Staff tested: The best scrubs

1. Barbie by Cake Sugar Coated

Created by Cake Beauty for the 50th anniversary of Barbie, this fragrant brown-sugar scrub contains vitamin-rich oils.

“As someone who waxes and sugars my legs to remove hair, I use a body scrub to prevent ingrown hairs. My bathroom smelled like a bakery after I used this, but it dissolved in the shower, leaving no sticky mess.”
-Lisa Hannam, associate editor

$34, 540 g, cakebeauty.com

2. Sally Hansen Smoothing Foot Scrub

To be massaged onto feet after shower or bath and then rinsed off, it contains antiseptic tea-tree oil, along with pumice.

“I was hoping this (very pleasantly scented) scrub would soften the rough skin on my heels-but no luck. So I doubled my efforts by exfoliating with a pumice in conjunction with the cream, and that did the trick.”
-Bonnie Munday, editor

$8, 100 mL; at drugstores

3. Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub

Scented with essential oils, this uses pulverized olive, fig and date seeds; rice bran; and papaya enzymes to exfoliate.

“When I opened the tube, there was a lovely light scent of lavender-real lavender, not that synthetic stuff. (I love lavender.) This creamy body scrub is gentle, has a foaming action and rinses off easily. My skin felt soft and refreshed, and the scent lingered for a couple of hours. I could use this product every day.”
-Catherine Korman, researcher

$47, 150 g, dermalogica.ca

4. Garnier Skin Naturals Pure 3 in 1 Wash + Scrub + Mask

This multi-purpose product is designed to be used for cleansing, unclogging pores and evening out skin tone.

“Using this product to cleanse my face didn’t give different results than using it as a scrub, but it didn’t really matter: It left my sometimes-acne-prone skin feeling tingly-clean, and it controlled oil, keeping my skin clear through weeks of daily use. Using it as a mask gives an extra refreshing boost.”
-Jennifer Masseau, assistant editor

$10, 150 mL, at drugstores

5. Boots Botanics Purifying Face Scrub

This uses crushed walnuts as the exfoliant. It also functions as a mild cleanser, and includes a moisturizer to add radiance.

“I like a facial exfoliant that I can really feel sloughing off the roughness of my combination skin, so the coarseness of this product works for me. But it may be too much for someone with more sensitive skin.”
-Jennifer Walker, senior content editor

$12, 75 mL, at Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix

6. Nivea Visage Skin Refining Scrub

For normal/combination skin, this combines gentle exfoliants with provitamin B5 to keep skin’s moisture balance.

“This facial scrub was perfect for targeting my shiny T-zone. I also loved its compact size-perfect for travelling. It saved me time, too: I didn’t need to remove my makeup before using it, because this scrub did it all in one small application.”
-Stephanie Han, art director

$7, 75 mL; at drugstores

7. Naturally by Upper Canada Body Polish with Buriti Seed

This one has African buriti seeds (from buriti palms) and apricot powder to exfoliate, and honey and shea butter to soften skin.

“I’m a bit Goldilocks about body scrubs: They can’t be too sticky, or too soft, or too stinky. This one is just right-it stays on my skin while scrubbing, and rinses clean away. Plus, the mild scent isn’t overpowering.”
-Kat Tancock, web editor

$15, 200 mL; uppercanadasoap.com

8. Fruits & Passion Refreshing Foaming Exfoliant

This scrub for the feet includes natural exfoliants of pumice, apricot seed powder and argan shell powder.

“The citrus smell was fresh, and the foam lathered up nicely on my feet. But this muddy-brown scrub is grittier than what I would normally need on a regular basis-except at the beginning of sandal season!”
-Margaret Nearing, senior editor

$16, 120 mL; fruits-passion.com

Did we miss your favourite scrub? Tell us why you love it in the comments.