Editors Agree: These Body Scrubs Will Have You Feeling Like a Straight-Up Seal
There are few sensations quite as satisfying as physically exfoliating the dead skin from your body's surface, thus revealing the smooth, baby-soft skin of your dreams. Those days when you fully lean in to your bath-time ritual and indulge in an extra few minutes of hair, face, and body treatments can really make you feel like your best self.
Not all scrubs are created equal, though. There are salt scrubs, sugar scrubs, and even handheld scrubbing tools that all aim to give you skin so smooth you're liable to slip right out of your clothes. While we'd suggest reading the room before doing that last bit, we highly encourage you to read on and shop the body scrubs our editors can't get enough of.
C & The Moon is basically like the Rolls Royce of body scrubs. It's filled with really luxurious ingredients that also smell like actual heaven (think vanilla, brown sugar, and almond) so your body isn't left angry and parched even after the sweet grains of brown sugar slough off all your dry, flaky skin.
Goop's body scrub is the one I have in my shower at all times. It has a finer texture, which I sometimes like (less gloopy and messy!), lots of detoxifying agents like five different mineral-rich salts (Himalayan pink salt, Dead Sea salt, Celtic sea salt, New Zealand solar salt, and Epsom salt), and an added dose of hydrating oils to alleviate the scratchiness of said salts. Plus, it will make your shower or bath smell like a spa, which I definitely appreciate after a long day or as an antidote to a bad case of the Sunday Scaries.
"I discovered this exfoliating cloth in a story our EIC, Kat Collings, wrote on her favorite Amazon beauty buys. I was skeptical at the $6 price tag—could this really be that effective?—but this cult Japanese buy definitely worked its magic and left me with super-soft skin. I'm officially hooked."
"This beautiful-smelling scrub leaves my skin so soft and smooth. The scent is divine, and I like that it's not too coarse. I always let it sit for a couple of minutes on my skin after massaging it in— it feels super luxurious."
"The first time I ever used a pair of exfoliating gloves, I was probably 12, and I clearly remember thinking afterward that my skin was the softest it had ever been. A couple decades later, I still feel the same about these little babies. They come in handy when I've run out of my favorite salt scrub, because you can get intense exfoliation by just lathering on bodywash and going to town."
"This no-frills scrub is my go-to when I need to unearth an ingrown hair or calm any other kind of bodily breakout without smothering my skin in oils that might just make the problem worse."
"For me, the most frustrating part of exfoliating my body is not being able to reach the middle of my back to make sure the skin there gets some love. This brush is perfect for addressing that problem, and it's great for dry-brushing the rest of my body as well. I'm most interested in eliminating dead skin, but this method is also known to promote circulation in the body."
"This ultra-fine body scrub dispenses in a thick paste and spreads evenly over the skin so you don't miss an inch of surface area. I love using it when I don't have a lot of extra time, because the scrubbing beads get right to work and rinse away with ease."
"I'm not sure if my caffeine addiction fuels my love for this coffee scrub, but either way, it's so good. I love how smooth and moisturized my skin is after using it, thanks to the addition of coconut and almond oils."
"I'll never turn down an opportunity to bring a bit of mysticism into my life. Not only does this lovely scrub from House of Intuition help rid me of dead skin, but it also helps to clear bad energy."
"This clean scrub is one of my very favorites. Unlike other scrubs where the ingredients kind of separate in the container, this formula remains intact for a smooth application every time."
"When I'm in the mood for a truly luxe bath or shower, I'll always cap it off with this incredible body mask that contains tiny pieces of volcanic pumice to gently buff the skin. This stuff smells heavenly; I like to use it as the last step in my ritual so the scent follows me into my next adventure."
"While this particular exfoliator won't generate the same 'it hurts so it must be working' sensation as a physical scrub, there's no denying its skin-resurfacing powers. It's packed with the same kinds of acids we've grown to love using on our faces. If you suffer from body acne or congestion caused by oils or ingrown hairs, give this stuff a whirl."
"I'm a fan of Jo Malone's range of fragrances, so I thought I'd try some of the brand's other products like its Geranium & Walnut body scrub. The scent is delicious (and lasts), and it feels luxurious as it soothes my skin."
"This is the one body scrub I absolutely swear by. Not only does it smell heavenly (like I'm in a spa), but it makes my skin feel smooth and soft every single time I use it."
Up next, 20 game-changing body lotions that instantly make your skin look expensive.
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Courtney Higgs is a Cancer sun, Libra rising beauty enthusiast with about six years of experience in the editorial space. She was previously Who What Wear's associate beauty editor after spending many years working on the West Coast edit team at InStyle Magazine. She graduated from California State University, Northridge, with a BA in communication studies and pivoted to editorial after spending her college years working in the legal field. Her beauty philosophy is simple: She believes there are no wrong answers and that discovering our favorite beauty products and rituals is a journey, not a sprint. When she's not geeking out over products, she can be found adventuring around L.A. with her fiancé; watching reality TV with their French bulldog, Bernie Mac; or relating way too hard to astrology memes.
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