I’m always on the lookout for lightweight products like body serum. Because I sweat. A lot. I’m an expert on how to avoid chafing and stop sweating so profusely. I love summer like the rest of you, but I suffer in hot weather. And is there anything worse than getting out of the shower on a muggy, hot day, and slapping on some lotion that just won’t sink in? If you know what I’m talking about, you know it’s terrible.

With body serum, it doesn’t have to be this way. They do essentially the same job as lotion, but they come in light formulas that don’t suffocate the skin. I especially love to apply them before bed, so that they can do their work uninterrupted for 8 hours while a fan whispers a cool breeze over my furnace of a body.

Body serums are a comfortable solution to rough or dry patches of skin, sun recovery, overwashing hands. They’re similar to facial serums in that they can either hydrate the skin (with ingredients like hyaluroniuc acid) or resurface healthy cells and dissolving dead surface cells (with ingredients like salicylic acid or lactic acid, akin to exfoliating face serums).

All brands create their own unique formula, but generally body serums are somewhere between face serums and body lotions, on the viscosity and absorbancy spectrum. The often include other ingredients like lightweight oils and emollients that give it more volume and a more “lather-like” application, since there is so much more surface area to cover. They’re lightweight enough to make them suitable summertime hydrators for everything except your face.

Here are five of the best body serums—some are powerful exfoliators, others are pre hydrators, but they're all perfect for nourishing your skin. 

The Most Advanced Body Serum

Bioeffect body serum$110

Saks Fifth Avenue

Bioeffect's star ingredient is EDF (epidermal growth factor) a protein that boosts healing, smoothes wrinkles and rough patches, and prevents hyperpigmentation. This one also hydrates in high volumes, thanks to a high concentration of hyaluronic acid.

The Best Exfoliating Body Serum

REN exfoliating body serum with lactic acid$40

Amazon

REN's formula contains 10% lactic acid, which dissolves rough, dead surface cells to help smooth your feet, joints, hands, sun-dried skin, and more. It also uses xylitol to protect the skin's moisture barrier and preserve hydration levels.

The Most Hydrating Body Serum

Nécessaire body serum$45

Sephora

Rich in hyaluronic acid, this serum is a mega moisturizer, that also restores and firms skin with the help of ceramides and Vitamins B3 + B5. Lastly, niacinamide soothes irritation and redness.

The Most Luxe Body Serum 

Moroccanoil night body serum$62

Amazon

Part body oil, part serum, this night time replenishment is enriched with Moroccoanoil's hero ingredient, argan oil. That makes it naturally hydrating and soothing, while tsubaki oil firms. Basil extract and Vitamin C defend against environmental damage while also brightening and strengthening the skin.

The Best Body Serum for Acne 

Paula's Choice exfoliating body serum with salicylic acid$28

Dermstore

The salicylic acid in this body serum seeps into the skin to keep pores clear, preventing things like back acne and callus buildup. It also soothes skin with chamomile and willow extract, the latter of which also helps tone oil levels in the skin.

Read MoreUse Night Cream Before Bed to Wake Up Handsome and Glowing in the Morning 

Your moisturizer needs are different at night.

By Adam Hurly and Michella Oré



Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQMoisturizerSkincare