Skincare Sunday: How to get a beautiful back

Real improvements in your skin happen over time, not from a one-off treatment. And as the skin on our back is thicker than that on our face, it takes longer to make a change. “You need to start peeling,” advises Renee Bolen, Aesthetics Advisor at the Dr. Dennis Gross dermatologist practice in New York. “Just this alone is amazing for improving skin texture and tone. Either use a lighter daily peel pad or something stronger, like Dr. Dennis Gross Medi-Spa peel pad, which can be used up to three times a week.”

If you have an extra pair of hands to help ensure all of your back is treated, a peel pad is the easiest option. But since the skin on our back tends to either be very dry (winter woolens leech moisture from the skin) or oily and prone to breakouts (again, made worse by being covered up), I recommend a mini peel program to balance out both. “Choose a peel that uses a mix of acids, rather than just one type (like just glycolic), as it lets you treat many more issues – dryness, dullness, clogged pores – in one go,” says Bolen. Even better, using a peel in the morning and a retinol serum or pad at night makes a great treatment duo, as both will help to normalize the skin.

Alternatively, Shirley Page, aesthetician at the Dr Sebagh Clinic in London, recommends using basic table salt (“Sea salt is too harsh, as are loofahs”) to scrub damp skin while in the bath or shower. “It leaves the back beautifully smooth and soft, plus the salt deep-cleans the pores,” she explains. To nourish, she advises against layering up treatment serums (“the thicker skin makes them less effective”), but recommends a light body lotion. “Even if you have breakouts, the skin here can still be dry,” she adds. Using a skin clearing treatment – I like Kypris Clearing Serum – first is a great way to banish the breakouts.

For times when you need everything to look better fast, Bolen has a three-step regimen for the evening before an event. “Start with your peel, then follow with a mask – I love a sulfur mask to clear blemishes or breakouts – and finish with a hydrating serum that’s packed with hyaluronic acid to give skin a real glow.” The newer clay-based masks also work brilliantly on the back, leaving skin with a beautiful clarity and velvety texture; follow with generous applications of light-textured hydrating serums or creams.