19 best body scrubs for silky smooth skin, tried and tested

Body scrubs are ideal for exfoliating the skin on your body, and can elevate your in-shower routine. When massaged into damp, clean skin, the best body scrubs make light work of dry elbows and knees, ingrown hairs and hard skin, within just a few seconds.

These gritty scrubs are filled with a cocktail of ingredients that address common body skin concerns, such as texture, dryness and dullness, and are made with sea salts, sugar crystals and pumice formulations to manually exfoliate all over, or just in areas you’re keen to improve.

Many formulas are also strengthened by the inclusion of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), chemical exfoliants such as salicylic, glycolic, mandelic and lactic acids, which address dry skin in the long term. They are also great at unclogging pores to reduce breakouts and ingrown hairs, stimulate collagen production and remove excess sebum, dirt and oil from the surface of the skin.

As a result, just one use of a body scrub can leave your skin feeling softer and smoother, and, with regular use, this can become the norm. Many scrubs are rich in sunflower, primrose, coconut and jojoba oils (to name a few), which add a fragrant and luxurious finish to skin.

You can find body scrubs from high-end, luxury brands, along with equally worthwhile options in your local supermarket or Boots. We’ve made it our mission to find the very best of the lot, having spent weeks testing as many as possible, to bring you the crème de la crème.

How we tested

Given that body scrubs are literally washed down the drain, we were keen to see what’s worth your money and what’s not. We tested many different scrubs, at various price points, and examined each for abrasiveness, packaging, value for money, and any changes we saw in our skin. Our testing conditions were a shower bath with a glass screen, so we also evaluated how easy it was to clean away any residue after using each scrub.

The best body scrubs for 2024 are: