The Best Sugar Scrubs

Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub

Exfoliation and hydration

This hydrating scrub sloughs away dry, dead skin to reveal softer, smoother skin.

Best Overall

Find on Amazon

Effortlessly polish away dead skin with this ultra-rich, moisturizing sugar scrub from Tree Hut. Containing the skin superfood shea butter, this scrub is loaded with vitamins and nutrients that can protect skin and may even help in collagen production — key for that plump, youthful look of well-cared-for skin. It’s available in a slew of utterly spa-worthy fragrances, too, making this scrub an all-around winner in our book.

Pros:

• Gentle scent without the use of harmful chemicals or nasty ingredients
• Includes shea butter for both elasticity and hydration
• Thoughtfully sourced and made in the USA

Cons:

• The packaging leaves a little to be desired — it can get rather sticky and isn’t the most practical for showering
• For those with ultra-sensitive skin, this scrub may be a bit too harsh

Brooklyn Botany Brown Sugar Scrub

The sweetest thing

Brown sugar isn't just for baking — use it in a scrub for delightfully soft skin for days.

Best Brown Sugar Scrub

Find on Amazon

Get a good brown sugar scrub, and you’ll never go back. Brown sugar may help to reduce the look of scars and acne by gently exfoliating and rejuvenating skin, all while leaving behind an intoxicating scent and velvety-smooth feel. Excellent for sensitive skin, this scrub from Brooklyn Botany is gentle enough to use on all areas of the body, including sensitive spots such as the chest, neck, and face. But our favorite use has to be on the lips. Ideal for creating the most pillowy lips imaginable, this scrub does wonders for our puckers.

Pros:

• Ideal for more sensitive skin
• Versatile use for full-body moisture
• Does not contain alcohol, parabens, or sulfates

Cons:

• Follow up with a gentle cleanser, as the brown sugar does leave behind some sticky residue
• For oil-prone skin, this might be a bit too rich

Tree Hut Bare Shave Prep Sugar Scrub

A close shave

A pre-shave scrub makes for silky-smooth legs.

Best Before Shaving

Find on Amazon

While plain sugar scrub certainly does wonders for smoothing out dry, irritated skin, the combination of a sugar scrub and a fresh shave is the ultimate one-two punch for the smoothest skin around. So imagine our delight when we found Tree Hut’s shaving prep sugar scrub. Formulated specifically to prepare skin for shaving, this scrub exfoliates and hydrates, leaving behind supple skin that’s ready to take on a sharp razor. With a tropical scent of palm, lime, and coconut, this scrub ensures you’ll be ready for the beach in more ways than one.

Pros:

• Exfoliates dull, dead skin for the ultimate in shaving prep
• Leaves behind a brighter, more hydrated surface
• May help to boost circulation

Cons:

• For those with sensitive skin, the combination of a scrub and a shave might be too much
• Not for use on the bikini area

Forest Heal Face Sugar Scrub

Face-brightening hydration

Safe for use on the face, this gentle, brightening formula is ultra-hydrating.

Best Face Scrub

Find on Amazon

While sugar tends to be a more gentle scrub overall — it all but dissolves with warm water — Forest Heal takes it one step further with this scrub that’s specifically formulated for the sensitive face area. Helping to both brighten and hydrate, this multi-purpose scrub works wonders on cleansing pores, sloughing away dead skin, and bringing the glow back to dull, tired skin. With strawberry seeds, aloe vera, and coffee powder, this scrub creates a youthful, healthy glow that we can’t get enough of.

Pros:

• May help to control excess facial sebum and large pores
• Contains aloe vera and green tea for soothing sensitive skin
• Includes hyaluronic acid

Cons:

• Use once a week or so for best results
• We don’t necessarily love the scent

Geomar Smoothing Sugar Scrub with Argan Oil

Nourishing and rejuvenating

This scrub contains key ingredients for deep nourishment and powerful rejuvenation.

Most Nourishing

Find on Amazon

Containing both sugar and argan oil, this scrub packs some powerful nourishing effects that can leave skin feeling smooth and plump. Along with Dead Sea minerals, this raw, vegan scrub contains other special ingredients that may help fight free radicals and plump and hydrate skin after just one application. Argan oil is known for being highly absorbent, leaving behind silky skin without an annoying oily residue.

Pros:

• Contains Centella Asiatica, which may help to restore collagen production
• Includes Dead Sea nutrients
• Contains powerful antioxidants for a healthy glow

Cons:

• Excellent for exfoliating but doesn’t necessarily brighten skin
• Mix prior to using, as the oil separates to the top

Frequently Asked Questions

Are sugar scrubs okay to use on sensitive skin?
If you have especially sensitive skin, there’s no real way to know how you’ll react without testing a product. Because sugar tends to dissolve a bit, it is thought to be a little more gentle for sensitive skin. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. If you react on more sensitive areas, you can always try it out on elbows, knees, and feet — skin that typically is a bit rougher can handle a more intense scrub.

What’s the best follow-up care after a sugar scrub?
Although your skin may feel ultra-hydrated, it’s important to follow up with a moisturizer after any scrub. Because scrubs exfoliate, a gentle moisturizer to replace and retain any stripped oils is key for keeping that supple, hydrated feel.