Why you need a body serum in your self-care routine – and 12 we rate
Body serums are suddenly everywhere but what do they do exactly? And how are they different from a body lotion? Our contributing beauty director has the answers
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When it comes to hydrating your skin from the neck down, the choices have never been more varied and brilliant, but if you’re looking for a lightweight texture, packed with active ingredients, then a body serum is the way to go. Just like their facial counterparts, body serums contain actives, like hyaluronic acid, exfoliating acids, retinol and ceramides, to target specific concerns, such as dry or dull skin.
And if you find certain skincare ingredients tricky to tolerate on your face, you can give them a go on your body as dermatologist and founder of bodycare brand Joonbyrd, Dr Alexix Granite explains: “My facial skin is very sensitive, and so I’m not able to try lots of different things. Whereas, the skin on my body is a bit thicker and heartier and so I feel that I have freedom to play with products.”
The rise of self-care rituals has helped popularised the body serum. Taking time to apply and massage in a body serum on weary limbs has a impact, both physically and mentally. Body serums also typically sink in more quickly than a butter, cream or lotion, with a little bit going a long way – if you’ve only a few minutes to spare, they’re perfect.
Plus they can change your skin for the better. “Serums are able to deliver a higher concentration of active ingredients than body lotions, creams and ointments due to the way they have been formulated, meaning the active ingredients remain effective when they reach our skin,” says Dr Ophelia Veraitch, consultant dermatologist at London’s Cranley Clinic, who specalises in body contouring and facial aesthetics. The high-levels of skincare actives does mean that body serums will be more expensive than their cream and lotion counterparts, but when you consider that 97 per cent of the skin on your body is below your chin, it seems odd that we’re not all investing as much in the products we put on our body as our faces.
There is also another compelling reason why we should all be reaching for a body serum: “There is increasing evidence that the health of your skin actually impacts your internal health,” says Granite. “When the skin is aged or inflamed, it produces molecules that have an impact on your organs, such as your heart, your brain, and produces what we call inflammaging, which is a term that a lot of people use now when it comes to longevity. By looking after your skin health, it not only benefits the look and feel of it, but also impacts your overall health.’
Celebrities are on board. Kim Kardashian has long been an advocate of using serums on her body: “I always put skincare all over, I think that’s really a necessity; I put it on my legs, my arms,” she told ELLE. “You really have to do your neck and your chest. I might not like the scent of something, but if I feel like it’s a powerful product, I’ll use it all over my body.” Granted, we don’t all have Kardashian bank accounts so can’t slather our pricey face serums all over our bodies, but luckily, body serums are here to deliver more powerful skincare ingredients than a moisturiser.
How do you use a body serum?
Just like face serum, apply a body serum to dry skin after washing. Some people like to follow with a layer of moisturiser once the serum has sunk in (normally fairly quickly), but some serums are so hydrating that they do the job alone. Look for serums that address your concerns, advises Dr Ophelia, whether that’s ageing skin, pigmentation or dullness – whatever an ingredient does for your face it will do the same for your body. “Choosing a body serum that contains antioxidants such as vitamin C will help prevent free radical damage. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), such as lactic acid and salicylic acid, are ideal for brightening and smoothing skin, while hyaluronic acid plumps and moisturises.”
The best body serums
The derm-created skin firmer
This has a unique texture, starting out as a balm-meets-gel before melting into a gorgeous silky serum , leaving skin looking visibly glowy and healthy. It contains peptides to thicken the skin, which reduces the appearance of cellulite, and there are also probiotics to boost the skin barrier. It also smells absolutely heavenly. Be warned though, a little goes a long way with this body serum (which is good because it’s expensive) – if apply too much, it can leave skin feeling a bit sticky.
Buy NowTo give good glow
Containing the type of ingredients you might expect to find in a face product, such as a collagen-boosting marine complex, brightening kakadu plum (which is more potent than vitamin C) and exfoliating lime caviar, this body serum makes skin look plumper and brighter. The texture is lotion-like and sinks in quickly with zero stickiness, and it has a lovely smoky and zesty scent that lingers. Plus, it comes in a huge 375ml pump bottle, so you are getting a lot of body serum for your buck.
Buy NowThe skin-smoothing bargain
Byoma Smoothing Body Serum, £14
With its super light consistency, this body serum has been formulated to help smooth out bumpy areas of skin. It contains exfoliating succinic acid, which is not guaranteed to get rid of conditions like keratosis pilaris, but will smooth out the skin making it less obvious. It also contains blue tansy which helps reduce any redness and inflammation in the skin.
