How To Use Body Scrubs

Our skin is constantly faced with daily irritants. From buildup of dead skin cells, oil residue, changes to the weather, and even stress, there are many factors working against our skin’s natural radiance. While most skin care regimens focus on stripping makeup and dirt buildup and restoring glow in our face, skin cleansing solutions for our body overall tend to get much less traction beyond body soap.

The leading method of restoring our body’s natural glow is through exfoliation, and here is where the exfoliating body scrub comes into play. In this article, we’ll go through how to exfoliate, how to use body scrubs, and how often should you use body scrub to get the best results. We’ll also talk about the many benefits of body scrubs and how you can leverage an exfoliating body scrub into your skin care routine in order to combat daily “radiance-drainers” and ultimately set your body’s glow back in motion. 

benefits of body scrubs

1. oh so smooth skin

An exfoliating body scrub works to clear away dry and dead skin cells, leaving skin refreshed, brightened and oh so soft and smooth. Just as you would on your face, why not give your body some pampering too? Look for ingredients known for their skin smoothing benefits, like sugar scrubs for body exfoliation or other natural sources of glycolic acid. Body scrubs with sugar are great for gentle exfoliation without the irritation. Why not give your body a facial?

With all the leaning, bustling, planking and bending, elbows and knees tend to be the parts of our skin that need the most smoothing. Frustratingly so, elbows and knees are also typically the hardest parts of the body to smooth out, no matter how much body lotion you apply. An exfoliating body scrub is often the best way to smooth out these annoying dry spots. Just be sure to moisturize after exfoliation to lock in those smoothing ingredients.

2. moisturizer booster

Most beauty experts agree that applying body lotion or a dry body oil after exfoliation accelerates the effects of moisturizing. The hydrating and moisturizing boost happens because the exfoliating body scrub removes dull and dead skin cells from your body, which allows the skin to absorb lotions more readily and fluently.

An exfoliating body scrub can also be a great addition to your acne-fighting regimen, as many body scrubs contain ingredients that help prevent breakouts on your body by minimizing pores. Exfoliating with a body scrub also helps when applying self-tanner to your skin, helping you attain a glow without the streaks. Overall, using an exfoliating body scrub acts as a booster to help maximize the effects of the products you apply to your skin.

3. razor bump skin relief

Knowing how to use body scrubs before and after shaving can be a great way to calm and clear those frustrating razor bumps. Exfoliating with a body scrub, like our lavender body scrub, can actually prevent that stinging feel that so often plagues us after shaving! The skin clearing benefits don’t end here- body scrubs also work to clear out rugged calluses, help the appearance of dark spots, and even tame those devilish ingrown hairs post-shave or post-wax by pushing them up & out versus allowing them to curl under hardened skin.

4. long-lasting fragrance

Beyond just the skin clearing benefits, the appeal of the body scrub experience has a lot to do with indulging in delicious fragrances. Basking in fragrant heaven is even easier with body scrubs versus other skin care products because fragrance tends to last longer on exfoliated skin. Just imagine indulging in a cloud of bulgarian rose oil after using a rose body scrub infused with real ingredients. Now you can use your rose body scrub or sugar scrubs for body exfoliation and bask in this fragrant heaven all morning long. A longer-lasting fragrance, especially if derived from natural oils, will help soothe and relax your body, and your mind as well. Now you know why an exfoliating body scrub is often used in spa sessions and massages.

5. decompress & destress

Healthy skin has both external and internal effects. Exfoliating your body’s biggest organ will surely leave you feeling rejuvenated. The little exfoliating beads of sugar scrubs for body exfoliation, as well as most other types of body scrubs, will give your body the gentle massage it needs to strip away stressful buildup, inside & out.
 

how to exfoliate

Using an exfoliating body scrub is a pretty easy task to add to your skin care routine. You just scoop a bit of the product out of the jar, apply light pressure onto the skin in a circular motion, and then rinse off. On body scrub days, avoid pairing with body wash as using the two products simultaneously often causes dryness. While the method of applying the product is simple, you do need to be aware of the following points in terms of how to exfoliate properly to avoid any complications:

1. ease the pressure

Don’t apply too much pressure when applying the exfoliating body scrub to your skin. More pressure does not lead to higher benefit. If you feel any sort of pain, you may be taking away healthy tissue.

2. temperature is key

Before applying the scrub to your body, soften your skin with warm to hot water beforehand. This will get your skin ready for exfoliation. If the water is too hot, you’ll probably end up drying out your skin.

3. experimentation

Feel free to experiment. How to exfoliate differs for different people depending on skin type and level of sensitivity. If you have sensitive skin, start using an exfoliating body scrub first on a small patch of skin to see how the body reacts.

Also be sure to choose ingredients wisely or you may increase your risk of dryness and even breakouts. But don’t fret too much! There is way more flexibility in how to exfoliate your body overall versus how to exfoliate your face, because the skin on your body is way less sensitive. One of the main benefits of body scrubs is that you can try a range of ingredients you would be too hesitant to try on your face. Experiment and have fun!

how often you should use a body scrub

As a general guideline, start off using body scrubs once per week, and then gradually increase to 3-4 times per week. If you are new to exfoliation, first test on one part of your body. If you know you have sensitive skin, talk to your dermatologist first. Keep in mind that every body responds differently to exfoliation. Using an exfoliating body scrub daily can aggravate the skin, while exfoliating too sparingly won’t be effective, and you’ll still end up with those frustrating clogged pores and hardened skin that brought you here in the first place. 

The benefits of body scrubs won’t necessarily shine through in all brands. Some body scrubs use pretty harsh and abrasive ingredients, so be sure you choose a brand or product that is transparent with its exfoliating ingredients and uses gentle, plant-based ingredients in its formulas.