A good body scrub can leave you feeling all fresh and clean, but there are medicinal benefits to the ritual as well.“Aside from the exfoliation and moisturizing effects, body scrubs improve the circulation of blood and lymph to the skin’s surface, to invigorate, even out skintone, and help fight cellulite,” explains Los Angeles dermatologist, Dr. Ava Shamban, and author of “Heal Your Skin”.MORE: Other Dry Skin SolutionsMost scrubs consist of mildly abrasive particles. They can be botanical (enzyme), mineral (salt) or synthetic (buffing beads) and all are suspended in a hydrating cleansing base.For best results, pull one out once or twice a week to slough off the top layer of dead skin cells. Dial it back a bit during the colder winter months when skin tends to be drier. And if you’re self-tanning, a scrub-down is the perfect prep step to ensure flawless color application.When choosing a scrub, Shamban recommends naturally-derived granules and ingredients so you can take advantage of the vitamins, antioxidants and minerals that will penetrate and nourish skin cells. Beware of large, sharp particles (common in seed scrubs) that can irritate and scrape fragile skin.And keep your skin type in mind when choosing blends. “Fruit enzyme-based scrubs such as citrus and pineapple work best for oily skins, milky and cream-based scrubs like avocado are great for dryer individuals, and oatmeal is soothing for sensitive types,” says Shamban.QUIZ: Do You Baby Your Skin?Check out ten of today’s most sensorial skin-smoothing scrubs.
