Natural body scrubs & exfoliators
45 products10 brandsfrom £3
A natural body scrub, exfoliating bar or loofah for smoother skin, with sugar, salt and coffee scrubs alongside plant-fibre sponges and bath mitts.A natural body scrub, exfoliating bar or loofah for smoother skin, with sugar, salt and coffee scrubs alongside plant-fibre sponges and bath mitts. Pick a sugar body exfoliator for most skin, salt for legs and feet, and coffee for a firm polish. Pick by how much grip your skin likes.
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Choosing a natural body scrub
A natural body scrub polishes away dead skin with sugar, salt, coffee or fine plant particles, so skin feels smoother and takes moisturiser better. A rough washcloth does a similar job, and many scrubs add little beyond scent, so the grain and the base are what matter. Sugar dissolves as you work it, which suits most skin. Salt is coarser and better on legs and feet. Coffee grounds give a firm polish. Look for plant oils or butters as the base so skin does not feel stripped afterwards. SKNFED makes an organic coffee scrub and a Dead Sea salt scrub, BristolMade blends Himalayan salt with mandarin, and Douvalls makes an organic argan sugar scrub.
Exfoliating bars and the gentler body exfoliator
An exfoliating soap bar cleans and polishes in one step, with no bottle to finish. trii makes slim hand and body exfoliating wash bars with apricot and pumice in lavender, lemongrass and incense, and Beauty Kin makes an exfoliate body bar. A body exfoliator in bar form lasts longer if it dries between uses, so keep it on a draining dish. A body exfoliator for sensitive skin should have a fine grain. Use it once or twice a week and skip freshly shaved skin.
Loofah, konjac and the exfoliating sponge
An exfoliating sponge gives a lighter polish than a scrub and works with any body wash. The loofah is a dried gourd, so a natural loofah sponge can go in the compost at the end of its life. Silvan Skincare makes loofah bath mitts and a loofah back scrubber for the places you cannot reach. Auklett and Vove make konjac body sponges, which soften in water and suit daily use, and Nzema Appolo Skincare makes an organic exfoliating sponge. A natural exfoliator like these needs to dry fully between uses, so hang it up and replace it every few months.
How often to exfoliate your body
Once or twice a week is enough for most skin. Use a scrub on damp skin, work in small circles, rinse and follow with an oil or lotion while skin is still damp. Body Wash covers the everyday cleanse, and Body Lotions & Moisturisers has the butters for afterwards. Plastic Free Body Scrub gathers the plastic-free options, and Vegan Body Scrub lists the vegan formulas, because not every scrub here is vegan.
Common questions
How often should you use a body scrub?
Once or twice a week suits most skin. Exfoliating more often can leave skin tight or irritated, especially with coarse salt scrubs.
Is a loofah better than a body scrub?
A loofah gives a lighter, everyday polish and works with any body wash, while a scrub gives a deeper polish once or twice a week. Many people use both, a sponge daily and a scrub at the weekend.
What is a good body exfoliator for sensitive skin?
Choose a fine sugar scrub, a konjac body sponge or a gentle exfoliating bar, and use it no more than once a week. Avoid scrubbing freshly shaved or broken skin, and patch test a new product first.
How do you look after a natural loofah?
Rinse it well after each use, squeeze out the water and hang it somewhere airy to dry. Replace it every three to four months, or sooner if it starts to smell.
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