Sugar Scrubs or Salt Scrubs: Which is Better for Dry Skin?

People often ask, sugar scrubs or salt scrubs: which is better for dry skin? Others ask, why should I bother to exfoliate? Exfoliation is something that everyone should do on a regular basis. It helps you to have softer, smoother skin. It makes you look and feel radiant when it’s done right.

Purchased by me.

Sugar Scrubs or Salt Scrubs: Which is Better for Dry Skin?

Salt Scrubs, while popular, are definitely on the more coarse side for a scrub. They’re especially good for rough skin, like on your heels. Salt scrubs are often made with sea salt, which is a natural purifier that helps to flush out anything trapped in the pores of the skin. I personally would not use a salt scrub more than once a week, especially if you have sensitive skin like mine!

Sugar scrubs are much gentler than salt scrubs because sugar granules are rounded. They can’t cut the skin the way salt or walnuts might. Sugar is a natural glycolic acid (alpha hydroxy acid to be exact), which helps to break down cells and encourage cell turnover. This is why I think sugar scrubs are the best choice for dry and sensitive skin.

You can absolutely make your own sugar scrub if you don’t want to buy one! See my coconut vanilla brown sugar scrub recipe for sensitive skin.

My current favorite sugar scrub is the Body Shop Shea Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub. It’s extra moisturizing for dry skin because of the shea butter in it. It’s gentle on my sensitive skin. The Shea Exfoliating Sugar Scrub has a very subtle scent that doesn’t compete with anything else that I use. I especially like that it lasts for quite a while. I personally only exfoliate my body once a week.

What’s your favorite body scrub?