(Beauty)
(Literal) hot take: The best thing about summer is the feel of your skin after a beach day, when you’ve spent a full eight hours laying on the sand and swimming in salt water and your body is thoroughly exfoliated. That deliciously soft, smooth texture can only be replicated by Mother Nature — but these 20 summer body scrubs come pretty darn close.
“Your skin is exposed to more sun and sweat in the summer, and body scrubs are a good way to get rid of dead skin and clogged pores,” Dr. Devika Icecreamwala, a board-certified dermatologist with Icecreamwala Dermatology in San Francisco, tells The Zoe Report. If you don’t have the luxury of beaching it up all summer long — and really, who does? — the dermatologist suggests taking matters into your own hands once or twice a week. “You do not want to over-exfoliate your skin by using a scrub every day — it can cause your skin to be more sensitive, dry, irritated, and red,” she warns.
There is a way around that, though. “I like to do my arms one day, then my legs the next — I isolate different parts of the body,” Carson Meyer, the founder of Malibu-based body scrub brand C & The Moon, tells TZR. “If you do it that way, you can exfoliate every day.”
Ahead, 20 body exfoliators your summer skin is begging for — from an antioxidant-filled blend that fights bacne to an espresso-scented sugar scrub inspired by an Italian café.
1C & The Moon Malibu Made Body Scrub
Meyer honors her home base of Malibu by ensuring her products don’t end up polluting the ocean. “It’s packaged in glass, we avoid plastic, and there are no toxic chemicals,” she tells TZR. Instead, C & The Moon's body scrub features brown sugar to exfoliate without stripping the skin, and natural oils to replenish the skin’s barrier.
2Frank Body Superfood Scrub
Launching Jul. 20, the Superfood Scrub from Frank Body features spirulina (to detox your skin) and coffee grinds (to boost circulation).
3Jordan Samuel Skin Granita di Caffe Body Scrub
Sugar and salt and everything nice… that’s how the saying goes, right? Either way, you’ll find both in Jordan Samuel Skin's espresso-scented body scrub.
4Pacifica Crystal Lavender Crushed Quartz Body Scrub
Add some mystical vibes to your scrub sesh with the Crystal Lavender Crushed Quartz Body Scrub from Pacifica, launching Jul. 21.
5& Other Stories Havana Blues Body Scrub
Keep this Havana Body Scrub in your shower for easy access — and just try not to sing, “Havana-oh-na-naaa!” while sloughing away.
6E.l.f. Exfoliating Scrub
No need to break the bank to exfoliate — E.l.f.’s version is just $5.
7Follain Sugar & Shea Body Scrub
This one is sitting in my shower right now; I love that the tube is mess-free.
8Shiffa Basil & Mint Body Scrub
Make like a mojito and add basil and mint to your exfoliation situation.
9Oribe Côte d 'Azur Polishing Body Scrub
If you love Oribe’s signature scent for your hair, you’ll adore the brand’s Cote de Azur Body Scrub for everywhere else.
10Caudalie Divine Body Scrub
What’s better than a body scrub from a trusted skincare brand like Caudalie? The list is a short one.
11African Botanics Detoxifying Salt & Sugar Body Scrub
Made with skin-softening marula oil, African Botanics’ version exfoliates and moisturizes in a single application.
12Susanne Kaufmann Detox Oil Scrub
Sensitive skin? Opt for the fine poppy seed exfoliators in Susanne Kaufmann’s scrub.
13Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bod Buff Smoothing Scrub ‘N’ Mask
Attention, devotees of Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream: The brand’s Brazilian Bod Scrub might be even better.
14Herbivore Coco Rose Coconut Oil Body Polish
Herbivore’s Coco Rose exfoliator looks good sitting on your shelf as it does for your actual skin.
15Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Warming Body Scrub
The ultimate luxury is, as Jay-Z once said, Tom Ford.
16OUAI Scalp & Body Scrub
After you’ve sloughed away every last dead skin cell on your body, take this two-in-one scrub to your scalp.
17Kopari Coconut Crush Scrub
This brown sugar and coconut oil mix is almost good enough to eat. (Don't do it, though.)
18Girl Undiscovered Stint In The Wilderness Body Scrub
Not an exaggeration: This stuff might smell better than a beach day.
19Jill Stuart Body Scrub
Get glowing with the addition of crushed pearls.
20The White Company MAROC Pink Pepper, Saffron, and Patchouli Body Scrub
Inspired by the Turkish ritual of Hammam, The White Company's Pink Pepper, Saffron, and Patchouli Body Scrub is the perfect way to end your day.