Every part of your body needs a little TLC every now and then.
Bum, butt, behind—whatever we call it, nothing changes the fact that it is the largest, most powerful muscle in the body, helping us move our hips and thighs, while keeping our torso upright.
Sadly, it is often neglected, even on days for self-care. Considering that we sit all day on our buttocks, we owe it the tender love and care it deserves.
Here’s how to not leave your booty behind:
Exfoliate
For softer, smoother skin, it’s best to buff out dead skin cells using a scrub. Coco & Eve’s Glow Figure Bali Buffing Sugar Exfoliator (P2,170) works well in improving skin texture without stripping away its natural oil, reducing pigmentation, and tackling stretch marks. Frank Body’s Original Coffee Scrub (P1,060) can be a bum exfoliator go-to, as well, with its 100 percent natural formulation that also tackles breakouts and scars.
Exercise
A good-looking butt usually takes some work to achieve. Christi McGarry, fitness coach at a homegrown fitness app, Rebel, recommends a booty burner workout. “It will also work the legs and the glutes so this is also a lower body workout,” she says. The 15-minute routine includes six exercises that shape and tone the butt: squat side kicks, windshield wipers, back lunges, deadlifts, glute bridges, and side step squats. It’s in a high intensity interval training format, so each exercise can be done for 45 seconds on and 15 seconds off for each side.
Nourish
Giving the skin a moisturizing treatment is an ideal follow-up to exfoliation. Buttitude (Php495), a sheet mask specifically made for the butt, provides just that. With all-natural active ingredients from Jeju Island, this has three variants: the Smoothing Butt Mask, which is formulated with tangerine that helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, even skin texture, and restore the rear’s skin elasticity and brightness; the Hydrating Butt Mask, which has Jeju lava seawater that aid in replenishing the skin’s softness by maintaining moisture balance; and the Purifying Butt Mask, which is infused with volcanic ash that disinfect, smoothe, exfoliate, and treat the skin, as well as remove unwanted toxins.
Watch what you eat
While certain exercises target the butt, there are also glute-growing foods that help maximize the result, and increase muscle growth, strength, and recovery: salmon, flax seeds, eggs, quinoa, avocado, milk, among others. “It’s not just the exercise that will lead you to your body goals,” McGarry explains. “You need to accompany it with a proper diet, good sleep, and healthy habits. For me, it’s also about staying hydrated by drinking a lot of water.
Banner Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash
