Struggle With Dry Skin? These 10 Exfoliators Are Here to Save the Day

1. Best Exfoliator Overall for Dry Skin:

PAULA'S CHOICE SKINCARE Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

As far as exfoliators go, this PAULA’S CHOICE SKINCARE one is the best of the best—and not just for those with dry skin types. This daily leave-on chemical exfoliant is a global bestseller and has won over 30 beauty awards. We’ve used this toner religiously over the years to help with breakouts and dry skin and it never disappoints. The gentle exfoliant uses salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid used to treat acne) to unclog pores and control oil production, while soothing green tea works overtime to support your skin’s barrier. Rather than acting as a harsh scrub on your face, the exfoliant mimics the natural exfoliation process of younger skin to leave behind a brighter, less irritated complexion.

2. Best Exfoliator for Sensitive Skin:

SELFLESS BY HYRAM Mandelic Acid & Rice Bran Gentle Exfoliating Serum

Formulated with a combination of mandelic acid, polyhydroxy acid (PHA), rice bran, and salicylic acid, this exfoliator is incredibly gentle on sensitive skin. Ipster Shana S. shares that “this is a great beginner and sensitive skin-friendly exfoliating serum,” as someone who is experienced with using exfoliators. We love that this is an easy product to incorporate into your skincare routine, given you only need to use it every other night after cleansing. Simply pat two to three drops onto your complexion and let the serum work its magic overnight. Brighter, less congested skin texture will be yours in no time.

3. Best Exfoliating Cleanser:

MURAD AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

A combination chemical and physical exfoliant, this cream-like face wash utilizes alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic acid and cytric acid, along with the beta hydroxy acid (BHA) salicylic acid to remove dead skin cells to leave your skin feeling softer and smoother after each use. Which isn’t surprising, especially knowing MURAD was founded by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad. If any facial scrub is going to take care of your skin, it’s one founded by a dermatologist and skincare expert. Because it’s a cleanser, you may worry about over-exfoliation, but one Ipster swears this product doesn’t dry out their already dry skin type. “Coming from a person who has a mix of dry and oily skin (who can get a dry face very, very fast), no matter how much I used it, my face never had issues. Always feels very refreshing and definitely does the job,” they say. So if the type of exfoliant you’re looking for is a cleanser you can use regularly, this is the best one for you.

4. Best Exfoliating Moisturizer:

KATE SOMERVILLE® ExfoliKate® Glow Moisturizer

Worried an exfoliant will dry out your already dry skin? Why not try a moisturizer? Yes, there are in fact exfoliating moisturizers and one of our favorites happens to be the KATE SOMERVILLE® ExfoliKate® Glow Moisturizer. The hydratingformulation is packed with glycolic acid, lactic acid, and fruit enzymes to buff away dryness and buildup, leaving your dull skin glowing. The face lotion also contains hyaluronic acid to boost your moisture levels, which is everything dry skin craves. One Ipster shares that they saw immediate results after using this beauty product, something we even noticed as well. “I’ve only been using it for about a week now after I wash my face at night and my skin already looks more supple and moisturized. This is now a holy grail for me—I won’t be without this stuff in my arsenal,” they say.

5. Best Anti-Aging Exfoliator:

DR. BRANDT SKINCARE Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator

Your skin becomes more sensitive as you age so you need an exfoliator that’s still looking out for your thinning complexion while also buffing away fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, blackheads, and more. Founded by dermatology expert Dr. Fredric Brandt, DR. BRANDT SKINCARE focuses on creating skincare products inspired by in-office treatments that allow you to “take the doctor home.” Their Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator is no exception. An Ipster with more mature skin reveals they were hesitant about using this product at first, but once they put it to the test, they will continue to incorporate the chemical and physical exfoliator into their routine. “This scrub not only did an awesome job, but it was also gentle and left my face so smooth. It has a great aromatic smell, which is also something that I have noticed myself liking more as I have aged and matured.”

6. Best Exfoliator for Dark Spots:

URBAN SKIN RX BrighterDays™ Dark Spot 8% AHA Polish

Struggle with hyperpigmentation (aka dark spots) along with dry skin? This exfoliating polish and treatment mask is here to even out your skin tone in no time. Formulated with brightening ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid, vitamin C, and papaya extract, you will notice blemishes, fine lines, rough texture, and more disappear with each use. You can use it daily in the evening after washing your face. We recommend massaging it onto damp skin in circular motions for a couple minutes before letting it sit for five minutes, then rinsing off with warm water and a washcloth.

7. Best Exfoliator for Uneven Skin Texture:

MAAPILIM Exfoliating Solution

All this liquid exfoliant requires from you is that you incorporate it once a week into your skincare routine. Pro tip: One Ipster says it served as the perfect base for their makeup before a night out. “You are supposed to use it before bed, but I actually used it after I showered before I went out for the night. So I applied makeup soon after using it. And let me tell you, my skin looked and felt AMAZING! It was so soft and glowy. My pores and texture noticeably improved. My makeup looked flawless because my skin was flawless. I had no tingling or sensitivity,” they share. The AHAs and BHAs in this exfoliator are designed to help minimize the appearance of pores, uneven skin texture, and fine lines so it’s no wonder it aided as a primer of sorts for this Ipster’s makeup application.

8. Best Exfoliator for Acne-Prone Skin:

BUTTAH SKIN Tea Tree & Aloe Exfoliating Scrub

Even though your skin may mostly be dry, you can still experience bouts of blemishes. Your complexion is funny like that, isn’t it? As one Ipster shares, “I have dry skin but lately I've been dealing with hormonal breakouts. This feels so nice with its cooling and almost tingling sensation it gives the skin when you let it sit as a mask. Then it works as an awesome cleanser and exfoliator. It's literally a 3-in-1 product that does the job amazingly!” So, for times when you need something that will work for both, reach for this soothing exfoliating scrub to get rid of acne and dry skin.

9. Best Exfoliator for Combination Skin:

PURLISSE BEAUTY Kale + Vitamin Exfoliating Face Polish

A gentle exfoliator packed with kale and vitamin K, this mask-turned-face-cleanser works double duty to leave your skin feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. An Ipster who struggles with acne-prone combination skin was a big fan of how well it worked for their skin concerns. “I have been using this every week for over a month now. I love that this product serves double duty as a mask that draws out oil and impurities, and turns into an exfoliating facial scrub when it's time to rinse it off,” they rave. We’re big fans of multi-use products ourselves, so this one is constantly in our skincare rotation.

10. Best Drugstore Exfoliator:

POLAAR Ice Pure Gentle Scrub with Arctic Cotton

Silica beads and volcanic lava offer double exfoliation for resurfacing that leaves behind a radiant, glowing complexion and gets rid of dry, congested skin. Rub a pea-size amount onto your complexion twice a week, rinse well, pat dry, and enjoy better skin. Just ask this Ipster who noticed a difference after one use: “In terms of exfoliating power, this product does not disappoint...this stuff has the ability to get to the dead and dry skin that's deep underneath the skin. I've actually only used it once so far, but my skin has never felt this smooth post-wash. Plus, my moisturizer absorbed faster than ever!” We love to hear it.

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