If anyone has proved that going back to basics can be successful, it’s bodycare connoisseur Nécessaire. The brand has pretty much perfected the art of minimalism in terms of its packaging, but when it comes to its formulas, they’re anything but basic. Many Nécessaire products have earned a coveted spot on the vanities of celebrities and editors alike. They’re formulated using the EU’s strict formulation standards and are great for those with sensitive Skin because they’re free of a lot of potential skin irritants. Each really is a nourishing spa experience for your body and promotes healthier skin in the long term. But which of its products are truly the best of all time, you ask?
Well, we have you covered. Below, you’ll find the Nécessaire products beauty editors totally hoard along with a few pros and cons about each item. Keep scrolling for all our thoughts.
Touted as a daily multivitamin for the skin, this body cleanser is loaded with three luxurious oils—marula, cacay, and meadowfoam. The formula is designed specifically with sensitive skin in mind and includes other rich ingredients like vitamins A, B, C, and E and omega-6 and -9. It also comes in a variety of earthy scents including sandalwood, eucalyptus, and bergamot. Personally, I really like this bodywash for its ability to deliver baby-soft skin. When used in combination with other Nécessaire products, it gives your skin this lit-from-within glow due to all the vitamin-rich ingredients. My only complaints about the bodywash are one, it doesn’t lather quite as much as I would like, which I’ve found is an issue with plant-based cleansers, and two, I wish it came in a larger size because the bottle doesn’t last long at all.
Beauty editors live for this lotion—period. My fellow Who What Wear editors Katie Berohn and Caitie Schlisserman slather this on after a shower to truly feel like they’re in a spa. I mean, what’s not to love? It’s packed with skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide; vitamins A, B3, C, and E; antioxidants; and omega-6 and -9. The only con with this one is the hydration level delivered upon application. To some degree, I understand because the formula is sensitive skin–friendly, so it’s free from a lot of potential irritants. I just feel like I have to use a lot to receive my desired amount of moisture for the night, and I don’t even have dry skin.
If you thought Nécessaire’s lotion was good, wait until you try the Body Oil. It’s fast-absorbing and leaves your skin extra soft. It contains five cold-pressed plant oils that are all rich in essential vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Sweet almond oil soothes irritation and evens out your skin tone while other oils like hazelnut seed keep skin firm and resilient. I have zero complaints about this body oil—it feels like a nourishing green shake for my skin. My arms and legs always feel so silky to the touch after I apply it, and it really does soak right in in record time. It’s a nice addition to a full Nécessaire routine because, as I said earlier, the lotion alone doesn’t always deliver the level of hydration I’m looking for, but this absolutely does the trick.
Basically everyone I follow on Instagram raved about this exfoliating body treatment before I got my hands on it, so I was eager to give it a go once I received it. I love that it’s both a light physical exfoliant and chemical exfoliant. The formula consists of glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, and bamboo charcoal to exfoliate without causing redness or irritation to sensitive skin. As a bonus, it also contains marula oil for a boost of hydration. You also have the option to snag a fragrance-free formula or one of the brand’s pure essential-oil scents including sandalwood, eucalyptus, and bergamot. I love using this formula almost like a second bodywash. I’ll admit I do love a good body scrub that makes me feel like I’ve exfoliated, you know? That element is missing a bit with this scrub, so it takes some getting used to. I still love it, though, when I feel like I could use an extra-deep clean, and it’s so gentle.
Another beauty-editor favorite is the brand’s rich Body Serum. This moisture-locking treatment instantly plumps the skin and hydrates below the surface with hyaluronic acid, vitamins B5 and B3, and ceramides. I love using this before the lotion most days to amp up my skin-softening results. And I’m not the only one who thinks that way. “If I have extra time after I shower, I use the Body Lotion, Body Serum, and Body Oil together and pretend I’m in a spa.” — Berohn
Nécessaire’s Deodorant Gel is unique in the way that it’s an aluminum-free liquid deodorant that (in addition to fighting odor) treats discoloration and reduces underarm bumps. The formula contains 5% alpha hydroxy acids to help balance the skin’s pH and prevent both bumps and odor. Silica, kaolin, and zinc also help keep the underarm area dry, and niacinamide improves skin texture. It’s the perfect combination of nontoxic deodorizing and skincare.
Normally, Nécessaire’s body lotion only comes in the fragrance-free edition, but for a limited time, you can get it in the brand’s gorgeous eucalyptus scent when you buy this bodycare bundle. The set contains the Body Wash, Body Exfoliant, Body Lotion, and Deodorant Gel all in the fresh, spa-like aroma.
Lastly, I always keep the brand’s Hand Cream handy in my purse. With all the handwashing as of late, it’s been a true savior. It has all the nutrient-rich ingredients in it that we’ve come to expect from Nécessaire along with squalane, peptides, shea butter, and marula oil. It’s also hypoallergenic, which is nice because my hands can be weirdly sensitive sometimes to certain ingredients.
If rose-scented products are your jam, go all in on this Coco Rose Body Polish from Herbivore. Coconut oil keeps skin rejuvenated while pink clay gently detoxes the skin, and Moroccan rose protects against cellular damage.
SkinCeuticals’ Body Tightening Concentrate is a cooling fluid that helps support the skin’s natural structure and resilience. It gives skin a smoother, tighter appearance on the surface with rice protein, yeast extract, and peptides so you’ll have a full post spa day glow going on.
This is one of my all-time favorite body scrubs. It may be too abrasive for some because, yes, it is straight-up ground coffee in a bag, but if you like a real polish, then it’s definitely for you. The addition of sweet almond oil to the formula leaves my skin so soft that I don’t even have to moisturize after using it in the shower. I do have to warn you, though, it is a messier scrub and takes a minute to clean out of the shower afterward.
Pure encapsulated retinol in this body lotion along with cocoa butter and squalane firm the skin, heal body acne, and smooth overall texture. After all, a radiant glow isn’t just reserved for your face.
Besides Nécessaire’s Body Oil, this is one of my post-shower favorites. Carter + Jane always delivers, and the brand’s products are all certified organic. This formula smells amazing (I love anything scented with neroli essential oil) and delivers antioxidant protection, relieves dry skin, and has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. I love it because my skin feels so soft and hydrated after I use it. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it reduces the appearance of body blemishes and boosts overall collagen production in the skin.
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