight hours at the beach every day with my family, I still felt hydrated the following day. It’s mostly made of oat oil, which is sensitive-skin friendly, and the spray nozzle makes it easy to apply in hard to reach spots like my back. Plus, it’s affordable: A bottle runs $10, a price low enough that I can stock up on a Target run.
When I use all three — L’Occitane wash, Naturium lotion, and Aveeno oil — I’m unceasingly glowy but not at all greasy. I’ll be slathering it all on for the foreseeable future and, with summer around the corner, I might just toss in some shimmer.
This article originally appeared in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter from our beauty writers on their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. Sign up here.
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