We spent four weeks testing these to determine the best for various skin types.
Exfoliation is an important yet often overlooked part of a skin care regimen. It helps eliminate the build-up of dead skin cells that can leave skin looking flaky, dull, and congested. There are two main ways to exfoliate your skin—use a physical scrub or chemical exfoliant. The latter has a small learning curve, so using face scrubs is an easy way to get the job done.
Facial scrubs use small particles to slough off dead skin cells, says Geeta Yadav, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Toronto, Canada. The main benefits of using a face scrub relate to improving skin texture, but you can also expect increased skin luminosity, reduced congested pores, and boosted brightness, she adds. While she recommends face scrubs for those with oily, acne-prone, and mature skin in particular, she says anyone can benefit from them—so long as you choose and use them wisely.
To find the best face scrubs for various skin types, we rounded up 21 of the top-rated face scrubs on the market and tested them for four weeks. We assessed them based on attributes like consistency, distribution, exfoliation, application, and skin look and feel. Additionally, our Medical Expert Board dermatologist reviewed this article for medical accuracy. Of the 21 we tested, the final cut came down to the top 10 best face scrubs.
Best Overall
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Exfoliating Treatment
Why We Like It
We love a multi-tasking product, and this Kate Somerville ExfoliKate exfoliating treatment combines the best of physical scrubs and chemical exfoliants. That’s exactly why Dr. Yadav likes this formula. While silica microbeads slough away dead skin cells, a duo of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) dissolve them deep inside pores. She points out that it contains a third type of exfoliator—fruit enzymes, which help resurface the skin.
After just a few uses, we saw noticeable improvements in our skin. The biggest benefits were brighter, softer skin. It evened out skin tone, increased skin radiance, and smoothed out texture. When applied, it goes on thick like a mud mask, but it’s surprisingly creamy and easy to spread.
It’s Worth Noting
The longer we left it on, the more we noticed a tingling sensation—almost like burning. That’s likely due to the powerful combination of AHAs, BHAs, and fruit enzymes. We didn’t experience any pain or discomfort, but others might not enjoy the sensation. Dr. Yadav also says it’s a stronger formula, so if you’re prone to skin sensitivity, she recommends patch testing first.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, papaya enzymes, salicylic acid
- Type: Physical and chemical
- Size: 2 ounces
Best Overall, Runner-Up
Lush Happy Skin Enzymic Facial Exfoliator
Why We Like It
LUSH’s Happy Skin Enzymatic facial scrub was a contender for our top pick for many reasons. It feels nice on the skin and washes off easily, but most importantly, it performs well. After using it at night, we would wake up to invigorated, glowing skin—the best it’s looked in years, we noted.
Like our top choice, it also contains some fruit enzymes for added exfoliation. Pineapple and jackfruit juices not only add nutrients but also revive dull skin. Despite having sensitive skin, we had zero reaction to this product. In fact, it was so gentle we were able to use it more frequently than the recommended 1-2 times per week.
It’s Worth Noting
It has a mild scent that not everyone will like—especially since it comes from an added fragrance. Our editor also compared the scent to nut butter, which makes sense since the primary exfoliator comes from tagua nut powder. It also contains parabens, which some people avoid.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Tagua nut powder, argan oil, olive oil
- Type: Physical
- Size: 3.5 ounces
Best Budget
Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub
Why We Like It
A face scrub with cleansing properties, the Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub is affordable, accessible, and gentle. Unlike some others we tested, the texture isn’t too thick, making it easier to apply and distribute. It also lathers with a cleansing element to it, which comes in handy for those with oily, acne-prone skin who need some extra decongesting.
After using the product, it left our skin feeling clean but didn’t give that dry and tight feeling. We like that it doesn’t strip the skin in that way. The physical scrub part of the formula is noticeable, but it’s on the gentler side and didn’t give us any problems in the way of irritation. In the end, our skin was softer, brighter, and clear—it even helped with some hormonal acne.
It’s Worth Noting
At first, we weren’t huge fans of the grainy consistency, which gets better when you thin it out with some water. It’s also not fragrance-free, which could be a deal breaker for some.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamin B5, vitamin E
- Type: Physical
- Size: 6 ounces
Best for Sensitive Skin
SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub
Why We Like It
Face scrubs and sensitive skin don’t always mix, according to the dermatologists we spoke to. However, they recommend this Skinceuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub for those prone to skin sensitivity because it’s super gentle and free of potential irritants like fragrance, alcohol, and parabens. This is one of my favorites because it’s well tolerated by most skin types, says Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut. She adds that the added sources of hydration—glycerin and aloe—help support a healthy skin barrier during the exfoliation process.
The exfoliating silica beads are so fine we could hardly notice them. A small amount went a long way, and we didn’t feel the need to use this product frequently to reap the benefits. We saw the most significant difference in our shrunken pores and softer texture.
