These Body Care Treatments Helped Me Get Rid of My ‘Strawberry Skin’
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If you clicked through to read this article, you either A) know what “strawberry skin” is because you’ve done the research on your own or B) aren’t exactly sure but, based on the name, think you have a pretty good idea. ‘Strawberry legs’ (or ‘strawberry skin’) is a harmless skin condition that makes your legs look like, well, strawberries. Think enlarged pores that look like dark seeds and red, dotted-looking skin all over the affected area. Strawberry skin is typically the result of congested pores due to hair follicles trapping oil, dirt, and dead skin cells, but it can also be caused by conditions like Keratosis Pilaris and even just using a dull razor one too many times.
After a long spring of barely shaving my legs and neglecting to moisturize them, I noticed that my legs were starting to look like... strawberries. And while I love the fruit, I don’t exactly want to resemble one. Knowing that my wedding was coming up in June (and my dress was a vintage ’60s mini dress), I took to Doctor Google to help me quickly get rid of my unsightly strawberry legs—and fast.
In addition to shaving more regularly to help remove hair and dead skin, I found out that exfoliation was the key modality missing in my body care routine. I exfoliate the skin on my face at least once a week to keep my pores refined and blackheads at bay, but I’d never really considered doing the same to my legs and arms.
Rather than going to the dermatologist, I decided to see if I could tackle the problem DIY-style at home before heading to an expert (I was in a major time crunch, folks!). Spoiler alert: all it took was the five products below and shaving more regularly to get my strawberry situation under control. While it’s always a good idea to enlist the help of an expert, if you’re looking for a few over-the-counter solutions to get rid of bumpy, inflamed, and congested pores, these body care products worked like magic for me.
The Skinny Confidential Butter Brush Dry Brush
While I initially purchased this gorgeous bubblegum-hued dry brush to help with lymphatic drainage, this tool helped tremendously with manually exfoliating the skin and decongesting the clogged follicles. It’s also a game-changer for those of us who self-tan frequently because it helps slough off the stubborn remnants before applying a fresh coat.
Buy The Skinny Confidential Butter Brush Dry Brush at The Skinny Confidential, $79
Billie Razor Kit
I hate to say it, but shaving my legs more regularly was a critical part of getting rid of my strawberry skin. Not only does it manually exfoliate the skin, but it also removes dead skin, dirt, oil, and grime from the follicles. I used to think all razors were created equal until I tried Billie, and now I don’t dread shaving as much. My Billie razor gives me a super close shave while hydrating and nourishing my skin—sans bumps, nicks, and irritation.
Buy Billie Razor Kit at Amazon, $null
Buy Billie Razor Kit at Target, $10
Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash
Like an exfoliating cleanser for your face, this glycolic acid-infused body wash gently sloughs off dead skin, mops up excess oil, and helps remove texture and bumps without overdrying. Plus, if you’re dealing with body, back, and even butt acne, this body wash will help keep your pores refined and breakouts at bay.
Buy Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash at Dermelect, $38
Buy Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash at Amazon, $38
First Aid Beauty Fresh Strawberry KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub
This powerful body treatment may be strawberry-scented, but it’s formulated specifically for targeting strawberry skin or KP. The sensitive skin-friendly scrub uses both physical and chemical exfoliants to instantly remove KP bumps, soften texture, and lift redness in as little as one use. I used this product in the shower-post cleanse once a week and noticed a big improvement in just two uses.
Buy First Aid Beauty Fresh Strawberry KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub at Amazon, $30
Buy First Aid Beauty Fresh Strawberry KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub at Dermstore, $30
Nécessaire The Body Peel
Nécessaire’s luxe body care formulas are so effective yet gentle that you could probably even use them on your face, and its Body Peel is no exception. This AHA, BHA, and PHA-infused body serum helps resurface the skin by removing dead skin cells and impurities and accelerating cell turnover for baby-soft, bump-free skin.
Buy Nécessaire The Body Peel at The Detox Market, $55
Buy Nécessaire The Body Peel at Sephora, $55
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion
Finishing off your strawberry skin body care routine should include a lotion, but opt for a formula that won’t re-clog your pores or cause irritation. I used Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion religiously (and still do!) while trying to get my bumps under control, and it helped keep my skin moisturized post-exfoliation while still keeping follicles and pores clean and refined.
Buy Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion at Ulta, $28
Buy Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion at Sephora, $28
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