8 best body scrubs for buffing your way to smooth and glowing skin

Since its 2016 launch, Beauty Pie has democratised the beauty industry, selling high-quality products to its subscribers for a monthly or annual fee, for wholesale prices – read our review of its products in our guide.

For us, this sugar scrub is the best money can buy, and for subscribers, it’s only £14.50 – for non-members, it will set you back £50. Rich in lemongrass, black pepper, apricot and evening primrose oil, it’s sweetly scented and the most effective scrub we tried for sloughing away dead skin. The lemony fragrance is luxurious and lasts on the skin once it’s been washed off. The wooden scoop that comes with it is a nice way to keep the tub clean too.

While celebrity skincare brands is an overwhelmingly saturated market (we’re looking at you Brad Pitt and Travis Barker), Alicia Keys’s brand, Keys Soulcare, is one of the very few we’d recommend.

This body polish – a creamy, grainy scrub that comes packaged in a tube – feels more hygienic and easier to manage in the shower with wet hands. The formula contains lactic and glycolic acid, two popular chemical exfoliants that slough away dead skin cells for smoother skin, coconut and sunflower oil, which have skin-softening benefits and bamboo charcoal. It’s gritty but not irritating on the skin, and, when it’s washed off damp skin, leaves behind a clean, refreshing scent of sage and oat milk.

This multi-purpose scrub is a versatile addition to your body and haircare routine. It’s made up of sugar crystals and coconut oil, which gently exfoliate and condition skin. When used on the body, it buffs away dead, flaky skin and is particularly effective on scaly legs or to keep skin extra soft after shaving.

However, it’s also a really great scalp scrub, if you’re experiencing product build-up on your hairline or you want to deep clean the skin on your head. When massaged onto a wet scalp, it emulsifies into a foamy cleanser that leaves hair silky soft and cleaner for longer. While it’s a luxurious splurge, it’s a true two-in-one product with equal efficacy.

This is the perfect blend of grittiness that’s abrasive without being irritating to skin. Containing cupuacu bio scrubs, banana, almond and honey extract, it leaves skin instantly softer and smoother. We love the refreshing maple, brown sugar and vanilla fragrance and a little goes a long way, so not only is this a great budget-friendly option, it lasts a long time too. It has a thicker consistency than most but also came in handy for exfoliating pre-fake tanning and helped prevent tan build-up on elbows and knees.

From the makers of the famous bum bum cream, Brazilian brand Sol de Janeiro also offers a body scrub with the same cult favourite Cheirosa ’62 fragrance. A little goes far, and it’s lasted our tester well over a month with almost daily use. Aside from the addictive scent, the gentle exfoliants are sugar crystals, microbeads, crushed cupuacu seeds, sunflower-seed oil, coconut oil and rosemary-leaf extract. It’s a gritty texture that we wouldn’t recommend for use on sensitive skin, but leaves skin silky smooth and invigorated.

This glass jar feels more luxurious than its price tag, and it’s more than double the size of many on our list, making it excellent value for money. The scrub itself is made up of sea salt flakes mixed with coconut and jojoba oils, which separate until you mix them, so make sure you give it a good stir before you use it, to get the best results.

It’s fragranced with jasmine, grapefruit and vanilla, and it’s vegan-friendly. The addition of the oil in this formula leaves skin feeling silky soft and moisturised, and the giant jar will last you ages.

This indulgent scrub is housed in a thick mason-like glass jar with a cute wooden spoon. With a formula rich in sea salt, jojoba and macadamia nut oil, it doesn’t feel scratchy but gently exfoliates.

While it’s recommended it be applied to dry skin, we preferred using it on damp skin, as it spreads easier. We loved the zest scent of lemon sorbet, as do many of Tropic’s customers – it’s a bestseller for the brand. The spoon may look gimmicky and small, but actually comes in handy to scoop out product and stir the oils, which can separate.  

Superdrug’s own-brand vitamin E range is home to some brilliant budget beauty finds, which cover the basics in your skincare and bodycare routine. This scrub is an effective way to tackle dry areas of skin and helps reduce razor bumps after shaving.

Containing sugar, sea salt and walnut-shell granules along with sweet almond and grapeseed oil, it does exactly as promised – gently exfoliates and softens skin. It’s not gritty or harsh, and, for a little more than a fiver, you can’t go wrong.