The 10 Face Exfoliators For Clean Pores And Glowing Skin

All exfoliating body scrubs are not created equal.

Key Takeaways

• Best Overall: Radiance Enzyme Scrub

• Best For A Dull Complexion: Micro-Exfoliating Scrub

• Best Natural Exfoliant: Invigorating Coffee Scrub

• Best Brightening Exfoliating Scrub: Brightening Facial Scrub

• Best On A Budget: So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub

Some scrubs use high-quality ingredients that give your skin tone a natural glow, while others have actually been banned! (Read reviews and through to the end of this post to see why).

To make sure the new you in this new year knows just what to do when it comes to exfoliating face scrubs and body polishes, peruse our top ten list below.

 

1. JUARA Radiance Enzyme Scrub

Of all the face scrubs and body scrubs getting buzz in today's beauty circles, JUARA Radiance Enzyme Scrub sits at the top of our list - and for good reason.

First off, it clears skin, feels amazing, and it really does give you a radiant complexion, as the name suggests.

The formula combines physical and chemical exfoliators to clear clogged pores and slough off deadened cells, making skin feel smooth. Apple enzymes gently exfoliate by breaking down the bonds between deadened cells,  making it easier for the jojoba beads to brush away dirt and debris from the surface.

Along with botanical brightening agents like turmeric, cinnamon, and clove flower, this exfoliating facial scrub gives you a gorgeous glow and leaves your skin soft. 

(Pro tip: those who also use our turmeric eye cream know just how amazing this ingredient is. It's the real deal!)

 

Candlenut oil for acne-prone skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, and more

The Radiance Enzyme Scrub also incorporates nourishing candlenut oil to moisturize and soothe skin. Rich in both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, candlenut oil contributes to a healthy cell membrane and can help block the release of substances that eat away at the skin's collagen after sun exposure.

These essential fatty acids (EFAs) reduce inflammation and strengthen the skin barrier, and Omega-6 specifically helps clear up clogged pores.

Candlenut oil is naturally antimicrobial, making it especially beneficial for an acne-prone skin type. The turmeric and green tea extract lend antioxidant action to acne while also helping to reduce the signs of premature aging.

2. SKINCEUTICALS Micro-Exfoliating Scrub

SKINCEUTICALS Micro-Exfoliating Scrub is another facial scrub that works for just about any skin type and is especially adept at addressing hyperpigmentation and uneven tone.

This gentle exfoliating gel contains hydrated silica microbeads that remove deadened cells from the surface and improve the skin's texture. This gentle exfoliating facial scrub helps prepare skin for better absorption of whatever serums, creams, or other concoctions you subsequently use.

Give dull skin a hydrating boost and dead cells the boot!

We know hydration is a big help when it comes to your skincare regimen. The glycerin in this exfoliating facial scrub is a powerful humectant that draws moisture to the top layer of skin. It has water-binding properties that plump skin so your skin and make your face look a little younger.

Aloe vera lends additional hydration, which soothes, refreshes, and smooths skin. Whether you use it once a day or a couple of times a week, you will benefit from less congestion and a clearer complexion.

3. JUARA Invigorating Coffee Scrub

Harsh winter weather can exacerbate dryness on our hands, heels, elbows, and other bendy bits.

Luckily, JUARA Invigorating Coffee Scrub is packed with hydrating ingredients that will leave your skin feeling softer and smoother. It also boosts circulation. With repeated use, you may notice firmer skin where you used to experience frustration with sagging or cellulite.

For centuries, the Sumatran coffee bean has been used in Indonesian spa treatments to heal dryness for flake-free skin. Now you can take advantage of all those radiant skin benefits, along with more recent dermatological developments and discoveries. It's the best of both worlds, which is something we really love at JUARA. 

The coconut cleansing agents bring in vitamin E and vitamin A while the rice starch cleansing agent satiates thirsty and stressed skin. You can massage this exfoliating scrub into your skin in the bath or shower in circular motions, and you'll see a difference as soon as you towel off.

Here's an example of a coffee facial scrub you can make for yourself, though there is something to be said for JUARA's board-certified dermatologist-tested, tried, and true formulas.

4. Dr. Barbara Sturm Facial Scrub

This next facial scrub is great for sensitive skin types as well as for those who are more mature and looking for some anti-aging benefits.

Like other facial exfoliating scrubs, Dr. Barbara Sturm Facial Scrub helps clear away deadened cells and sets your face up perfectly for subsequent products. Because dirt and oils aren't doing away with blackheads, they can absorb all the good stuff in the serums and creams you count on.

An exfoliating scrub with anti-inflammatory properties to whisk away dead skin cells

In addition to Horse chestnut, which strengthens connective tissue, this facial scrub formula also contains purslane, an ingredient that has anti-inflammatory properties and stimulates collagen production. Add vitamin A to that, and your skin will soon be firmer with fewer breakouts or irritation.

Since vitamin A speeds up skin cell turnover, you'll likely notice less prominent lines and wrinkles over time. With more hydrated and smoother skin, you'll probably notice anti-aging effects all around.

5. Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator is another facial scrub that rightfully receives accolades from beauty buffs.

Like the other scrubs on our list, it removes surface cells and debris before they can clog blackheads and pose a problem. You can say buh-bye to those bumps from body acne and look forward to this body scrub that makes skin glow.

This exfoliating facial scrub saturates the skin with soothing jojoba oil, which brings much-needed moisture to dry skin. It also has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it works along the chamomile extract to calm skin and reduce redness.

