Exfoliation is key to glowing skin, yet we often neglect our bodies in our beauty routines. Just like our complexion, regularly sloughing off dull skin is an essential step in warding off dryness. Sure, you can slather on body lotion all day, every day, but if there’s a buildup of dead cells blocking it, all the lotion in the world isn’t going to work.
When you use a body scrub, it can boost circulation, smooth dry patches, as well as unclog pores. Some of us may be a little traumatised by harsh body scrubs of the past, but with these new innovations around, you’ll achieve glowing results without the redness and irritation.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up 23 of the best body scrubs and exfoliators, so you’ll be left with baby-smooth skin in no time.
What to look for in body scrubs
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Body scrubs are mechanical (a.k.a physical) exfoliants. They use abrasive particles or granules, such as sugar or salt, ground nutshells, cornmeal, or beads made from natural ingredients like silica or jojoba to remove dry, flaky skin and dirt with friction.
To make exfoliation a little more effective, some scrubs even contain glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid to slough off dead skin cells and clear pore-clogging sebum and gunk.
If you have sensitive skin, we recommend using body scrubs that use oatmeal powder or sugar. These two ingredients are softer and much gentler than salt, nutshell, and pumice.
How often should I use body scrubs?
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Generally, we recommend using body scrubs no more than three times a week, although once a week is sufficient for most people. As long as it’s not causing any skin irritation, you can do it daily if you want to. If your skin turns red, gets irritated, or feels sore when you touch it, it’s time to hold off on the body scrubs.
For best results, apply a dollop of the product on damp skin in the shower, buffing in circular motions from your arms down to your feet, then rinse.
Body scrubs between S and S
Dove Exfoliating Body Polish Crushed Macadamia & Rice Milk
Slough away and soften dry skin with Dove’s cream-based body scrub. It exfoliates with silica, but it also nourishes your skin with moisturising macadamia seed and rice oils.
If you like a rich, whipped texture, you’ll fall head over heels for one of the creamies body scrubs we’ve tried. It’s also one of the most wallet-friendly body scrubs on our list, so go ahead and pick up two tubs.
Dove Exfoliating Body Polish Crushed Macadamia & Rice Milk retails for S$10.30. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Shea Moisture Illuminating Hand & Body Scrub Coconut & Hibiscus
Besides being an incredible body scrub, it’s also really effective for dry, chapped hands, so you’ll want to keep one in the shower and one by your sink. Vitamin E, coconut oil, and fatty acids are what gives the scrub an ultra-moisturising effect, which will leave your skin silky smooth.
Shea Moisture Illuminating Hand & Body Scrub Coconut & Hibiscus retails for S$12.98. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Innisfree Green Tea Pure Body Gel Scrub
We love a multitasking product, which is why we adore this two-in-one body cleanser and scrub from Innisfree. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich Jeju green tea extract in the formula brightens and hydrates while walnut shell powder exfoliates to give you soft, smooth, and hydrated skin.
Innisfree Green Tea Pure Body Gel Scrub retails for S$13.30. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Frank Body Original Coffee Scrub
If the scent of coffee gives you life, this gritty coffee body scrub will take you straight to nirvana with its signature blend of roasted and ground Robusta beans.
The natural scrub exfoliates with antibacterial sea salt as it moisturises and nourishes the skin with a blend of cold-pressed sweet almond oil and vitamin E.
Frank Body Original Coffee Scrub retails for S$15 (100g) and S$26 (200g). Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Argabody Argan Body Scrub
This coffee scrub by Argabody raises the bar for body scrubs with four key ingredients: argan oil, organic ground coffee, epsom salt, and citrus sinensis oil.
It exfoliates dry patches with organic ground coffee and epsom salt, while citrus sinensis oil lends an aromatic touch to the blend. There’s also vitamin E-rich argan oil, which balances sebum production as it moisturises the skin.
Argabody Argan Body Scrub retails for S$19.50. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Kopari Beauty Coconut Crush Scrub
This brown sugar scrub from Kopari Beauty is infused with small pieces of Tahitian coconut shells to reveal silky smooth skin. Using every single part of the coconut, the Coconut Crush Scrub is infused with coconut milk, coconut oil, and soothing aloe vera to fade dark spots and soothe inflammation.
Kopari Beauty Coconut Crush Scrub retails for S$21 (50ml) and S$65 (300ml). Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Handmade Heroes Super Duper Nourishing Body Scrub
The Super Duper Nourishing Body Scrub by local beauty brand Handmade Heroes is made with sugar and crushed rose petals – the most pampering way to end off a long work week.
Whipped shea butter, sweet almond oil, sunflower extracts, and rose geranium oil moisturise and deeply hydrate your skin, while the sugar granules gently buff away dry patches.
Handmade Heroes Super Duper Nourishing Body Scrub retails for S$21.90. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator (Sandalwood)
Made with heavy-duty exfoliators, such as pumice, bamboo charcoal, glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid, Nécessaire’s exfoliant is one of the most popular body scrubs on the beauty scene at the moment.
According to reviewers, it has a lovely gel texture that lathers well with water. Plus, it leaves the skin soft and scented with sandalwood. It also comes in fragrance-free and eucalyptus versions.
Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator (Sandalwood) retails for S$30. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Body scrubs between S and S
The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Gently Exfoliating Cream Scrub
You’ll find gently exfoliating sweet almond shell powder suspended in this creamy body scrub by The Body Shop. There’s also a whip of soybean, sesame, and jojoba oils, as well as shea butter and honey to soothe and moisturise dry, sensitive skin.
The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Gently Exfoliating Cream Scrub retails for S$31. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub
One of the most luxurious body scrubs, this exfoliant from Caudalie brings a fancy vineyard directly to your bathroom. It nourishes the skin with cabernet grapes, grape seed oil and powder, while its blend of lemon, geranium, and rosemary will whisk you away to a French spa.
Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub retails for S$40. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub With 10% AHA
This First Aid Beauty scrub tackles stubborn skin bumps like ingrown hairs and keratosis pilaris with a combination of physical exfoliators like pumice and chemical exfoliators like glycolic acid and lactic acid. You’ll want to moisturise right after using this, because some reviewers noted that it can be a little harsh and drying.
First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub With 10% AHA retails for S$41. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
The Sacred Ritual Morning Buzz Body Scrub
Give your skin a much-needed wake-up call with the caffeine-packed Morning Buzz Body Scrub from The Sacred Ritual. This natural body scrub uses coffee beans to exfoliate and rejuvenate, while coconut oil provides soothing, nourishing hydration.
It’s also packed with jojoba oil, which reduces redness and dryness to ease eczema and rosacea. Finally, fatty acid-rich cocoa butter protects the skin and keeps it looking healthy and youthful.
The Sacred Ritual Morning Buzz Body Scrub retails for US$32 (S$42.36). Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Malin + Goetz Peppermint Body Scrub
Blending ground pumice with amino acid-based cleansing agents, this foaming gel scrub from Malin + Goetz offers hydrating exfoliation for your skin. Peppermint stimulates and cools the skin, while bamboo and pumice exfoliate effectively.
Once you rinse it off, your skin will be left feeling silky smooth sans residue. What’s more, the formula is vegan and cruelty-free.
Malin + Goetz Peppermint Body Scrub retails for S$47.50. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Body scrubs between S and S
REN Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm
One of our all-time favourite body scrubs, the REN Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm contains a mix of buffing sea salt and invigorating botanical oils. You’ll feel like you’re receiving a professional body scrub at a spa thanks to the blend of sweet almond, olive, peppermint, basil, and rosemary oils.
REN Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm retails for S$50.50. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub
Aesop’s stimulating body scrub uses a blend of pumice and bamboo stem to slough away dead skin cells. Botanical oils in the formula purify and calm the skin for a gorgeous glow. Plus, this invigorating body scrub has a green, citrusy scent that will perk you right up.
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub retails for S$51. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Sunday Riley Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body Scrub
Sunday Riley whips up a skin-smoothing and softening exfoliator with salicylic and lactic acid to create the Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body Scrub.
Along with natural exfoliating powders, it gently buffs away dead skin cells and smooths rough patches. The formula also contains activated charcoal, manuka honey, as well as coconut water and avocado oil to purify and moisturise the skin.
Sunday Riley Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body Scrub retails for S$52. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Coco & Eve Glow Figure Bali Buffing Sugar Exfoliator
Coco & Eve’s Glow Figure Bali Buffing Sugar is a bestseller for a good reason. The scrub is formulated with coconut flower sugar, shell powder, and volcanic pumice to buff away dead skin cells, improving the look of stretch marks as it prepares the skin for the perfect self-tan application. You’ll love its delectable lychee and dragonfruit scent too.
Coco & Eve Glow Figure Bali Buffing Sugar Exfoliator retails for S$55. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose Coconut Oil Body Polish
Herbivore Botanical’s Coco Rose Body Polish simultaneously exfoliates and moisturises for softer and smoother skin. Formulated with a delicious smelling concoction of oils, butters, and clays, the star of the show here is Moroccan rose, which lends a delicate floral scent while boosting your skin’s moisture levels.
Pink clay not only lends the body scrub a distinct pink hue, but it also detoxes and cleanses the skin, while sugar gently polishes dead skin cells to leave your skin soft and radiant.
Herbivore Botanicals Coco Rose Coconut Oil Body Polish retails for S$56. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
Indie Lee Coconut Citrus Body Scrub
Polish away dead skin cells and buildup with the Coconut Citrus Body Scrub from Indie Lee. This deliciously scented blend of raw cane sugar and rich botanical oils leaves the skin hydrated and silky smooth. Infused with lemongrass, lemon balm, and vanilla, this has got to be one of the most aromatic body scrubs on our list.
Indie Lee Coconut Citrus Body Scrub retails for S$58. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
OUAI Scalp & Body Scrub
OUAI’s Scalp & Body Scrub is a deep-cleansing, foaming treatment that acts as a detox for your scalp and skin. Powered by gently exfoliating sugar crystals to cleanse and soften, as well as a dose of probiotics to strengthen your skin’s barrier, it eradicates dry patches for smoother skin.
OUAI Scalp & Body Scrub retails for S$58. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Wishful Yo Detox Face and Body Enzyme Scrub
This face and body scrub contains a potent blend of pineapple and papaya enzymes alongside BHAs and AHAs to create a soft glow on your skin.
Packed with charcoal and witch hazel, the formula unclogs and removes impurities from your pores to leave your skin feeling smooth and fresh. Our top tip? Use yours a day after hair removal to prevent ingrown hairs.
Wishful Yo Detox Face and Body Enzyme Scrub retails for S$63. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
FRESH Brown Sugar Body Polish
Made with real brown sugar crystals and nourishing evening primrose, sweet almond, apricot kernel and jojoba oils, FRESH’s Brown Sugar Body Polish buffs away dead skin cells without stripping your skin of essential moisture. There’s also ginseng root extract and peppermint to awaken the senses.
FRESH Brown Sugar Body Polish retails for S$65. Click on the link below for the most updated price.
Origins Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub
Ginger root has been used medicinally in Indian and Arabic herbal traditions for thousands of years. This is why Origins has harnessed its power in its Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub. The spice invigorates, stimulates, and gently buffs away dead and dry skin.
Origins Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub retails for S$68. Click on the links below for the most updated prices.
