Editor’s Picks: 15 of the Best Body Scrubs to Exfoliate Your Skin

20 Jul.,2022

The best body scrubs exfoliate dryness, flakes and bumps to leave your skin soft, smooth and hydrated. Shop the best body scrubs for your skin in this guide.

 

Body Scrub

If you thought exfoliation was just for your face, think again. Your body needs it, too—especially if you’re dealing with dryness, rough patches or even scales. Unless you remove that dead skin build-up, your body lotion or cream won’t be able to do its job properly.

That’s where a good body scrub comes in. Not only will it make your skin soft, smooth and prepped for moisturizer, you can also use it pre- and post-hair removal to prevent razor burn and ingrowns. It even helps with those annoying bumps on the back of your arms (also known as keratosis pilaris or KP). 

Keep scrolling to find out what to look for in a body scrub, and the the best ones I’ve found for every preference.

Editor’s Picks (At a Glance)

What to Look for in a Body Scrub

@heythereglow

For best results, choose a body scrub that meets the following criteria:

  • Smooth granules: You don’t want to damage your skin, so I recommend avoiding scrubs with large, jagged granules (usually walnut or apricot shell pieces). Instead, choose products with ingredients such as sugar, salt, coffee, bamboo, charcoal or jojoba beads, which are all gentler on your skin.
  • Free of microbeads: Many countries, including the US and Canada, have banned these plastic particles because of their harm to the environment (they can also cause skin damage).[1][2] Typically, they are listed on labels as polyethylene or polymethyl methylacrylate.
  • Free of sulfates: Sulfates are harsh cleansing agents that can lead to dryness and irritation. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are the two worst culprits.
  • Low in PUFAs: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are volatile and prone to rapid oxidation. That’s why oils that are high in PUFAs have a short shelf life and go rancid quickly. I avoid scrubs that contain them in the first five ingredients.
  • Low in silicones/mineral oil: These ingredients can leave behind a film on your skin, which only creates the illusion of hydration. This coating can actually interfere with natural skin-cell shedding, and furthermore, any traces of mineral oil that get absorbed cannot be metabolized.[3]
  • Low in fragrance: Although our bodies are less sensitive than our faces, it’s still a good idea to avoid body scrubs that are heavily fragranced, since this is a common cause of skin irritation.
  • Free of dyes and glitter: These additives can be found in some scrubs to make the experience more “fun”—but there’s nothing fun about skin reactions from irritating ingredients.

The Best Body Scrubs of 2022

Further Reading

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