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

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.

• What it does: Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator is a physical and chemical exfoliation treatment for all over the body, It can be used up to two times per week.
• Key ingredients: Pumice, glycerin, salt, marula oil, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, vitamin E, niacinamide, gluconolactone, charcoal powder.
• Editor’s notes: Leave it to Instagram’s favourite bodycare brand to create a chic, ultra-gentle exfoliator that smooths skin in two ways. The 6.5% pumice and charcoal give it a slightly gritty feel for physical exfoliation, while 1.5% acids chemically dissolve dead cells. It may be one the mildest scrubs, foaming up upon use, but it’s still extremely effective (and quick to use!). Choose from three scents (Eucalyptus, Sandalwood and Bergamot), or Fragrance-Free.

• What it does: Goop G.Tox 5 Salt Detox Body Scrub is a body scrub that sweeps away dead skin cells, softens skin and locks in moisture, leaving behind a velvety-smooth feel and a subtle scent. It can be used up to three times per week.
• Key ingredients: Salt (Himalayan pink, Dead Sea, Celtic sea, New Zealand solar and Epsom), moringa oil, olive oil.
• Editor’s notes: If you love an intensive scrub, then this is the product for you. It’s packed with five different types of salts, which give it a dense, gritty texture to remove dead skin. Compared to most scrubs, it’s also less oily, so it won’t make a mess in your tub and leaves your skin with only a light layer of moisture. The mix is spiked with a Gwyneth Paltrow-approved blend of essential oils, which give it an earthy, spa-like scent.

• What it does: Indie Lee Coconut Citrus Scrub is a sugar-based body scrub that provides a moisture boost with gentle exfoliation. It can be used up to three times per week.
• Key ingredients: Sugarcane, coconut oil, jojoba oil, lemon balm, lemongrass, vanilla.
• Editor’s notes: This was the very first product that Indie herself concocted in her kitchen, way back in 2008—and it’s still a fan favourite to this day (although now it’s made in a lab, not at home!). The ingredients list couldn’t be simpler or more natural, and the fast-dissolving sugar crystals make it incredibly gentle on your skin. It leaves your skin moisturized with coconut and jojoba oils, and you’ll love the lemony-fresh scent.

• What it does: UpCircle Coffee Body Scrub is a natural, vegan body exfoliator to buff away dead skin and leave you soft and smooth. It can be used up to three times per week.
• Key ingredients: Coffee grounds, sugar, salt, shea butter, coconut oil.
• Editor’s notes: This scrub is so moisturizing—thanks to shea butter and coconut oil—that you’ll be able to skip body lotion. Like all the brand’s products, it’s made from “upcycled” ingredients; here, that means top-quality Arabica coffee grounds sourced from artisanal London cafés. They’re combined with other natural ingredients to create one of the most luxurious and effective exfoliants.  Choose from Lemongrass or Peppermint scents.

• What it does: ZitSticka Fizz Fountain Body Scrub is a supercharged body scrub with physical exfoliants to slough away dead surface skin, and chemical exfoliants to clear dirt and debris from pores. It can be used up to three times per week.
• Key ingredients: Pumice, glycerin, niacinamide, propanediol, lactic acid, glycolic acid, bamboo powder, salicylic acid.
• Editor’s notes: If you’re prone to body breakouts, this scrub can help. It targets clogged pores by buffing away the dead skin cells that can block them, as well as with acids that dissolve debris. It has a super-fine texture, so it won’t feel abrasive, and it’s also spiked with niacinamide to calm redness and irritation.

• What it does: Peach & Lily KP Bump Boss Microderm Body Scrub is a body scrub that delivers the benefits of a chemical peel, microdermabrasion treatment and skin-softener in one. It can be used up to three times per week.
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, glycolic acid, hydrated silica, fatty alcohol, lactic acid, capric triglycerides, Centella Asiatica extract, hyaluronic acid.
• Editor’s notes: Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a skin condition that affects approximately 40% of adults.^[4] Also known as “chicken skin,” it looks like small bumps, typically on the upper arms, legs or bum. This scrub was specifically formulated to treat KP with polishing micro-crystals (silica) and 10% AHAs in a base of soothing, hydrating ingredients. Even if you don’t have KP, it’s still gentle enough for sensitive skin, ingrown hairs and body breakouts.

• What it does: True Botanicals Body Love Bum Scrub is an exfoliating, cleansing and nourishing scrub for a blemish-free, smooth-looking behind. It can be used several times per week.
• Key ingredients: Green tea leaf water, bamboo powder, fatty alcohol, glycerin, glyceryl stearate, coconut oil, stearic acid, sunflower oil, coconut shell powder, gluconolactone, coconut extract, jojoba beads, willow bark extract, coffee seed oil.
• Editor’s notes: Although you could use it all-over, this scrub was specifically designed for the unique concerns of the booty area—like butt breakouts, rough texture and uneven skin tone. A little goes a long way to gently exfoliate (using not only bamboo, charcoal and jojoba beads, but also willow bark, a natural source of salicylic acid). It also lightly hydrates without leaving behind a layer of oil.

• What it does: Fur Silk Scrub is a gentle, gynecologically-tested exfoliating treatment that smooths and polishes skin all over the body. It can be used as a scrub up to three times per week. For extra exfoliation, you can also leave it on as a mask for up to 10 minutes.
• Key ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, pineapple enzymes, glycerin, castor oil beads, gluconolactone, willow bark extract, jojoba beads, papaya enzymes.
• Editor’s notes: This scrub is safe to use on delicate areas—like your bikini line, and even your face—since it is fragrance-free and uses spherical castor and jojoba beads. That makes it an ideal gentle treatment for preventing ingrowns wherever you get them. If you leave it on as a 10-minute mask, it becomes more powerful, thanks to acids and enzymes that help brighten and even treat KP. 

• What it does: Truly Acai Your Boobies Boob Polish is a retexturizing boob scrub that smooths your skin and nipples while targeting the appearance of stretch marks and fine lines. It can be used as needed.
• Key ingredients: Glycerin, shea butter, mango seed butter, rosewater, arrowroot extract, apricot extract, vegetable collagen, retinol, jojoba beads, castor beads.
• Editor’s notes: If you’ve never thought about a skincare routine for your boobs, join the club. But this scrub—which went viral on TikTok—makes a case for polishing the area to make it look and feel softer and smoother. It has a thick texture, like a cross between a scrub and a body butter, and exfoliates with ultra-gentle jojoba and castor beads. It’s also made from mostly natural ingredients that look and smell good enough to eat (but please don’t!).

• What it does: Biossance Squalane + Enzyme Sugar Body Scrub is a gentle but potent body scrub that delicately dissolves rough, dull skin without disrupting your moisture barrier. It can be used as needed.
• Key ingredients: Sugar, glycerin, squalane, Olivem 1000 (plant-derived emulsifier/emollient), pomegranate enzymes, rosehip oil.
• Editor’s notes: The first things you’ll notice about this scrub are its pretty pink tint, spa-like scent and ultra-fine, non-greasy texture. It’s a unique combination of melting sugar crystals, pomegranate enzymes and squalane, which give you mild exfoliation and lightweight hydration with no oily mess in your tub. 

• What it does: Herbivore Coco Rose Coconut Oil Body Polish is a highly moisturizing body scrub that leaves skin feeling soft, hydrated and lightly scented with coconut and rose petals. It can be used as needed.
• Key ingredients: Sugar, coconut oil, capric triglycerides, Olivem 1000 (plant-derived emulsifier/emollient), shea butter, meadowfoam seed oil, kaolin clay, rose extract.
• Editor’s notes: You know how some scrubs always have a puddle of oil at the top? Not this one; it has a dense, non-greasy texture despite being packed with coconut oil and other emollients. After the medium-grain sugar crystals do the polishing, your skin is left baby-soft and incredibly hydrated, with no need for body cream or lotion.

• What it does: Goldfaden MD Doctor’s Body Scrub Body Dermabrasion is a microdermabrasion-inspired body exfoliator that polishes away dead surface skin to leave it brighter, clearer and younger-looking. It can be used up to three times per week.
• Key ingredients: Ruby crystals (alumina), glycerin, bamboo extract, stearic acid, glyceryl stearate, fatty alcohols, bamboo powder, jojoba oil, fruit enzymes.
• Editor’s notes: As part of the first dermatologist-led clean skincare line, this doctor-developed scrub is comprised of only high-performing, non-toxic ingredients. Think: crystals, bamboo and enzymes in a creamy, hydrating base with no added fragrance (just like its sister product, the brand’s bestselling facial exfoliator). This is an investment, yes—but it gets results, and a little goes a long way.

• What it does: Milk + Honey Body Polish No. 5 is a sugar- and salt-based body scrub that gently exfoliates and calms the senses. It can be used as needed.
• Key ingredients: Sugar, sea salt, shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, vanilla oil, lemon oil, vitamin E.
• Editor’s notes: With its all-natural ingredients and addictive vanilla-lemon scent, this scrub is the ultimate pampering experience. The sugar and salt slough away surface dead skin cells, while the oils and butters help to repair dryness and lock in moisture. 

• What it does: Pirette Coconut Oil Scrub is a scented body scrub that smooths and softens without clogging pores, irritating sensitive skin or stripping your skin of its natural oils. It can be used as needed.
• Key ingredients: Sugar, coconut oil, capric triglycerides, Olivem 1000 (plant derived emulsifier/emollient), kaolin clay, shea butter, vitamin E.
• Editor’s notes: This brand has a cult following for its signature beachy scent, with notes of fresh green coconut, surf wax and sunscreen (and no phthalates or other toxic ingredients). So using this scrub can transform your tub into a tropical getaway. With fine grains of sugar and a dry-oil feel, it also gives you light exfoliation and hydration.

• What it does: SheaMoisture Daily Hydration Crème Sugar Scrub is a gentle, sugar-based scrub that eliminates dead skin and dirt to leave skin with a soft, fresh feeling. 
• Key ingredients: Sugar, coconut oil, capric triglycerides, Olivem 1000 (plant-derived emulsifier/emollient), shea butter.
• Editor's notes: This may be one of the most affordable scrubs on the market, but that doesn’t mean that you’re sacrificing on quality or performance. In fact, it has one of the shortest, most natural ingredients lists, a velvety texture, and leaves your limbs lightly coated with 100% virgin coconut oil.