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Body washes are a shower necessity, but body scrubs are almost like visiting a luxury spa — they take your shower to the next level and leave you feeling especially refreshed. I use a body scrub almost every week to buff away dry, flakey skin and smooth patches of keratosis pilaris.
According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. And for more products to level up your everything shower, read our guides to body washes for every skin type, and for exclusive skin-care intel, sign up for our weekly Beauty Brief newsletter. When choosing a body scrub, you should look for ingredients that work for your skin type. Dull skin can benefit from skin-smoothing glycolic acid and brightening vitamin C. For oily and acne-prone skin, look for salicylic acid and charcoal that can soak up excess oil; meanwhile, you should avoid potentially pore-clogging ingredients like coconut oil or cocoa butter.
Those with sensitive skin might prefer sugar-based scrubs as they tend to be gentler than formulas with a salt base , which can sting inflamed areas or freshly shaved skin. Several dermatologists I spoke to advised against scrubs that contain ground-up nut shells or fruit pits specifically walnut and apricot , as these jagged particles can lead to tiny abrasions or cuts on the skin. None of the formulas below contain these ingredients.
Body scrubs can be either physical, chemical, or a combination of both. All of my picks feature physical exfoliants or small particles that slough off dead skin cells. Chemical exfoliators are typically AHAs alpha-hydroxy acids — like lactic or glycolic acid , BHAs beta-hydroxy acid — like salicylic acid , or PHAs poly-hydroxy acids — like gluconolactone or galactose , which are non-abrasive but instead work to lift off dead skin cells and keep pores clear.
