There is more to how to exfoliate our back than using the best back scrubber so I’m going to talk to you about the best back exfoliators that serve different needs for our back area.
Well,
I will admit that getting a best back scrubber is a very good idea, which is why they are the main focus of this post on how to exfoliate back.
Whether we are talking about our legs, face or our backs, we need to include exfoliation products in our daily routine.
Contents
How to Exfoliate Back: Best Back Scrubbers
1. Best Body Brush: Metene Shower Brush
A very affordable body brush that works great for exfoliating the whole body because it has a long handle to reach all difficult places, plus it has two sides: a natural bristle brush and a soft nylon brush.
2. Best Scrubber: Aquis Exfoliating Back Scrubber
Designed especially for the back with two handles and a nice length, machine washable, but some users have found it too soft, although it has two sides.
3. Awesome but a bit Expensive: Supracor Body Scrubber
Great for daily use, the price is a bit high compared to other exfoliators for the back but it’s also pretty durable and efficient and it can be used both wet and dry.
4. Best Chemical Exfoliator: Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA
This is actually a lotion with salicylic acid, designed especially for targeting body acne, apply it in the evening and leave it on until your next shower in the morning.
5. Body Scrub: FAB KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub 10% AHA
The easiest way to use this chemical body scrub on your back is to pour a bit on a brush/back scrubber but use the gentle side so that you don’t harm your skin, which is why it should only be used 1-2 twice a week.
6. Benzoyl Peroxide Wash: Nixa Skincare 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Wash
You might have heard that benzoyl peroxide works great for acne so, using a body wash with benzoyl peroxide is a great way to try to prevent back acne, you can try just the wash because it’s quite cheap before going for an exfoliator, like the above 5 ones.
How to Exfoliate Back: Best Back Scrubbers Reviews
There’s only three things to be aware of when choosing the best back scrubbers:
- loofahs and natural sea sponges are ideal if you want a light exfoliation so, they’re really good for daily usage
- bristles/scrubbers with a rough surface are ideal for a deeper exfoliation, for a more thorough one and they can be used 2-3 times a week or even just once a week
- after each use, the back scrubber must be washed and left out to dry completely to prevent any funny smells or mold
Body brushes belong to harsh physical exfoliators for the back and the rest of the body.
These brushes can be used on either dry or wet skin.
On dry skin they’re even more harsh because their bristles are dry and tough and not a lot of people have skin that it’s made for dry brushing.
For example,
Those with sensitive skin will be left with red marks on their skin that will take more than a few days to heal.
I’m one of those, tough physical exfoliators for the back or the rest of the body are not for me.
Understanding your skin type is a major part of learning how to exfoliate the back and other areas.
Soaking the bristles in water for a couple of minutes makes them a bit softer, more yielding.
Anyway,
I doubt that you’ll be able to use such a product daily because it can irritate your skin and make more problems than solving the ones you had.
As you’re going to see, there are products that have two sides – one more abrasive and one more gentle. You can alternate between the two, depending on how your skin feels and what you’re in the mood for.
1. Metene Shower Brush: One of the Best Physical Back Exfoliators
This shower brush is my first recommendation for how to exfoliate back. It serves a wider array of people and that’s the reason for recommending it first.
Plus, the price is great, quite affordable. The quality is good, too.
This is the old-fashioned, traditional bath brush with two sides:
- one side is a a natural bristle brush for a deeper exfoliation, for people who like to feel every inch of those bristles scrubbing their back skin
- the other side is a soft nylon brush for people who enjoy things on the gentler side
It might be old-fashioned but it still works great for exfoliation as well as for simply washing your hard-to-reach places.
This shower brush is efficient because it exfoliates the skin to a deeper degree, which makes it one of the best back scrubbers in my opinion.
It can be used both dry and wet.
If you have back acne, I recommend only using the soft nylon brush to exfoliate your back. You should avoid irritating your skin, things will only get worse.
The wooden handle is long so you will be able to reach your entire back. It also features a non-slip rubber patch for a better grip.
The other great aspect is that you’re not limited to using it just on the back, it works on the whole body. That’s a good deal for an affordable price.
I will also talk about chemical exfoliators for back acne but later on in this post.
2. Aquis Exfoliating Back Scrubber: Easy to Use Back Exfoliator
The Aquis Exfoliating scrubber is really popular and one of the best back scrubbers.
There are certain reasons for that:
- has an excellent price, it’s really affordable
- it also has a great length, even for persons with broader shoulders and long arms
- features handles on both ends so it can be easily handled to reach every portion of any hard-to-reach area
- there are 2 sides, meaning that on one side there is a textured loofah-like surface for a deeper cleaning, while the other side features a soft smooth microfiber surface for a more delicate exfoliation, you can switch between the two sides
- and it’s machine washable
Some reviewers have complained that they find it too soft, they don’t feel that this back scrubber exfoliates their skin deeply enough.
If you think that you might fit in that category, I recommend checking out the above body brush first.
3. Supracor Body Scrubber: Expensive Back Exfoliator
My third recommendation is one of the most expensive physical back exfoliators.
It’s quite pricey. But it’s also long-lasting, just make sure to wash it after each use and let it to dry completely.
This model can be quite worth it if you are willing to pay almost three times more than the above two scrubbers.
It’s also the perfect way to get a back facial daily.
If you have back acne, this is part of the solution.
It is effective and gentle at the same time.
Once again, there are two sides: a more abrasive one for a deeper exfoliation and a more gentle one if you have sensitive skin.
It can be used both wet or dry, just like a body brush.
4. Oleavine Tea Tree Oil Exfoliating Scrubs for Body & Face, 6 oz
This is actually used by people to manage their facial breakouts but it can definitely be used for back acne.
It’s a great scrub for body and face. The 6 oz. quantity is plenty and the price is quite affordable.
However, unlike the above best back scrubbers, this exfoliating scrub for body and face is not as easy to use. You actually need someone to apply it on your back and gently rub it on the skin.
If you have someone to help you, it’s great. You can use it 1-2 times per week. It will last a long time.
The exfoliating ingredients are micro volcanic pumice and white willowbark. They will remove dead skin cells, smooth out rough skin and calluses.
The tea tree oil is used for reducing skin discomfort and irritation on face, body, butt, chest, feet, back, etc.
Other ingredients are essential oils and botanicals. These sooth and moisturize the skin. This is not a harsh scrub because if you have bacne and you use harsh products that will make everything worse.
It also contains bamboo charcoal powder. This has the role of drawing out dirt, impurities and makeup from the skin surface and pores.
How to Exfoliate Back With a Back Scrubber
For most people, the back skin is not that sensitive. You can wash your back with the help of a scrubber daily, especially if you’re using the softer side.
When stepping into the shower, you can first use it on dry skin and then use it during the shower on wet skin. Always use the softer side if you have acne.
You can also use it together with a body scrub.
Or if you have acne on the back, use it together with an acne treatment for the body. Those can be body washes that contain benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil or salicylic acid.
And definitely consider using a body wash with benzoyl peroxide.
Why You Need to Exfoliate Back
Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells. It’s also the step in your routine that will help you have amazing skin.
When our body produces new skin cells, the older ones are pushed to the surface to be shed off. This shedding process slows down as we age and that’s where exfoliation comes into the picture.
Dead skin cells can trap dirt and oil and clog up pores, which can lead to acne.
Back acne occurs because the back has a higher number of sebaceous glands. Together with the forehead and chin, these three areas have the highest number and the largest sebaceous glands than the rest of the body.
Breakouts are completely normal in this area.
The solution for getting rid of back acne is exfoliation. Just like it’s the solution for getting rid of ingrown hairs.
Plus,
It’s so much easier to wash the back this way, you don’t have to strain yourself to reach the middle of the back. That’s a difficult spot for those who are not flexible.
How to Exfoliate Back: Best Chemical Back Exfoliators
We’ve talked about the best back scrubbers and each one comes with a softer side that can be used by people who have sensitive skin or by people who have acne.
