Short answer: Often, yes, when the product’s formulation suits facial use. “Body” on a label does not automatically mean a product is wrong for your face, and some body crèmes are made to be used on both. What decides it is the complete formulation, the product’s directions and your own skin. Start with the directions, and if facial use is not included, check with the manufacturer or a qualified skincare professional first. Read the full ingredient list if you have known sensitivities, and keep any product away from the eye area unless it is directed for it. A crème that suits both face and body can be a practical, economical choice.
The directions on the label are the first place to look.
Why “body” does not automatically rule out your face
Products are usually named for their main use, not for every place they can go. Some are formulated and directed for the body only. Others suit both face and body, and can be a sensible everyday choice rather than a fallback.
The useful question is whether the formulation, used as directed, suits your facial skin.
How face and body skin differ
Your face and scalp have more oil glands than anywhere else on your body, and the palms and soles have none. The skin of the eyelids is the thinnest on the body. Facial skin also meets sunscreen, makeup, weather and your own hands every day.
Those differences make it worth checking a product before you use it on your face, without ruling out products that suit both. Does Your Body Need a Skincare Routine? covers what body skin tends to need.
What to check first
Directions. Start with the label to understand the product’s intended use and how it should be applied. Some products marketed primarily for the body may also be suitable for facial use even when that secondary use is not specifically stated on the label. When facial use is not included in the directions, check with the manufacturer or a qualified skincare professional before using it that way.
Ingredients. Some body products made for rough areas such as elbows and heels include exfoliating ingredients. On your face, that adds an exfoliating step you may not have planned, which matters if you already use an exfoliating product or a non-prescription retinol product. If you use a prescription retinoid, follow the guidance of the healthcare professional who prescribed it. If you have known sensitivities, check the complete ingredient list, not only the key ingredients.
Aroma. A scent sits much closer to your nose and eyes on your face. An aroma is neither automatically gentle nor automatically irritating.
Sunscreen. In the United States, moisturizers marketed with sun-protection claims are regulated as both cosmetics and drugs. Read the label directions, including where the product may be applied and when to reapply.
Your skin’s response. If your skin stings, itches or turns red, stop using the product on your face.
The eye area is a separate question
A product can suit your face without being directed for the eye area. Keep any product that is not directed for use around the eyes away from them, and use an appropriate eye product there, according to its directions. If something gets into your eyes, follow the product’s directions, and if irritation continues, speak to an appropriate healthcare professional. Do Eye Creams Work? covers eye products in more detail.
Budget and practicality
Body care uses far more product than facial care, because it covers so much more skin. Larger sizes and economical pricing make sense for that, and a crème that suits both face and body can keep a routine simple and affordable.
Specialized facial products are optional choices, and some people prefer them for particular needs. Good care does not depend on buying the most expensive products, and suitable care can fit different budgets. Is Expensive Skincare Worth It? looks at that question.
Choosing what goes on your face
Texture alone will not settle the choice. A richer crème is not automatically right for dry skin, and a lighter lotion is not automatically right for oily skin; Lotion, Cream, Gel or Balm: What Is the Difference? explains why. Apply moisturizer after cleansing or bathing and any appropriate preceding steps, following its directions. If your skin is particularly reactive, a small test in an area that makes sense for the product’s intended use can be an additional precaution; How to Patch Test a New Product explains when that helps.
Victoria’s approach
Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria believes informed product selection comes first: understand what a product is intended to do, whether it suits your skin, how to use it and what it contains. She respects budgets and values effective, affordable options, and she leaves the spending decision to the client.
In the Esenté range, both the Cellaris Body Crème and the Shea Butter Ultra Rich Hydra Crème can be used on the face as well as the body. Their larger sizes and economical pricing suit the quantities body care needs, and Cellaris Body Crème can serve as an ongoing face-and-body option rather than merely an occasional substitute. They are examples, and other Esenté formulations, including specialized facial products, may suit your needs better. Both come in jars, so take the crème out with a clean spatula and apply it with clean fingertips, following each product’s directions, including any guidance about the eye area. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If you are unsure what belongs where, the Ask Victoria page is the place to ask.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily. Some body products are suitable for the face as well as the body. Check the directions and the ingredient list, keep it away from your eyes unless it is directed for that area, and watch how your skin responds.
Yes, when the formulation is suitable for facial use and your skin responds comfortably. If facial use is not included in the product’s directions, check with the manufacturer or a qualified skincare professional before using it that way.
It depends on the complete formulation and on your skin. How rich or light a product feels does not tell you. “Non-comedogenic” on a label is a manufacturer’s claim, so read it as a guide rather than a guarantee and watch how your skin responds.
Only if its directions say it can be used there. Facial suitability and eye-area suitability are different questions, so use an appropriate eye product around the eyes, according to its directions.
Check the label. A lotion marketed with an SPF is regulated as a sunscreen as well as a cosmetic, and its directions say where to apply it and when to reapply.
About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.
Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.
