Let’s be real, with the thermometer maintaining historical highs here in NYC, we’re all a bit shellacked in sweat. It's not cute. The sun dehydrates your skin, while the heat makes it nearly impossible for your moisturizers to soak in properly. And when those rays beat down, the last thing you want is a thick moisturizer acting as an extra layer between you and cool-breeze freedom. So right now lightweight body creams are your saving grace(s). Some options:
Oils are ideal in this situation, given that they're light, breathable, and super-hydrating. And you've got an array of options—with scent, shimmer, tint, etc.—suited to your whim. But we’re partial to two that, aside from their many nice qualities, were designed with nozzles large enough to actually dispense the product, a problem that surprisingly plagues many other oils. First up is Nars Body Glow. (Yes, we've written about its wonders before.) In addition to curing parched skin without leaving it greasy, this bronze beauty adds a bit of a “genuine” tan, for those more sun-averse. Users beware: until it settles into your skin, the tint tends to transfer to any material around it, so wait at least five minutes before coming into contact with anything precious. If the tanning oil/mojito scent isn’t in line with your olfactory preferences, you might check out our other favorite: Fresh’s Rice Dry Oil. One of the problems we tend to have with oil is its residue (you know, the one that stains clothes and leads to hours of being so slippery it’s impossible to cross your legs.) But that’s where this “dry” part really comes into play. The rice-based oil imparts a glossy finish without leaving you with that pesky over-lubricated feel. For best results: apply both oils after the shower on your lightly towel-dried body.
If you’re not sold on oil, fear not: there are plenty of summer-friendly fixes by way of lotions and creams. Kiehl’s Creme de Corps may be a standard of vanities everywhere, but the aptly titled Creme de Corps Light-Weight Body Lotion is fit for the heat, especially because it boasts SPF 30 sunscreen. Amazing—you’re not only curing dryness but also preventing UVA and UVB ray damage. The thin, easily spreadable, and quickly-absorbing lotion might conjure fantasies of the tropics with its coconut-Banana-Boat scent, but a fragrant lotion is not for all. We know this. Which is when we turn to Avène Cold Cream Nourishing Body Lotion, a paraben-free and virtually scentless alternative. The “drugstore” brand keeps us feeling chic (anything French=gold, more or less), and our wallets padded with its gentle price and generous 'serving size.' And while both lotions work well post-shower, they are equally as employable on a bare (and slightly dirty?) body, a one-up from those covetable oils.
Yes, dear readers, there’s a summer hydrator for even the choosiest among us, so there are no excuses for parched skin. Drink up.
Photos by Elizabeth Brockway.
