The best body scrubs for revealing smoother, softer skin

When it comes to body exfoliators, which ones scrub up best? With something to suit every budget and skin type, today’s offerings boast a bevvy of beauty benefits from relieving muscle soreness to sloughing off dead skin cells and boosting circulation. The result? Smoother, softer and suppler limbs. Which are worth investing in though? Here are the body buffers that come with our personal seals of approval.

If you love the unmistakable pistachio and salted caramel scent of Sol de Janeiro's Bum Bum Cream you'll fall head over heels for this scrub too. It has the same tropical island fragrance but also harnesses the power of crushed cupuacu seeds, sugar crystals and guarana caffeine extract to rid the body of flaky skin, ready to tan.

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Soap and Glory make one of the most well-loved, budget scrubs out there, Flake Away, which uses shea butter, sweet almond oil and apricot seed powder to buff away the skin with the brand's iconic scent. For a more summer-focused tropical smelling treat, opt for this new launch which uses coconut shell and jojoba beads to gently, yet effectively, exfoliate the skin. It also includes green tea extract and vitamin E for soft and nourished skin, all for a budget-friendly price.

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This is the body edition of Goldfaden MD's cult face scrub – and it's just as high performing as its facial counterpart, packed with high-performing actives to exfoliate, polish, refine and treat to keep skin looking vibrant and healthy while helping to prevent signs of premature ageing.

Ruby crystals, bamboo extract, fruit enzymes, red algae, jojoba oil, seaweed extract and hyaluronic acid come together to gently exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin cells, dirt and excess sebum while helping to prevent moisture loss and enhance natural glow. It contributes towards firmer, suppler skin and gives a burst of hydration too. GTG's editorial director Victoria Woodhall puts it on dry or damp skin before showering to give the actives time to sink in and loves it for the fact that it's not at all oily.

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Unscrewing the lid of this spa-scented scrub instantly transports you in the mind to the windswept beaches of the Scottish highlands – without catching a chill. Made from sea salt from the Isle of Lewis combined with jojoba oil and thistle oil this gets to work on dry skin, buffing it away and soothing the skin underneath. The pot is small, but it sure is mighty.

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Beauty editors have been going wild for this zesty grapefruit, lemongrass, black pepper and apricot oil scrub, obsessing over how it leaves the skin so soft there's no need to follow with moisturiser. Ideal if you're feeling lazy of a morning! It uses physical scrub demerara sugar as well as natural exfoliating ingredient lemon exfoliator derived from lemon peel. Not a member of Beauty Pie? Join using code GTGSENTME and get an extra £50 to spend.

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This not only makes us very nostalgic for our teens, but it instantly leaves skin feeling super soft. Infused with sweet almond oil and lightly scented with vanilla fragrance it’s a gentle exfoliator that works wonders on elbows, dry legs and just about anywhere! Plus it leaves you with revived skin boasting a healthy glow. GTG's Jemma uses it to banish ingrown hairs and to prep the skin for fake tan too.

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With magnesium deficiency having been shown to be widespread among the population, this bath time boost acts as a blissful way to topp up supplies. Containing essential oils and mineral-rich kelp, it can either be used to exfoliate or left on the skin in the tub to transform it into a muscle-soothing magnesium bath soak instead. Genius.

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This body balm/scrub hybrid hydrates as well as it exfoliates. Containing Fair Trade organic cocoa butter and shea butter to soften and ground almonds and coconut shells in its stripes to smooth, this much-buzzed-about polishing pebble is certain to appease super dry skins in particular.

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Making legs feel noticeably lighter after each use, this softening and re-energising scrub helps lift skin and senses in equal measure. Combining sea salt with Himalayan pink crystals and zesty Amalfi lemon peel, the easy to carry sachets come particularly into their own after a long flight to combat sluggish circulation and the stiffening effects of of jet lag too. The most expensive pick in our edit, we’d highly recommend following the brand’s pre-shower massage routine outlined here in order to get the most out of them.

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Certified organic by the Soil Association, this sea salt and brown sugar scrub brings some serious spa factor to any bathroom shelf. Its richer and thicker texture makes for the ideal fit for those looking for a more pampering polish, with its base of shea butter, essential oils and sesame and olive oils making it a perfect revitalising treatment for tired skin.

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Designed for both the face and body, GTG's editorial director Victoria Woodhall is a convert to using this scrub on her limbs. Turmeric visibly brightens the skin while olive and sesame oil hydrate and walnut shell physically lifts dead skin cells and debris.

Not familiar with Volition? The cruelty-free brand takes submissions from people with ideas for new beauty products (yes, anyone). If they like the concept they put it to a vote among their beauty community. If the idea gets enough votes Volition makes the products and they become shoppable.

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