I Adopted A Two-Step Body Skin-Care Routine And Wish I Had Started Sooner

Thanks to growing up with my Korean mom, a multi-step facial routine was a no-brainer for me way before it became a thing. I remember her hovering over my shoulder as I washed my face (“you missed a spot”). To my mom, self-care wasn’t a buzzword like it is now, but a truly therapeutic way of winding down from the day and taking a moment for yourself. Every part of the skin-care routine she taught me was meant to be done with purpose — from the way you gently massage your moisturizer into your skin to how you breathe deeply as you pat on your face serum. To this day whenever I get a compliment on my complexion, I always credit my mom (both because of genetics and her skin-care lessons).

While the skin on my face received daily pampering, you might be surprised to learn that my skin from the neck down was a different story. Especially right around this time of year as the temperatures start to dip, I joke with my friends that my skin is like a snake that needs shedding. The cooler weather is also a reason why I’m so reluctant to lather up with only a body moisturizer after a shower. To me, there’s nothing that kills my morning mood than slapping on a cold lotion after getting out of the shower and impatiently waiting for it to absorb into my skin so I can finally put clothes on.

But just when I thought I’d merely have to accept the fact that I’m destined to a life of dry arms and scaly legs, I learned about Olay’s two-step, in-shower routine that would change my body-care game for good.

I start off with the Olay Cleansing & Brightening Body Wash with Vitamin C, which seems to have magical properties that make skin glowy and smooth (well, okay, that’s the vitamin C kicking in). I remembered my mom’s face-washing lesson from when I was younger: You should never rush through a cleanse! So I translated that to my body-care routine by turning off the water in the shower when it’s time to suds up so I can really take the time to get the body wash into a creamy lather — making sure I don’t miss any spots. After rinsing it away, my skin doesn’t feel stripped, but comfortable and clean.

I follow it up with the body conditioner. When I first heard about an in-shower body moisturizer, I was skeptical. I thought there was no way it would absorb fast enough, or well-enough, without feeling greasy. But as soon as I applied the Olay Rinse-Off Body Conditioner with Vitamin E, I got excited that my “snake skin” days would be a thing of the past. The product dispenses from the bottle with a simple squeeze so the application is super-easy. I massage it all over just like I would a regular body lotion and let the antioxidant-rich formula (vitamin E basically gives your skin super immunity powers) sink in before rinsing off. It’s extremely moisturizing, but doesn’t leave my skin feeling slick.

When you get out of the shower, my body-care routine is complete. I just towel off and go. Though I technically added an extra step to my usual shower regimen, I still saved one by not having to moisturize after and managed to save a ton of hassle. Of course, I also saved my skin from an uncomfortable few months of dryness. I'm learning it's also about feeling good about my skin, beyond just my face. Little did I know back then, my mom was really showing me the value of self-care and spending a little time on yourself is totally worth it.

All photos courtesy of writer.

This post is sponsored by Olay at Walmart.