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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong
Body exfoliation is often an overlooked sub-section of our beauty routines (or something we only think about when winter hits are our legs look part-lizard). But it doesn’t have to be a difficult or laborious undertaking. Case in point: Exfoliating gloves.
According to Connecticut-based dermatologist Mona Gohara, these gloves slough away dead skin cells, add vibrance to skin, minimize fine lines, acne and acne scars, evens out skin tone and even helps products penetrate better.
While they don’t seem flashy (nor should they), a good set of scrubby gloves is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to maintain silky skin, minimize ingrown hairs, treat keratosis pilaris, and in some cases, reduce scarring and the appearance of stretch marks. And the best part is the experience is so easy—simply add your body wash of choice and spend a few minutes scrubbing in the shower. We promise you’ll feel all the better about it.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Mona Gohara, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the Vice President of the Women's Dermatologic Society in Connecticut.
Natalie Papadopoulos is the Owner and Founder of the wellness space and skin clinic The Parlour Room
Discover our top exfoliating glove picks for silky smooth skin below.
Best Overall
Face Halo Body Exfoliator
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Dual-sided
Great for streak-free tan
Doesn't over-exfoliate
Gets heavy when wet
This double-sided mitt features a textured side to remove dead skin, plus a soft, Halotech polishing side to smooth, cleanse and refresh. While we love it in the shower, you can use it either wet or dry up to 200 times. The oversized round shape makes the process easier, as well.
Price at time of publish: $22
Type: Mitt | Material: Polyester | Quantity: 1 mitt | Features: Dual-sided | Great for: Gentle exfoliation, body polishing, applying self-tanner
Best Budget
Earth Therapeutics Exfoliating Hydro Gloves
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Anti-microbial
Thick material
Isn't long-lasting
These are thick and textured, so they’re really effective when it comes to buffing and smoothing out dry, flaky skin. You can even use them to massage and cleanse the body with the perfect amount of lather, too. For the price, you can’t really go wrong.
Price at time of publish: $9
Type: Glove | Material: Nylon | Quantity: 1 pair | Features: Anti-microbial weave | Great for: Gentle exfoliation, unclogging pores, cleansing
Best Value
Mooerca Double-Sided Exfoliating Gloves, 8 Pairs
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Affordable
Multiple pairs
Soft material
Small fit
Simple, cheap, and cheerful, this set of eight gloves is great for beginners or anyone looking to test out the exfoliating mitt waters. Bonus points for the oh-so-fun colorways such as light green, purple, and dark blue.
Price at time of publish: $15
Type: Glove | Material: Nylon | Quantity: 6 pairs | Features: Elastic wristband | Great for: Improving skin texture, gentle exfoliation, removing dead skin
Best for Removing Tan
Bondi Sands Exfoliation Mitt
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Corrects tanning mistakes
Leaves a smooth canvas for self-tan
Removes dry skin
Thin material
This mitt from Bondi Sands has two sides with different textures, so you can tailor the experience to your skin type and the reasons you’re using the glove itself. The black side will buff, smooth, exfoliate the skin, and erase any tan residue, whereas the blue side is great for gently removing tanning mistakes or ingrown hairs.
Price at time of publish: $9
Type: Mitt | Material: N/A | Quantity: 1 mitt | Features: Dual-sided | Great for: Self-tan prep, removing self-tan and dead skin cells
Best for Sensitive Skin
EvridWear Exfoliating Dual Texture Bath Gloves
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Includes a hanger loop
Lightly exfoliates
Shrinks overtime
If your skin is more sensitive, this glove set from EvridWear is a great option because the material used is not as abrasive. Add a squeeze of fragrance-free body wash and lightly sweep the gloves over limbs, starting from the feet and working your way upwards.
Price at time of publish: $11
Type: Glove | Material: Nylon | Quantity: 1 pair | Features: Dual-textured, various exfoliation levels, built-in hanger loop | Great for: Improving skin texture, circulation, gentle exfoliation
Best for Strawberry Legs
Dermasuri Deep Exfoliating Mitt Body Scrub
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Reduces ingrown hairs and bumps
Can be used on face and body
Improves dry skin
Not long-lasting
Ingrown hairs happen when shaved or tweezed hair grows back into the skin, leading to swelling, inflammation, and the appearance of strawberry legs. One of the easiest ways to prevent them is a good ol’ fashioned weekly scrub to encourage skin cell turnover, and this Dermasuri mitt is the best one for the job. Made from a woven fabric, it works to slough off dead skin, untrapping hairs, and clearing out pores.
Price at time of publish: $15
Type: Mitt | Material: Viscose-cotton blend | Quantity: 1 mitt | Features: Elastic wristband | Great for: Improving skin texture, preventing strawberry skin, reduces bumps, self-tan prep, treating bumps caused by keratosis pilaris
Best for Keratosis Pilaris
Seraphic Skincare Korean Exfoliating Mitts
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Courtesy of Amazon
Reduces bumpy skin
Gently exfoliates
Unclogs pores
Too abrasive for sensitive skin types
Just a few circular motions with this exfoliating mitt will erase any rough bumps caused by keratosis pilaris. This is because of the construction of the mitt, which also provides an at-home microdermabrasion treatment without being too harsh when exfoliating or removing self-tan. Your skin will feel and look smoother, cleaner, and less textured than before.
