The 10 Best Exfoliators for Sensitive Skin as Tested by Cheap Erlebnisweltfliegenfischen Jordan Outlet Editors

Best Overall

Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment

$85 $63 at Amazon $85 at Nordstrom $85 at Ulta

Why We Love It: Rather than a scrub, this lightweight cream feels smooth and silky; you can either leave it on as an overnight mask or wash it off after 15 minutes (we opted for the former). Our skin slightly tingled the first few times we used it, although it never hurt—and we eventually stopped feeling any sensation when we applied it. And it was worth sticking with: Every time we applied it, we noticed that our skin felt smoother, softer, and even more hydrated. In fact, our fine lines on our forehead looked less visible after we used it for a month, as did the bumpy texture on our cheeks. While we're still waiting to see a change in our hyperpigmentation, we're convinced enough to stick with it.

Who It’s For: Anyone looking for improvements in dark spots or dryness would do well to pick this option. Do note it was a little too harsh for very sensitive skin types, so patch test it first.

Formula: Chemical｜Key Ingredients: for this story｜Best for: Signs of sun damage｜Usage: Apply 1-2 pumps to skin｜Size: 1.7 oz

Best Budget Exfoliator for Sensitive Skin

Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Daily Facial Scrub

$9 $7 at Amazon $8 at Walgreens $11 at Riteaid.com

Why We Love It: For a straightforward, frills-free exfoliation, it doesn't get much better than this product, which we used every evening before bed as our cleanser. The dual-exfoliant formula had just the right amount of grittiness, and it easily removed our makeup, too. We could tell our skin was smoother immediately, and the results have only gotten better—after using it for several weeks, our skin is more radiant than it was in week one. Even with daily use, our skin hasn't been dry.

Who It’s For: Anyone who’s had trouble with harsh scrubs in the past will appreciate this gentle one. Some might not love the light, citrusy fragrance, which we found pleasant.

Formula: Hybrid｜Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, cellulose, glycerin｜Best for: Anyone looking for a deep clean｜Usage: Massage into damp skin, then rinse｜Size: 4.2 oz

Best Exfoliator for Oily, Sensitive Skin

PCA Skin Pore Refining Treatment

$72 at Amazon View on Pcaskin.com

Why We Love It: There's no rule saying you have to stick with just one type of exfoliation. In fact, doubling up—as with this scrub, which pairs chemical and physical exfoliants—can actually be great for some skin types. We set out hoping that the combination of alpha hydroxy acid, fruit enzymes, rice powder, and oil-absorbing clay would smooth our overall skin texture and shrink the look of our large pores, and did it ever deliver. Rather than feeling like overkill, the texture of the scrub was creamy with just a little grit. We saw less congestion on our cheeks; where we're especially prone to breakouts. Another perk is that our T-zone seemed to be less oily after using this scrub, but our skin never felt dried out or stripped of moisture.

Who It’s For: Anyone who struggles with excess oil production will like this pick, as it controls this without stripping skin of its moisture.

Formula: Hybrid｜Key Ingredients: Mandelic acid, papain, rice powder, kaolin clay｜Best for: Oily or breakout-prone skin types｜Usage: After cleansing, apply and massage it in gentle circular motions｜Size: 2.1 oz

Best Gentle Exfoliator for Very Sensitive Skin

Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Exfoliating Peeling Gel

$49 at Amazon $49 at Nordstrom View on Ulta

Why We Love It: If seeing is believing, then you can trust the results of this peeling gel, which literally rolls dead skin away with a combination of cellulose, plus pineapple and pomegranate enzymes. We rubbed this onto freshly cleansed skin and our skin was noticeably softer and smoother, and we experienced zero redness or dryness as a result, which was a huge plus for us. In fact, our skin still felt moisturized after we used it. The only downside is that we didn't see much of an improvement in our skin tone and all-around radiance like we'd hoped. That might be because it’s so gentle that it takes more continued use to see results, so we plan to keep trying it.

Who It’s For: This mask doesn’t inflame highly reactive skin, and it makes skin feel smoother.

Formula: Hybrid｜Key Ingredients: Pineapple enzymes, pomegranate enzymes, cellulose, glycerin, hyaluronic acid｜Best for: People prone to redness or inflammation｜Usage: Apply a generous amount to clean, dry skin and gently massage in a circular motion, then rinse well｜Size: 3.4 oz

Best Exfoliator for Dull, Sensitive Skin

SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

$96 at Dermstore $96 at Skinstore.com

Why We Love It: Luxury skincare brand SkinCeuticals is known for its fan-favorite products (exhibit A: CE Ferulic), but their more under-the-radar products deliver, too—for instance, we found this to be one of the best exfoliating masks we’ve tried. In an effort to smooth and soften our skin, we alternated our evening retinol product with the overnight cream, which uses glycolic acid to dissolve the glue (a.k.a. excess oil and gunk) that holds together dead skin cells—allowing them to slough off. For a chemical peel-type product, it was surprisingly gentle; in fact, we skipped our moisturizer after applying a pea-size amount. Since using this, we've found that our clogged pores have disappeared, and we no longer get errant whiteheads. 

Who It’s For: This formula makes skin look more radiant, putting this among our best exfoliators for uneven skin tone. While our skin didn't feel overly dry, it did feel a little more sensitive than usual in the mornings, even though we regularly use retinol and alpha hydroxy acids.

