What Is A Body Scrub and How Do You Use Them?
Perhaps you’ve seen jars of sugar, coffee grounds or salt, with some type of label that suggests it will aid you in your quest for brighter, glowing skin.
While it’s easy to seem skeptical of anything making such a promise, using a body scrub is actually a great way to level up your skincare routine for your whole body while figuring out its role in your overall skincare regimen.
A body scrub is a type of exfoliant that usually uses something coarse such as sugar or sea salt in order to remove and slough off dead skin cells. This helps your skin achieve a bright, glowing complexion while also preventing further breakouts of acne.
Benefits of Body Scrubs
The top benefits of body scrubs are that they remove dead skin cells while also making your skin more capable of receiving moisture, and thus, staying hydrated.
The many benefits of body scrub include:
- Encouraging circulation and effective cell turnover
- Removing layers of dead skin cells from the surface of your skin
- Smoothing, softening, and hydrating dry skin
- Cleanses impurities and clogged pores while cleaning deep into the skin's surface
- Allowing ingrown hair to be free and smoothing over bumps from razor burn
Who Are Body Scrubs For?
Body scrubs are something that can benefit just about everyone with every type of skin. However, if you have a serious skin condition, take extra precautions by speaking with your dermatologist before trying a body scrub.
What To Be Cautious of When Using Body Scrub
Most people and skin types benefit from a body scrub and exfoliant, but there are a few extenuating circumstances. For instance, fruits containing pits, like nuts and apricots, can cause micro-tears in the skin.
Retinoids Containing Benzoyl Peroxide Retinol
If you are using a prescription cream or product that contains retinol or benzoyl peroxide, a body scrub will probably make the skin more tender and likely to peel.
Consulting a dermatologist is definitely worth considering if you don’t know if you fall into this category.
Hyperpigmentation
Using a body scrub for hyperpigmentation, or dark spots that become visible after time in the sun, then you should avoid using a harsh body scrub as it will likely worsen the darkened areas.
Sensitive skin
Though you can exfoliate your skin even if it’s dry or sensitive, moisturizing is even more vital after. Using a fragrance-free, scent-free scrub that you patch test beforehand is vital.
Sensitive skin can work well with exfoliants, as long as you try them beforehand and lean toward a gentler option.
Oily Skin
Oily skin often begs to be over-exfoliated, but it should come with a certain amount of caution. Stripping your skin of oil by overexploitation can actually cause an even bigger production of oil, doing the exact opposite of the intended goal.
Though it might be tempting, use a minimal amount of body scrub to rehydrate your oily skin while not coming on too strong.
How Does Body Scrub Work?
By exfoliating your body and taking care of it in a similar fashion as you might care for your face, you will reap countless skin benefits while feeling ultra-soft on top of it.
You may also prevent further breakouts if you struggle with acne on your back, arms, or other parts of your body.
Salt or Sugar Scrub: Which Is Better?
In general, most all body scrubs use a salt or sugar base when exfoliating the skin. Both have their benefits that are important to know when deciding which is best for you and your complexion!
Sugar Body Scrub
Sugar granules are less aggressive than salt, as they are rounder, making them a gentle exfoliant. Sugar is a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) known as glycolic acid. It eliminates the layer of dead skin before rejuvenating and rehydrating the new skin’s surface.
Salt Body Scrub
Most scrubs end up having grittier particles that help reach tougher areas that are particularly rough, such as the heel of your feet, knees, and elbows.
Salt contains minerals that purify and draw out the gunk deep in your pores. It works to detox your skin and clears out impurities, creating the grounds for a rejuvenated, bright, glowing complexion that has a healthy circulation and consistent cell turnover.
Combination Salt and Sugar Body Scrub
If you’re struggling to decide between a salt or sugar scrub, consider trying a combination method!
A salt and sugar combination scrub can give your skin the healing properties of each type of scrub. Combining the gentle nature of the sugar and the exfoliating properties of the salt will promote a healthy, glowing, buoyant surface layer of the skin.
How Often Should You Use Body Scrub?
You’ll want to follow some general tips when practicing exfoliation on your body.
Do
- Use lukewarm or warm water.
- Exfoliate 1-2 times a week for best results, and shining skin.
- Moisturize after exfoliation.
Don’t
-
Don’t use a standard loofah to exfoliate, as this can create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and can cause micro-tears in the skin. Instead, opt for our MicrodermaMitt.
Our MicrodermaMitt Deep Exfoliating Body Mitt is all natural, chemical free, easily cleanable, reusable, and long-lasting, while also being a much gentler material that is conducive for your skin's needs. - Don’t over-exfoliate, especially when you’re first starting. Instead, see how your skin reacts and increase the amount you exfoliate as you see results.
- Don’t shave after exfoliating. Your skin is especially fresh, tender, and exposed post exfoliation, so make sure that if you shave that it’s beforehand.
Ingredients To Look For In A Body Scrub
When Looking for a body scrub, search for one with natural ingredients, such as sugar, coffee, sea salt. Ingredients that are too harsh will cause microtears in skin.
The bigger the particles, the more aggressive the scrub will be, so keep that in mind when choosing one for your specific skincare needs.
If you choose a scrub with smaller particles, you’ll have a gentle, effective exfoliant. If you opt for one with larger particles, just be careful not to overuse it.
- Vitamin E
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Sugar
- Sea salt
- Oatmeal
Making your own body scrub is also a great way to keep your ingredients entirely natural!
Body Scrubs For Oily Skin
Many people with oily skin tend to overdo it when using a body scrub. But, this method is actually counterintuitive. When you deplete your body's skin of its natural oils, your body will likely overproduce more oils to compensate.
Moisturizing oily skin is essential, so finding oil-free sources of hydration is our biggest tip, such as vitamin E or hyaluronic acid.
Body Scrubs For Dry Skin
If you have especially dry skin, opt for a body scrub with effective ingredients. Glycolic acid is an incredibly effective ingredient when treating sensitive or dry skin.
Body Scrubs For Acne-Prone
If you are dealing with acne, then we suggest using a body scrub with one of the following ingredients:
- Rosehip oil
- Olive Oil
- Avocado Oil
Step By Step Guide For Using A Body Scrub
Step One: First off, rinse your skin with lukewarm or warm water in the shower.
Step Two: Gently rub your skin, staying in each area for about 30 seconds or so, using your MicrodermaMitt.
Step Three: After rubbing each section for no longer than 30 seconds, rinse your skin and entire body thoroughly.
Step Four: Pat your skin dry and don’t rub with a towel. Your skin is dehydrated and tender post exfoliation, so remember to gently pat the skin to prevent irritation.
Step Five: Moisturize. As we mentioned, your skin will be in great need for exfoliation, and your skin barrier will be particularly sensitive. Moisturizing post exfoliation is key, and an important step not to skip.
A body scrub is a great addition to both your skincare and self-care routine. Not to mention, lead you to a bright, glowing complexion.
Sources:
How to safely exfoliate at home - American Academy of Dermatology