Which face scrub is best?
If you want radiant, smooth skin with a healthy, youthful glow, add a facial scrub to your skin care routine. Exfoliating regularly offers compelling benefits like a more even skin tone, increased circulation and the cleansing of clogged pores. It also removes dead skin cells, stimulating cell turnover and encouraging new, plump skin to replace fine lines, wrinkles and blemishes.
The Era Organics Microdermabrasion Facial Scrub and Face Exfoliator is an excellent choice for those seeking an organic, all-natural facial scrub that’s also effective. This gentle microdermabrasion sugar scrub can be used in several ways and is packed with high-quality botanical ingredients like organic aloe vera, manuka honey, walnut and vitamin C.
What to know before you buy a facial scrub
Decide if you want a physical exfoliant or chemical exfoliant
Exfoliants fall into two categories: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliants include facial scrubs, which use granules to literally scrub dead skin cells, oil, dirt and grime from your skin. Chemical exfoliants, like peels and acid serums, dissolve dead skin cells at the skin’s surface and within the skin. Some products incorporate both physical and chemical exfoliating agents.
Look for highly effective ingredients
Some ingredients excel at exfoliating skin. If you’re using a physical exfoliant, make it a priority to find a facial scrub with skin-friendly, gentle ingredients like jojoba beads, poppy seeds and pumice. These ingredients moisturize your skin while they exfoliate it.
Excellent natural ingredients for chemical exfoliants include pomegranate, pineapple and papaya. The star line-up of chemical exfoliants consists of acids that ramp up cell turnover. These include salicylic, lactic, glycolic, mandelic, lactobionic and malic acids.
Take your skin type into account
As with any skin care product, you should always consider your skin type when shopping for a facial scrub. Look for exfoliating products that contain the following ingredients.
- Sensitive skin: gentle chemical exfoliants with lactic acid
- Normal/combination skin: mild physical exfoliant agents, glycolic acid and salicylic acid
- Oily skin: salicylic acid and charcoal
- Dry skin: moisturizing ingredients like lactic acid, jojoba beads, poppy seeds and pumice
What to look for in a quality facial scrub
Scrubs designed for your face
You should never use products intended for use on your body to exfoliate your face. The skin on your face is more sensitive and oilier than the skin on your body, so you should only use products specially formulated for your face.
Plant-based or synthetic facial scrubs
If using an all-natural face scrub formulated solely with plant-based ingredients is a top priority for you, carefully research every ingredient contained in any facial scrub you consider. Doing so may take some time, but your peace of mind is well worth the investment.
Fragrance or fragrance-free facial scrubs
Fragrances, both synthetic and natural, can cause reactions in people who are sensitive to fragrance. These reactions can range from headaches to full-blown allergic reactions. On the other hand, some people aren’t bothered one bit by fragrances and enjoy them. If you’re in the former category, stick to facial scrubs that are fragrance-free to be on the safe side.
How much you can expect to spend on facial scrub
The price of facial scrubs is low compared to many other skin care products. You can find a high-quality facial scrub for as low as $15. Facial scrubs top out around $30, but most don’t cost this much.
Facial scrub FAQ
Is using a facial scrub necessary?
A. Exfoliating your face with a scrub is important and very beneficial. It serves three purposes. First, exfoliating encourages healthy cell turnover by removing dead skin cells to reveal new ones. Second, by eliminating dead skin cells, a facial scrub refines the appearance of pores and makes them appear smaller. Third, exfoliating allows skin products to penetrate more deeply and work more effectively.
How often should you use a facial scrub?
A. You should never go overboard with how often you use a facial scrub. Two to three times per week is sufficient. Exfoliating more often risks irritating your skin, which can cause more harm than good.
What’s the best facial scrub to buy?
Top facial scrub
Era Organics Microdermabrasion Facial Scrub & Face Exfoliator
What you need to know: With the ability to be used as a facial scrub or mask, this product exfoliates, moisturizes, minimizes your pores and removes blackheads.
What you’ll love: This gentle microdermabrasion sugar scrub gently exfoliates your skin to banish dirt and grime to reveal healthy, glowing skin. You can also apply this non-toxic scrub as a facial mask that minimizes the appearance of spots, fine lines and wrinkles while balancing your skin tone. The paraben- and alcohol-free formula contains high-quality botanical ingredients, including organic aloe vera, manuka honey, walnut and vitamin C.
What you should consider: Some users say the granules weren’t fine enough and that the scrub left a film even after rinsing with water.
Top facial scrub for the money
What you need to know: This exfoliating cream with fine granules clears and refines your pores, along with de-flaking your skin, to produce a polished complexion.
What you’ll love: You can use this fragrance-free scrub regardless of your skin type, as it’s suitable for regular, dry, combination and oily skin. Buyers praise this scrub for leaving their skin smooth and soft.
What you should consider: A few buyers felt the scrub lacked enough granules to exfoliate effectively.
Worth checking out
Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash
What you need to know: A clinical study showed that this facial scrub refined skin texture and removed impurities for most participants.
What you’ll love: This exfoliating face wash is formulated with sugar crystals and real strawberries and boasts powerful natural ingredients. Grapeseed oil delivers hydration, strawberry and black currant extracts nurture a healthy-looking complexion, and a blend of white sugar crystals softens and smooths the appearance of your skin.
What you should consider: Some buyers report a lack of exfoliating power and an artificial smell.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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