22 Best Natural + Organic Body Scrubs For Glowing Skin

PUBLISHED: 04/12/2019 | LAST UPDATED: 01/17/2020

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WRITTEN BY: TAMRYN BURGESS
Licensed Aesthetician 

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If an organic body scrub isn’t already a part of your beauty regimen, then you could be missing out on glowing skin from head to toe. Routine body exfoliation unveils glowing skin by removing all of the dirt, oil, and dead skin cells that are sitting on the surface of your skin and clogging up your pores. While there are a variety of ways to exfoliate the body, organic body scrubs are easily the most fun and skin-nourishing option. Organic exfoliating body scrubs are made from skin nourishing ingredients that are literally good enough to eat—like coffee beans, sugar, Himalayan pink salt, coconut oil, and oatmeal. We’ve even tried a natural scrub made from real crushed amethyst gemstones! In this article we’ll share some expert body exfoliation tips (especially for those with sensitive skin), a few luxurious homemade organic body scrub recipes, and our top 20 truly organic body scrub products.

Benefits of Natural Body Scrubs
Body exfoliation with a natural scrub has the same great benefits of facial exfoliation. By removing dead skin cells, freeing ingrown hairs, and unclogging pores, routine body exfoliation creates smoother, softer, and visibly plumper skin. A full body exfoliation can even help to treat body acne & blackheads, reduce the appearance of stretch marks, remove flaky patches, and soften dry skin.

One simple beauty trick is to exfoliate with a body scrub before shaving for a smoother result. A body scrub works to gently unclog blocked pores, free ingrown hairs, and clear away dead skin cells that can accumulate around the hair follicles.

One of the most potent benefits of exfoliation is that it can actually improve your skin’s ability to absorb skin care products more efficiently. By removing all of the gunk and debris off of the surface of your skin, exfoliation creates a beautiful canvas for body lotions and oils to work their magic.

How to Use a Body Scrub for Glowing Skin?
The first rule of exfoliation is—don’t overdo it. Over-exfoliation can seriously damage the skin and can lead to dark spots and hyperpigmentation, unbalanced oil production, red skin, acne, and even scarring. To avoid over-exfoliation, start by using an organic body scrub just once per week. Combined with a luscious organic body oil or body butter treatment, weekly exfoliation is all most people need. If you need a little more exfoliation than that, then gradually increase to 2-3 times per week.

The best place to use a body scrub is in the shower or bath. Simply take a handful of the body scrub and gently massage in circular motions over your whole body. Don’t scrub too aggressively! You’ll be surprised at how little scrubbing is needed to unveil new skin. You can let the exfoliant sit on your skin for a few minutes before rinsing.

Who Should Avoid Using Body Scrubs?
There are some skin conditions which can be made worse by using a body scrub. Those with acne cysts and pustules, rosacea, raised skin issues such as warts, herpes, or fluid-filled bumps, should pass on using a body scrub while those conditions are present. You run the risk of bursting and spreading bacteria and exacerbating the issue.

Those with sensitive skin should avoid harsh abrasives (such as large salt, sugar, and nut granules) and concentrated glycolic, lactic, and AHA/BHA acids. Finely crushed powders and very mild natural fruit acids are the better way to go.

Types of Body Scrubs & Best Ingredients
You may be wondering if there are any differences between a body scrub, body exfoliant, and body polish. A body polish is typically made with finer grain exfoliants than a body scrub (which can be made with large chunks of salt or sugar). Otherwise, each term can be pretty much used interchangeably.

When it comes to the actual scrubbing action, some of the best natural body scrubs are coffee grounds, salt, sugar, jojoba beads, fruit acids, bamboo, and nuts powders. These ingredients are abrasive enough to loosen dead + dry skin without causing skin damage.

Natural Body Scrubs vs Conventional Body Scrubs
Simple natural body scrub ingredients are all you need to achieve healthy glowing skin. However, there are many body scrub products made with ingredients that are not only bad for your skin, but bad for the environment as well.

The first of such ingredient are micro-beads. Micro-beads are typically synthetically created from plastic. They are harsh on the skin and have been known to cause microscopic abrasions. These tiny abrasions are invitations for bacteria and chemicals to make their way into your body (2).

Additionally, many conventional body scrubs are made with synthetic fragrances, parabens, powerful soaps and detergents, artificial waxes, and strong alcohols. These ingredients are typically used as cheap fillers, preservatives, or additives to create unnatural textures and scents. All in all, these chemicals are often chosen because of their cost effectiveness not necessarily because they are beneficial for your skin.

How to Find a Natural & Organic Body Scrub?
Luckily, we’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting for you when it comes to researching the best organic and all-natural body scrubs. Our team spent hours researching and reviewing over 100 “so called” organic body scrubs to bring you this top list of over 20 authentically natural & organic options. Trust us when we say that there are some seriously addictive scrubs on this list. All of these body scrubs meet our strict ingredient standards, which means that they are free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals + mineral oils, synthetic fragrances + dyes, PEG compounds, ethoxylated ingredients, and much more.

To quickly find the best body scrub for your needs, use our FILTER function to find organic exfoliating body masks, exfoliating body peels, luxury organic body scrubs, organic salt scrubs, organic sugar scrubs, organic coffee scrubs, and organic scrubs for feet. Enjoy!

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GET MATCHED! TAKE THE BODY SCRUBS QUIZ

Need help finding the perfect organic body scrub for your skin? Take our Organic Body Scrubs Quiz & get matched with the best organic and all natural body scrubs for you! We've created a custom quiz to help you quickly find the top 5 products from our list. Takes just a few seconds to complete---click to get started.