Buy NowTo create a spa in your bathroom
Clarins Renew-Plus Body Serum, £46
As you would expect from Clarins, as soon as you slather on this milky body serum, it feels like a mini spa moment. With natural flower acids that lightly exfoliate the skin to make it look brighter and stimulate skin renewal, it’s also packed with peptides to strengthen the skin barrier and make it look smoother, and water lily extract is responsible for eliminating dry, flaky cells.
Buy NowFor a mega-dose of hydration
Necessaire The Body Serum, £45
LA body care brand Necessaire has earned legions of fans since landing in the UK and its chic minimal branding is all over Instagram. The star ingredient here is hyaluronic acid, in not one but five different weights, while niacinamide and ceramides feed the skin barrier and help it to hold on to moisture. The dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic and fragrance-free formula has also earned the stamp of approval of America’s National Eczema Association, and the brand has some great sustainability credentials, too. We like to layer a moisturiser over the top after applying at night as it can feel a little sticky without.
Buy NowFor a luxe treat
Tata Harper Resurfacing Body Serum, £139
You’d be hard pushed to find a more luxurious body serum than this (with a price to match). Packed with a powerful blend of plant-based actives (25 to be exact), this deeply hydrating yet weightless milky formula sinks into the skin and gets to work brightening and smoothing, harnessing the power of a super fruit AHA complex to slough off dead skin cells, a potent vitamin C from kakadu plum, natural vitamin A from cacao oil and orange peptides to help hold onto moisture. In other words, it’s an all-over goddess-worthy glow in a bottle.
Buy NowBudget brilliance in a tube
Soap & Glory The Real Zing Body Serum, £9.99
If zingy citrusy scents are your thing, then you can’t go wrong with Soap & Glory’s Real Zing Body Serum, with uplifting notes of lemon, lime and neroli. The purse-friendly, skin-smoothing formula is infused with an AHA fruit complex, with glycolic, citric, lactic, and mandelic acids to soften and buff away dead skin cells, while the fast-absorbing, velvety consistency melts into the skin nicely.
Buy NowTo sculpt your skin
The Organic Pharmacy Resculpting Body Serum, £69
This organic beauty works to boost skin elasticity, firm and tone, using microscopic cosmetic drones which help the serum to penetrate deeper, combined with powerful plant extracts like kigelia, green coffee, garcinia and encapsulated sea grape peptides. The result? You’ll feel like your skin’s had a mini workout.
Buy NowThe one to take on holiday
Susanne Kauffman Hyaluron Body Gel, £50
What Susanne Kauffman doesn’t know about self-care probably isn’t worth knowing – her skincare and bodycare products reliably deliver on their promise and come in pretty bottles. Focusing on giving your skin a mega shot of hydration, this contains three different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to flood it with goodness on multiple levels. The aloe vera and menthol leaves my skin feeling cool and refreshed. I’ll be packing this on holiday to apply after a day in the sun.
Buy NowThe one that'll uplift you while it firms
Wildsmith Skin Toning Body Serum, £65
Like the sound of a moisturiser that firms and tones the appearance of your skin while hydrating it? British skincare brand Wildsmith is inspired by the woods and idyllic countryside that surrounds its home of Heckfield Place, and this is packed with active plant oils from, er, mustard sprout, to aid the breakdown of lipids, and capsaicin from chillis to help drain tissue that work alongside ceramides and vitamin E. We found the energising citrus scent both a great morning pick-me-up and indulgent bedtime ritual after a long day.
Buy NowFor radiant skin, created by a top derm
Dr Sam Flawless Body Therapy, £34
As you’d expect from dermatologist Sam Bunting, this is brimming with do-good ingredients including bakuchiol, niacinamide and lactic acid, which work together to smooth and exfoliate dead skin and soothe the appearance of uneven texture. It’s silky and lightweight and absorbs quickly without leaving behind a greasy feel.
Buy NowFor fans of delicious essential oils
ESPA Optimal Body Tri-Serum, £45
Another formula that’s jam-packed with plant actives, this hydrating serum contains kelp to soften, an omega complex to strengthen the skin barrier and anti-inflammatory turmeric. Applying this is a self-care ritual in itself thanks to the uplifting scent of essential and botanical oils.
Buy Now