It’s Worth Noting
The exfoliation properties are pretty mild, so it might not be intense enough for some people. It might not make a huge difference in those with very oily skin, notes Gloria Lin, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Silica, glycerin, aloe
- Type: Physical
- Size: 5 ounces
Best for Dry Skin
Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula
Why We Like It
While face scrubs are generally suitable for oily skin types, they can help slough off dry, flaky patches, too. You’ll want to choose the formula wisely, however. For dry, sensitive skin, Dr. Lin recommends this formula from Clinique, noting that it’s free from irritants like fragrance, parabens, and sulfates. Its method of physical exfoliation—silica—is also rather gentle, she adds.
We found this formula to be very mild, which is exactly why it’s ideal for those with dry skin. Face scrubs can have the unwanted effect of leaving skin feeling tight and dry, but that wasn’t an issue with this product. Instead, it had a creamy consistency that left our skin softer and smoother. It didn’t add any moisture to the skin, so if you have dry skin, you’ll still need to moisturize (which is to be expected).
It’s Worth Noting
It’s not an intense exfoliator, which could be a downside for some. Since it’s creamy, it also comes off easily and doesn’t really cling to the skin, which was a little off-putting.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Silica, coconut oil
- Type: Physical
- Size: 3.4 ounces
Best for Oily Skin
Exuviance Microdermabrasion Face Polish
Why We Like It
With a trio of chemical, physical, and enzymatic exfoliators, the Exuviance Triple Microdermabrasion Face Polish formula attacks dead skin cells from multiple angles. Dr. Robinson calls out the inclusion of 10% glycolic acid, an AHA that helps dissolve dead skin cells, revealing a layer of smoother, more even skin that was hiding underneath.
With its impressive lineup of active ingredients, we were hoping this product would yield brighter, glowier skin—and that’s exactly what it did. Our skin was noticeably more glowy, so much so that our family members remarked on the improvements. It also left our skin baby soft, more hydrated, and cleaner.It has the thick, sandy texture you’d expect in a face scrub, but it distributes nicely and becomes slippery when wet.
It’s Worth Noting
We wouldn’t call this a gentle option. The 10% concentration of glycolic acid could be too harsh for some, and we noticed some slight tingling when we left it on for too long. It’s also pricey for the small amount of product you get.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Glycolic acid, papaya enzymes, crystals
- Type: Physical and chemical
- Size: 2.6 ounces
Best for Combination Skin
Repechage Honey & Almond Facial Scrub
Why We Like It
You can generally expect to see improvements immediately after using a facial scrub, but we noticed long-term benefits from the Repechage Honey & Almond Facial Scrub. After the 4-week testing period, we noticed a boost in overall skin health, more even skin texture, and increased luminosity. It was hydrating enough for the drier parts while reducing breakouts in the oilier areas, making it a great option for those with combination skin.
We didn’t have any negative reactions—no irritation and none of that dry and tight feeling that’s common with facial scrubs. We like that the first ingredient is honey, a natural humectant that binds water, and this also explains why our skin was noticeably more hydrated. The exfoliation properties come from almond meal, which is fine enough to avoid microtears, though those with nut allergies may need to avoid it.
It’s Worth Noting
The thick consistency can be difficult to spread. It gets easier when it’s activated with water, but the others we tested were easier to distribute throughout the skin.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Almond meal, honey, oatmeal
- Type: Physical
- Size: 5 ounces
Best for Acne
Tatcha The Rice Polish
Why We Like It
Rice powder isn’t an exfoliating ingredient you see every day, but we’re glad we came across it in this Tatcha exfoliator. The rice powder foams up when wet, Dr. Lin says, and it’s formulated to polish away the top layer of skin to reveal a layer of soft, smooth skin. We found it incredibly gentle on the skin yet effective.
Like a good face scrub should, it resulted in softer, smoother, and more radiant skin, and it also lightened some dark spots our face had. Rhonda Klein, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut also recommends this Tatcha scrub to those with acne-prone skin because it’s gentle and promotes natural skin cell turnover. However, exfoliating on active acne isn’t advised. This could lead to scarring, Dr. Klein says, so use this in between active breakouts but not during.
It’s Worth Noting
The process of applying this product takes some getting used to. You add water to the dry powder, so you have to use a steady hand to ensure you get the water just right. It’s also one of our priciest yet smallest picks.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Rice powder, lactic acid, papaya enzymes
- Type: Physical and chemical
- Size: 2.1 ounces
Best Brightening
Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Scrub
Why We Like It
This Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power scrub is wonderful for exfoliating and brightening the complexion, Dr. Klein says, pointing to its loaded ingredients list. It’s packed with brightening agents like vitamin C and ferulic acid, which Dr. Klein says helps improve hyperpigmentation and dark spots. For exfoliation, it contains a variety of beads and spheres from ingredients like jojoba and cocoa butter to smooth out and soften textured skin.
It has a very grainy consistency, so be prepared for more intense exfoliation. Despite the thick texture, we found it refreshing on the skin and easy to move around. Thanks to moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, vitamin E, and jojoba, it left our skin feeling hydrated and as though we could skip our face cream. As the testing period went on, our skin was increasingly smoother and softer.
