How often should you exfoliate in summer? Does exfoliating help or hinder tanning?
Reveal smooth, soft, glowing skin as we reveal when and how to use a scrub as part of your summer skin care routine.
Plus, discover our top picks for the best face and body scrubs for summer.
Summary
- Exfoliating in the summer promotes clear, smooth skin, lifts away dry patches and helps your self tan take evenly
- Try to exfoliate 1-2 times a week at night. Never over-exfoliate or use a scrub on broken skin
- Best face scrub for summer: Green People Fruit Scrub Exfoliator
- Best body scrub for summer: Green People Wild Berry Exfoliating Hand & Body Scrub
Why use an exfoliator in summer
Don’t let dry skin stop you from wearing your favourite summer outfits. Treating your skin to a cleansing scrub is one of our favourite summer skin care steps and it gives great results.
Instantly glow-giving, using a scrub gently buffs and polishes, leaving your face and body oh-so-soft and noticeably smoother.
- Here’s a few benefits of using a scrub in summer:
- Smooths arms and legs ahead of shaving, allowing for a closer shave
- Smooths skin ahead of tanning, encouraging a non-streaky application
- Supports cell renewal, boosting your natural glow
- Helps deeply cleanse skin of dirt, sweat and sun cream
- Smooths dry heels ahead of sandal season
- Helps to erase fake tan mistakes
How often should you exfoliate your skin in summer?
You don’t need to exfoliate more in summer!
Whether you're exfoliating your face or body, there are two golden rules to follow: exfoliate at night and limit exfoliation to once or twice a week.
These rules apply all year round and help protect your skin from irritation caused by over-exfoliation.
For soft, glowing skin, exfoliate once or twice a week. Always apply SPF the following day to protect your freshly exfoliated skin from sun damage.
Where does a scrub fit into my summer skin routine?
We’re often asked if you should exfoliate before or during your shower. Summer body scrubs, such as our Exfoliating Hand & Body Scrub, are best applied to wet skin.
There’s no need to use shower gel afterwards; this lightly lathering scrub will leave your skin feeling oh-so-soft and clean.
Shaving your arms or legs? Exfoliating first can help you achieve a closer shave. Be sure to massage the scrub gently over delicate areas and take care not to scrub broken skin.
Facial exfoliators like our Fruit Scrub Exfoliator are most effective when used on wet skin, and we recommend using them after cleansing, when your skin is still damp.
Gently massage the scrub over your face and neck, taking care around the delicate eye area. Your skin will soon feel deeply clean and refreshed.
Which scrub is best for summer?
Best body scrub for summer
Looking for a summer exfoliator?
If you love the sweet scent of summer berries, you’ll love our Exfoliating Hand & Body Scrub with Wild Berry aroma. Oh-so gentle on sensitive skin, 82% of our tester panel said it left their skin feeling instantly soft and smooth.
Here’s a few reasons why it's our best body exfoliator for summer:
- Gentle on all skin types, 96% of our tester panel said it was kind to their skin
- Lightly lathers to purify skin as you polish
- Non-drying, with an organic Aloe Vera shield to protect your skin barrier
- Blissfully berry scented, leaving skin feeling truly pampered
- Use from head to toe, a little goes a long way
Exfoliating Hand & Body Scrub 200ml
Treat your skin to berry bliss with this invigorating hand and body scrub
£19.50
“What a wonderful product. Lovely and smooth to apply with gentle exfoliation. Leaves your skin silky soft with a beautiful fragrance. A must have for summer skin.” Victoria
Best face scrub for summer
Looking for a face scrub for summer? If you love summer fruit scents, you can’t go wrong with our Fruit Scrub Exfoliator.
Born to buff away dullness and refresh your radiance, this citrus-scented face scrub utilises the dual exfoliating action of Bamboo Stem and Pineapple Enzymes along with a refining blend of 5 AHA natural extracts to leave your complexion touchably soft and smooth.
Did we mention that it’s dermatologically tested and clinically proven to be kind to skin, too? An Aloe Vera core keeps your skin calm as you buff, making this the perfect summer scrub for those with sensitive skin.
