4 Sugar Scrubs for Gentle Yet Effective Exfoliation

Tired of dealing with dull-looking skin and rough texture? One of the easiest ways to reveal smooth, glowing skin instantly is by sloughing off dead cells from the skin’s surface. There are a handful of exfoliators to choose from, but we’ve got our eyes on the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Scrubs. There are four scrubs total—each formulated with a naturally-derived blend of three pure sugars—and the Skincare.com team took them all for a test run after receiving complimentary samples. The results? Stick around for our full product reviews of the L’Oréal Paris’ Pure-Sugar Scrubs to find out.

THE BENEFITS OF SUGAR SCRUBS

Exfoliating with gentle sugar scrubs can help remove unwanted skin cell buildup on the surface of skin, which can cause a dulled appearance and rough texture. In doing so, you are allowing the light to reflect off your skin more easily. Aside from more radiant-looking skin, exfoliation with sugar scrubs can also reveal softer, smoother skin.

Editor’s note: There are sugar scrubs that can be used on both facial and body skin, some that should only be used on body skin, and some that should only be used on facial skin. To avoid unwanted irritation, read the packaging carefully and only apply your sugar scrub to areas designated for use on the instructions.

WHAT DOES NATURALLY-DERIVED MEAN?

As mentioned, the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Scrubs are all formulated with three naturally-derived pure sugars—brown, blonde, and white sugars—and paired with additional ingredients to target a range of skin concerns. L’Oreal Paris considers an ingredient to be naturally-derived if it is unchanged from its natural state or has undergone processing yet still retains greater than 50% of its molecular structure from its original natural source.

HOW TO USE L’OREAL PARIS PURE-SUGAR SCRUBS

Each Pure-Sugar Scrub is safe for use on both facial and lip skin. To use, simply smooth a small amount of your favorite formula—more details on each one below—onto clean, dry skin. Pay extra attention to avoiding the eye area. Wet your fingers and massage the scrub over your face. As a last step, rinse with warm water and gently pat dry. To smooth and refine lips, and improve their overall appearance, follow the same routine as long as your lips are not chapped. You can use the scrub up to three times a week.

PURE-SUGAR NOURISH & SOFTEN FACE SCRUB REVIEW

Contrary to popular belief, cocoa isn’t exclusive to the dessert course. It can be a sweet treat for your pores, too. Formulated with finely-crushed cocoa, coconut oil, and rich cocoa butter, this buttery-soft sugar scrub designed for dry skin will melt in for a gentle, yet effective exfoliation session. After scrubbing, dull, dry skin is gently polished away, immediately revealing skin that feels smooth and comforted. In just one week, the skin looks healthier, smoother, and glowing.

Our take: This sugar scrub was better than I could have imagined. After just one use, my skin looked more refined, softer, and smoother. I could tell that dirt, oil and impurities were effectively removed from my skin’s surface as well.

Pure-Sugar Nourish & Soften Face Scrub, $12.99 MSRP

PURE-SUGAR PURIFY & UNCLOG FACE SCRUB REVIEW

Kiwi seeds aren’t found in formulas that often in the skin care sphere, but that’s exactly what sets L’Oréal Paris’ Pure-Sugar Purify & Unclog Face Scrub apart from the rest. The cleansing sugar face scrub—which is especially effective on oily skin—is formulated with three pure-sugars and paired with kiwi seeds, peppermint, and lemongrass oils to purify and unclog skin. After one week of use, expect pores to look tighter and less visible.

Our take: The first thing I noticed was how similar to kiwi this scrub looks and smells. After massaging it into my skin and rinsing with warm water, my dull skin was polished away, and felt purified and clean.  

Pure-Sugar Purify & Unclog Face Scrub, $12.99 MSRP

PURE-SUGAR SMOOTH & GLOW FACE SCRUB REVIEW

This sugar scrub can bring you one step closer to the glowing complexion of your dreams. Formulated with three pure sugars, finely ground acai, and nutrient-rich grapeseed and manoi oils, this ultra-soft sugar scrub will reveal a smoother complexion with a visible healthy glow. L'Oreal Paris recently unveiled a mini version of this exact face scrub, available now at Walmart, which means you can carry this scrub around in your purse or—if you're a jetsetter—in your carry-on bag. The pint-sized scrub features the same formula as its larger counterpart, able to smooth and refine both facial and lip skin! 

Our take: After just one use, I could tell my skin felt much smoother than before and looked glowing. I look forward to using it continually over one week to experience additional benefits, like baby-soft skin that’s rebalanced and healthier. 

Pure-Sugar Smooth & Glow Face Scrub, $12.99 MSRP for full size or $6.19 for mini 

  

L'ORÉAL PARIS PURE-SUGAR RESURFACE & ENERGIZE KONA COFFEE SCRUB

Formulated with real Kona Coffee Grounds from the Kona Coast of Hawaii, this energizing sugar scrub can help instantly awaken your skin. Suitable for all skin types, the blend of three pure sugars and Kona Coffee can remove impurities while reducing signs of fatigue. No need to fret about this scrub being rough on your skin—the gentle formula doesn’t include microbeads or harsh exfoliants.

Our take: My complexion has been looking particularly dull and lifeless lately. However, after using this coffee infused scrub just once, my skin was instantly awakened! On top of providing a gentle exfoliation, this sugar scrub left my skin feeling ultra-smooth and reinvigorated. All in all, these face scrubs worked great and I will definitely be restocking my arsenal once the formulas run out.

Pure-Sugar Resurface & Energize Kona Coffee Scrub, $12.99 MSRP