Let’s talk about the softness of women’s skin. Skin softness is a common preoccupation for dark-skinned women. I swear there must be (and should be!) a documentary about lotions and the dark-skinned woman. I have dark brown skin, and no fancy department store moisturizer seems to be moisturizing enough to keep my legs from goin’ gray midday. I have to use the CVS special Eucerin or Lubriderm “calming cream” or “heavy-duty” moisturizer that is sold to either women with comparably dark skin or medically parched burn victims. I don’t care though; I save a ton of money not buying fancy lotion this way. (Tangential observation for dark-skinned women: Isn’t it annoying when you go to a hotel and they have body lotion and it’s so thin and non-moisturizing you’re like: this could basically be water?).

In this economy it is great that I can keep my skin smooth and soft with various low-cost methods. One is my no-frills CVS skin cream regimen, as I’ve mentioned. The other is my Body Shop Cactus body brush.

My lovely mom has been telling me to scrub and moisturize my skin since I was a tiny kid watching her put on Oil of Olay on her face. Maybe it’s an Indian thing, but where others simply pumice their feet, my mom would advise me to gently pumice my elbows, knee and upper arm skin. Then, post-shower, a deep and nourishing lotion application. I still do this and not to sound all braggy but, I have been complimented many times for my soft skin (but never for my greasy-and-yet-still-dry hair! You win some you lose some.)

There are two things I’m proud to say I introduced to my mom. The first is Crème de la Mer (When I got my first staff writers check for The Office, I bought my mom some Crème de la Mer. This insanely great and hideously expensive face cream was my “Look, Ma! I made it!” present to her that I make sure to keep her supplied with).

The other is the Body Shop Cactus Brush. It’s scratchy and great and gets gunk off your back/legs/feet while exfoliating. You can’t get soft skin from loofahs. Loofahs are for the freaking birds. Literally. I’d like to see some birds flying around with loofahs in their mouths and maybe building nests with them. They do nothing.

Loofahs, I am so on to you.

The Cactus Body Crush is $15 and I replace mine twice a year (oh fine, once a year. I’m lazy). I use it every day in the shower.

Good for: People into softness, or need an inexpensive gift for a friend or lover with
scaly skin.