Scrubbing your face clean is highly recommended even for delicate skin. The best face exfoliators are specially suited for this purpose. It will remove any dirt in your skin and unclog your pores. Exfoliating the skin will tone your skin, reveal the healthier skin underneath and improve your complexion. Another benefit is that other facial creams and moisturizers will work more effectively if your regularly exfoliate.
Our Choice for the Best Face Exfoliator
Burt’s Bees Citrus Facial Scrub
Why we love it:
- 99.94% natural – made with fresh herbs, botanical oils & natural preservatives
- Leaves skin fresh & dewy
- Gentle for daily use
Best Exfoliator For Face
1. Normal Skin
Good news for those with normal skin, you don’t need to be too particular and look for the with your choice. For this type of skin, it’s best to find an exfoliator which offers maximum efficacy. Your skin should be thoroughly cleansed and dead skin removed while the other ingredients moisturize and refresh your skin.
2. Best face exfoliator for oily skin
With oily skin, pores tend to clog and breakouts such as blackheads and acne can be expected. The goal of exfoliation here is to cleanse the skin, unblock pores and minimize the oil from your skin. Look for an exfoliator with those properties. For best results, exfoliate a couple of times a week but don’t neglect to apply moisturizer after. The type of moisturizer you use also makes a difference as it should only supplement the natural oils from your skin but not make it worse.
3. Best face wash for dry skin
Exfoliating does a great deal for dry skin which is prone to flaking. Over-exfoliation, however, without any hydration will aggravate the dryness so it’s important to look for an exfoliator with moisturizing ingredients. Exfoliating should also be kept to only one or two times a week and a moisturizer should always be applied to your skin afterwards.
4. Best face exfoliator for sensitive skin
If you have delicate skin, choose products specifically made for sensitive skin. You can also try powder type exfoliators. These are supremely gentle and perfect for sensitive skin. Just mix some water with the powder and rub all over your face. Limit exfoliation, though, to once a week and be sure to test the product on a small area of your skin first.
5. Combination skin
Exfoliators with grains or microbeads are great for combination skin. These microbeads used to be made of plastic but organic-based beads, such as jojoba beads, are more eco-friendly and are now preferred. This kind of exfoliator is supposed to be rubbed carefully on your face in circular motions and upwards.
Best Facial Exfoliators
| | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avene Gentle Purifying Scrub | Specially formulated for sensitive skin; gel type exfoliator contains microbeads, free of parabens & oil & contains thermal spring water + sodium salicylate; makes skin soft, smooth & well-hydrated | Very Good | Low | 4.5 / 5 |
| The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator | Gel-type scrub for combination or sensitive skin infused with jojoba micro beads; features hydrating properties & cleanses the skin while balancing oil production; conditions & prepares skin prior to cream or moisturizer application | Very Good | Mid-Range | 4.6 / 5 |
| Burt’s Bees Citrus Facial Scrub | Citrus facial scrub with natural ingredients cleans & rids of impurities; contains oats, ground pecans & almonds; works well on combination skin & sensitive skin; smells good but not to be used frequently | Excellent | Mid-Range | 4.8 / 5 |
| Clinique Exfoliating Scrub | Perfect for delicate skin, fragrance-free, non-irritating & non-comedogenic; water-based exfoliator good for oily skin; contains Salicylic acid to control acne & micro-beads for exfoliating | Good | Mid-Range | 4.0 / 5 |
| Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafoliant | Uses a combination of physical & chemical exfoliation for total cleansing effect; best for normal skin but may be too abrasive for sensitive skin | Very Good | High | 4.6 / 5 |
| Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub | Creamy exfoliator for normal & oily skin; contains pineapple & papaya extracts + Vitamin E to exfoliate & purify skin; regulates production of oil & moisturizes; restores radiance, softness & smoothness of skin | Good | Mid-Range | 4.0 / 5 |
| Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant | Highly recommended for sensitive skin & contains organic ingredients; thick, creamy texture with jojoba micro-beads; also contains kaolin clay, rosehip oil + honey; special formula to prevent breakouts, redness & irritations | Good | Mid-Range | 4.0 / 5 |
| Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub | Best for both oily & sensitive skin; contains Beta Hydroxy and tiny microbeads for soft, healthy skin; ingredients include physical & chemical exfoliating properties + non-comedogenic properties; scrub spreads well with fresh & light scent | Very Good | Low | 4.6 / 5 |
1. Avene Gentle Purifying Scrub
Avene Gentle Purifying Scrub is specially formulated for sensitive skin. This gel type exfoliator contains microbeads and can also be used for oily and combination skin. It’s free of parabens and oil and does not irritate the skin. The key ingredients are thermal spring water which make the skin softer, and sodium salicylate which gets rid of dirt on the skin without subjecting it to harshness. The scrub yields pleasantly soft skin that’s smooth and well-hydrated but not dry.
