There are few things more satisfying than a good scrub.
Face scrubs are an essential part of your weekly routine if your skin goals include an extra helping of glowiness and a soft, smooth finish.
The best face scrubs are those that do all of the above without any necessary pain or damage - and to ensure that this doesn’t happen, take a deep dive into the product’s ingredients list before implementing it into your regular skincare routine.
Some face scrubs are gentle enough to be used daily and incorporate components that softly break down the dead skin on the surface. These should be used once a day as either part of your morning or night time routine. Other face scrubs work their magic from the inside out, incorporating acids, oils and microdermabrasion-influenced techniques to give your skin a renewed glow after just a few uses. These tend to be a little harsher on the skin and should only be used once or twice a week to begin with, while your skin adapts.
The benefits of including a face scrub never seem to end. For a start, they’re a great way to remove any bacteria clogging your pores. They also stimulate collagen production, which leads to softer, more youthful-looking skin. Then there’s the fact that more often than not they’re packaged up with luxurious feeling formulas that feel like a treat to apply.
We’ve rounded up all of the best face scrubs.
ESPA Refining Skin Polish
ESPA’s Refining Skin Polish is renowned as one of the best face scrubs around for those with sensitive skin. A super-powered product that leaves skin feeling soft, nourished and firm all at the same time, it’s one you’ll look forward to using each time your skin needs a little extra TLC.
A little goes a long way with this soothing scrub and its ingredients list is pretty impressive, too. Its Spherical Diatomaceous Earth polishes the surface, helping to unclog congested areas of the skin while promoting a more unified tone and texture. Rrose damascena and shea butter add a little extra comfort to your complexion, cloaking the skin in a blanket of moisture to unveil a glowing finish.
Buy now £32.00, The Hut
Murad Aha/Bha Exfoliating Cleanser
Murad’s Aha/Bha Exfoliating Cleanser tackles skin renewal from two angles: by dissolving dead skin cells and renewing the skin’s texture. One that you’ll probably want to use sparingly (once or twice a week to begin with) if you haven’t experimented with acids before, it combines salicylic, lactic and glycolic acids to encourage clarity and brightness.
Those looking for a little extra exfoliation will enjoy its never-ending list of other benefits: jojoba beads to further polish and re-texturise the skin; sodium PCA and jojoba seed oil to help counteract dryness and liquorice extract to provide anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties to your skin.
Buy now £39.00, lookfantastic
Dermlogica Daily Superfoliant
Dermalogica may not be the cheapest beauty brand around but virtually everyone who tries it swears by it. That’s something you’ll understand as soon as you’ve added the Daily Superfoliant to your regular routine. A powder exfoliant that delivers anti-ageing, anti-pollution and skin-resurfacing benefits, it’s an all-rounder that wastes no time sinking deep into the skin and working its magic.
Activating upon contact with water and fortified with Alpha Hydroxy Acids and activated binchotan charcoal, this unique treatment dissolves impurities from deep within the pores. It also incorporates niacinamide, red algae and tea fruit extract to help defend against pollution and environmental aggressors.
Buy now £55.00, lookfantastic
Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub
The soft, fruity scent of Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub makes this product a joy to use especially in the mornings. Bringing together the brand’s signature expertise ingredients with a powerful formula that gets to work instantly, it’s a top choice for soft, supple skin on a daily basis. This formula uses Luffa Cylindrica Fruit and Apricot Seed Powder in the form of finely ground scrub grains, which provides gentle exfoliation without any unnecessary impact.
Buy now £26.00, Kiehl’s
Burt's Bees Peach & Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub
Burt’s Bees isn’t just about hand cream or lip balm: the brand’s Peach & Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub is another must-try product that fuses together the delicious scent that Burt’s Bees is known for with high-powered ingredients to match.
This good-enough-to-eat face scrub uses finely ground peach stones to naturally and gently exfoliate your skin. It helps to remove excess oil, dirt and dead skin cells leaving skin soft and smooth after a single application. Willow bark and golden seal extracts, known for their astringent properties, help to revitalise your skin and replenish essential minerals, leaving your face clean and nourished.
Buy now £11.49, The Hut
Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Gentle Daily Micro Polish Wash
Super Facialist makes good use of vitamin C in its Gentle Daily Micro Polish Wash, which adds an extra dash of glowiness to its already impressive formula. With a fresh, zesty scent to match, this is a face scrub gentle enough to be used everyday but effective enough to notice a difference in your skin’s texture and feel almost immediately.
Designed as an anti-ageing product but effective on skin of all ages, it utilises high performance pro-collagen Vitamin C active for a more youthful, healthy glow and a smoother, retexturised skin appearance.
Buy now £6.67, Boots
Evolve Beauty Rose Quartz Facial Polish
Evolve Beauty’s Rose Quartz Facial Polish is one of those beauty products that feels ultra luxurious to apply, so you’ll probably want to reserve this face scrub for special occasions or whenever you’re going all out with the beauty routine.
This premium face scrub is packed full of natural ingredients to help buff away dead skin cells, unclog pores and improve the appearance of scarring. A gentle exfoliator, it contains both organic rosehip oil to help fight the signs of ageing by promoting cellular renewal and organic hibiscus extract which helps to break down dead skin cells and prevent future breakouts.
Buy now £13.00, Feelunique
No7 Total Renewal Micro-dermabrasion Face Exfoliator
No7’s Total Renewal Micro-dermabrasion Face Exfoliator does all of the work to practically guarantee younger looking skin and does that without costing you more than £10.
Focused around microdermabrasion techniques without the expensive and/or painful impact, this exfoliating face scrub helps to smooth, refine and renew your skin, sweeping away dull cells for unbeatable radiance from the first time you use it. It’s a little more intense than other face scrubs, so you’ll want to use this one only once or twice a week and always apply SPF after using it.
Buy now £8.46, Boots
NIVEA Gentle Exfoliating Face Scrub
Breathe in the subtle scent of NIVEA’s Gentle Exfoliating Face Scrub and you’ll probably be transported into a place of comfort. This impressive face scrub is arguably the best option around if you’re looking for results without spending too much money. A gentle daily scrub, it works by smoothing the skin’s surface for an even complexion while supporting the skin’s own moisture balance. Its Vitamin E-infused formula also makes this a great choice for those with sensitive skin, who may react to stronger options.
Buy now £2.79, Boots
Palmers Coconut Sugar Facial Scrub
It’s almost impossible to resist trying a little of Palmer’s Coconut Sugar Facial Scrub when you’ve understood just how delicious it smells. This soft, nourishing face scrub polishes, exfoliates and all-round leaves your skin feeling deliciously fresh. Its gentle formula helps to remove any dead skin cells and leaves you with a glowing, dewy finish. If you’re looking for a budget friendly face scrub that doesn’t dig too deeply into the skin, this is the one to opt for.
Buy now £5.30, Amazon
Verdict
For a face scrub that’s gentle enough to use every day, fine enough for those with sensitive skin and effective enough to definitely see visible results quickly, we’d pick ESPA’s Refining Skin Polish. This microbead-free exfoliator is a top choice for reviving lacklustre complexions with an even, healthy-looking appearance.
