How to Create an Effective Body Care Routine

Truth be told, many of us probably just think of our faces when it comes to skin care. At Sol de Janeiro, we are firm believers in treating the rest of your body with the same kind of love and attention. Ahead, dive into our easy five-step body care routine for healthy-looking skin that also smells amazing. 

What Is a Body Care Routine?

First, let’s back up: What is a body care routine—and why do you need one? Well, you already lather up with soap or body wash regularly. And guess what? That means you have a body care routine. Cleansing is step one—and, as you may have guessed, super important. Not only does it get your skin clean, it helps soften and prep it for the other steps in your routine. 

Those other steps include exfoliation, moisturizing with a body cream or lotion, using an optional body oil, and finally, sealing it all in with a fragrance. Each step has a valuable role in your routine. Which brings us to…

Why Having a Body Care Routine Matters

We always feel more confident with soft, glowing skin. Add in a delicious fragrance, like the iconic Cheirosa 62™  found in our best-selling Brazilian Bum Bum® Body Cream, and your routine becomes a pleasure—not a chore. 

You already know cleansing is key, but you also shouldn’t sleep on exfoliation; healthy skin needs to shed dry, dead skin cells, and using a body scrub helps move that process along to reveal soft, glowing skin. Then there’s hydration; your skin is the biggest organ in your body, and it’s important to keep it nourished with a body lotion or body cream. (Plus, who doesn’t love the feeling of applying body cream after a warm shower?). For bonus points, you can apply a moisturizing body oil to seal in hydration, before topping it off with your favorite perfume mist. 

How Do I Choose the Best Body Care Routine for My Skin Type?

Everyone’s skin is different, so be sure to choose products that are right for your skin. Here’s how we recommend tailoring your body care routine:

• Body Care for Dry Skin: Use hydrating body washes that won’t strip skin, as well as deeply hydrating body moisturizers like our Delícia Drench™ Body Butter. 

• Body Care for Oily Skin: With oily skin, you can cleanse and exfoliate more often, and use a more lightweight lotion, like the fast-absorbing Body Badalada™Lotion.

Also worth noting: Your summer body care routine may differ from your winter body care routine. We recommend using heavier, more moisturizing products in colder weather, and lightweight, easily absorbed formulas in warmer weather.

Body Care Routine Steps

Now, let’s get down to specifics. Here is the body care routine order for touchably soft, glowing skin that—bonus!—smells absolutely fantastic all day long.

Step 1: Cleanse

Powerful body care starts in the shower. Start by making sure the water is not super-hot (even though it’s tempting in winter!). Lukewarm or cool water provides more skin benefits, like helping to preserve natural oils. For dry skin, we recommend cleansing with Brazilian Play Body Wash which is chock-full of fatty acids for soft and touchable skin, or deeply nourishing Delícia Drench™Shower Oil. For smooth skin, go for Bom Dia Bright™ Clarifying AHA BHA Body Wash, or choose our Beija Flor™ Renewing Body Wash for bonus benefits like a gentle retinol alternative. 

Step 2: Exfoliate

Just like your face, you should only exfoliate one to two times a week for the best results. On damp skin, massage Bum Bum Body Scrub all over your body in a circular motion—paying special attention to rougher areas like the knees and elbows. By removing dead skin cells, unclogging pores and stimulating circulation, your skin will absorb the benefits from your body skincare products more effectively. Our gentle and nourishing blend of crushed cupuaçu seeds, sugar crystals, guaraná and coconut oil will leave your skin smooth with a touch of shimmer.

Step 3: Moisturize

It’s no secret that one of the best body care tips for maintaining silky-soft skin is regularly using moisturizer. Every day, we are potentially exposing our skin to harsh elements and activities such as shaving that can lead to dry, itchy or cracked skin, especially in cooler temperatures. Choose from any of our benefit-rich body creams, including Brazilian Bum Bum® Cream for tighter-looking skin, Bom Dia Bright™ Body Cream for visibly brighter skin and Beija Flor™ Elasti-Cream for plumper-looking skin. Apply immediately after showering to maximize absorption and hydration.

Step 5: Seal it in with Body Oil

If body cream is enough for your skin, then you can skip this step—however, we love adding in body oil to seal in hydration and score extra skincare benefits. After you let your body moisturizer absorb for a few minutes, massage in Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil for non-greasy moisture and depuffing benefits, or Beija Flor™ Elasti-Body Oil to boost elasticity. 

Step 4: Heighten the Scent

Now it’s time for the cherry on top iof your routine. Spritz one of our irresistible perfume mists, and you will be left so cheirosa (in Brazil, this means you smell incredibly delicious). Choose from our cult-favorite pistachio and salted caramel Cheirosa 62™, or any of the perfume mists in our collection to mix-and-match for your own signature scent. Our versatile collection of fragrances is perfect for layering over your favorite body cream and for freshening up throughout the day.

FAQs

How often should I exfoliate?

Most of your body care routine is a daily occurrence (or even twice a day, in the morning and evening). However, exfoliation is a bit more intermittent. You can use a body scrub about twice a week, or more if you have oily skin. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to exfoliate once a week, or even less often (check with your dermatologist for specific recommendations). 

Should you moisturize after every shower?

Yes! In fact, right after bathing is the best time to moisturize because your skin is still damp. Your body cream or lotion wil seal in the hydration to keep your skin extra soft.

Can you use face products on your body?

We don’t recommend it. The skin on your face and body have a very different composition, so it’s best to use products developed specifically for each area.

As you can see, the body is an important area to take care of when it comes to skin care. We hope this easy routine helps de-mystify and gets you on the path to glowing, smooth skin. Shop our body care products here.