What is the Difference Between Body Polish and Body Scrub?

You’re holding two tubs in your hands, and one is labelled body scrub. But what is body scrubbing? Body scrubbing buffs away the top layer of skin (don’t worry, those skin cells are dead and won’t feel a thing!). It then deeply cleanses impurities to reveal a baby-soft surface.

The key ingredients in body scrubs are salt, coffee or sugar. These are physical exfoliators, which are better suited in scrubs compared to chemical exfoliators. This is because the skin on your body is tougher than the delicate skin on your face.

When you don’t exfoliate, dead cells, sweat, dirt and pollutants build up, creating dry and dull skin. The dusty surface of dead skin cells can deepen the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and enhance skin pigmentation.

Body scrubbing sloughs away the top layers to encourage cell turnover and brightens the skin. It then cleanses to clear out blackheads and blemishes. A good body scrub will finish with moisturising ingredients to smooth out creases for a hydrated, energised and radiant complexion.

The next question you might have is what is body polishing, and why is it different to a scrub? Body polishing aims to exfoliate lightly, but its main target is moisturising your skin. This is beneficial if you have dry skin (although a body scrub also takes care of this skin concerns).

Body polishes use intensely conditioning ingredients, like oils and butters. These absorb into the skin for a silky, soft feeling. Your upper layers are hydrated, firming creases, and offering a bounce-back effect. Body polishes use intensely conditioning ingredients, like oils and butters. These absorb into the skin for a silky, soft feeling. Your upper layers are hydrated, firming creases, and offering a bounce-back effect.

Whether you opt for a body polish or body scrub depends on your skin goals. Here is a brief overview to guide you:

Body Polish

Light exfoliation - Body polishes contain very mild exfoliants, but remember, their main aim is to condition. So, only opt for a body polish if you don’t need thorough exfoliation. 

Dry skin - Hydrating ingredients in body polishes will plump up skin with moisturising agents for a velvety complexion. This is beneficial if your skin feels tight. 

Sensitive skin - If you have skin that easily reacts to cleansers, you may prefer a body polish as it focuses on nourishment.

Body Scrub

Deep exfoliation - Body scrubbing is perfect for removing impurities that sit within the surface layers of your skin. That includes suncream, pollutants, or drying ingredients such as harsh soaps and shower gels.

Dull complexion - The skin on your body can look lacklustre, mainly because it’s often neglected. This can lead to drab, lifeless-looking skin. A body scrub brushes away dead skin cells to reveal a revitalised glow.

Dry skin - As long as your scrub doesn’t contain harsh ingredients, it won’t dry out your skin. In fact, it will do the opposite. Dry skin is often caused by a lack of moisture and a build-up of cells. This causes itching and flaking and enhances fine lines and wrinkles. Body scrubbing sweeps away the pile-up of dry skin (unpleasant, we know) before nourishing the fresh layers.

Body blemishes - Shoulder pimples? ‘Backne’? Body blemishes are nothing to be ashamed of. They’re something everyone encounters. But they’re not the most comfortable or confidence-boosting thing to manage. A body scrub cleanses to remove blockages and flush out clogged pores for thriving skin.

Body polish vs body scrub – which is most effective?

Whether you choose a body scrub or polish revolves around your body's skin concerns. We’ve made it simple by summing up the aims of both:

Body polish skincare goal - Lightly exfoliate and nourish skin. 

You may prefer a body polish if you need a little exfoliation, but you’re not aiming to purify skin or unclog pores. It is a good choice if your skin needs a lot of conditioning and you want to focus on moisturisation.

Body scrub skincare goal - Deeply exfoliate, cleanse and moisturise to detoxify and condition skin. 

If you want to thoroughly remove dirt, encourage cell turnover, clear clogged pores and moisturise, a body scrub is better.

Quick summary - Overall, body scrubs tend to cover all bases, whilst body polishes primarily focus on hydration.

ELEMIS have beautiful body scrubs to fulfil your body skin care wants and needs. Below are our absolute favourites for lustrous skin.

Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow body scrub - The Frangipani Salt Glow Scrub is formulated with mineral-rich salts to brush away build-up. Meanwhile, the luxurious infusion of Frangipani brings a gentle fragrance and cashmere-soft skin. 

Lime and Ginger Salt Glow body scrub - Our Lime and Ginger Salt Glow uses deluxe sea salt and aromatic lime. Warming ginger then soothes and revitalises the skin for a nourishing glow. 

The key to exfoliation is consistency, which also means avoiding over-exfoliation, as that can irritate skin. Therefore, it’s vital to understand how to exfoliate. Below are essential steps to exfoliate for glossy skin.

Exfoliation works best after you’ve had a shower or bath because warm water gently softens skin. This makes dirt and dead cells easier to remove. You can enjoy a soak before exfoliating with luxurious ELEMIS body and bath products.

Give your exfoliator a helping hand by cleaning your body first with shower gel or soap. This will clear daily buildup, such as sweat and sunscreen, allowing your exfoliation to reach the deeper levels of your skin.

Select the body scrub or body polish of your choice (if your aim is exfoliating, we recommend a scrub). Gently glide it over your skin, moving in smooth circles, starting at the top of your body and working your way down.

Tenderly splash or run water over your body to sweep away the remaining scrub or polish. It’s essential to wash thoroughly to remove the impurities and reveal luminous and butter-soft skin.

Finish your body buffing with a thick, creamy body moisturiser to lock in and enhance the properties of the body scrub.

Give your body a luxury treatment by exfoliating and nourishing your skin with our salt body scrubs. Relish in the infusion of oils, butters and calming fragrances and beautify your body with ELEMIS.