The most famous exfoliator lawsuit ended in the scrub's favor. In 2016, two women sued Unilever, claiming the crushed walnut shell powder in St. Ives Apricot Scrub caused micro-tears in the skin. In December 2018, a federal judge granted Unilever summary judgment, noting that the scrub is an exfoliant and, like all such products, necessarily abrasive, and the Ninth Circuit upheld the ruling in 2020. The scrub won in court, but the debate changed how a lot of people exfoliate.

An exfoliator removes the layer of dead cells that makes skin look dull and rough and clogs pores. There are two ways to do it. Physical exfoliants, like scrubs, powders and textured pads, lift those cells off by friction. Chemical exfoliants, like AHAs, BHAs and PHAs, dissolve the bonds holding them together. Enzymes, often from fruit, sit in the middle and are the gentlest.

AHAs like glycolic and lactic acid work on the surface and suit dry or dull skin. BHA, meaning salicylic acid, gets into oil and pores, so it suits oily and breakout-prone skin. PHAs are larger molecules that work more slowly and suit sensitive skin.

The first grid is chemical exfoliants. The second is scrubs, powders and enzyme exfoliators. My tip: exfoliate two or three times a week to start, at night, and wear SPF the next day, because acids make skin more sensitive to the sun.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Toner is the most reviewed exfoliator in this edit, a hydrating toner with PHA and BHA that exfoliates gently and helps pores look smaller. Paula's Choice 2% BHA is the classic leave-on salicylic acid toner, with green tea, clinically shown to unclog pores in a week, and best for normal, combination and oily skin. EADEM Cashmere Peel is a milky AHA and PHA exfoliant that hydrates at the same time, a good daily option for dry skin.

For pads, Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta is a two-step AHA and BHA peel that smooths texture and refines the look of pores. Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Pads are daily pads with lactic acid that lift dead cells for a radiant finish. Eighth Day Resurfacing Tonic Pads are textured bamboo rounds that combine physical and chemical exfoliation.

For a weekly reset, Drunk Elephant Babyfacial is a rinse-off mask with 25% AHA and 2% BHA, and it has the best rating in this grid. The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is the strongest product here, an at-home exfoliating facial you leave on for ten minutes at most.

What I would skip: The Ordinary peel if your skin is sensitive or you are new to acids. Start with the Watermelon toner or the Cashmere Peel, and work up from there.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is the most reviewed product in this grid, a rice-based powder with AHAs and BHAs that you mix with water, and it ties for the best rating here. It won an allure Best of Beauty award in 2024. Tatcha The Rice Polish is a Japanese rice bran powder that turns into a creamy foam when it meets water, gentle enough for most skin types.

Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream is a light, water-based scrub that polishes without much grit. OLEHENRIKSEN Lemonade Smoothing Scrub combines 10% AHA, lemon peel and sugar. Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser is a BHA cleansing treatment that polishes away dullness, best for dry and combination skin.

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask is the other top-rated pick, a pumpkin enzyme mask that exfoliates and polishes, and FIRMx Peeling Gel is the one that rolls up as you massage it, lifting away dead skin. Dr. Loretta Resurfacing Enzyme Polish pairs enzymes with a gentle physical exfoliant, plus niacinamide and panthenol for the barrier.

What I would skip: a scrub right after an acid, or pressing hard with any of these. Let the product do the work, with light circles for about thirty seconds, then rinse with lukewarm water.

I think the best exfoliator is the gentlest one that gets the job done. Pick one chemical and one physical option at most, match the acid to your skin, and exfoliate two or three times a week, not every day. Tight, shiny or stinging skin means you are overdoing it, so back off and moisturize. The St. Ives case was about one scrub, but the lesson applies to every exfoliator: be gentle, and give your skin a few nights off each week to recover.