Skin doesn’t stop at the neck, treat the rest with care with these 19 body boosting Marie Claire UK Skin Award winners

Have you ever seen prettier packaging?! This bottle is so chic that you’d be forgiven for popping it on a shelf as decoration, forgetting all about what’s inside. However, that would be a huge mistake as the juice inside is heavenly. A lightweight oil, that absorbs quickly and smells better than most consumer fragrances. “A stunningly fragranced light body oil that felt luxurious and decadent,” says Ola Awosika, a content creator. “This was such a pleasure to put on and left skin with a subtle, non-greasy glow. The scent got so many compliments too.”

Retinoids have proved so successful in facial skincare, that it was only a matter of time before body care wanted in on the action. Formulated with 0.1% retinol and 10% AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) this targeted treatment helps encourage cell turnover to improve the appearance of scarring, spots and crepiness. “Gives skin a new lease of life. Big thumbs up from me,” says Marie Claire UK’s Editor, Sunil Makan.

Much like a nice thick pair of tights and a warm woollen coat, no one should head into the depths of winter without an enveloping body cream. And for years Laura Mercier’s gourmand scented body creams have been many people’s first choice. “This is a masterclass in luxury body skincare,” says Ola Awosika. “This serum body cream is rich, silky and hydrating with an elegant fragrance that lingers on the skin. Laura Mercier never disappoints when it comes to beauty and bodycare.” Global Make-up Artist, Ruby Hammer, loved it so much, that she went out and bought the matching shower gel, “It’s fragranced enough that I didn’t need to use a perfume with it, plus it feels great on the skin.”

Muscle relief is an often overlooked category that deserves more attention. We’re exercising more now than ever and whilst cold plunges and rest are remedies, so too are massages and nourishing products that work to relieve aches. A blend of a Hebridean seaweed extract, eucalyptus, may chang, peppermint and rose geranium help to stimulate and increase circulation to aid muscle recovery. Andrea Thompson, Marie Claire UK’s editor-in-chief and a keen runner gave it top marks.

When you think of the reasons to use a hand cream, most of us would say it’s about trying to combat dryness. Which of course is important, but when we protect the rest of our face and body with SPF, we often neglect our hands. Which is why Hello Sunday’s The One For Your Hands is so brilliant. “[Your hands are] one of the first places to show sun damage and accelerated ageing,” says Skin Expert and Facialist Melanie Grant. “A clever product that nourishes and hydrates whilst also protecting one of the most vulnerable areas from the sun. A no brainer.”

Every single dermatologist and skin expert you speak to waxes lyrical about the importance of wearing sun protection every day. When you live in the UK, that tends to refer mostly to your face. However, when the summer rolls around or we’re headed off on a hot holiday, we need to bring out the big guns that offer efficient protection for our bodies. Call us fickle, but it’s also nice to use a cream that actually feels nice. This sun cream from E45 is exactly that product. Created to work for everyone – even those with eczema and sensitive skin – this hydrating veil of protection is lightweight, non-greasy and absorbs quickly. Marie Claire UK Editor Sunil Makan sums it up nicely in his judging feedback: “A hardworking, failsafe product.”

In the past you might have spent a good while thinking about which sun cream to take on holiday with you, to then chunk any old tube of after sun in as an afterthought. Well, we’re here to tell you that going forward, this is the only one worthy of consideration. “I’m not naturally a sun worshipper,” says Katie Thomas. “In fact, my skin rather hates the sun, but I swear that if I use my SPF properly and apply Lancaster’s Tan Maximiser After Sun every evening I never burn and rather than turning pink, I look healthy, glowy and sunlit.”

There are so many great things about this exfoliator – the fact that it smells like a niche fragrance (think leafy citrus, without the sharpness) or that it’s been designed as a pre-shaving treatment – sloughing away dead skin, oil and dirt – but is gentle enough for those with sensitive skin. “It looks smart on my bathroom shelf too,” says Marie Claire UK’s Senior Beauty Editor, Katie Thomas. “Not that that should matter, but my goodness it helps.”

A returning champion to the Marie Claire UK Skin Awards. There’s a reason it’s a multi-award winner: it nourishes the skin beautifully, inside the shower and after rinsing and leaves behind a rich, creamy scent. Sunil Makan and Executive Beauty Editor Shannon Lawlor couldn’t have had better praise for it, with Shannon remarking: “This is, hands down, the best shower product in existence. It has been around for years, and I am yet to come across a better smelling, more softening product.”

