Face scrub commercials really sell it. We’ve all seen the footage: A woman lathers up with a scrub, splashes her face with water (without it going everywhere, the lie of our time), and smiles at her fresh, clean skin in the mirror. The reality is, of course, much more nuanced—and given that exfoliation is the key to glowy skin, it’s worth it to get into the nitty-gritty before grabbing a random bottle off the shelf.
Physical scrubs with a sandy, powder base are a good place to start for sensitive skin, since the fine grit lets you decide how intense it gets. The more water you mix in, the gentler they get, and they don’t have acids (if those make your skin freak out). But if you’re dealing with a breakout more often than not, look for acid over grit. Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) work by dissolving dead skin cells and zit-causing oil without manual scrubbing. And if you have dry skin, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) will help you glow without the heavy lifting. Lastly, for combination skin, derms often recommend a physical-chemical hybrid. The sandy texture removes dead skin cells with friction, while acids and enzymes get rid of oil without bothering your dry spots.
It’s a lot to take in, so we turned it over to our staff and narrowed down the options to ones with proven results. Read on for the best face scrubs Glamour editors swear by.