It’s Worth Noting
In the beginning, we noticed an uptick in redness. As our skin acclimated to the product, it subsided. The packaging was also a little frustrating. It requires two hands to open, whereas others we tested could be opened with just one hand.
Product Details:
- Active Ingredients: Glycerin, jojoba, vitamin C, cocoa butter
- Type: Physical
- Size: 4 ounces
Facial Scrubs We Tested That Didn’t Make Our List
- Fenty Skin Cherry Dub Superfine Daily Cleansing Face Scrub: At first, we had some hesitation about using this scrub since it uses sugar crystals for exfoliation. We didn’t have any issues, but sugar may be too harsh for some skin types. If you can tolerate the granules, expect softer, more supple skin.
- Fresh Sugar Face Polish Exfoliator: This sugar scrub left our skin softer and, to our surprise, more hydrated. It earned high marks during our testing, but it was a bit intense. With a gritty, sandy texture, this is best reserved for resilient skin that can withstand intense exfoliation.
Our Testing Process
We tested over 20 face scrubs during the course of a month. . Our process began with in-depth research on how face scrubs work, which products are leading the pack, and what ingredients to look for. We selected the face scrubs to personally test based on the current favorites among consumers and editorial experts.
A team of 21 editors committed to testing out 21 different face scrubs over a four-week period—one face scrub per tester. We took a handful of before pictures for comparison purposes, performed spot tests to rule out any negative reactions, and incorporated the face scrubs into our personal skin care routines. Manufacturer instructions can vary, but we aimed to use them 2-3 times per week.
Throughout and at the end of testing, we thoroughly analyzed each product based on the following attributes:
- Consistency: We shared how the face scrubs feel in hand—whether they’re creamy, sandy, grainy, etc.
- Distribution: Face scrubs can be thick and difficult to distribute evenly, so we rated them on how easy they were to apply.
- Exfoliation: To discern the product’s effectiveness, we looked for flaking skin and rated the product on how harshly or gently it exfoliated it.
- Application: The application process for each face scrub is similar, so we noted anything that stood out to us, such as irritation, stinging, or discomfort.
- Skin Look & Feel: One of the main benefits of using a face scrub is improving skin texture and brightness, so we concluded whether each product accomplished that.
What to Know About Face Scrubs
- Physical Exfoliants: There are two main types of facial exfoliators—physical and chemical. A facial scrub typically involves physically buffing away dead skin cells and impurities with large particles. But physical scrubs can be harsh, and it’s easy to over-exfoliate if you use them too often. In some cases, abrasive scrubs can cause microtears that damage the skin. Our experts recommend opting for a gentle scrub and using it 1-2 times per week.
- Chemical Exfoliants: Some find chemical exfoliants intimidating, but they’re far from scary. In fact, chemical exfoliants can be a gentler option than physical scrubs, Dr. Lin says. AHAs and BHAs are the two main types of chemical exfoliation. They include active ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid. The Exuviance Triple Microdermabrasion Face Polish contains 10% glycolic acid in addition to crystals for both chemical and physical exfoliation.
- Key Ingredients: The ingredients list can tell you a lot about a face scrub. For physical scrubs, it’s important to choose those with gentle beads, spheres, or particles. Dr. Robinson recommends physical exfoliants like rice powder or jojoba beads. In terms of physical exfoliants to avoid, Dr. Yadav recommends steering clear of scrubs that contain crushed shells or seeds. These ingredients have jagged edges and can cause microtears in the skin, leading to irritation and skin damage, she says.
- Skin Type: Your skin type will play a big role in deciding whether a face scrub is right for you, according to the dermatologists we spoke to. The skin type most suited for face scrubs is oily skin, says Dr. Lin, since it helps remove excess sebum or oil that could lead to clogged pores and acne. However, face scrubs aren’t ideal for active acne, so you can use them as part of your acne-preventing routine but not on current breakouts, Dr. Robinson notes. Face scrubs are also beneficial for mature skin since they increase skin luminosity, particularly those with AHAs that encourage skin cell turnover. The skin types least suited for face scrubs are dry and sensitive skin. If your skin is prone to dryness or irritation—or if you have rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis—Dr. Robinson doesn’t recommend physical scrubs. While face scrubs don’t inherently cause dryness or irritation, they can be a bit harsh on these skin types. Opt for a gentle formula or dabble with chemical exfoliants instead.
Using a face scrub too often can lead to over-exfoliation. Unlike skin care products that are used once or twice a day, you should limit your use of facial scrubs to once or twice weekly, Dr. Lin says. Increased redness, irritation, or dryness are signs of over-exfoliation, she adds.
Face scrubs should be applied to clean, wet skin, Dr. Yadav says, so wash your face before using them. Afterward, rinse away the residue with lukewarm water.
The primary benefit of using a face scrub is to exfoliate. A physical scrub buffs away dead skin cells and impurities, while a chemical exfoliant breaks them down and dissolves them. Both are good for achieving improved skin texture.