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Body care

How to use a body scrub without irritating your skin

Open Vanilla Bourbon sugar scrub with a wooden spoon beside Warm Vanilla body cream

A good sugar scrub is one of the quickest ways to get soft, glowing skin. But scrub too hard or too often and you’ll end up with redness, dryness or bumps instead. Here’s how to get it right.

How often

Two to three times a week is plenty for most people. Every day is too much, even if your skin feels great right after.

Scrub 2 to 3 times a week, for example Monday, Thursday and Saturday, then body cream. On the other days, body cream only.

How to scrub

  1. Shower first. Let warm water soften your skin for a few minutes.
  2. Scoop a small amount with a dry hand or spoon, so no water gets into the jar.
  3. Massage in gentle circles. Let the sugar do the work: no pressing hard.
  4. Focus on rough spots: knees, elbows, heels and the backs of your arms.
  5. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry. Don’t rub.

Where to go easy

  • Freshly shaved or waxed skin. Wait at least a day.
  • Sunburn, cuts, rashes or active breakouts. Skip those areas completely.
  • Your face. Body scrubs are too coarse for facial skin. Use a gentle face exfoliant instead.

What to do after

Your skin is at its most absorbent right after a scrub, so moisturise straight away while it’s still slightly damp. A rich body cream locks in the softness for the rest of the day. Our Fairies’ favourite combo: a sugar scrub followed by Warm Vanilla or Paradise Silk body cream.

Tip for bumps and ingrown hairs

Regular, gentle exfoliation helps stop dead skin from trapping hairs. Scrub the area two days after shaving, then moisturise.

Shop the post: Sugar scrubs · Warm Vanilla Hydrating Body Cream · Paradise Silk Hydrating Body Moisturizer · Body Cream & Scrub Set