What type of body scrub is the best?

What type of body scrub is the best?
What type of body scrub is the best?

Getty Images; Courtesy Frank Body, Ouai, Volition, Tree Hut

The skin on your body needs more than daily body washes in the shower — especially if you have dry or acne-prone skin. In order to dig deeper into your skin's pores to obliterate any gunk and flakes, a body scrub is essential.

Some are infused with sweet-smelling and hydrating ingredients, such as the Tree Hut Moroccan Rose Shea Sugar Scrub, while others contain acids to prevent body acne and KP, including Neutrogena Body Clear Oil-Free Body Scrub and First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub. Regardless of which of these top-rated body scrubs you incorporate into your shower routine, you can expect them to buff away dead skin cells and product buildup, revealing a smoother and brighter complexion.

To help simplify your search for body scrubs, we reached out to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green, M.D., to learn about all things exfoliating — including the best ingredients in a body scrub and how often you should use one. We also explored how to correctly use a body scrub and shower gel, and what to do if you accidentally over-exfoliate.

The Best Body Scrubs

  • 1

    What type of body scrub is the best?

    Best Overall

    Original Coffee Scrub Frank Body

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  • 2

    What type of body scrub is the best?

    The Blemish Eraser

    KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub First Aid Beauty

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  • 3

    What type of body scrub is the best?

    Intensive Exfoliating Scrub

    Arabica Coffee Scrub First Botany

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  • 4

    What type of body scrub is the best?

    Most Affordable

    Macadamia & Rice Milk Exfoliating Body Polish Dove

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  • 5

    What type of body scrub is the best?

    Best Salt Scrub

    Hawaiian Body Scrub Alba Botanica

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What to Consider

Ingredients

The first thing to consider when shopping for a body scrub is the size of its granules. Green says there are two types available:

  • Fine granules are mild, prevent over-exfoliation, and are safe for all skin types to use. Common examples of fine granules are crushed macadamia, sugar, sea salt, and coffee. Green is particularly fond of sugar because it is a humectant — meaning it pulls water to the skin for additional hydration — while coffee boasts anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Large granules are rough and can cause micro-tears in your skin, so Green advises against exfoliants containing walnuts or apricots.

    Skin Type

    Your skin type will also affect how you shop for body scrubs, notes Green, who is also a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

    • Dry skin will soak up moisturizing body scrubs infused with hydrators like rosehip, avocado, and olive oils. Green also recommends exfoliators made with jojoba oil — which easily penetrates your skin — or coconut oil, a classic moisturizer that sits on top of your skin to help lock in hydration after you rinse off the scrub.
    • Acne-prone skin will appreciate body scrubs made with chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid, an extremely popular ingredient that will help absorb excess oil. It will reduce annoying pimples and unclog blackheads stuck in your pores. There’s also glycolic acid, which can easily penetrate your skin and leaves behind a noticeable glow. After using a chemical exfoliant, follow up with an oil-free body moisturizer.

      Frequency

      Generally, you can safely use a body scrub two or three times a week, says Green. But certain skin types like oily, dry, and sensitive will want to adjust how often they scrub. Here, the New York-based doctor walks you through a few guidelines to consider, based on your skin type.

      • Oily skin can get away with exfoliating at least three times a week because the sebum buildup in your pores that can clog your pores and cause acne.
      • Dry skin can exfoliate once a week, and should always follow up with a body cream or lotion to lock in hydration.
      • Sensitive skin can start weekly, and gradually increase the frequency to twice a week (and then three times a week), being cautious of any irritations that might occur. You can also patch test your body scrub before fully committing to regular body exfoliation.

        What Does This All Mean For You?

        Most of these scrubs smell amazing (though sensitive skin types can opt for fragrance-free options), and they make your skin feel soft, plump, and cleansed from head-to-toe. So, if your skin is feeling a little rough or bumpy, try grabbing one of these 17 best body scrubs to give your skin the soothing, detoxifying treatment it deserves — and don't forget to grab an exfoliating tool while you're at it.

