Body scrubs, or body polishes, are just as amazing as facial scrubs. In fact, if you’re not scrubbing all over, you’re missing out on a world of wonderfully fresh, smooth, baby soft skin. But facial scrubs and body scrubs are not interchangeable products. So, what is a body scrub?
Although body scrubs are similar to facial scrubs and exfoliants, there are some key differences. Read on to learn exactly what a body scrub is, how it works, and why you should fit body care into your beauty routine.
How is a Body Scrub Different from a Facial Scrub?
Let’s talk a little bit about why your facial skin and body skin should be treated differently. To start, let’s consider your skin. It’s your largest organ and is made of layers. Each layer has a specific job to do, from protecting your body from infection and injury to producing sweat and regulating body temperature.
In broad terms, the main skin layers are:
- Stratum corneum – An outer layer of dead skin cells
- Epidermis– A thin layer responsible for protecting you from the environment
- Dermis – The middle layer containing nerve cells (and wrinkles)
- Subcutis – The inner layer containing fat[1]
Although you have the same exact types of skin layers from head to toe, the layers on your face, neck, and chest are much thinner than the layers on the rest of your body. This means facial scrubs are much gentler than body scrubs, so as not to irritate your facial skin.
How is a Body Scrub Different from an Exfoliant
An exfoliant is any mechanical, chemical, or enzymatic method of removing dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin.
- Mechanical exfoliation, refers to physical exfoliants that use the power of your hands to remove dead skin cells. Think of things like dry brushing, a sea salt scrub, a sugar scrub, or a coffee scrub suspended in coconut oil or olive oil.
- Chemical exfoliation, refers to exfoliants that use acids (such as salicylic acid) to break down and remove dead skin cells.
- Enzymatic exfoliation, refers to exfoliants that use natural proteins to break down and remove dead skin cells.
So, does this mean a body scrub is an exfoliant?
Technically, an exfoliant is only one of the essential elements of a good body scrub. The other component of a body scrub is a cleanser. The best body scrubs combine a body exfoliator and a body wash to sweep away dead skin cells and brighten dull skin. When building a body care routine, you should consider how often you should exfoliate with your scrub and what kind of scrub is right for you.
Choosing the Right Body Scrub
Body scrubs can come in a variety of types, each featuring different ingredients. Finding the right one for you means asking yourself the following questions:
- What’s your skin type—sensitive, oily, dry?
- Will you be shaving as well as scrubbing?
- Are you looking for a scrub that helps with mature or acne-prone skin?
Individuals with more sensitive skin or acne-prone skin will want to look for a scrub that offers gentler ingredients. This is also true for those who plan on shaving after and want to avoid ingrown hairs. Individuals with oily skin may get more out of a body scrub that offers more powerful skin care ingredients.
Regardless of what you’re looking for, always closely read the packaging materials for any scrub you’re considering. Look into what every ingredient does so that you can feel confident that you are using the right body care for your skin type.
How To Use a Body Scrub
With three simple steps, you can take your skin from dull, dry skin to smooth, baby soft, glowing skin:
- Step 1 – Begin in a warm shower. Allow your skin to become thoroughly drenched with water before applying your scrub. Dry skin will become irritated and broken if scrubbed.
- Step 2 – Apply your scrub to a small area on your forearm to see if you have an adverse reaction. Once you confirm there’s no adverse reaction, you can apply the scrub to your arms, legs, feet, and torso using a gentle circular motion. Scrub for no longer than 30–45 seconds. Leave on for the suggested amount of time.
- Step 3 – Rinse the scrub from your skin and pat dry. Always follow your body scrub with a body lotion.
The Benefits of Using a Body Scrub
Skin is a perpetually regenerating organ, meaning new cells are constantly replacing old cells at the surface. In fact, your skin naturally regenerates every 45–60 days.
However, at any given time, you have a layer of dead skin cells resting atop your newly regenerated cells. While these dead cells do eventually slough off on their own, using a body scrub to remove them helps speed up the process of revealing the vibrant young skin underneath that’s smooth and baby soft.
Get That Feeling With ExfoliKate® Resurfacing Body Scrub
Helping you get your best skin is our top priority at Kate Somerville. That’s why we designed our ExfoliKate® Resurfacing Body Scrub to help turn your roughest, bumpiest patches of body into radiant, smooth, baby soft skin.
The ExfoliKate® Resurfacing Body Scrub contains best in class physical exfoliating ingredient pumice to smooth and buff, lactic & salicylic acids to polish and refine, and natural enzymes to cleanse your skin and get you glowing. Try our ExfoliKate Resurfacing Body Scrub today to experience the benefits of body scrubbing for yourself.
Sources:
WebMD. An Overview of the Skin. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/cosmetic-procedures-overview-skin
Journal of the Dermatology Nurses Association. Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin. https://journals.lww.com/jdnaonline/fulltext/2011/07000/anatomy_and_physiology_of_the_skin.3.aspx
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Making An Epidermis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC2861991/
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Making An Epidermis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC2861991/
