12 body scrubs an exfoliating obsessive really rates

If you’ve already tried (and are therefore addicted to) this Brazilian brand’s tropical body cream, I recommend furthering the obsession with this equally delicious scrub.

The sugar and salt concoction requires some hardcore fingertip scooping, but the intensive skin-softening that follows is completely worth the effort. It’s also laced with skin-conditioning coconut, açai and cupuaçu butters, which leave skin feeling soft as a peach with stay-all-day suppleness. Use liberally, and pretend you're in the Bahamas.

I'm not being dramatic, but Beauty Pie's Soul Providers Sugar Scrub is the best body exfoliator of all time.

It's the perfect ratio of gritty scrub to hydrating oil, which means you not only shed your dead skin, but you can also skip the hassle that is body moisturising afterwards.

Plus the grapefruit scent is so yummy, it's enough to justify your Beauty Pie membership alone.

Most body exfoliators are loaded with oils to create that silky, hydrating texture – which is great for nourishing limbs, but not so ideal if you're planning to apply fake tan after, as oils will prevent an even application.

The solution is this smart oil-free body scrub, which will remove scaly patches (as well as old, lingering tan) leaving skin perfectly prepped for a little faux glow.

Tiger-bread tan is not fun (nor does it look cute), so when it comes to removing patchy residue, you'll need something thorough that won't cause irritation.

Enter: my Holy Grail. This little orange tube contains glycolic acid, a popular AHA for breaking down dead skin cells, while shea butter joins the party to ensure your skin remains moisturised and as soft as a baby's bum. Issa 10/10 from me.

Drunk Elephant's body scrub is a better wake-up call than a double espresso. The scent is slightly sweet and nutty, and the texture is creamy-yet-gritty perfection, meaning you can slough away rough skin and exit the shower feeling soft and hydrated. With brown sugar, energising coffee and the brand's signature marula oil, it's an obvious option for a weekly reset.

What I love about this scrub is that it feels like a balm with tiny exfoliating grit laced within, so it’s deeply nourishing but hard-working too. The exfoliating-ness comes from Himalayan salt which ever so gently sloughs away dead skin cells, while the blend of essential oils leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. Seriously, this pot of goodness makes me want to cocoon my body all-over – but be sure to have a good body wash on hand post-scrubbin', as its buttery consistency tends to linger.

This minimalist body care brand is founded by Estée Lalonde (you may recognise her as one of the coolest beauty vloggers out there) and is made with relaxation rituals and self-care in mind. The collection features four essentials to help you draw the most calmative bath possible. The body scrub in particular stands out to me: its gel-like formula is enriched with vitamin E and sunflower oil which cocoons the exfoliating ingredients – sea salt and shea nut powder – to ensure a soft and nourished result.

Pop the chic tub into your shower and you’ll instantly want to capture those aesthetically pleasing Insta pics.

Call me old fashioned, but I love Sanctuary Spa: its creamy signature scent (characterised by notes of jasmine, vanilla and grapefruit) makes me feel like I’ve got my shit together.... somehow. The body wash is pure bliss to use after a long day, but things are kicked up a notch when I get scrubbing with this formula. The gritty flakes of sea salt exfoliate dry patches, while coconut and jojoba oil help to soften moisture-starved skin. For £16 you can’t really go wrong.

Nécessaire's Eucalyptus Body Exfoliator is currently in my shower and not only does it singlehandedly turn my bathroom into a hotel, it also sloughs away dead skin thanks to its combination of physical exfoliants (bamboo charcoal) and chemical (glycolic, lactic and salicylic acid).

Oh, and the eucalyptus scent is *chef's kiss*

Everybody loves Nuxe, but this delicious body scrub is one of the brand's most underrated products. It's thick, laced with gritty sugar crystals, and packed with deeply nourishing oils, so it leaves skin feeling incredibly hydrated, right out of the bath.

Unsurprisingly, Sunday Riley's body products are created with all the consideration of her famed skincare. This minty body scrub is ultra-thick and super satisfying to use, with activated charcoal and salicylic acid to unclog pores and even tackle keratosis pilaris (those bumpy bits on the backs of your arms). It's rich, substantially gritty, and not as scary as the murky colour initially suggests.

This is one I've recently been storing in my shower cubby and I think it's fair to say it won't be leaving any time soon: I am literally obsessed. Yes, the jelly consistency is fun to play about with, but once you rub it between your fingers it transforms into a milky gel that's laced with smooth sugar crystals to gently slough away dead skin cells.

Plus - in true Biossance fashion - it's loaded with squalane to deeply nourish and hydrate your skin so you can skip a post-shower body lotion altogether. What a dream.