6 Reasons Why You Should Start a Body Care Routine

Have you ever noticed that the word “skincare” has become synonymous with skincare for the face? If the thought of a body care routine has never crossed your mind, you’re not alone. Sure, you use hand cream during dry winters and have body lotion handy, but it wouldn’t surprise us if your cabinets are mostly filled with skincare products that focus on the face. Nevertheless, the rest of your body needs attention, too — some areas just as desperately as the face.

The benefits of a regular body care routine go beyond just glowing skin (although that is a wonderful perk). You’d be surprised to learn just how important taking care of the skin on your body is for overall well-being. Read on as the experts at YUNI Beauty explore the remarkable benefits of taking care of the skin below your chin.

Skin protects your body

Considering that your skin's purpose is to protect your organs and act as a shield from harmful substances, it seems sensible to do whatever you can to maintain its resilience. Next to sun protection, one of the best ways to safeguard our skin's barrier is by moisturizing with products that contain ingredients like shea butter and essential fatty acids. Nature has provided us with a bounty of vitamin-packed plant extracts and oils like coconut oil, baobab nut oil, and jojoba oil to keep the skin protected.

Your skin is a mirror of your health, revealing your lifestyle choices, whether good or bad. If you're eating excess sugar and processed foods that disrupt the gut microbiome, the effects will appear on your skin. Chronic stress also takes its toll, often worsening acne and eczema or causing rashes and hives.

Environmental factors such as UV rays and pollution can compromise skin cells with free radical damage. Therefore, even if you are caring for your skin on the surface level with creams and oils, you can still disrupt its delicate balance with a poor diet, too much sun, or chronic stress. That's why the best body care routine should include both nourishing products and a health-conscious way of living.

Our skin needs moisture everywhere

There's a reason that hand creams and facial moisturizers are popular: it's because our hands and faces are constantly exposed, causing them to dry much faster. Direct exposure to cold and dry air, over washing and harsh soaps, plus UV rays and pollution can cause moisture loss. But even though your hands and face see the most dryness, that doesn't mean you can ignore the rest of your body.

During the summer, your arms and legs are exposed to the sun and heat much more, depleting the skin of its natural oils and water content. And in the winter, the cold air outside holds less moisture, drying out your skin faster. Basically, there's always a reason to moisturize from head to toe.

The best way to remember to moisturize your whole body is to apply a fast-absorbing body lotion immediately after your shower or bath. Lotion absorbs best when your skin is still damp, allowing you to stay hydrated for the entire day.

As we mentioned, moisturizing skin is one of the best ways to protect your skin barrier, keeping it strong and healthy. But keeping your skin moisturized is also one of the easiest ways to plump your complexion and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, even if it's only temporary.

Prevent signs of aging

The beauty industry is flooded with products promising a younger-looking visage. It seems as if everyone has forgotten that the rest of our bodies show signs of aging, too — some areas even faster than the face.

The neck and chest are some of the first places on the body to show signs of aging because these delicate areas are often ignored and frequently exposed to the sun. This leaves us wondering why most of us stop our skincare routines at our face when we could easily sweep SPF, moisturizer, and serums down past our chins. There are certainly neck and chest-specific creams available, but starting with facial skincare products or body lotion is a fantastic way to start caring for your decolletage.

The knees and elbows are two other areas of the body that dry out and age quicker than the rest of the body. These joints are always stretching back and forth and lack the muscle and fat to support the surrounding skin. Luckily, all it takes is a little extra moisturizer in these areas to keep them looking young.

Of course, using a daily sunscreen is the best prevention of premature aging and keeping your skin free from wrinkles and sunspots. And to counteract any sun damage, start by implementing antioxidant-rich ingredients like turmeric and green tea extracts into your daily moisturizer.

Look healthy and glowing

Feeling good and looking good go hand in hand. Think about it. A healthy-looking body doesn’t just consist of the physique; it also has even-toned, glowy skin. A swimsuit just looks better when your skin is glowing and smooth — it’s a fact! Plus, your confidence boosts when your overall complexion looks good and feels soft.

