The Nécessaire Body Peel Will Keep Your Dry Winter Skin Soft, Smooth

Laying in bed the other night, I asked my fiancé why he wanted to marry me. He rolled over, lovingly touched my arms, and replied, “Because you have the softest skin on the planet.”

Though he may have been kidding (… I like to think there are other reasons, too?), he wasn’t lying: My skin is really. Freaking. Soft. And it’s all thanks to the Nécessaire Body Peel ($55).

The Nécessaire Body Peel: My honest review

With a decade of experience as a beauty editor under my belt, it’s safe to say that I’ve long been a skin-care aficionado. But it wasn’t until a few years ago—when body care really started to boom—that I realized I needed to start giving the skin below my neck the same TLC I’d always reserved for my face. As brands began to introduce traditional facial-care actives into their body-care formulas, it clued me into the fact that I could actually treat some of the skin concerns I’d always assumed were permanent… like the dryness and flaking on my arms and legs, and the acne and dark spots on my butt and back.

These days, my shower is stocked with body washes, scrubs, serums, and lotions—some of which serve a purpose, others that just smell really good—but none has delivered the same sort of cure-all as the Nécessaire Body Peel.

Given the ingredients in the formula, this makes total sense. It’s packed with a 12 percent blend of three different hydroxy acids, which each have their own resurfacing role. First, there are alpha-hydroxy acids, which are larger-sized molecules that work on the top layer of skin to melt the “glue” that holds dead skin cells to the surface, revealing brighter, smoother skin (as an added bonus, they help stimulate collagen, which can diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles). Next, there are beta-hydroxy acids, which are teeny-tiny and can dive way down deep into pores to clear dirt and grime from the inside out. They’ve also got anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, which make them ultra-effective at zapping body zits. Finally, there are poly-hydroxy acids, which offer very gentle exfoliation and draw water into the skin to enhance moisture.

In addition to all of those A+ acids, the formula also contains a “peeling peptide” that stimulates your body’s own skin cell renewal process, plus resveratrol for a little extra antioxidant protection.

The Nécessaire Body Peel comes out as a gel, and I’m not going to lie: It’s sticky. So much so, in fact, that the brand recommends mixing it with body lotion if the tackiness it leaves on your skin turns out to be a real bother (this is also a great option for those prone to irritation, as it dials down the intensity of the actives in the formula). I’m down to deal with a little bit of discomfort in the name of beauty, so I prefer to slather the peel straight onto my post-shower skin, let it sit for a few minutes, then top it off with some lotion (I’ve been loving the Nécessaire Body Serum ($45) for this, but whatever you’ve got on hand works just fine).

Thanks to all of those powerful actives, the peel works fast. If I apply it at night, I’m guaranteed to wake up with softer, smoother skin all over. I’ve also noticed that the discoloration on my legs and old acne scarring on my tush has become less pronounced, as has the active acne on my butt. All’s to say: I love this stuff—and yes, my fiancé does too.