Editor’s Note: Please note that this is not a “how to cure eczema” piece. I am not a licensed dermatologist or esthetician. I am just sharing what worked for me and how this condition pushed me to find a body care routine that is healthier for my skin. Enjoy the post!

I’m embarrassed to admit this as a skincare blogger, but I’ve always been lazy when it comes to body care. I could spend 30+ minutes slathering serums on my face, but my body would just get a simple wash, rinse, lotion, and repeat. Might throw a scrub in there for a little razzle dazzle! But all of that changed when I started experiencing patches of dermatitis all over my body, something I had not dealt with since I was 8 years-old. With dry skin and itchiness that covered my arms, legs, stomach, and even parts of my face, I knew that I needed more than just a quick fix, which for me was Cortizone or an eczema cream of some kind. What I truly needed was a routine that would keep my body nourished for the long haul.

My body wash smelled good, but that was about it.

When stepping into my season of body care, I had to take a hard look at every step of my routine. It wasn’t difficult to find that things were severely lacking in the cleansing department. At the time, I was using the Neutrogena Rainbath Replenishing Shower and Bath Gel-Ocean Mist that I had picked up from Nordstrom Rack for $24. While I enjoyed the gel-to-foam experience and it smelled fabulous, it was doing absolutely nothing for my skin. Gowns, beautiful gowns (Aretha Franklin voice).

After doing some research (aka scrolling on IG), I found two cleansing products that I decided to add to my arsenal — the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Wash AP+ Moisturizing Body & Face Wash and the Olay Cleansing & Nourishing Body Wash With Vitamin B3 and Hyaluronic Acid. Both of these products did a great job of adding an extra dose of moisture to my skin. I no longer stepped out the shower feeling like my skin was so desperate for moisture or stripped. And the best part about these options? They were both less than $25!

Consistent exfoliation was the key!

I had learned about the Skinfix Resurface+ Glycolic Renewing Body Scrub from one of my esthetician friends a few years ago and picked it up because I was so intrigued by the active ingredients. But because I was so lazy, I barely used it. It was one of those things where you’d stick your finger in your mouth and put it up in the air to see which way the wind was blowing — that’s how randomly I used the product. But after discovering my itchy patches, my random applications turned into daily usage and I found that it was actually helping. After about two weeks of consistency, I noticed that my dermatitis started flattening out! While it did not completely solve the problem, it was yet another step in the right direction of getting my body TUH-GETHA!

Exfoliating has since become a part of my weekly routine. It can be difficult to do because I sometimes find myself rushing in the mornings, but I make it a point to exfoliate my body at least 2-3 times per week to help with cell turnover, dullness, and overall rejuvenation.

If the lotion wasn’t THICK, my skin didn’t want it.

At some point there was a realization that the skin on my body was bougie AF! While I always used a solid lotion like the Jergens Enriching Shea Butter Moisturizer, I was finding that it wasn’t enough. Luckily for me, when I purchased the La Roche-Posay moisturizing cleanser, I also purchased the Lipikar Balm AP+ Intense Repair Moisturizing Body & Face Cream. Y’all…I was not expecting this product to be as THICK as it was. I mean, I had issues trying to get the product out of the damn bottle! But the struggle was worth it because it added so much moisture to my skin and was ultimately the final step in getting rid of my dermatitis.

Since my flare ups ended, I started to try out other body butters and creams that had a thicker consistency (typically inclusive of moisturizing oils) to find that they were just as effective and helpful for not only the previously affected areas, but for my entire body as a whole. The Fenty Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream, OSEA Undaria Algae Body Butter, and the Skinfix AHA Resurface+ AHA Renewing Body Cream have all been amazing additions to my body care collection. There’s nothing wrong with body creams that have a lighter texture to them, but I typically find that those types of products don’t do well for my skin during the Winter months.

Body oil was the cherry on top.

I always viewed body oil as something that I would apply for a more “luxurious” routine. After I had a rough week, I would shower longer, exfoliate, add a body cream, and then spend 10 minutes slowly caressing my body with a beautiful body oil that would illuminate my skin. But it wasn’t until I started spending more time on body care that I realized that body oils were appropriate and necessary ALL the time. Because when I tell you the oils that I used took my body care to the next LEVEL? I mean, just ask my husband (he he!). The OSEA Undaria Algae Oil and the Neutrogena Body Oil, Light Sesame Formula have been keeping my skin so moisturized and nourished during this dry, cold season.

While this eczema flare-up was less than pleasant to deal with, it pushed me to upgrade my body care routine and really be intentional about how I care for my body and to be more cognizant about how it looks (i.e. dullness, redness, etc.) and feels. It’s also started to make me reconsider what I put IN my body (nothing to do with weight loss). Because for me, if I’m taking all this time to care for the outside of my body, I need to be doing the same on the inside. But that’s another blog post for another day.

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