Price at time of publish: $8
Type: Mitt | Material: Viscose | Quantity: 1 pair | Features: Elastic wristband | Great for: Gentle exfoliation, removing self-tan, treating bumps caused by keratosis pilaris, circulation, reducing ingrown hairs
Best for Removing Dead Skin
Earth Therapeutics Purifying Exfoliating Gloves - Charcoal
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Courtesy of Ulta
Charcoal-infused
Draws out impurities
Cleanes
Not very abrasive
While we’re not completely sold on the idea of charcoal-infused gloves, it’s a feature that certainly can’t hurt! Aside from that, these Earth Therapeutics gloves are snug and retain their shape well, so you can keep them in the shower for ease. And as you exfoliate, the charcoal draws out impurities to clean pores and remove any outer layer of dead skin.
Price at time of publish: $9
Type: Glove | Material: Nylon-polyester blend | Quantity: 1 pair | Features: Infused with bamboo charcoal | Great for: Removing dead skin, unclogging pores, cleansing
Best for Self-Tan
Zakia's Morocco Kessa Original Hammam Scrubbing Glove
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Courtesy of Amazon
Creates a clean canvas for self-tan
Great for ingrown hairs
Too scratchy
Seasoned tanners will know the benefits of exfoliation before applying a layer of self-tan. But even if you’re new to the game, this scrubbing glove from Zakia’s Morocco is easy and effective. Starting at your feet, work in circular motions in an upwards direction, spending extra time on dry spots like the knees and elbows. Finish with a little bit of moisturizer, and you’re ready to marinate.
Price at time of publish: $8
Type: Glove | Material: Natural | Quantity: 1 pair | Features: Elastic wristband | Great for: Gentle exfoliation, self-tan prep, treating bumps caused by keratosis pilaris, preventing strawberry legs, reducing ingrown hairs, cleansing
Best for the Body
SmitCo Body Exfoliation With Exfoliating Gloves and Shower Back Scrubber
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Deeply cleanses
Thick material
Exfoliates hard-to-reach places
Rough exfoliation
No one wants to accidentally dislocate an arm when scrubbing their back. Enter Smitco’s Exfoliating Gloves and Shower Back Scrubber. The handy duo makes it easy to exfoliate your entire body (including hard-to-reach spots) for smooth, flake-free skin all over.
Price at time of publish: $18
Type: Glove and towel | Material: N/A | Quantity: 4 pairs and 1 towel | Features: Back towel and travel case | Great for: Gentle exfoliation, cleansing, removing dead skin, reducing ingrown hairs, improving skin texture
Best for the Face
Earth Therapeutics Super Loofah Facial Mitt
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Delicate on the skin
Removes make-up residue
Super soft
Thin material
While we wouldn’t normally use an abrasive pair of exfoliating gloves on our face, this version from Earth Therapeutics is specially designed to offer a really soft, delicate exfoliation without irritation. It’s also the best shape and size to nix any flakes around the nose, chin, or forehead.
Price at time of publish: $6
Type: Mitt | Material: Nylon-polyester blend | Quantity: 1 pair | Features: Removes make-up | Great for: Gentle exfoliation, erasing make-up residue, removing impurities
Best for Bikini Area
Fur Mitt Trio
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Bloomingdales
Targets rough spots
Can be used throughout the body, even the face
Reduces ingrown hairs and bumps
Loses shape after a few uses
Regardless if you use them wet or dry, these textured finger mitts from Fur will gently dust away any dirt and debris. The softer side of the mitt is great for polishing the skin, while the textured end buffers rough spots, such as ingrown hairs and bumps, to leave your bikini area and body silky smooth.
Price at time of publish: $18
Type: Mitt | Material: Nylon-cotton blend | Quantity: 3 mitts | Features: Dual-sided | Great for: Gentle exfoliation, removing dirt and debris, skincare prep, buffering the skin, polishing, reducing ingrown hairs, cleansing
Final Verdict
Our top pick is the Honeydipped Essentials Bamboo Exfoliating Bath Mitt (view at Honeydipped) because it's eco-friendly and gently exfoliates the skin. Of course, after careful consideration (i.e. a lot of scrubbing) team Byrdie has decided that the Dermasuri Deep Exfoliating Mitt Body Scrub (view at Amazon) and Face Halo Body Exfoliator (view at Face Halo) are also great options. Dermasuri in particular fits really well and offers a thorough exfoliation to smooth the skin and prevent ingrown hairs (one of the most annoying things ever). Meanwhile, Face Halo is amazing in its own right, partly due to the fact it has two sides—one to gently buff and the other to slough off flaky, dry skin.
What to Look for in Exfoliating Gloves
Fit
If you're debating between a glove or mitt, it all comes down to the fit you prefer. Most exfoliating gloves are pretty stretchy, but tend to provide a more snuggly fit that gives you more control overall. Those with petite hands might want to consider a mitt (like the Fur Mitt Trio, which fits perfectly around the fingers) because some are small yet have a bit of stretch, and have an elastic wristband.
Texture
The only other real thing to consider is the texture or coarseness of your exfoliating gloves. If you’re really dry, trying to remove tan, or want to feel reborn, go for a pair that’s tightly woven and quite abrasive. Likewise, if you have sensitive skin or want to use your gloves daily, seek out a pair that are woven from softer fibers (such as the dual-sided feature in our Best Overall pick, the Face Halo Body Exfoliator).
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie?
Not only has Emily Algar combed the market for all the top-rated exfoliating gloves to help you find the best pair, but she has road-tested a bunch as well.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any exfoliating gloves from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
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