        1

        Best Overall

        Frank Body

        Original Coffee Scrub

        2

        The Blemish Eraser

        First Aid Beauty

        KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub

        3

        Intensive Exfoliating Scrub

        First Botany

        Arabica Coffee Scrub

        4

        Most Affordable

        Dove

        Macadamia & Rice Milk Exfoliating Body Polish

        5

        Best Salt Scrub

        Alba Botanica

        Hawaiian Body Scrub

        6

        A Scalp and Body Scrub

        OUAI

        Scalp & Body Scrub

        7

        Green's Pick

        Avène

        Gentle Body Scrub

        8

        Best 2-in-1

        AHAVA

        Softening Butter Salt Scrub

        9

        Best Luxury

        Tata Harper

        Smoothing Body Scrub

        10

        Best for Bacne

        Hero Cosmetics

        Brave Body Scrub

        11

        Best Sugar Scrub

        Tree Hut

        Moroccan Rose Shea Sugar Scrub

        12

        Best Texture

        Nécessaire

        The Body Exfoliator

        13

        Best Clean Formula

        Fenty Skin by Rihanna

        Buff Ryder Exfoliating Body Scrub

        14

        Best for Face and Body

        Volition

        Turmeric Brightening Polish

        15

        The O.G.

        Neutrogena

        Body Clear Oil-Free Body Scrub

        16

        Best for Mature Skin

        Eminence Organic

        Coconut Sugar Scrub

        17

        Best Citrus Scent

        Indie Lee

        Coconut Citrus Scrub

        Body scrubs are safe for all skin types, but if you have an open cut, you’ll need to wait until it fully heals before using one. You might also accidentally cause irritation, redness, and scratches from improper exfoliation.

        So, how exactly do you use a body scrub? Body exfoliation is as simple and straightforward as you’d expect: It’s all about finding the right frequency for your body and using a light touch.

        1. After you rinse your body with warm water, add a small amount of body scrub in your hand and use a gentle, circular motion to rub the exfoliant on your body for 30 seconds or less.
        2. Now, you’re ready to rinse off the scrub with warm water, and you can pat your skin dry with a towel.

        You can also use a shower gel before or after scrubbing. While both methods have their respective benefits, it’s just a personal preference if and when you incorporate a shower gel, notes Green.

        • Using a shower gel before scrubbing will help clean away the first layer of dirt on your body.
        • Using a shower gel after scrubbing is helpful for oily skin because it washes away heavy and greasy body scrubs. This step also ensures all of your dead skin cells and any fine scrub particles are completely off your body.

        “In general, it is important to include both a body wash and body scrub in your skincare routine, as they tackle different goals and benefits,” she adds.

        What Happens If You Exfoliate Too Much?

        “Exfoliating too often or scrubbing too hard can strip the skin’s protective barrier and remove the natural oils present on the skin that provide hydration,” says Green, who also founded her skincare line MGSkinLabs.

        You’ll know you've over-scrubbed when your skin becomes red, inflamed, or dry. Other signs include hyperpigmentation, acne breakouts, or infection.

        If you accidentally scrubbed too hard, don’t worry — fixing these inadvertent skin issues is easy. Just stop using a body scrub until your skin heals, suggests Green. Once you’re ready to resume using an exfoliator, “It’s best to start slow and gradually increase the frequency of exfoliant use, decreasing the frequency if your skin shows any signs of irritation.”

        Nicole Saunders Beauty Editor Nicole Saunders is the Beauty Editor at BestProducts.com, where she oversees coverage on all things beauty.

        Jennifer Hussein Beauty Editor Jennifer is the former beauty editor for BestProducts.com, where she’s testing out everything from the latest lip gloss to the craziest skincare trend sweeping the online beauty-verse.

        Julia Horniacek Julia Horniacek is the former fashion and beauty editor for BestProducts.com.

        How do I choose a scrub?

        For normal skin, look for face scrubs that are gentle with your skin and complements the balance of your skin. Good face scrub for normal skin should be able to remove all the dead cells from the skin and also helps in refining your complexion.

        What are the types of body scrub?

        Here are a few of the most common types of body scrubs:.
        Salt body scrub. Sea salt is a natural exfoliant. ... .
        Sugar body scrub. While too much sugar isn't great to put in your body, it's actually great to put on your body. ... .
        Coffee body scrub. ... .
        Lavender body scrub. ... .
        Charcoal body scrub. ... .
        Korean body scrub. ... .
        Dry brushing..

        What texture should Body Scrub be?

        The consistency should be sandy, not soupy. If the mix is too soupy, the sugars will dissolve in a day or two and not slough the skin as well, but you will still get added moisture from the oil. If it's too soupy, add more sugar.