Fruit Scrub Exfoliator 50ml
Reveal a smoother complexion with this certified organic exfoliator
£23.00
“I love this exfoliator. It's gentle, smells good & leaves my skin feeling refreshed & amazing.” Julie
Best summer face scrub for men
Many men lose their beards for the summer, opting for a clean shave ahead of their summer holiday.
That's where our Green People for Men Exfoliating Face Scrub can help. Enriched with a fresh Peppermint aroma, it gently lifts dead cells and preps the skin for a smoother shave so that your razor can glide over the skin, reducing the likelihood of nicks and cuts.
Green People for Men - No. 1 Exfoliating Face Scrub 100ml
Discover a deeper clean with our exfoliator and facial cleanser for men
£19.50
“This is a very cleverly conceived product with a lovely fresh feel and fragrance which is steadily improving the skin on my face.” David
Find it in our Men's Skin Care Heroes, the natural grooming kit for a smoother, closer summer shave.
Men’s Skin Care Heroes
A 3-step organic men’s skin care gift set: wash, shave, hydrate
Regular price
£59.50
£50.50
Best exfoliating mitt for summer
Another way to smooth your skin in summer is with an exfoliating mitt. Achieve silky soft skin in seconds with this radiance-boosting mitt for face and body.
Made to smooth over rough skin without a scratch, it's gently crafted with natural fibres that feel oh-so-soft against your skin.
Exfoliating Mitt
Instantly smooth your skin with this gently exfoliating body mitt
£6.50
Ideal for use on the bikini line, its gentle touch promotes healthy cell turnover to discourage ingrown hairs in sensitive areas.
Wet it to use it with your favourite body wash or use it dry to discover your dream dry body brush.
Browse organic body lotions & self tans
Now that your skin is soft and smooth, keep your summer glow going by browsing our selection of summer body lotions.
Want to boost your glow as you hydrate? Now’s the perfect time. Scrubbing your skin before tanning provides a gorgeous, smooth canvas for applying your tan, making it easier to achieve a seamless, non-patchy finish.
You may want to avoid exfoliating after you've applied fake tan so that your glow lasts longer.
Our natural and organic self tan lotions tend to only tan the top layers of skin, and if you scrub this layer, you find that your tan fades sooner than you would like it to. Read more tips for fake tanning.
When not to exfoliate in summer
We’re often asked whether it is best to use a scrub in the morning or at night. Skin scrubs are best used at night, especially during the summer months.
Why? Exfoliating brings young cells to the surface, which are more vulnerable to sun damage. That’s why you must always wear SPF the day after you exfoliate.
But that’s not the only occasion when you should avoid exfoliating.
As over-exfoliating risks damaging the skin barrier and irritating the skin, it is best to avoid exfoliating when using any skin care products designed to accelerate cell turnover, such as Retinol or AHA-based skin care.
And of course, it goes without saying that you should avoid exfoliate broken skin – ouch!
Should you exfoliate before or after sunbathing?
It's never a good idea to lie in the sun for long periods and, as we’ve mentioned, exfoliation should always be done at night. Always apply plenty of high-factor sun cream to protect those vulnerable skin cells in the days following exfoliation.
Our Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30 is the perfect choice. Ultra-gentle on sensitive skin and packed with nourishing natural and organic actives, it is an absolute summer essential.
Protect sensitive skin naturally with our best-selling SPF30 sun cream
£32.50
Scent Free Sun Cream SPF30 200ml
“Lovely sun cream to use in the summer, doesn't feel greasy and goes on so easily. I love the fact its natural and I haven't got to worry about being irritated by harmful products.” Mandy
If you need more help choosing a facial exfoliator or body scrub for summer, please get in touch with our friendly UK customer care team on 01403 740350. We’re always happy to help!
REVIEWED BY CHARLOTTE, FOUNDER OF GREEN PEOPLE
This blog post has been reviewed by Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of Green People, who has 25+ years of experience in the natural and organic beauty industry.
A recognised leader in the field of organic beauty, Charlotte helped inform the UK's first organic beauty standards and was voted the People’s Choice in the 2023 list of Who’s Who in Natural Beauty.
A published author, she wrote the organic beauty bible ‘Naturally Gorgeous’. Previously, she qualified as a nurse and spent over 10 years working in pharmaceuticals.
If you wish to republish this content, please credit Green People as the original creator with a link to 'Best face and body scrubs for summer glow.' Please do not use an affiliate link.
