10 Best Face Scrubs, According to Our Testing

Mary Kay's GH Seal-holding face scrub is both proven to work and loved by our editors. The "gentle" exfoliator contains the "perfect" sized granules to slough off dead skin without feeling too rough or harsh, GH Contributing Beauty Editor Dori Price raves. "I love how smooth my skin feels and how quickly my serums and other products absorb after using it," she adds. GH Beauty Lab data evaluation also confirmed that it is suitable for sensitive skin, won't strip or dry out skin; plus, 92% of consumer testers agreed it left skin feeling soft.

Infused with botanicals like walnut shell powder and lemon peel, this exfoliating face scrub came to impress in our GH Beauty Lab face scrub test. It wowed with its deep-cleaning performance, scoring perfectly for cleansing in a test of full-cover makeup removal and highest with testers for both clearing impurities and brightening skin. In fact, a majority of Lab testers called it the best scrub they'd ever used, noting it left skin "so refreshed and smooth, I didn't need makeup" and "matte for hours after use." Note that the scrub is dark green and can be difficult to rinse out of your sink.

Well priced and gentle on skin, French brand Horace's face scrub is loved by our Beauty Director's husband Michael DiGiovanni. "My husband uses this mild face scrub as a cleanser, as he likes the deeply purifying effects," she shares. He adds that "it gives a light exfoliation that feels invigorating and rinses off easily." However, some feel that the exfoliation is too light and wish the formula had a little more texture to it.

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"Mild" and "soothing" according to Wnek, she turns to this Dermalogica exfoliator when her skin is feeling sensitive but still needs some polishing. The format of this scrub is a bit different: It is a powder that you sprinkle onto your hands and add water to, which she notes can be a bit messy. Though it's pricey, it is also widely loved on Sephora with 4.7 stars. "It leaves my skin feeling smoother without redness or irritation," says Wnek.

Made with soft, circular beads, Is Clinical's exfoliating version of its cult-favorite Cleansing Complex is great for all skin types, including dry. Our Beauty Assistant says that this scrub is gentle enough for her to use on dry skin every other day. Although it's pricey, "the beads are soft and smooth, so the scrub doesn't feel rough, like you're scraping or sanding your skin," she says. "Despite it being so gentle, my skin feels significantly smoother and more supple even after just one use."

Triple threat SkinMedica contains AHAs, BHAs and physical exfoliators to cleanse the skin. "I was a little worried about it being a scrub and a chemical exfoliant, but I was pleasantly surprised with how gentle it is," Wnek reveals. Thanks to salicylic acid, it is also effective for those with acne-prone skin. Though gentle, it could be irritating for extremely sensitive skin types or those with active breakouts due to the inclusion of both physical and chemical exfoliants.

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A combination of natural ingredients — including strawberry, brown sugar, plum seed oil and grapeseed oil — work together to exfoliate and nourish skin at the same time. Our Beauty Director calls it a "splurge" but "indulgent, thanks to its sugar and fruit extract formula." She also notes that "it gives skin a good sloughing yet it feeling silky instead of dried out. I would use gentle pressure when applying it as the sugar crystals can be coarse for sensitive skin types."

Exfoliating effectively at a palatable price, the iconic St. Ives drugstore cream scrub lived up to its cult classic status during our Lab tests. Our consumer testers found it checked many boxes: They rated it high for its fresh, fruity scent, dirt and oil removal and minimizing pore appearance, though some found its coarser particles irritating. “It gave my skin a glow and even helped my makeup go on smoother,” a tester noted.

The citrus scented face scrub seriously impressed our consumer testers as it cleansed skin without causing irritation. Many testers noted its light exfoliation, with one tester calling it the perfect combination face wash and gentle scrub.

Another tester who suffered from clogged pores and oily skin said they saw a visible minimizing effect after just one week. "My face is so soft; I haven't had a soft face in years," one tester added. "I like the amount of beads in the product, I feel like it gives me more scrubbing power." Testers shared it provides lighter exfoliation, so if you're looking for something deeper, then this may not be the pick for you.

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Developed by a dermatologist, this baking soda-based Zo Skin Health polish left skin silkiest in GH Beauty Lab testing. Also a GH Beauty Award winner, it was most popular with consumers, ranking above the rest at making skin satiny, having the right exfoliation level and being the least messy of all the scrubs evaluated. “My skin still felt smooth a day later,” a tester remarked, and several liked that a little product went a long way. It also contains retinyl palmitate, a retinol derivative, adding to its anti-aging benefits. Take note: Some consumer testers found the scrub to be a bit drying.