There are your run-of-the-mill shower gels and then there are Molton Brown Shower Gels, which smell so beautiful that you are transported for a brief moment. The Sunlit Clementine & Vetiver scent whisks you away to the rolling hills of Tuscany in summer. “This fragrance is stunning with the aroma of clementine, mandarin, and lime filling your bathroom it’s impossible not to fall in love with this scent,” says Skin Expert Fiona Brackenbury. “It’s vibrant, energetic and mood-boosting. Skin feels soft and gently cleansed and moisturised.”

Who says that “bath people” get to have all the fun?! Showers can be just as spoiling, just as calming (or uplifting if that’s what’s needed) and just as good at helping you reconnect with yourself at the end (or beginning) of the day. Neom – known for being the bathing brand (its bath soaks and candles are synonymous with bathtime) has created arguably the most pampering shower gel in existence, which Katie Thomas described as “simply beautiful”. And we have on good authority that her husband is rather keen too, exclaiming “that shower gel you’ve put in the bathroom is the best thing I’ve ever used.”

Is there anything better than dropping yourself into a hot bath at the end of the long day and forgetting about everything else going on outside of the bathroom walls? In order to do that you need a bath oil to help you on your way. Susanne Kaufmann’s Bath for the Senses combines a blend of ylang-ylang, patchouli and lavender, which as well as being aromatherapeutic is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Don’t take our word for it though, take Marie Claire UK’s resident bathing expert, Shannon Lawlor’s: “No one does baths like Susanne Kaufmann. This product smells unbelievably good, doesn’t leave skin or bath overly oily and is so carefully crafted, using sustainable production methods, that I consider it one of the best bath soaks ever made.”

What’s that? It’s suddenly sunny and you need to look bronzed immediately, if not sooner? In that case, you need a really brilliant instant tan and the Marie Claire UK Skin Awards judges have deemed this the very best one to reach for. “I love the richness of the colour that it gives – not too dark, but just the right amount of bronze,” says Katie Thomas. “And crucially, it dries quickly so you could get dressed quickly afterwards.” Formulated with jojoba oil and vitamin E it drenches the skin with nourishment, as well as tan.

A good gradual tan is one that you can feel comfortable enough swapping it in for your every day body lotion – one that keeps your skin healthy, whilst also adding a subtle wash of colour. This Gradual Tan, from trusted French skincare brand Gatineau, does exactly that. It utilises coconut oil and vitamin E to hydrate, soothe and protect the skin before delivering a buildable, sunkissed tan. Rose Gallagher, a make-up artist and journalist, couldn’t be more of a fan: “This is my favourite gradual tan I have ever used,” she says. “What I love about this is that although it does give a decent layer of tan even with one coat, it seems to be virtually impossible to make a mess of. Hydrating, silky, fast absorbing, leaves a lovely golden glow, I honestly think this is an incredible product that I will happily repurchase again and again.”

This tanning spray is the closest you are going to get to an at-home spray tan. The nozzle allows for better, more accurate application of the super fine mist, it’s quick to develop, yet long-lasting. “This is a fantastic tanning product that I have recommended to so many people,” says Katie Thomas.

We could tell you that this speedy self-tan mousse allows you to swipe – easily, thanks to the handy guide colour – and go because it develops in just 30 minutes. And all of this is true. But we’re going to let Katie Thomas do the talking: “This is hands down the best fake tan I’ve ever used. The greatest of all time. I’ve never met a mousse I loved more. Why? The guide colour, the speedy development time and, of course, the golden tan it leaves behind. Top marks.”

Chronic dry lips beware, you have met your match. Quench thirsty lips and prepare them for other lip products with Lip Glowy Balm by Laneige – a brand known for its impeccable hydrating products. “It feels densely hydrating in the moment, but also makes lips feel more at ease after use,” says Rose Gallagher. “I love it. It works beautifully as a skincare step, but I also enjoyed using this as a part of my make-up routine too.”

There are those people who manage a nail appointment every two to three weeks, and then there are the rest of us. This very clever oil nourishes the nail beds, whilst also nibbling away at the old cuticles. And if that wasn’t enough, it also helps neutralise staining, making the nails look healthier than ever. “I didn’t use anything on my nails beforehand,” says Katie Thomas. “This has now become a desk-side essential.”

There has been a push in recent years for deodorants that are both kind to the planet, as well as our skin. This deodorant spray from Salt of the Earth ticks both boxes. Not only is it gentle, and calming thanks to the aloe vera in the formula, but it’s also cruelty-free, naturally fragranced and vegan. Whilst it might not stop you from perspiring, the combination of mineral salts, magnesium and magnesium oil, plus the delicious tropical coconut scent, keeps odours at bay. Jennifer Rock, founder and CEO of Skingredients and The Skin Nerd, praised the brand for its “refillable aspect, which has to be celebrated in a wildly unrefillable non sustainable sector.”