Clean, exfoliated, and moisturized skin looks much healthier and glowy than if you left it alone. Thankfully, a good skin care regimen for the body starts with a simple shift in mindset: treat body care as a preventative routine rather than an afterthought. Don’t wait until your skin feels like sandpaper. Prevent dryness altogether with a daily application of lotion and a weekly exfoliation regimen. Once you look at body care the same way as skincare for the face, you’ll want to show off your arms and legs in no time.

Promote lymphatic drainage

This reason to start a body care routine may surprise you, but massage therapists and estheticians have always known that exfoliating and utilizing lotions and oils promote lymphatic drainage.

Start in the shower with a body scrub. Lightly massage it into your skin using a circular motion, and your body's circulation will increase to your skin and muscles allowing blood to flow more freely. Physical exfoliants also unclog your pores, and you'll stimulate lymph movement when polishing with long strokes. Dry brushing is another incredible way to unclog pores, exfoliate, and increase blood flow. Try it before a steamy shower, sauna, or hot yoga class to promote detoxification.

This same concept goes for an at-home body massage, either on yourself or someone else. Using body lotion or oil, long and circular massage strokes promote the movement of lymphatic fluids and reduce swelling.

Body care is self care

Scheduling time for the things you love is incredibly important to improving your mood and boosting your overall health. In fact, research shows that when you spend time doing the things you enjoy, you're more likely to have a lower heart rate and stress levels. A calming bath ritual or nightly skincare routine is a fantastic way to take time for yourself, especially when paired with aromatherapy.

Research shows that essential oils promote relaxation, stress relief, and better sleep. Implementing body care into your meditation or relaxation practice is simple when using aromatherapy-infused skincare products. When you pair essential oils with body care, you get skin-enhancing qualities in addition to mental health benefits.

An invigorating body scrub infused with frankincense and ylang-ylang in the morning or a refreshing peppermint-infused body wipe can do wonders for your mood and energy. Or, to have the opposite effect, try a nighttime body lotion like our Bedtime Body Essence infused with essential oils sage and petitgrain and relaxing Melatonin, Ashwagandha Root, and Passionflower.

YUNI Beauty’s body care collection

YUNI Beauty's multi-purpose natural body care collection saves time, relieves stress, and restores the health of your skin and muscles. We've sourced the world's most nourishing moisturizers and plant extracts like shea butter, organic kukui and jojoba oil, and green tea to soothe and revive skin whether you're at home or on the go.

If you're worried about adding more steps to your body care routine, don't worry because YUNI curates its selection with multi-use products that will save you time. Start in the shower with Glow With The Flow Face and Body Scrub to gently lift away dirt and dead surface cells, revealing smooth, clear skin. The aromatherapy blend of frankincense, ylang-ylang, and lavender boosts your mood and relieves stress. Next, while the skin is still damp, apply Count To Zen Rejuvenating Body Creme along your whole body to hydrate and prevent future moisture loss. Massage the lotion into the skin using circular strokes to stimulate blood flow and release tension. Mindfully breathe in the stress-relieving aromatherapy blend to calm your senses.

If muscles still feel sore after a tough workout or from a lingering injury, roll on Chillax Muscle Recovery Gel. Arnica flower extract soothes tender muscles while cooling peppermint leaf essential oil provides a welcome cooling sensation.

With YUNI's collection of portable cleansing products, you don't need to sacrifice clean ingredients in your body care when you are on the go. Whether you need a quick cleanup after yoga class or are traveling without access to a shower, our best-selling Shower Sheets will help you swiftly refresh and deodorize. The biodegradable wipes come individually wrapped so you can keep them tucked away and come formulated with neem leaf extract, aloe, and citrus and peppermint essential oils.

Or maybe you're a jet-setter or living the van life. Travelers can create a curated travel set that includes YUNI's best-selling body care and aromatherapy products.