U Beauty Resurfacing Body Compound Review: The Only Product to Hydrate My Elbows

u beauty resurfacing body compound next to model applying it — (Image credit: Future)

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U Beauty Body Resurfacing Compoundv

The Promise

The Resurfacing Compound was U Beauty’s one and only pride and joy when the brand launched in 2019. It practically sold out before it launched on Net-a-Porter and, over the past three years, has become a magical, mystical, highly coveted formula amongst beauty fanatics. Its intention? Do it all—exfoliate, hydrate, smooth, tighten, minimize pores, get rid of fine lines, antioxidant protection. Per my own personal experience, and the hundreds upon hundreds of five-star reviews, I can confirm it delivers on all accounts. In fact, it’s so loved that consumers started telling founder Tina Craig they dreamed of slathering the formula over every inch of their body.

Well, wishes do come true and cut to 2023, and Craig released the Resurfacing *Body* Compound, which features a very similar formula, but with slight modifications tailor-made for the thicker skin on the body. Think: Rough elbows, keratosis pilaris, ashy knees, bumpy razor burn, flaky heels. As is true with all of U Beauty’s products, the proprietary Siren Capsule delivery system, which essentially acts as a magnet for free radical damage, is largely responsible for the fast-acting success. It delivers active ingredients right where they're needed. The skin gets moisture where it’s dehydrated, exfoliation where there’s build up, protection where there’s pollution infiltration, and so on and so forth. That baseline is then bolstered by an added complex, which features antioxidants, peptides, AHAs, enzymes, and salicylic acid, to speed up cell turnover and get rid of buildup, as well as marine ferments to increase hydration.

Why I’m Obsessed

Overall, my skin is overall pretty soft and hydrated—save my major problem areas. The heels of my feet look like they’re the much-loved end of a dog chew toy, my elbows are rough enough to sand a piece of wood, and there’s a weird patch of skin that has been dry for the greater part of a decade. There was a period of time where I threw every moisturizer, balm, and ointment at ‘em. Hell, I even tried to coat them in an extra-nourishing eye cream once upon a time as a last-ditch effect. Alas, I gave up. I accepted that those few spots were stuck as is.

Cut to: U Beauty. (You knew that was coming.) My product-experiment-turned-obsession started a few weeks back. I was in a room of U Beauty die-hards for the Resurfacing Body Compound's launch and I swear on my life I’ve never heard such rave reviews about a formula. So much so, that I decided to *actually* try it. Not just a swatch here and there—I was actually going to commit myself to daily application.

It was an easy task all things considered. The product had a super lightweight, gel texture. It was odorless. Dried down quickly. Didn’t pill or feel tacky. Had sleek, recyclable packaging. It checked all the boxes. So every night when I stepped out of the shower, I rubbed some of the product onto my knees, heels, crusty elbows, and randomly dry leg patch—on repeat.

I noticed some slight changes after a week, but nothing to write home about. Then, week two came to pass. That's when my obsession kicked into full force. I was just sitting on the couch, criss cross applesauce, when I looked down at my feet. My heels, which are normally cracked, occasionally bleeding, and far from smooth, looked like a baby’s bottom. With that, I started running my hands over all my problem spots. My knees were the definition of supple. My elbows? I swear I could have a backup career as an elbow model (if that’s even a thing), they looked so smooth.

I’m not one to unnecessarily sing a product’s praises—if it’s not worth the money or the buzz, I pride myself on being objective. So believe me when I say that U Beauty’s Resurfacing Body Compound isn’t over-hyped, overpriced, or over-promising. It’s genuinely a one-of-a-kind formula that delivers insane skin-smoothing results. If you don’t believe me, you’ll just have to try it out for yourself.

Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.