Face Scrubs to Leave You Glowing
If you want beautiful skin, you need a great face wash and exfoliator for your skin type-here are a few of our favorites.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
A gentle cleanse rids your skin of dirt, oil, debris, makeup, and pollution. Use a cleanser fit for your skin type-gel to clarify oily and acne-prone skin, milky lotion for normal and sensitive skin, and creamier lotions and oils for dry and mature skin.

If you want to refine the appearance of dull, dry, lusterless skin, you need a second step-exfoliation. When you exfoliate, you scrub away the dead surface layer of cells, which not only improves skin texture, but also stimulates circulation and encourages toxins to escape through the unclogged pores. When skin is clean and exfoliated, it can absorb the beneficial ingredients in treatment and moisturizing products much more effectively.
It takes young skin 25 days to renew itself naturally by shedding dead cells and generating new ones. As skin matures, this process slows down. This causes a buildup of dry, dull flakes that give skin a rough, uneven texture and aged appearance. All you need to do to bring back a healthy glow is scrub gently. Exfoliating your skin once or twice a week will reveal the smoother, softer new skin beneath the dead cells.
If exfoliating leaves your complexion looking raw and irritated, chances are you’re using a scrub with large, abrasive particles. Instead, choose a scrub that obtains its exfoliating action from such natural ingredients as almond or walnut powder, chia seed powder, ground apricot kernels, sugar cane, dead sea salt, or fruit enzymes that dissolve surface cells with natural alpha hydroxy acids.
The ideal product should remove dead cells and prevent water loss (look for honey, borage oil, jojoba, glycerin, or hyaluronic acid). Exfoliation can leave the skin sensitive, so be sure to use a lotion or cream afterward to moisturize and rehydrate. Adding just one small step to your skin care routine can make your skin glow.

1. Polish your skin
With Earth Science Apricot Gentle Facial Scrub. This soap-free, moisturizing cleanser lightly exfoliates with walnut shell powder, oat flour, and sugar cane. Apricot kernel oil and orange, lemon, and bilberry extracts leave skin soft and smooth. Use daily to prevent blemishes caused by clogged pores.
2. Gently eliminate dirt, oil, and makeup
With Home Health Everclēn Facial Cleanser. Formulated with plant-based ingredients that leave skin feeling clean and soft, it won’t clog pores, and it’s also hypoallergenic, non-irritating, non-GMO, and vegan-friendly.
3. Buff and brighten your skin
With Andalou Naturals Chia Omega + C Radiant Skin Polish. Apple and grape stem cells provide energized antioxidant defense, an eight-berry complex supplies vitamin C, omega-rich borage seed and flax seed oils moisturize, and micro-polishing chia seed and walnut powders slough away surface cells for even tone and smooth skin.
4. Get your glow on
With Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub. Detoxifying Dead Sea salt buffs away dullness and smooths wrinkles, roughness, and acne scars, while refreshing lime, lemon, and sweet orange essential oils soften and invigorate skin.
5. Illuminate and firm a dull complexion
With NOW Solutions Clarify & Illuminate Age Transformation Cleanser. The gel contains Mitostime, a brown algae extract that has been shown to help reduce signs of aging, as well as hydrating marine collagen, moisture retaining allantoin and Manuka honey, and extra virgin olive oil.
6. Remove dirt, oil, and makeup in one step
With MyChelle Dermaceuticals Quick Clean Micellar Water. This gentle cleanser has strawberry and kiwi extracts and botanicals to nourish and revitalize skin.
Try it!
MyChelle Dermaceuticals is giving away 35 bottles of Quick Clean Micellar Water! To enter, email your name and address to community@MyChelle.com.
Tips to Get the Best Results from Facial Exfoliators
- Choose an exfoliator that is specifically designed for the face. Body scrubs are too coarse.
- Wet your face before exfoliating.
- Use circular motions when applying the exfoliator.
- Avoid the eye area.
- After using the exfoliator, apply a moisturizer.
- Do not use an abrasive exfoliating product if your skin is sensitive or if you have blemishes or cuts.