If you use the harsher side, you’ll only make your acne worse by irritating the skin and spreading out bacteria.
The other much better option is using chemical exfoliators. It wouldn’t be a complete how to exfoliate the back guide if I didn’t include chemical exfoliation.
Those best back scrubbers from above represent physical exfoliation.
Chemical exfoliators for the body that are more gentle and penetrate deeper into the skin to remove dead skin cells.
The same holds true for the face, as well.
Chemical exfoliators for the face and body are the ones that contain acids:
- AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) – glycolic acid and lactic acid
- BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) – salicylic acid
They are the first that you should consider if you suffer from back acne.
I’m just going to shortly review a few best chemical exfoliators for the back so you can know what to look for.
1. Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA, 7 oz
This body treatment is not exactly cheap but the quantity is pretty good, it will last a good while, especially if you’re only using it to get rid of back acne.
It is a lotion, which means that it’s used after the shower, on clean skin.
You’ll need someone to massage it into the skin for you. You can layer on a body lotion if you have sensitive skin.
It’s also a very good treatment for Keratosis Pilaris since it’s one of the best chemical exfoliators for the body.
Its effectiveness as a good exfoliator is guaranteed by the 2% BHA (salicylic acid).
Other ingredients, these ones aimed at nourishing and rejuvenating the skin, include vitamin E, chamomile, green tea, and willow herb.
It works well for all skin types.
When it comes to how to exfoliate back for getting rid of acne, you should use it daily for the best results.
The easiest way is to apply it at night after a shower and leave it on the skin until morning.
2. FAB KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub 10% AHA, 8 oz
This second best chemical exfoliator for the back and body is in the same price range as the above one.
However, this is a scrub not a body lotion.
You can pour it onto your back scrubber, the soft side, and scrub your back with it.
It has a really good 10% concentration AHAs (glycolic acid and lactic acid), which makes it quite effective.
The scrub part is ensured by pumice buffing beads.
Additional ingredients include bisabolol (the main component of chamomile essential oil) for soothing and calming the skin and vitamin E for nourishing it.
Once you’re done with your shower, you can apply the above lotion with BHA or a nourishing body lotion.
Since it’s a scrub, you should only use it 1-2 times a week.
3. Differin Body Scrub with Salicylic Acid, 8 oz
The Differin Body Scrub with Salicylic Acid is another product that I should mention in this guide on how to exfoliate back.
It’s great for people who suffer from back acne. If nothing has worked for you, this body scrub with salicylic acid is something you should try.
It’s sold in a big 8 oz. quantity. But what impresses me is the really affordable price. It’s definitely great.
However, it’s another product that has to be applied by someone else on your back.
In order to use it, apply it on damp skin and rub it all over the skin with gentle circular movements. After that, rinse with warm water.
I recommend applying a moisturizer immediately after because this Differin Body Scrub with Salicylic Acid is a pretty powerful chemical exfoliator that also acts as a scrub. We get the two main exfoliation methods combined in this wonderful scrub with salicylic acid.
We’re not instructed how often we should use it. I would say that you could even use it daily if you moisturize properly.
The active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid. It’s a wonderful BHA that doesn’t irritate the skin, even if you have sensitive skin.
The scrubbing part if done with silica, which are an alternative to plastic beads.
Other important ingredients are: aloe vera, shea butter, coconut acids, glycolic acid, kaolin, sweet almond oil, retinyl palmitate, cocoa seed butter, vitamin E.
How to Use Both Chemical Exfoliators and Back Scrubbers
There are cases when chemical exfoliators dry out the skin.
It’s completely normal.
Especially in the case of powerful ones, like the Pfb Vanish.
To prevent that, you can moisturize a few second after applying the chemical exfoliator.
You can also use a back scrubber (using its soft side) in the shower for thoroughly washing out the area, maybe with a body wash that contains benzoyl peroxide, and then apply a chemical exfoliator.
All in all, I hope that my guide on how to exfoliate back has offered you some solutions and has helped you decide which best back exfoliator would be best for you.