(Beauty Report Card)

The 10-Minute Body-Care Routine I Rely On For Scar-Free & Even-Toned Skin

Patience is a virtue.

by Natasha Marsh

Jan. 21, 2023

Beauty writer Natasha Marsh wearing a bucket hat and striped top on a sunny day.

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My summer and fall of 2022 were filled with more tropical destinations than I could ever imagine. The beach time, outdoor hikes, water sports, and zip-lining was incredible. But what’s not so incredible is the long-lasting hyperpigmentation (read: sun spots) and pesky scarring I am still dealing with from the excessive hours spent in the sun and the nightly mosquitoes that pierced my skin. Because of the pesky marks on my skin from the neck down, I expanded my body care routine to treat my hyperpigmentation and scars.

Blame it on my lack of adequate sunscreen application or the plethora of bugs in tropical climates, my skin has definitely looked better. Not to mention, I'm finding the older I get, my melanin skin holds on to bumps, bruises, scrapes, sunspots, and inflammation — occasionally taking over a year to disappear. So I started using body products similar to my favorite facial ones: body serums, hydrating moisturizers, nourishing oils, rolling tools, and sheet masks. Like their facial counterparts, these highly-concentrated formulas target firmness, brightness, exfoliation, and moisturization to completely rejuvenate the skin.

Ahead, peruse my trusted arsenal of body care products that have restored my skin to its hydrated, even-toned, and scar-free appearance. Keep in mind: the sooner you start a body care routine, the greater chance you have at fading any dark spots and lesions. And lastly, like most routines, consistency and patience (it takes at least 30 days to see results) is key..

Courtesy of Natasha Marsh

De La Heart

Body Renewal Kit

$86

I’ve been using this miraculous Body Renewal Kit for five weeks now. Armed with a body brush, multiple body oils, and a body tool, I use it daily to help remove dead skin cells and glide oils all over my body for hydration and a subtle glow.

MUTHA

Body Butter

$95

Packed with shea, cocoa, and mango butters, vitamins A and E, fatty acids, and pure seed extracts, the MUTHA Body Butter is a super lightweight moisture that works to minimize my stretch marks and other deep lesions.

Moulis

Silicone Scar Sheets

$18

The second summer into the pandemic I decided to pick up skateboarding and ended with up a couple of long-lasting scars in the process. These silicone scar sheets are reusable and are painless to put on and take off. They’re helpful on old and new scars as they prevent itching, infections, and redness. I tend to leave the tape on all day and with a few weeks of use, I notice physically flatter scars.

Nécessaire

The Body Exfoliator

$30

To target my dead skin buildup, unclog my pores, and increase cell turnover for new skin, I use this exfoliator twice a week. Within 10 minutes of use, my skin is baby-soft from head to toe.

Bawdy

Bite Me Butt Mask

$10

Yes, butt sheet masks are totally a thing. Formulated with collagen, it hydrates and tones my butt while reducing the appearance of marks and fine lines.

Bio-Oil

Skincare Body Oil

I was getting targeted ads on Instagram for this oil and after seeing it have close to 90K rave reviews, I knew I needed to try it. It has vitamins A and E, sunflower oil, and so much more to help diminish my marks, improve skin tone, and hydrate scars.

HidrateSpark

PRO Lite

$60

It’s not a topical body care product, but drinking water helps improve blood flow, flush toxins out of the body, and restores skin cells. This water bottle, made with an LED light sensor, glows when I need to drink and tracks my water intake via Bluetooth. It helps add moisture back into my skin. Plus, it keeps my water cold for 24 hours straight.

Cicatricure

Face & Body Scar Gel

$14

Aloe vera extract, glycerin, allantoin, flower and leaf extracts, and urea — these are the hero ingredients in Cicatricure’s Face & Body Scar Gel. This product helps improve the texture and appearance of my old and new scars. I apply three to four times a day, per the instructions, and have been impressed with how well it’s evened my skin tone, too.

Eleven

Game. Set. Match. Body Lotion SPF 50

$38

You might be sick of hearing about the importance of wearing sunscreen, but prolonged UVA exposure is the leading cause of damaged collagen, which yields to dry, rough, and uneven skin. Of course all of the above products are important in my routine, but sunscreen is the one I never leave home without. UV exposure can often darken scars even more, which is why you’ll find Game. Set. Match. Body Lotion SPF 50 in my house, purse, and coat.

Alo

Aura Diffuser

$98

Another non-topical product on the list, incorporating the Alo Aura Diffuser in my daily routine has not only improved the air quality inside my home, but also prevents my skin from drying out.