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Touchably soft, radiant skin? Yes please!
The idea of physical exfoliation—or the process of manually scraping away dirt and surface cells off your skin—can be divisive. While some are diehard fans of the lit-from-within glow it delivers, others think that it could cause micro tears and irritation to the skin. But most of the facial scrubs available today are no longer like the notorious St Ives ones you used in the past. Instead, they have smaller, frictionless particles that work gently and are cocooned in a moisturising, comfortable base. Here’s the thing: our skin’s cellular turnover gets scarily slow as we age, and it means that dead, older skin cells are likely to pile up on the surface without external intervention. We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite scrubs that serve as efficient tools to get the glow you’re looking for.
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Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream
₹ 2,200
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The jojoba microbeads in this cream get rid of the dead cells on the surface of the skin, so upon application, its active ingredients can penetrate and get to work. Apply the whipped cream-textured product on damp skin, massage it in with your fingertips, and then wash it off with lukewarm water. The exfoliators are suspended in a honey-and-grapeseed oil base, so you don’t have to worry about your skin feeling tight, dry or uncomfortable.
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Kama Ayurveda Kumkumadi Brightening Face Scrub
₹ 1,795
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This face scrub is blended with saffron, finely ground sweet almonds and walnut powder, all of which lift away pollutants and impurities without drying out the skin, leaving you with a luminous, brightened complexion you’re looking for.
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M.A.C Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator
Rs 3,400
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Volcanic ash works like clay to soak up sebum, so if you have oily, acne-prone skin, this scrub is ideal to add to your skincare routine. This is especially so when you add fine sugar crystals to get rid of any dirt, pollution, make-up and dead skin on your face, neck or décolletage. For best results, use once or twice a week for deep-cleansed, ultra-squeaky skin. Follow with a barrier-boosting serum and moisturiser to recoup.
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Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm
₹ 5,776
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You don’t need something ultra strong for it to really work. Instead, look to this luxurious buffing gelee that removes dead skin with fine luffa particles, while red algae and moringa seed peptides soothe and balance. Citric acid—an AHA—serves as the chemical exfoliator to bolster cell turnover and brighten the skin. The end result? Smooth, soft, supple skin that is ready for all the skincare and make-up applications ahead.
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Shiseido Waso Soft Cushy Polisher
₹ 2,300
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Have sensitive skin? This scrub will coddle it into submission, thanks to soy extracts from tofu and plant-based cellulose granules. These ingredients polish the skin in the gentlest possible manner, so you have a well-balanced, resurfaced visage without any of the side effects—redness, microtears or irritation. Even if you’re an overzealous scrubber (hey, it can be satisfying!), it can be tough to do any real damage with this pick.
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Sisley Gentle Facial Buffing Cream
₹ 6,300
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This will get the gunk off, but you won’t feel like you’re sloughing and scrubbing it off. Made with kaolin clay and German chamomile, this cream wears like a thick mask, which—when you massage in a circular motion—lets the microparticles get to work to allow the skin to resurface in the best possible way.
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Wishful Yo Glow Facial Enzyme Scrub
₹3,400
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This tube—with its bright yellow hue and holographic lettering—is the happiest-looking one you’ll have in your bathroom closet. Its contents are just as glow-boosting—the thick gel is made up of pineapple and papaya enzymes to improve cell turnover, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) to increase elastin and collagen production, and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) to break up the glue between dead skin cells. Simultaneously, fine pieces of cellulose slough off the dry bits of skin you’re wanting to get rid of.
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Arata Gentle Exfoliation Vitamin C Oatmeal Scrub
₹ 449
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Did you ever make an oatmeal and lemon juice mask to get rid of an uneven tan or brighten up a dull visage? This scrub takes all the benefits of both ingredients and packages it into a safe, effective formula. It contains oatmeal flakes and carrot-seed oil to fight oxidative stress. Moreover, it protects the skin barrier and hydrates skin while getting rid of dullness-inducing dead cells.
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