Care for the whole body, happens both internally and externally. Our skin is our largest organ, so taking good care of it is a must. As we age, the entire ecosystem of our skin, face and body, needs special attention and products that are all natural and that nourish a healthy glow. Today I am talking about some of my favorite products and rituals for all the external parts below the face.

Detoxing

A few years ago I was diagnosed with Candida, which is a type of infection that is essentially caused by stress. Candida affects your digestion, mental clarity, and can manifest into small itchy rashes on your skin. Whenever I would eat the wrong things (i.e, sugar and alcohol) or get overly stressed out these rashes would get inflamed and appear on my chest and down my legs. As a way to support my skin from the inside out I began to incorporate weekly infrared sauna sessions at Reboot Float Spa into my regimen, and because of its amazing benefits I haven’t stopped even though the Candida is gone.

Infrared heat therapy boosts your immune system, detoxes your body, especially your skin through sweat, it increases your circulation, improves lymphatic flow, and reduces stress. This weekly session is a self-care priority that I try to keep up with, not only for the benefits that I listed above, but also because it’s a consolidated 30 minutes I get to myself without my phone and disconnected from the rest of the world.

For extra skin detoxification, stimulation and nourishing I start each session by dry brushing, then spraying my skin with a hydrosol. When dry brushing you want to make upward strokes starting from your extremities then working your way toward your heart. When you get to your stomach make clockwise, circular strokes around your belly button. This specific method helps with circulation and lymphatic drainage. After I am done dry brushing I will spray my skin with an organic rose hydrosol, from Lake + Skye that penetrates my skin once the pores start to open from the heat. Hydrosols are moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and mildly antiseptic. They are much lighter than straight essential oils, but you still get the aromatherapy benefits. I specifically choose rose because I love the scent and it helps to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as reduce inflammation.

G. Tox Ultimate Dry Brush $20
Goop

Rose Floral Water $48
Lake & Skye

Cleansing

I like to keep my body wash pretty simple with minimal ingredients, and Dr. Bronner’s castile liquid soap is a staple in my shower. I am currently using the Rose Hemp version that has a subtle fresh floral scent. All Dr. Bronner’s products are made with organic, certified fair trade ingredients, with 100% post-consumer recycled packaging. The liquid soap is highly concentrated, so a little really does go a long way, and is made with under 10 ingredients. This is a rarity! If you read the ingredient list of most other body washes, not only does the list go on forever, but you can barely pronounce most of the items listed. Also, can we talk about the Dr. Bronner’s packaging?! The life lessons and statements made all over the bottle are worth keeping in your shower just for the entertaining read!

Hemp Rose Castille Soap $18
Dr. Bronner’s

Moisturizing

Keeping to the same theory of less ingredients the better, coconut oil has been my go to body moisturizer for years. It’s simple and super effective, and you can purchase organic coconut oil just about anywhere. One of my favorite beauty hacks is to mix coconut oil with a more luxurious perfume oil from Le Labo or Diptyque. I don’t wear perfume on a daily basis because of how closely I work with people and many people have sensitivities to fragrance, so this makes your moisturizer beautifully scented without being overpowering. It also makes your pricey body oil last much longer! I will typically spoon out the coconut oil into a small mason jar then add about a 1-2 tablespoons of the perfumed oil into the jar, mix them together, and have weeks of ready-to-go luxe body moisture. When choosing a coconut oil remember that virgin coconut oil will have more of a “coconutty” scent, whereas refined coconut oil will not have a distinct scent.

My one moisture splurge that would be a sin to water down is the Clarifying Oil by Esker Body Care. It’s composed of a blend of squalene, avocado, and evening primrose oil with cypress that stimulates the skin and promotes circulation, rose geranium that alleviates damaged skin and fluid retention, and jasmine that soothes skin and is a natural mood booster. This body oil is everything that you want an essential oil blend to smell like: light, floral and uplifting! Esker is a clean beauty brand that only uses organic, plant-based, paraben, sulfate, and cruelty-free ingredients.

Fragrance

I love fragrance and the idea of having a “signature scent”, but as I mentioned earlier, I don’t get to wear it as often as I would like and I have a tendency to be super sensitive to certain ingredients in perfumes. I can’t tell you how many times I have found a scent that I thought I would love, but once I put it on my skin it gave me a headache. So when I find a scent that I love and works with me, I am ecstatic!

My current obsession is with the Brooklyn-based indie perfumer, D.S. & Durga. All of their products are made in small batches using premium-sourced raw material made in house. They take inspiration from native rituals, herbalism, Americana and are highly influenced by music. The scent I’ve landed on is called Debaser, it’s top note is a figgy-green scent, but balanced and grounded by coconut and tonka that gives it an earthy sweetness. It’s unique, and every time I’ve worn it I’ve received inquiries and compliments about what I am wearing. I love it!

Eau de Parfum Debaser $175
D.S. & DURGA

Another favorite that has been in my arsenal for some time now is Diptyque’s L’Ombre Dans L’eau. When I first smelled this fragrance, I had never smelled anything like it and I had never imagined wearing something that smelled like fresh cut grass. That might sound totally unappealing to some, but think of freshly cut grass right after it rains paired with the most beautiful roses you’ve ever smelled. It’s totally unexpected and the green scent is distinct, but still neutral and not overwhelming, so when I do wear a fragrance while working with clients at the studio this is my go to.

I would love to hear about your favorite clean body care products. Shoot me a note in the comments or follow us on instagram @Move With Life.