Chemical Exfoliation Is the Skin-Care Step Your Body Is Missing
If you’ve ever used salicylic acid for breakouts or a smoothing alpha-hydroxy facial peel, then you’re familiar with the concept of chemical exfoliation, skin science’s answer to a scrub. But it’s not just great for your face—your body deserves the same love. I’m almost embarrassed that it took me so long to realize that chemical exfoliation is the key to next-level limb smoothness.
I discovered how well chemical body exfoliants work for body skin more or less by accident. I used Tan-Luxe’s Glyco Water Self Tan Eraser ($33) to take off my tan before having laser hair removal, and the result was positively gleaming skin everywhere. I now use the spray-on glycolic acid-infused liquid to slough off dead skin cells weekly, as an off-label use. I find it keeps my skin far softer and smoother longer than traditional granular scrubs and it makes my bathtub look less like a Jackson Pollock painting post-shower.
Chemical exfoliants are much easier on the skin than physical scrubs, dermatologist Ellen Marmur, M.D., tells SELF. Tammy Pahel, spa director at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, agrees, explaining, “Chemical peels go deeper within the skin than scrubs do, so, they tend to produce desired results with fewer problems.”
There are two types of chemical exfoliants: AHA, or alpha-hydroxy acids, and BHA, beta-hydroxy acids. The two most popular AHAs are glycolic and lactic acids. In cosmetics, BHA refers to salicylic acid. Dr. Marmur recommends salicylic acid and glycolic acid especially for back acne and chest acne because they “work to exfoliate the skin plus dissolve the proteins that clog pores and lead to acne.” She adds, “We also love lactic acid for dry skin.”
I’m officially a convert, and my at-home body-smoothing go-tos are now of the chemical variety. After testing out a bunch of chemical skin sloughers, these are the ones that left me positively smooth as silk.
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1Ren AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum
If I’m going to be self-tanning in the morning, I like to up my exfoliation the night before with this lactic acid-infused moisturizing body serum. I like that it smells faintly of oranges and leaves my skin looking especially glowy before I hop into bed.
Buy it: $42, sephora.com
Dermstore2Glytone Acne Treatment Spray
Dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D., prefers chemical exfoliants for her patients with active acne lesions. “Physical/manual ones can aggravate or worsen existing breakouts,” she explains. She opts for body sprays or solutions with glycolic or salicylic acid. “For those who still prefer the manual component, I encourage my patients to reach for a very gentle scrub or pad to provide gentle exfoliation without over drying or irritating,” she says. A spray like Glytone Acne Treatment Spray works great for backs and for sloughing off keratosis pilaris (chicken skin) that tends to crop up on the arms. I like to decant this one into a smaller spray bottle I purchased at CVS for travel in the summer.
Buy it: $42, dermstore.com
Image Skincare3Image Skincare Body Spa Exfoliating Body Scrub
Another dual-action exfoliator, this one also boasts both chemical and physical exfoliators to buff away dry skin cells. As a lazy body moisturizer applier, I like this scrub because it also contains a secret weapon: moisturizing beads to hydrate the skin. This scrub works to get rid of dead skin cells, leading to better absorption of body moisturizers when I’m better about applying them. Tip: The Body Shop Body Yogurts’ gel-cream formula is my favorite warm-weather non-exfoliating body butter to use post-chemical exfoliation for the body. The hyaluronic-acid-spiked lotion absorbs into damp skin fast, so you can go from your shower to jeans in 15 seconds.
Buy it: $28, imageskincare.com
Sephora4Skinfix Resurface+ Glycolic Renewing Body Scrub
I love that this bamboo- and lactic acid-infused scrub is a blend of the best of both chemical and physical worlds. It’s a pre-shower body polish (use it on dry skin, almost like a dry brush) designed to eradicate roughness on the body. Dermatologist Shereene Idriss, M.D., says that the type of exfoliator you choose to use on your body depends on the state of your skin and whether or not you are having active inflammatory breakouts. “If that is the case, then chemical body exfoliators tend to be gentler and less likely to traumatize your skin, which would lead to scarring and worsening of inflammation,” she says.
Buy it: $30, sephora.com
Paula's Choice5Paula's Choice RESIST Weightless Body Treatment with 2% BHA
Paula’s Choice makes my favorite facial exfoliant (2% BHA Liquid). This is the body version of that, friends. This body lotion’s results are visible the first time you use it. It manages to be lightweight in texture, yet super effective at getting rid of built-up layers of dead skin. Within an hour of application, my limbs are super soft to the touch. It’s also scentless, so it doesn’t compete with my perfume.
Buy it: $21, paulaschoice.com
Dermstore6SkinCeuticals Body Retexturing Treatment
Pahel points out that chemical exfoliants are great for smoothing wrinkles and crepey skin on the décolletage. She also likes chemical exfoliants for lightening up dark spots. I like SkinCeuticals’ treatment for achieving a smooth decolletage, in addition to softer arms and legs for sundress weather. This serum exfoliates and hydrates with a hydroxyethyl urea and aminosulfonic acid compound to encourage cell turnover while restoring the skin’s oil barrier. It also contains niacinamide, a skin-tone evener you probably recognize from your facial products that helps reduce inflammation.
Buy it: $61, dermstore.com
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