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12 body scrubs an exfoliating obsessive really rates
Because your shower routine deserves a summer upgrade
Call me basic, but body scrubs are quite possibly the most underrated beauty product of all time. Often, they're seen as something you don't really need but an indulgence that makes your shower routine a little better. Well, I’m here to fight the corner of the good ol' body scrub.
Pick the right formula and you’re on your way to softer skin, a better shave, and you’ll smell pretty yummy too. But before you get shopping, consider what you want from a scrub.
Are you looking for a soul-soother with aromatherapy benefits or one with serious grit to remove tanning streaks? Or maybe you’re lured in by a thorough exfoliator to slough away dead skin. Well, as luck would have it, the shelves are brimming with options so you can find your perfect pairing.
Better yet, you don’t need a bathtub to enjoy – the best body scrubs will work just as well in a shower, especially when paired with an excellent loofah mitt. You can slot a scrub seamlessly into your body care routine, working alongside your favourite body wash, lotion and oil to help deliver the smoothest skin of your life.
So keep on scrolling to discover the best body scrubs, here to give you the softest skin of your life.
Whether it’s Beauty Pie's Soul Providers Scrub, Frank Body’s coffee-scented offering or Mirror Water’s hydrating gel, we guarantee that every product on this list will result in you asking friends to stroke your legs (you know, just to see how smooth they are).
The best body exfoliators to call on for silky skin
Bondi Sands Coconut and Sea Salt Body Scrub
Most body exfoliators are loaded with oils to create that silky, hydrating texture – which is great for nourishing limbs, but not so ideal if you're planning to apply fake tan after, as oils will prevent an even application.
The solution is this smart oil-free body scrub, which will remove scaly patches (as well as old, lingering tan) leaving skin perfectly prepped for a little faux glow.
Beauty Pie Soul Providers Re-Energising Dry Oil Sugar Scrub
Member's price: £16.00
I'm not being dramatic, but Beauty Pie's Soul Providers Sugar Scrub is the best body exfoliator of all time.
It's the perfect ratio of gritty scrub to hydrating oil, which means you not only shed your dead skin, but you can also skip the hassle that is body moisturising afterwards.
Plus the grapefruit scent is so yummy, it's enough to justify your Beauty Pie membership alone.
The Body Shop's lip balms and lotions may have appeared in my school gym bag way back when. And now, in 2023, I'm here to say that the high-street brand has made a revival in my current body care routine.
This Shea Sugar Body Scrub is my go-to for hydration and exfoliation. It's thick, laced with delicate exfoliating beads, and it's brimming with nourishing ingredients to leave my skin feeling moisturised from the moment my feet hit the bathmat.
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub
Aesop's Geranium Leaf Body Scrub is currently in my shower and not only does it singlehandedly turn my bathroom into a spa, it also leaves my skin feeling insanely smooth.
The milled pumice and micronised bamboo stem gently sloughs away dead skin cells, and any fan of Aesop will know how decedent the smell of geranium leaf, mandarin and bergamot is.
What I love about this scrub is that it feels like a balm with tiny exfoliating grit laced within, so it’s deeply nourishing but hard-working too.
The exfoliating-ness comes from Himalayan salt which ever so gently sloughs away dead skin cells, while the blend of essential oils leaves your skin feeling silky smooth.
Seriously, this pot of goodness makes me want to cocoon my body all-over – but be sure to have a good body wash on hand post-scrubbin', as its buttery consistency tends to linger.
Ameliorate Smoothing Body Exfoliant
This gritty body scrub is ultra-thick and super satisfying to use, with lactic acid to unclog pores and even tackle keratosis pilaris (those bumpy bits on the backs of your arms). It's rich and substantially soothing.
Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Body Scrub
If you’ve already tried (and are therefore addicted to) this Brazilian brand’s tropical body cream, I recommend furthering the obsession with this equally delicious scrub.
The sugar and salt concoction requires some hardcore fingertip scooping, but the intensive skin-softening that follows is completely worth the effort.
It’s also laced with skin-conditioning coconut, açai and cupuaçu butters, which leave skin feeling soft as a peach with stay-all-day suppleness. Use liberally, and pretend you're in the Bahamas.
Biossance Squalane + Enzyme Sugar Body Scrub
This is one I've recently been storing in my shower cubby and I think it's fair to say it won't be leaving any time soon.
Yes, the jelly consistency is fun to play about with, but once you rub it between your fingers it transforms into a milky gel that's laced with smooth sugar crystals to gently slough away dead skin cells.
Plus - in true Biossance fashion - it's loaded with squalane to deeply nourish and hydrate your skin so you can skip a post-shower body lotion altogether. What a dream.
Pop this chic tub into your shower and you’ll instantly want to capture those aesthetically pleasing Insta pics. Its gel-like formula is enriched with vitamin E and sunflower oil which cocoons the exfoliating ingredients – sea salt and shea nut powder – to ensure a soft and nourished result.
OUAI Scalp & Body Scrub
Trust in Ouai to deliver a scrub that caters to your body and your hair.
Powered by fine sugar crystals, this exfoliator breaks down product build-up, dead skin cells and blocked hair follicles, while a coconut oil and prebiotic blend works to moisturise and nourish dry skin.
Start at your scalp and work your way down to your toes. It’s the perfect treat for some Sunday eve pampering.
Frank Body Coconut Coffee Scrub
My two favourite things: a body scrub and coffee. Yum. Frank Body’s natural blend of coffee grounds, coconut and jojoba oil delicately slough away dead skin cells, while leaving skin softer and looking polished. Get scrubbin’ in a cold shower and its coffee-shop aroma will energise you more than a shot of espresso.
Sephora Collection Sugar Body Scrub
This may not be the prettiest-looking tub in my shower, but boy, it is loved – especially for scrubbing off my 10-day tiger-bread tan. It contains brown sugar and lactic acid (both physical and chemical exfoliants) to remove stubborn tan without upsetting your skin barrier. A great example of cheap yet cheerful—that's how it goes, right?
Clare Stephenson is the Senior Fashion and Beauty E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been an e-commerce writer since 2022, creating matter-of-fact reviews and shopping pages filled with her favourite products for every budget and need – whether that’s a glow-giving foundation, a high-tech LED face mask or the perfect wear-with-everything blazer.
Alongside writing, Clare loves to be in front of the camera creating shopping content, putting viral products to the test to see which ones are truly worth the hype. Through her work, she has interviewed leading dermatologists, makeup artists and industry experts to bring readers trusted advice and product recommendations.
Clare has contributed to titles across the Hearst UK portfolio, including Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Red and Prima. Prior to joining Hearst, she earned a BA in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University, focusing her studies on magazines and editorial. She later worked as an editorial assistant at Voir Fashion Magazine, covering events including Fashion Week and interviewing notable brand founders.
Outside of work? You can find Clare strolling through London’s Columbia Road Market, pouring her fourth coffee of the day or heading to a Pilates class.
Follow Clare on Instagram @clarefrancesstephenson.
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