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*The Coffee Scrub – Organic Coffee & Rose Body Scrub ($22)

Touted as the "original coffee scrub" this natural and organic body scrub features coffee as its star ingredient and comes in three flavors: coconut, French vanilla, and rose. Other ingredients include grapeseed oil, olive oil, macadamia nut oil, and vitamin E. It gets the job done without being too abrasive, so it's a good natural option for sensitive skin types. To use, simply massage a handful over damp skin until desired smoothness. Washes off easily and doesn't leave behind an oily residue.

*Little Barn Apothecary – Coffee + Mint Exfoliating Organic Body Scrub ($38)

A lovely organic body scrub made with all natural ingredients that will have you looking forward to your morning shower. This scrub is packed with caffeine from organic coffee beans and tons of antioxidants for smoother, brighter, more radiant skin. It also contains organic sugar, organic coconut oil, organic cocoa seed butter, peppermint oil, and meadowfoam seed oil. A fantastic scrub for men and women. Hint: use this scrub in the morning when you need a jolt of energy.

*Naturopathica – Espresso Mud Natural Body Scrub ($34)

A gentle natural body scrub that you can use as often as you need exfoliation. This body scrub is made with coffee bean, black silt mud, volcanic pumice, as well as tobacco and shea butter. It does a great job of gently removing dead skin and stimulating circulation without being too harsh on the skin. Skin is left feeling smoother, brighter, and glowing. Shockingly, this scrub doesn't have a strong coffee scent, but it does have a nice unisex smell. Recommended for all skin types.

DIY Homemade Organic Body Scrub Recipes

Making an organic body scrub at home is not only easy, it’s a lot of fun. You get to play around with delicious ingredients that you can find in your own kitchen pantry and treat your skin at the same time! A body scrub is composed of three main ingredients: an abrasive, an oil, and essential oils. We’ve listed some of our favorite types of ingredients below as inspiration for your very own scrub. Not feeling creative just yet? Then check out our delicious body scrub recipes below which feature chocolate and manuka honey. Yum!

Organic Abrasive Exfoliators
Abrasives are the active components that physically nudge the skin to remove dryness, dead skin and clogged pores. To make a scrub, start with 1 cup of one or more of the following abrasives:

Organic Oils For DIY Body Scrub
Oils help carry and distribute the abrasives around the body. They also provide mild protection against excessive scrubbing. These recommended oils below will help to protect your skin without clogging pores or causing irritation. Combine your abrasive with 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of any combination of the following oils:

Organic Essential Oils for DIY Body Scrubs
Essential oils provide natural fragrance and various therapeutic elements. Some essential oils, like lemon and some citrus oils, can even provide their own exfoliation benefits. Essential oils can be used to calm (rose, lavender, chamomile) or stimulate (peppermint and citrus) the senses. Finally, mix 10-15 drops of one or more of the following essential oils to complete your scrub:

These DIY recipes are super simple to whip up, but a whole lot of fun and will leave your skin glowing, smooth and healthy!

DIY ORGANIC DECADENT CHOCOLATE BODY SCRUB

Who doesn’t love a good chocolate scrub, especially when you can lick it off your fingers? This rich, delicious scrub will satisfy all your chocolate cravings while leaving your skin smooth and silky soft!

Method: Combine all these ingredients in a medium sized bowl until fully mixed. The texture should be silky and smooth. Store your chocolate body scrub in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

DIY MANUKA HONEY ANTI-ACNE ORGANIC BODY SCRUB

Manuka honey is a superstar ingredient. It is a honey like no other that is absolutely brimming in soothing and antibacterial nutrients. Manuka honey has even been used in some hospitals around the world. It’s these benefits that make is so popular for targeting acne breakouts. This body scrub features the powerful manuka honey as a treatment for body acne and blemishes.

Method: Mix all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl until fully combined. The texture should be silky and smooth. Store your chocolate body scrub in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

SOOTHING ORGANIC OATMEAL BODY SCRUB

Oatmeal is your go to if you’re looking for a gentle exfoliator that won’t cause irritation. Organic rolled oats and brown sugar gently remove dead skin while jojoba oil hydrates and protects. This is a fantastic organic body scrub for those with sensitive skin types.

Method: Mix all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl until fully combined. The texture should be silky and smooth. Store your chocolate body scrub in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

SOURCES & REFERENCES

1. (2012) “Skin anti-aging strategies” Dermato-endocrinology vol. 4,3 (2012): 308-19. Ganceviciene, Ruta et al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/

2. (2016) Environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic particles influence larval fish ecology: OONA M. LĂ–NNSTEDT, PETER EKLĂ–V, SCIENCE https://science.sciencemag.org/content/352/6290/1213

PRODUCT BADGES LEGEND
100% NATURAL

100% NATURAL

The product contains only natural ingredients (non-synthetic or lab created). It does not contain anything artificial or synthetic.

100% ORGANIC

100% ORGANIC

The product has been formulated with 100% organically sourced and/or certified organic ingredients.

GMO FREE

GMO FREE

This product does not contain ingredients which have been genetically modified.

GLUTEN FREE

GLUTEN FREE

All of the ingredients contained in the product are free from gluten, wheat, and ingredients which are commonly contaminated with gluten.

VEGAN

VEGAN

The product is made without animal products or byproducts such as beeswax, honey, milk, eggs, etc.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

The product has received an official organic certification from a third party organization such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA Certified Organic), ECOCERT, Australian Certified Organic, and others.

One Response

  1. Vivian April 17, 2020

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