While admittedly not much of a fan of the spa massage (too Zen and hands-on for my taste), I am a fan of good scents and good circulation. Applying lotion post-shower should be an easy way to capitalize on opportunities for self-administered effleurage, but what can I say? I'm forgetful and rarely moisturize with that proper moisture still on my skin. And so, dry-skinned and hard-of-vein, I go about my days. Fine for now, probably bad for later in life.

But if limb attention is something I hope to gain in the near future, Dr. Hauschka’s Revitalizing Leg and Arm Tonic has made it deceptively easy and enjoyable. I bought a bottle a few months back almost entirely because of the “tonic” designation (which conveys both magic and remedy in its two brief syllables), but kept it around because, shock of all shocks, I actually used it.

Far from a soothing-lavender massage oil or sandalwood-infused snooze-inducer, this stuff smells classic—lemony and herbal—almost like artisanal Pine Sol for your body. The key oils at work are rosemary and borage—the former providing tingly warmth to muscles on contact, the latter improving circulation, reducing the appearance of veins, and combating cellulite. While my experience with varicosities is limited, I maintain a belief that pushing my epidermis out of its comfort zone is the first line of cellulite defense, which is exactly what Dr. Hauschka (or his copywriter) recommends when the instructions read, “even applications massaged toward the heart.”

It's a combo of ingredients that powers up your limbs post-application—ideal for a first-thing-in-the-morning rub down, or a pre-workout prep and stretch (it soaks in quickly, so there’s no weird sweat-induced reactions). It's almost reason enough to go to the gym more. Almost.

—Lauren Maas

Photographed by Tom Newton.