Should you use a salt or sugar-based scrub?

They both accomplish the same result, but does one formula work better for your skin than the other?

10 Best Body Scrubs
10 Best Body Scrubs
(Image credit: Rex Features)

They both accomplish the same result, but does one formula work better for your skin than the other?

They both accomplish the same result, but does one formula work better for your skin than the other? Depends on how deep of a scrub you need. 

Regardless of whether you choose a salt or sugar-based scrub, baby-soft skin is the end goal, but in general, salt scrubs tend to have much larger particles than their counterparts. Because of this, salt is an ideal formula for particularly thick or rough areas that need extra exfoliation, not to mention, a slight detox. Salt works really well to draw out impurities and kill bacteria, so it can be used on parts of the body experiencing a breakout, provided that you don't rub too hard. 

We recommend using a salt-based formula a few times per week if your skin can take it, but definitely not everyday. They are, however, slightly more effective at diminishing the appearance of cellulite or stretch marks, as salt increases blood circulation under the skin to impart a toned effect on top.

If you have super-sensitive skin, stick to sugar scrubs. The smaller granules won't be as irritating, and dissolve in warm water pretty quickly. Another unexpected plus to sugar scrubs? You can use them post-shave without imparting a stinging sensation. Even if you hold a steady hand, your trusted Venus razor can sometimes leave behind an unexpected cut or two, so you can imagine how uncomfortable that may be once a dollop of your favourite salt scrub gets factored into the equation. This is why, if you're the type who always forgets to exfoliate until after you shave, we'd recommend using a sugar scrub, unless you're okay with feeling the burn—and we're not talking in the political sense.

From the editors at Instyle 

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