There are some discontinued products that one misses if not like dead relatives, then at least like old flames. Such has been the case with the now-deceased Soap & Glory’s Sugar Crush Body Lotion, about which I receive at least a handful of desperate reader messages a week.
This was a non-greasy, quickly absorbed body lotion that simultaneously moisturised and painlessly sloughed off dead, flaky grey skin and, unlike most other exfoliating body lotions, smelled pleasantly of limes rather than soggy biscuits in sour milk.
The result was soft, very smooth limbs, a noticeable reduction in those tiny, upper arm bumps we call keratosis pilaris and a perfect base for any tanning products to come. It was my summer body essential. Since I raved about it at any opportunity, I feel partly responsible for the hole it has left and am constantly searching for a good replacement for myself and for anyone who became addicted to it as a result of my pushing.
I have been using Dove’s excellent Pro Age Body Lotion (£5.69) for the past year and my affection for it has not waned, but I have a flurry of new products for you to try, especially if you find the Dove lotion a touch rich.
British brand Q+A’s Salicylic Acid Smoothing Lotion (£10), is the ideal choice for bumpy arms, since beta-hydroxy acids it contains do better against clogged-up pores than their alpha counterparts in the Dove lotion. The more gel-like texture of the former will appeal to the sporty and less dry-skinned (the Q+A is ideal for summer but would be a little too light for me in colder months), and absorbs almost instantly with absolutely no greasy afterfeel.
Also refreshing and fast in humid weather is The Inkey List’s PHA Exfoliating and Hydrating Body Water Cream (£13). This smells more like a classic exfoliating body lotion – hardly date night appropriate – but feels lighter and gentler on sensitive or teenage skins, and allows for almost immediate post-shower dressing. My only complaint is that the smallish tube lasts me no more than a week.
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For those of us who positively delight in a full basting of rich cream, I recommend Revolution’s Skincare Body AHA (Smoothing) Intense Moisture Lotion (£8), but seemingly always on offer somewhere). This was recommended to me by a reader on Instagram and uses one of my favourite combos – glycerin and lactic acid – to deeply moisturise dry skin as it scrubs away the winter grey.