Our pick of the best body scrubs & skin-boosting winter bodycare
Heather Gwyther
Beauty & skincare
Reading time: 7 minutes
Goodbye roughness, hello super soft limbs
As it probably took a lot of experiments to get just right, we’re sure (like us) you’re completely devoted to your skincare routine. From deciding between overnight serums (a hyaluronic acid serum? A niacinamide serum? Both?!) and trying to get into the habit of at-home facial massage, our efforts can often solely focus on the neck up. But what about from the neck down?
Looking after the skin on our body is important for the same reasons it’s important to look after the skin on our face: it can help it to feel smoother and softer, and give it a radiance boost too.
Winter’s the perfect time to layer up – from body butters to serums and oils, there’s a variety out there to choose from. Where’s a good place to start? A body scrub can be the perfect first step on the journey to softer and smoother limbs. Here’s why.
What do body scrubs & exfoliators do?
Body scrubs are mechanical exfoliants. This means that they physically buff away dead skin cells using ingredients such as sugar and salt (compared to chemical ones that use exfoliating acids) to reveal softer skin underneath. Some are even hardy enough to help remove the rough skin that can blight your heels and elbows.
What’s more, by providing a quick dose of exfoliation, they prep limbs perfectly for the rest of your bodycare, whether it’s a luxurious body cream, moisturiser, serum or oil. You may find that they glide on all the more easily.
How do you choose a body scrub?
Although there are many wonderful exfoliating body scrubs on the market, they tend to fall into three categories: salt scrubs, sugar scrubs and coffee scrubs. Salt scrubs tend to be the most abrasive, making them glorious for getting rid of particularly rough skin. Due to their smaller particle size, sugar scrubs, on the other hand, are a lot less abrasive and subsequently better for more sensitive areas of skin and coffee scrubs offer an excellent level of exfoliation. But many body scrubs are in fact a mixture to provide a range of benefits!
How often should you exfoliate your body?
Unsurprisingly, it’s better to limit salt scrub usage to about once a week, but both sugar scrubs and coffee scrubs can be used up to three times a week. If you’ve got sensitive skin though, go easy and start with a once a week application and see how your skin gets on.
What’s the best way to exfoliate your body?
After washing in the bath or shower, apply a generous scoop to your entire body and then rub it in using small, circular motions. (If you shave, this can also be a smart move to minimise the risk of ingrown hairs before you grab your razor). Leave on for a few minutes to reap the benefits (which might be moisturising and exfoliating if your chosen scrub includes a gorgeous blend of oils), then wash off with warm water. Your skin will now be more receptive to body lotion, should you want to put any on!
8 OF THE BEST BODY SCRUBS & EXFOLIATORS
So, what’s the best body exfoliating scrub to invest in? Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately if you’re an indecisive sort of person), there are loads to choose from. Whether you need yours to be vegan or of great value, we’ve got a selection of real gems here – plus some amazing body creams, oils and serums to apply afterwards.
Best energising body scrub
Try: Aromatherapy Associates Revive Energising Exfoliator
• Size: 200g
Energise yourself with this luxurious body scrub. It’s scented with oils including grapefruit, juniper berry and rosemary, and contains sea salt to exfoliate and cold-pressed green coffee oil to support the skin barrier. After application, you’ll be ready to face anything (and glowing, naturally).
Best body scrub for fake tan prep
Try: Bondi Sands Coconut and Sea Salt Body Scrub
• Size: 250g
We’d go so far as to say it was foolish to apply fake tan without having used an exfoliating body scrub beforehand, but it has to be the right one! Formulated with a number of natural exfoliants from sea salt and Australian sand to coconut husk and walnut shell, this scrub removes dead skin cells and impurities without leaving the oily residue typical of many body scrubs that would make your tan streaky!
Best body scrub for glowing skin
Try: Fenty Skin Buff Ryder Exfoliating Body Scrub
• Size: 170ml
If you want a body scrub that gives you the same glow as a week’s holiday in the Caribbean, look no further. Containing a range of exfoliants to buff away dead skin cells, fruit enzymes to polish, coconut oil to hydrate, shea butter to nourish and vitamin C-packed Barbados cherry extract to rejuvenate, it’s as much of a joy to use as it is to write about. The fact it smells something like caramel and guava doesn’t hurt either.
7 OF THE BEST WINTER BODYCARE PRODUCTS TO COMPLETE YOUR ROUTINE
It would be a shame to miss out on really reaping the benefits of exfoliating body scrubs by not indulging in a few glorious body moisturisers, wouldn’t it? Especially when winter leaves your skin drier than ever!
The best vitamin C body serum to brighten skin
Try: Boots Vitamin C Brightening Body Serum
• Size: 180ml
We’re used to putting a vitamin C serum on our faces to combat dullness, so why not our bodies? Well, maybe we just hadn’t encountered the right product until this came along. We’re in love. Who said you couldn’t have bright, glowing skin in winter?
The best hyaluronic acid body cream for dehydrated skin
Try: Boots Ingredients Hyaluronic Body Cream
• Size: 200ml
If you love using a hyaluronic acid serum on your face, chances are that you’ll love using a hyaluronic acid cream on your body too! Apply immediately after bathing or showering for skin that looks brighter and feels replenished.
The best body cream for dry, sensitive skin
Try: La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M
• Size: 400ml
• Fragrance-free
There’s nothing worse than skin so dry that it drives you to scratching to soothe the itch, a completely unnecessary act with this body cream. It’s formulated with anti-irritation thermal spring water, niacinamide, glycerin and shea butter to restore the skin's barrier function and minimise flakey flare-ups.
The best value body cream for dry skin
Try: Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Deep Moisture Fast Absorbing Body Lotion
• Size: 400ml
There’s loads to celebrate about this body cream: the moisturising glycerin, its affordable price and the fact that it absorbs quickly, meaning that you won’t have to loiter around for ages before getting dressed.
