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Introduction
The main reason for upholding a skincare routine is because, ultimately, we want to look our best. As you will have read many times on these pages, products like face washes and moisturisers play a vital part in promoting healthy looking skin. But there’s an unsung hero that’s often neglected from skincare routines, which could really help you scrub up well.
A face scrub, or an exfoliator as it’s sometimes called, is an easy to use product which brings with it a host of benefits that will help keep your skin in tip top condition. By removing dead skin cells that form on the surface of your skin (a process more commonly known as exfoliation) these products are worth their weight in gold, and here’s why…
Five Benefits Of Using A Face Scrub
1. They Help Remove Dirt & Grime
Whether it’s grime from a hard day’s work or sweat from a long gym session, there are going to be occasions when your skin needs a deeper clean – up steps a face scrub.
Using small exfoliating particles to expertly clean your skin, where a normal face wash might be found wanting, a scrub will leave your skin super-clean and prepped for your moisturiser. It really is a gym bag must.
2. Spot Prevention & Clearer Complexion
It’s well known that one of the biggest contributors to spot prone skin is a build up of sebum (a naturally occurring oil on the skin), which causes clogged pores.
Using a face scrub twice weekly will help control the build up of sebum, dirt and grime and therefore help to control spots and blemishes that appear.
3. Improve Your Shave
The list of shaving benefits from using a face scrub is mightily impressive. As well as simply cleaning your skin prior to shaving, an exfoliator will remove the dead skin cells that clog up your razor (improving razor glide), lift tough beard hairs (again improving razor glide), as well as removing and preventing nasty ingrown hairs.
A true multi-tasking shaving essential.
4. Flake-Free Skin
A common complaint of dry-skin sufferers is ‘flakey’ skin, which not only looks unsightly but can also be difficult to control. The instant reaction is to reach for the moisturiser (which will undoubtedly help) but the real answer could lie with exfoliation.
By gently buffing away the top layer of ‘flakey’ skin, a face scrub will reveal a fresh complexion which when hydrated with a good moisturiser has a great chance of remaining flake-free.
5. Boost Ageing Complexions
Our skin is actually very good at repairing itself, regenerating around every thirty days. But when we hit our thirties this regeneration process slows down, meaning your complexion needs a helping hand.
A face scrub will effectively mimic skin rejuvenation to boost ageing complexions and give your skin a new lease of life.
When & How To Use An Exfoliator
With something to offer all skin types and guys of any age, it’s easy to get carried away and want to use a face scrub every day to try and make the most of all the above benefits. But I would urge all guys to err on the side of caution, because overuse can result in your skin being stripped of the natural oils it needs to retain elasticity, as well as over-drying your skin.
Some will be able to use an exfoliator more often than others (if you have particularly oily skin, or regularly have a build up of dirt and grime from sport or a physical job), but I would say that under normal circumstances to use a face scrub no more than two or three times a week.
Apply a face scrub in the same way as a face wash: first by wetting your skin with warm water before applying a small amount of scrub to your fingertips. In small circular motions, apply the product to your whole face, paying particular attention to areas of concern (T-section, area to be shaved). Then simply rinse off to reveal a smoother complexion.
FashionBeans Grooming Tip: I find sometimes that the consistency of a face scrub means that it doesn’t foam as much as I’d like to cover my whole face. In this instance I mix a small amount of scrub with a small amount of face wash to create my own version of a 2-in-1 exfoliator.
Market Leading Face Scrubs
Below you will find my personal picks of the market leading face scrubs, in a variety of categories. They are (from left to right):
- Best All Rounder: No7 For Men Energising Face Scrub
- Best On A Budget: Bulldog Original Face Scrub
- Best Multi-Tasker: ClarinsMen Exfoliating Cleanser
- Best Luxury: Lab Series Invigorating Face Scrub
- Best For Ageing Skin: Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
- Best Exfoliating Gadget: Clarisonic Sonic Skin Cleansing System
- No7 For Men Energising Face Scrub
- Bulldog Natural Skincare Original Face Scrub
- Clarins Exfoliating Cleanser
- Lab Series Skincare For Men Invigorating Face Scrub 100ml
- Murad Aha/bha Exfoliating Cleanser 200ml
- Clarisonic Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System Grey
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Thanks, Duncan. I have been using face scrub twice weekly for many years now and can testify to all the benefits you mention. I found your guide to the range of scrubs available particularly useful – I thought I had tried them all!
Nice article, I too can attest to the benefits of a good face scrub. I’d add nickel super clean scrub and biotherm facial cleansing scrub to your list, they’re awesome.
Great article! I am using HEMA face scrub myself – we do not have the products mentioned in the article in my country – and absolutely love it. I use it twice a week during my shower routine and afterwards I shave my beard which goes, as the article states, a lot smoother. Anyways, keep up the good work! I have been a regular visitor of FashionBeans for about a year now and really enjoy the articles you write.
Recently started using Bulldog and can highly recommend it to anyone looking.
This article speaks truth! My skin always feels at its best after exfoliating. I use Kiehls Facial Fuel Energizing Scrub twice a week; it is my favourite product in my skin care routine. I have thought about purchasing a Clarisonic to cleanse with in the past, worth the investment?
I was wondering whether you could enlighten me on the use of face serums. What are the specific functions of face serums and do you think they are worth their price? Most of them seem awfully expensive, and I am not convinced that they can produce any dramatic changes.
Anyone feel free to reply! Much appreciated!
Can you recommend one that is made from natural products? Face scrubs/washes often don’t agree with my skin and my whole face will burn Red. Strangely, it’ll only start happening after 2/3 days of using it…
Face scrubs are not always great for sensitive skin, even the natural ones because its the tiny scrubers that can irritate. Jojoba beads are round so you might get on better with them but watch out for other exfoliators such as crushed shells, nuts and pumice.
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish might also work, its deeply soothing, the cloth you get does the exfoliation gradually so its safe for every day use.
Hi Duncan
Wondering if you could help me with my skin
I use a prescribed gel called Duac it has clindamycin and anhydrous Benzoyl peroxide in it.. it helps clear spots very well but drys the skin out a bit.. i have a lot of scars from spots and have redness from scars still on my face.. I am unsure of my skin type.. before using the duac gel my forehead.. nose / t zone were always slightly oily and give off a slight shine.. but with the duac its slightly more dry now.. i suffer from redness example from the sun,alchohol,spicy foods etc.. and even if i was my face it goes really red. I get spots frequently usually all over my face but mostly in tzone, cheeks and my chin. I have never cleansed before but I have started to now… i was cleansing then using a vitamin E moisturiser but I think it was breaking me out more as it left my skin even more oily.. now ive added the duac to my routine.. i plan to cleanse, moisturise in the morning , cleanse at night and use duac… but I need a good moisturiser for my skin type that wont upset it / make it feel oily / give me the impression its making my skin break out more… hope you can help with my skin type / problem
I have tried may scrubs over the years and the best ive tried is Ren
Jojoba Microbead Purifying Facial Polish and Liz Earle for Men Face Scrub. For an alternative way to exfoliate which made a huge difference to my skin I would reccomend Liz Earle for Men Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. Its like having a hot towel treatment at a barbers, smells amazing too.
I was just wondering, certain scrubs claim that they are suitable for daily use. Does that mean its fine to use it on a daily basis. Or is it still better to stick to 2-3 times a week?