I Tried the TikTok-Famous Body Gel That Gives You Glass Skin All Over

The entire concept of glass skin might just be wasted on faces. Wildly smooth, practically reflective skin looks incredible (obviously), but what about how it feels? After all, isn’t it a cardinal rule of skincare to touch your face as little as possible? Now glass body skin—that’s a different story. Be it a friend’s hand on your shoulder, your partner caressing your knee, or even just you appreciating your own body (not a euphemism, but that’s always encouraged, too), the concept of glass body skin is one we should all get behind. The only issue is getting started with the right products to slough away summertime skin-baring scourages like KP, body acne, sebaceous filaments, or uneven tones. As is so often the case, though, those sleuths on beauty-focused corners of TikTok found the key. 

Soft Services Smoothing Solution Calming Gel Exfoliant ($34) uses a pair of star exfoliants and a supporting cast of irritation-banishing ingredients to smooth, then soothe, everywhere below the neck. Taking off online just in time for the arrival of tank tops, shorts, and backless dresses, it’s the silky skin game changer I know I’ve been waiting for. 

Soft Services Smoothing Solution $34.00

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The Product

Smoothing Solution first made a splash on TikTok and Instagram Reels when beauty influencer Sarah Palmyra published a video demo-ing the product. Almost immediately after posting, the videos racked up a few million views between the platforms. It seems like everyone’s interested in the glass body skin wave (and you’ve definitely noticed the influx of body products from top-rated skincare brands lately). And, according to TikTok, Smoothing Solution might be among the most effective of the bunch.

Soft Services co-founder Annie Kreighbaum says that nailing a body exfoliant is as much about delivery as it is the formula. “You see a lot of chemical exfoliating ingredients included in body washes, but because only around 2% of a treatment dose is left on the skin in a wash-off topical, the effectiveness is quite low when compared to a leave-on format,” Kreighbaum explains. “In the same way that we typically break a chemical exfoliant into a separate step for the face, the Smoothing Solution allows users to do that for the body.” She adds that because body skin is much thicker than its facial counterpart, it’s safe to use higher concentrations of different ingredients to yield the best results. 

The Formula

The two key exfoliants in use here are 10% lactic acid and 5% urea. The lactic acid alone is a higher percentage than you’d use on your face, as Kreighbaum mentions, but on arms, legs, and butts, for example, it makes smoothing out crepey skin and discoloration much easier. But arguably the best part of this formula is the calming, anti-inflammatory additions like aloe, Centella, and arnica. And to make things even softer “face-quality moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and trehalose” are also part of the formula.

How To Use It

Just like with your current favorite chemical exfoliant, Smoothing Solution is designed to be used in between cleansing and moisturizing. Just squeeze a bit out and rub a thin layer in all over. "While we suggest pairing it with the Carea Cream ($40)," Kreighbaum says, "it was developed to work with many types of body moisturizers. So, if you have a favorite, there’s no need to switch to incorporate Smoothing Solution."

My Review

That’s exactly what I did, too. I’ve long struggled with sebaceous filaments on my body, especially the areas I want them the least, like my breasts and the backs of my thighs. I absolutely hate how they feel and the compulsion to pick at them can be overwhelming—though it’s a decision I invariably regret. A solid week of consistently using Smoothing Solution followed by a basic, unscented Jergens lotion cut that frustrating texture down by at least half (and counting). I’m also looking forward to continued progress evening out the dark marks on my legs left behind from assorted summertime scabs over the years. Personally, I have a long way to go before I’m anywhere near glass skin, but to tell the truth, the journey is an enjoyable one.