What Is Body Cocktailing In Skin Care? 3 Experts Explain

Like a skilled mixologist crafts the perfect drink — combining the right spirits, liqueurs, and bitters and finishing with the right garnish — you can layer your body care products to address your deepest skin concerns. Applied in the optimal order and mixed correctly, cocktailing your body products allows them to work synergistically to treat dryness, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation and maintain your skin’s tight, bouncy form.

As we move into the colder months of the year, now is the prime time to start treating the skin on your body like you do your face. PS spoke with experts about their favorite “recipes” to tackle the most common skin concerns south of your neck. It’s time to tend the body bar.

Experts Featured In This Article

Michelle Henry, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan.

Kristen May Lee is the lead aesthetician at ONDA Beauty in New York City.

Evelyn Ramirez is the founder and lead medical aesthetician at Evelyn Aesthetics in New York City.

Concern: Dry, Tight Skin

Your facial skin is not the only part of you that can suffer from dryness, especially in the winter. Dry air and the heat that warms your home can extract moisture from all over, and your body skin produces much less oil than other areas. “The sebaceous glands are most densely concentrated on the scalp, forehead, cheeks, and chin, ranging from 400 to 900 per square centimeter, compared to fewer than 100 per square centimeter elsewhere on the body,” says dermatologist Michelle Henry.

Cocktail: Exfoliating Scrub + Hydrating Serum + Moisturizing Cream + Body Oil

For maximum results with any body cocktail, aesthetician Evelyn Ramirez recommends an exfoliating scrub while showering to remove dead skin cells and enhance the absorption of subsequent products. Oak Essentials Perfecting Body Scrub ($38) harnesses biodegradable sugar beads to polish skin and baobab seed oil to nourish.

Towel off and immediately start your leave-on products to trap moisture from your shower. “Often, dehydrated skin accompanies dry skin, so it’s best to start with a hydrating serum to replenish the cells’ thirst,” says aesthetician Kristen May Lee. She recommends applying a serum containing hyaluronic acid to attract water to skin, such as Nécessaire’s The Body Serum ($48) or Epicutis’ Lipid Body Treatment ($225). Then, slather on a moisturizing cream with ceramides and glycerin, like Kiehl’s Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream ($49).

Seal your skin with long-lasting, occlusive moisture courtesy of body oil. Lee suggests Biography’s Sea Chrome Revitalize Body Oil ($78): “The jojoba mimics the skin’s natural sebum while the cucumber oil seamlessly absorbs into the skin barrier. It’s a wonderful moisturizing agent, rich in essential fatty acid linoleic acid, which reinforces the skin barrier.”

Concern: Lines and Wrinkles

Like our facial skin, our body skin loses elastin and collagen over time, but it’s typically less exposed to the elements. It can usually tolerate — and benefit from — active ingredients. Just as retinol is the gold standard of antiaging for your face, applying it to your body boosts collagen production and cellular turnover, reducing wrinkles and fine lines.

Cocktail: Retinol Body Lotion + Antioxidant Serum + Moisturizing Cream + Sunscreen (AM) or Body Oil (PM)

After showering, start with a body retinol like Dove’s Cream Serum Pro-Retinol + Firming ($11) or Versed Press Start Gentle Retinol Body Lotion ($20). Or you can get a little creative and DIY. “One of the best tips I’ve ever heard is to take some [prescription] retinol and mix it in with your lotion to rub on your body. I’d especially use this combo on hands, knees, and elbows. These areas need extra love to shield time; they age faster and tend to be neglected,” says Lee.

Follow your choice of retinol lotion or blend with an antioxidant serum such as Osea’s Hyaluronic Acid Body Serum ($22) to help protect against free radical damage; then apply your favorite moisturizer. Look for formulas with peptides and hyaluronic acid, like Advanced Clinicals Collagen Lotion + Peptide Cream ($15).

If you’re having a nightcap, finish with a nourishing body oil like Burt’s Bees Shea & Tropical Fruit Glowing Body Oil ($18). Retinol anywhere can sensitize skin and increase the risk of sun damage, so if you’re body cocktailing in the AM, finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Sun Bum Daily Body SPF 50 ($24) is a hydrating formula intended for daily use.

Concern: Dark Spots and Hyperpigmentation

Treating dark spots and hyperpigmentation on the body can be frustrating, as it can take time to see significant results. These stubborn marks result from years of sitting in the sun and not applying enough sunscreen — or horror of horrors — applying none at all. However, with targeted body cocktailing, you can jump-start treating unwanted spots. “Reducing dark spots really comes down to excellent exfoliation with the use of AHA’s [alpha hydroxy acids] followed by infusing the skin with lighteners and brighteners,” says Lee.

Cocktail: Exfoliating Scrub + Brightening Serum + Retinol Body Lotion + Moisturizing Cream + Sunscreen (AM) or Body Oil (PM)

Begin by exfoliating in the shower with either a physical exfoliant scrub such as Sol de Janeiro’s Bom Dia Body Scrub ($42), which boasts both alpha and beta hydroxy acids, or a cleanser with glycolic acid like Epi.logic’s The Clean Reveal Gel Cleanser ($65). “Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells and aids in reversing sun damage,” says Lee.

Follow with a brightening serum, such as Vaseline Pro VitaB3 Serum Burst Lotion Luminous Glow ($6), which fades dark spots with niacinamide, or Venn’s Vitamin B Activated All-in-One Concentrate ($195). “It has six types of vitamin B and delivers potent brightening,” says Lee.

Conclude by layering a retinol body lotion or prescription retinol/moisturizer concoction under a moisturizing cream and oil. “Always lock in these ingredients with an oil,” says Lee. “And SPF is a must if you’ll be in the sun. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time and money.”

Concern: Sagging

Collagen and elastin are proteins that give skin its youthful bounce. We produce less as we age, which yields sagging. “Elasticity relies heavily on cellular turnover and regenerative ingredients,” says Lee. While your body skin won’t show age as quickly as your face skin, spurring your skin’s collagen and elastin production with effective products can help combat the natural decline.

Cocktail: Exfoliating Scrub + Collagen Serum + Firming Cream + Body Oil

Start with an exfoliating scrub in the shower to allow for better penetration of active ingredients. SheaMoisture’s Manuka Honey Oatmeal Smooth & Exfoliating Body Wash ($12) won’t leave your skin feeling tight as it gently sloughs away dead skin.

After showering, apply a collagen serum to bolster your skin’s structure and elasticity. Ramirez recommends formulas with peptides or hyaluronic acid, such as Alastin Skincare’s TransFORM Body Treatment with TriHex Technology ($216) or RescueMD Revitalizing Body Cream ($248). Peptides are amino acids that function as messengers, signaling your skin to produce more collagen and elastin.

Once absorbed, massage in a cream featuring Centella asiatica (also known as cica), which increases microcirculation in the skin to firm and tighten. Clarins Body Partner Stretch Mark Cream ($68) and Beauty Body Factory Cica Body Lotion ($30) are brimming with the inflammation-buster. And, of course, finish with your final step for any cocktail: a body oil to lock in all of the hard-working ingredients.

Taryn Brooke is a beauty writer and editor born and bred in New York City who has been in digital media for over 10 years. She is a contributing beauty writer for PS, Allure, Byrdie, and Well+Good.