It's a lightweight, creamy gel that just gets it. If you're not ready to get (or prepared to pay for) professional microdermabrasion, this facial exfoliating scrub mimics some of the benefits. Aluminum oxide crystals are used to resurface the skin and smooth fine lines.

6. Tula So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub 

Tula So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub has some features that are similar to the Radiance Enzyme Scrub by JUARA. Of course, we love our Jamu-inspired recipe, but this facial scrub deserves a spot on this top ten list as well.

While the sugar granules provide physical exfoliation, the papaya & pineapple enzymes use chemical (or enzymatic, to be more exact) exfoliation to remove impurities and brighten skin. It also incorporates probiotic extracts that help to smooth skin and ensure that it's not left feeling overly tight.

The price point of this facial scrub makes it popular with a lot of people. However, just know that how you store this facial scrub can make a difference in how long it maintains its consistency and efficacy.

Since this is a sugar facial scrub, storing it in the shower or alongside the bathtub may expose it to too much humidity, which can cause the sugar to clump. Store this facial scrub in a cool dry place, so you can take advantage of its purifying powers that much longer.

There's no synthetic fragrance, but it has a rather pleasing tropical aroma. It's board-certified dermatologist-tested and also steers clear of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

 

7. SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

The SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser is another one of our favorite face scrubs that feels great going on, and even better as you gently massage it in. When you rinse it away you may see that your sensitive skin's a little brighter and smooth.

This facial scrub and exfoliating cleaning agent contains exfoliating chemicals to unclog pores and slough off oily or dead skin. And as the name implies, this facial scrub and cleaning agent uses both kinds of chemical exfoliants: alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) and beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) to brighten your complexion and leave your skin feeling refreshed.

Just be sure to use the cleansing agents in this exfoliating facial scrub appropriately. And avoid contact with the eye area, especially if you're taking off any makeup application.

AHAs are water-soluble acids that aid in removing deadened cells. They help with hyperpigmentation issues (like age spots or dark spots), improve tone, and minimize fine lines. AHAs like glycolic acid make skin smoother to the touch.

Beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) are oil-soluble chemical exfoliants, so they can penetrate sebaceous glands and get to deeper layers of the skin. BHAs are often used to deal with acne-prone skin, sun damage, or any other related skin concern.

This facial scrub uses salicylic acid, a BHA, which exfoliates by delving deep into the skin to remove both skin cells and excess oil, or sebum, that causes acne. The AHAs in this facial scrub formula - like glycolic acid and lactic acid - dissolve the bond that holds deadened cells together. Then the soft jojoba beads help sweep all that dirt and detritus away.

8. Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Face Polish

If you're looking for an effective facial scrub, but you're on a tight budget, theNeutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Micro Face Polish might be your best bet. It brightens and softens the complexion, and doesn't break the bank.

This facial scrub uses glycolic and mandelic acids, both of which are alpha-hydroxy acids that help do away with dullness. Again, the key is nudging along skin turnover so that more evenly-pigmented cells can make their way to the top.

This process can even minimize the appearance of pores, and as mentioned earlier, helps with hyperpigmentation. With daily use, you'll keep dirt and bacteria at bay.

This facial scrub works well for any and all types of skin. No matter what type of complexion you have, this is a facial scrub you can consider incorporating into your radiant skin care routine.

9. Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant 

This facial scrub is slightly different from some of the others you'll see on shelves. Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant utilizes an exfoliating rice-based powder. When you activate this facial scrub with water, it releases papain, salicylic acid, and rice enzymes that get right to work improving the tone and texture of your complexion.

Use warm water to coax out the magic

The brightening and balancing exfoliation effect comes from the phytic acid in rice bran, as well as the white tea and licorice. Colloidal oatmeal and allantoin calm skin and reduce redness.

It is one of the gentler face scrubs since the rice bran is milled into such a fine powder. Still, it's more than capable of sloughing off deadened cells and clearing away additional oil, so if you have oily, combination, or any kind of skin types, you're set!

10. Acure Brightening Facial Scrub

Sea kelp and French green clay are fan favorites in the the Acure Brightening Facial Scrub formula.

A natural exfoliant, French Green Clay draws out impurities from the pores and does away with dullness. It helps clear the skin's surface, so it's smoother and softer.

Improve texture and skin tone with this face exfoliator

This facial scrub is also infused with walnut shell powder and lemon peel, which can deeply clean and purify your complexion. However, walnut shell powder, like some other physical exfoliants, can irritate those with skin sensitivities. Some claim that it can cause micro-tears in the complexion, leaving it open to bacteria and infection.

Gentle is the way to go

The goal is to support the epidermis barrier that keeps moisture in and irritants out. The stratum corneum, the outermost layer of our skin is tasked with this responsibility, so we want to make sure we're always gently exfoliating and not overdoing it.

With this facial scrub, the complexion feels clarified and looks a bit brighter.

Exfoliating your cares away

Exfoliating face scrubs are an important part of any skincare ritual.

So if you're looking for a way to give yourself that indulgent spa-at-home treatment, include a face scrub. You might find yourself whisked away by the botanical scent.

 

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Juara Skincare incorporates ancient rituals with western skincare science creating the ultimate beauty experience. We aim to transport you from the mundane to the extraordinary with our exotic ingredients, intoxicating scents, and powerful, skin-improving formulas. All of our products are nutrient-rich, and botanically based. We are proud to be certified cruelty-free. Get the latest skin care tips and info on Juara products by following us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.