Formula: Chemical｜Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, phytic acid, jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil｜Best for: Dullness or discoloration｜Usage: Smooth a pea-sized amount over face and neck｜Size: 1.7 oz

Our Top Picks

Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant

$19 at Amazon $68 $19 at Sephora $68 at Ulta

Why We Love It: An exfoliant that doesn't aggravate our dry, eczema-prone skin is hard to find—but it exists in the form of this powder exfoliant, which is activated by adding water. The only hiccup we found was knowing how much powder and water was needed to make the exfoliating paste for our whole face. We tried this product in the middle of an eczema flare-up, since it contains oat bran extract (which is known for its ability to soothe skin), and woke up to calmer skin in the morning, with less burning and irritation. Plus, it has the exfoliating action of alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, and fruit enzymes, which made our skin look brighter and more even in tone. After rinsing, our skin also felt fresh and hydrated, and as we continued using it, our dry patches improved and our skin got smoother.

Who It’s For: This gentle exfoliator won’t upset or irritate even the most sensitive skin types, and actually can help alleviate certain skin concerns and symptoms.

Formula: Hybrid｜Key Ingredients: Coconut milk, oat bran extract, papaya enzyme, hyaluronic acid, alpha hydroxy acid｜Best for: Rosacea- or eczema-prone skin｜Usage: Dispense a half-teaspoon between wet hands and rub them to create a lather, then massage onto skin in circular motions and rinse｜Size: 0.45 oz

Best Physical Exfoliator for Sensitive Skin

Tula Skincare Exfoliating Sugar Scrub

View On Tula $34 at Amazon $34 at Sephora

Why We Love It: We used this right after a shower and saw an immediate difference in how our skin looked and felt, with a more radiant glow and smaller-looking pores. In fact, we felt comfortable going without foundation, and a friend said that we were "glowing." On top of that, this formula helped us achieve glass skin, leaving it even smoother and softer instead of dry and tight. If we were in a rush and didn't thoroughly rinse off the scrub, we did see flecks of sugar around our hairline—but otherwise it's a foolproof addition to a routine, and the best face scrub for sensitive skin, especially if you have large pores.

Who It’s For: If you have large pores and are looking for a product that can keep them clear and free of buildup, this is it.

Formula: Hybrid｜Key Ingredients: Probiotic extracts, sugar, papaya enzymes, pineapple enzymes｜Best for: Those with large or clogged pores｜Usage: Apply a dime-sized amount and massage, then rinse｜Size: 2.9 oz

testers who evaluated 15 exfoliators over four weeks

Eminence Organic Skin Care Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant

$55 at Dermstore $35 at Walmart $55 at Ecosmetics.com

Why We Love It: This particular scrub is powered by strawberry, a natural source of salicylic acid, as well as a blend of rice, oat, and chickpea powders to buff and polish skin. It's packaged as a powder in a bottle and it took us a few tries to get the product-to-water ratio right for our preferences, but we didn't feel any irritation or see any redness. After using it, our skin felt like it had gotten a deep clean, and it felt smoother every time we used it. And rather than dry out skin, it left our complexion feeling so soft that we could skip moisturizer afterward.

Who It’s For: Anyone looking for a thorough cleanse should check out this formula.

Formula: Hybrid｜Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, strawberry extract, chickpea flour, rhubarb extract｜Best for: People seeking a vegan or plant-based option｜Usage: After cleansing, dispense a small amount into wet hands, rub hands together to create a paste, apply to your skin in circular motions, and then rinse｜Size: 4.2 oz

Glycerin, vitamin B5, vitamin E｜

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Face Polisher

$48 at Ulta View on Peachandlily.com $48 at Target

Why We Love It: Thanks to our combination skin (which leans oily), we can see our pores from a mile away. Or we could, at least, since it's no longer the case thanks to this scrub. Similar to others on this list, it comes as a powder that you mix with water, which we liked since we could control the consistency. And it worked incredibly well for our pores: After a single use, it Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant at Amazon like some kind of "skin vacuum." Now that we've used it regularly, we've found that it does an equally good job at keeping them clean, too, and leaves our skin looking healthy and bright. That said, it didn't do much else for our skin besides seriously clearing out our pores, so it might not be your go-to pick if you're looking to, say, fade dark spots. But we plan to keep it in our rotation just to keep our pores in check from here on out.

Who It’s For: Those who like to stick to one exfoliating product daily will appreciate this gentle pick.

Formula: Hybrid｜Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, ginseng, allantoin, rice bran, corn starch｜Best for: Large pores｜Usage: Dispense a dime-sized amount into wet hands and rub together to create a creamy texture, then massage in circular motions and rinse｜Size: 75 g

Best Micro-Exfoliator for Sensitive Skin

Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub

$18 at Amazon $12 at Ulta $13 at Walgreens

Why We Love It: Micro-exfoliating beads might give some people some pause, especially if they used the harsh, gritty exfoliating scrubs of years past, but this formula is designed to redeem them. We found that the exfoliating beads are so fine, they're almost hard to detect—and the formula was incredibly easy to massage into our skin. As soon as we rinsed, our skin felt more supple and soft, and we noticed less bumpy texture on our skin. While we usually prefer to use chemical exfoliants, we were impressed by just how well this physical option worked; it didn't dry out or irritate our skin at all.

Who It’s For: This is ultra-gentle and oil-free, so it’s suitable for most skin types. Our only gripe is that it didn't seem to improve our acne at all, even though it didn't exacerbate it, either.

Formula: Physical｜Key Ingredients: Glycerin, vitamin B5, vitamin E｜Best for: Uneven skin texture｜Usage: Massage into damp skin, then rinse｜Size: 6 oz