Trust Me, You Don't Need It

On the rise of superfluous body care products.

I’m not saying that Megan Thee Stallion spurred the revival of the body care category with her 2020 hit “Body”, but I’m also not not saying it. Walk into any Sephora, Ulta, Credo, once upon a time Shen Beauty (that New York Times exposé though…) and you’ll notice that sandwiched between Skin Care and Hair Care, there is usually a body-specific wonderland of options to peruse.

Of course, as someone who already uses a metric ton of products on a daily basis (while still maintaining I embrace some level of “low maintenance” beauty — LOL), the prospect of adding more than a body wash and lotion to my routine has felt overwhelming, to say the least. Sure, the skin is your body’s largest organ, and you definitely have much more than just your complexion, neck, and decolletage to pay attention to — lest you walk around with ashy, itchy, sun damaged skin — but are all of these serums and potions for the skin below your nipples really necessary?