If you asked me a few years ago if I would purchase a $45 body product, my answer probably would have been no. I just don't see the point in spending an extra amount for your body products when you use so much. Especially as a guy over 6 feet tall. Plus, your body skin is generally not as sensitive/susceptible to acne or other problems, so you don’t need a fancy product to hydrate your skin.
But enter: Necessaire. My "gateway" product at Necessaire was the Body Wash. I fell in love with the packaging — how it had such an elegant open/close system. The product inside was also great and exceeded my expectations with an excellent lather and no stripping of the skin.
So when I re-upped on my Necessaire Body Wash (in the refill size, of course), they had a promotion to get a free Body Serum. I couldn't say no — literally.
Why I like the Necessaire Body Serum
There are a lot of things to enjoy about this product, but the skin benefits are definitely number one. The way l use this is as a serum before my body cream at night. For the sake of completeness, l use the Youth to the People Body Butter at the moment.
Application
When I apply the Necessaire Body Serum, my skin instantly absorbs it. There's only the slightest bit of residue after rubbing in the product, but it is definitely not something that keeps me up at night (which is definitely an issue for a lot of body products). The lingering feeling on the skin is more like the slightest tackiness more than an oiliness. But it truly is negligible.
Does it work well with other products?
When I layer it with a body cream (whether it is the YTTP Body Cream or the Biossance Toning Body Cream), I see no pilling and no weird mixture problems. I think it's really due to the way it has such a lightweight, easily absorbed texture to it. It isn't like your normal hydrating serums, which feel very wet and watery. Instead, this feels like a loose gel cream (think: Versed Dew Point or Blossance Probiotic Gel Moisturizer, except with more spread to it).
After applying at night, I'll wake up with some of the softest skin I've ever had. It truly is so hydrating to use the serum before the moisturizing body creams. And my hands do so well with the combo, especially in the drier winter season.
If you really want to go the extra mile, you could do the Necessaire Body Serum, layer some Biossance Squalane Oil, and finish with the YTTP Body Cream. I guarantee your skin will feel brand new after that!
Are the Ingredients Special?
The ingredients in this product are quite hydrating and I am sure easily recognizable from your facial skincare as well (and one reason why it demands a higher price point):
5 molecular weights of hyaluronic acid: a great way to get differential hydration throughout your skin’s layers
Niacinamide: helps to brighten the skin, as well as act as an antioxidant too
Glycerin: the second ingredient in the list, acts as a great humectant to keep your skin hydrated
Ceramide NP: an essential building block for your skin
Gluconolactone: a gentle PHA that helps your skin lightly exfoliate for smoother skin
It's also important to note that even though it is $45 for this product, you get over 5 ounces of product. For comparison, your typical facial serum (which could range from $20-80) is usually 1 ounce. So you are getting a lot more product for approximately the same price as your facial products. Especially when you compare it to one of my favorite (but very pricey) hydrating serums: Allies of Skin Multi-Hyaluronic Acid Serum.
What I Didn't Like about the Necessaire Body Serum
There are a lot of things to love about this serum, but I could really only think of a couple things I didn't like.
Picking on the Packaging
The first is that the pump is kind of aggressive. Sometimes I only want a small/half pump because I am going to apply on just a smaller part of my body. But this pump is really all or nothing. So l end up using extra product that I didn't necessarily need to use. But thank God that the fill weight is 5 ounces, so I don't feel nearly as bad each time this happens.
Security Is Top Notch
The only other thing that I didn't like was how tight the cap was for the bottle. This, again, seems like such a small thing. But when you're applying this everyday, it does start to get annoying. You really need to put some elbow grease into it when you're taking the cap off.
However, I will say that it makes the MOST satisfying click and pop when you do get it off.
But if you are taking this product on travel, you can rest assured that the cap won't be flying off and your product will be safe! Although, the bottle itself is quite large, so you’ll definitely need to check it in.
Who Is the Necessaire Body Serum For?
Compared to your hydrating facial serums, which have mixed opinions if they are even necessary, I think everyone will benefit from this body serum.
Why is it different? Your facial skincare routine has more opportunities for products to have overlapping benefits and ingredients (like humectants) with the hydration serums. However, for your bodycare routine, since it is usually limited to an oil or a body cream, there are not as many overlapping ingredients and benefits with the serum. And the body serum will offer an extra level of hydration that you just would not get with an oil.
Because as a reminder, your skin needs both moisture (oil) and hydration (water) to be happy!
Final thoughts on the Necessaire Body Serum
I think this product is fully worth the money. It gives you the same hydrating benefits you would get from a facial hydration serum, but the format is much more spreadable (and not sticky). Overall, it gives such a nice experience.
Of course, I think this product is even better when you get it as a free gift with purchase (for a full size!). So if you can wait, I would recommend waiting for their Black Friday sale, which for the past couple years has been a free Body Serum with any purchase (AKA more of the iconic body wash).
Purchase a Necessaire Body Serum now: Sephora
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