Body Care

Even if you’re a skin care zealot when it comes to your face, most of us are more relaxed when it comes to body care. We get it—your face makes the first impression so if you’re going to focus your efforts anywhere, it makes sense that you’d do it there. But that doesn’t mean you should neglect skin from the neck down.

A minute or two is all it takes to follow a body care routine that results in visibly healthy, smooth and glowing skin all over.

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Body Care Routine Essentials

Finding the right body wash is incredibly important. Many body washes contain fragrance that can irritate skin. Worse yet, the high pH of bar soaps can disrupt skin’s barrier and the ingredients that hold them in their solid form can clog pores. A fragrance-free body wash is the best way to go.

Enhance your body care routine with a body lotion that goes beyond just softening skin. Look for top-shelf ingredients like antioxidants, soothing agents, enriching oils and other skin replenishers that help improve skin long term. If you have rough, bumpy skin, you might also want to consider a lotion that doubles as a body exfoliator with built-in beta hydroxy acid (BHA) or alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). The 30 seconds it takes to apply a well-formulated body lotion can leave skin looking younger and healthier.

Last, but not least, the most vital body care step you can take is to wear sunscreen every day. No other skin care product can do what sunscreen can in terms of warding off signs of premature aging, like dark spots and wrinkles, plus helping decrease the risk of skin cancer when used as directed with other sun protection measures. You may already be applying sunscreen to your face, but don’t skimp on your neck, chest, arms, legs and hands— essentially anywhere on your body that’s exposed to sunlight.

Choose a Gentle Body Wash Over Perfumed Shower Gel

Using a body wash that smells like lavender or citrus might be good for your nose, but fragrance of any kind (yes, even fragrance from natural sources like essential oils) can cause skin irritation and redness. Replace your scented body wash with our fragrance-free ALL OVER Hair & Body Shampoo. The gentle, cushiony formula multitasks as a shampoo for your hair, too— even if it’s color-treated.

Body Lotion Banishes Dry Skin

Person applying a white body cream swatch to their skinIf you’re dealing with dry skin from the neck down, daily use of a good, fragrance-free body lotion can make all the difference. Choose a formula that not only improves skin’s ability to hold onto moisture, but is also front-loaded with antioxidants to strengthen skin’s defenses against environmental aggressors such as our Daily Replenishing Body Cream.


To diminish the appearance of uneven skin tone and leave skin feeling softer and looking firmer, we recommend our silky RESIST Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment. This concentrated lotion is powered by ingredients typically found in anti-aging face creams including a specialized complex of retinol, soothing emollients and potent antioxidants to intensively smooth skin all over.

Try a Leave-On Body Exfoliator to Eliminate Body Bumps

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA and Skin Revealing Body Lotion 10% AHA laying on top of product swatches on a light purple backgroundIf you have tiny hard, red bumps on your arms and legs, you may be dealing with what some people refer to as “chicken skin” or “strawberry skin.” With regular use, our Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA is ideal for diminishing these kinds of bumps.

Ideal for visibly improving rough, dry skin, our Skin Revealing Body Lotion 10% AHA removes built-up layers of dead skin, revealing smoother, softer skin from the neck down.

Struggling with chest acne and back acne? Our maximum-strength, alcohol-free CLEAR Acne Body Spray contains 2% BHA (salicylic acid) to target stubborn pimples and prevent new breakouts. This easy-to-use spray can be held at any angle (even upside down!) to tackle hard-to-reach areas of the body.

Use Niacinamide to Even Skin Tone

Dark spots, brown patches, and dullness aren’t just a problem for the skin above the neck. Uneven tone can also affect the neck, chest, arms, and legs – essentially any area that’s had sun exposure over the years. However, shaving can also cause discolorations on the body, most notably the legs.

Our 5% Niacinamide Body Serum targets discolorations on the body in addition to helping replenish moisture and restoring skin’s barrier. With use over time, you’ll see healthier-looking, more even-toned skin all over. 

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