2. The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator
For combination or sensitive skin, the Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator is a terrific choice. This scrub is a gel type and infused with jojoba micro beads. It also uses the hydrating properties of seaweed to provide a deep clean without any breakouts. This exfoliator cleanses the skin to keep blackheads and whiteheads from forming and it balances the skin’s production of oil. At the same time, it conditions the skin and prepares it for other creams and moisturizers.
3. Burt’s Bees Citrus Facial Scrub
If you’re looking for a product with natural ingredients, you’ll love Burt’s Bees Citrus Facial Scrub. Thanks to its grapefruit and orange oils, it cleans the skin and rids it of impurities. It also uses oats, and ground pecans and almonds for natural exfoliation, while almond oil noticeably hydrates the skin. It works well on combination skin and may even be used on sensitive skin if it’s not applied too frequently. Some users have also commented that it smells wonderful, plus it’s quite affordable.
4. Clinique Exfoliating Scrub
Known for their finest quality products that are perfect for delicate skin, Clinique’s Exfoliating Scrub is fragrance-free, non-irritating and non-comedogenic. It’s also a water-based type of exfoliator which is good for oily skin. Salicylic acid is effective for controlling acne and the microbeads do a great job of exfoliating. If your pores are clogged, this scrub will open your pores and thoroughly remove the dirt from your skin’s surface. It smoothes and revitalizes the skin as well to leave you with a glowing complexion.
5. Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafoliant
While most scrubs utilize physical exfoliation, the Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafoliant uses a combination of physical and chemical exfoliation for maximum results. If you need a powerful exfoliator that totally cleanses the skin’s surface, to expose new skin underneath with an enhanced texture, this creamy scrub should be part of your weekly regimen. This product is best for normal skin but might feel too abrasive for sensitive skin.
6. Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub
Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub is an excellent creamy exfoliator that normal and oily skin will appreciate. Thanks to its enzymes extracted from pineapple and papaya, plus the power of Vitamin E, skin is exfoliated and purified. It also helps regulate the skin’s production of oil, at the same time, keeping the skin moisturized. With this scrub, your skin becomes soft and smooth, and its health and radiance are restored.
7. Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant
One of the more powerful exfoliators that’s recommended for sensitive skin is Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant. Containing organic ingredients, this exfoliator has a thick, creamy texture and uses jojoba micro-beads. Thanks to ingredients like kaolin clay, rosehip oil and honey, it scrubs and disinfects the skin gently to produce a fresh and clean, but not overly-dry sensation afterwards. Its special formula ensures that your skin will not break out or become red and irritated.
8. Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub
Best for oily skin and suitable for sensitive skin, Neutrogena’s Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser contains Beta Hydroxy and tiny microbeads to yield soft and healthy skin. The ingredients used have both physical and chemical exfoliating properties. However, the mild formulation works like a charm and it’s non-comedogenic. This scrub spreads well on the skin and gives a deep thorough clean so that dead skin cells are removed but without any harshness or irritation. The fresh and light scent is a bonus.