The 13 Best Exfoliators of 2024, According to Expert Advice

While it's not something you need to do every day, exfoliation is a crucial component of your regular skincare routine. It helps remove dead skin, encourages cell turnover, prevents clogged pores, and helps even out texture. If you have a reactive complexion, you may have just shuddered. Don't fret. According to board-certified dermatologist Diane Madfes, MD, FAAD, folks with sensitive skin can still exfoliate. "It just has to be done in a different manner," she says. "I tend to recommend exfoliating with chemical means rather than mechanical (physical)."

In other words, your best bet is a product containing exfoliating acids (such as glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid) or fruit enzymes. So, which formulas are gentle enough for even the most sensitive, dry, itchy, or inflamed complexions? We compiled expert recommendations and insight along with extensive research to bring you standout options for sensitive skin.

Best Overall

Type: Lactic acid/AHA and salicylic acid/BHA; daily peel | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid, cucumber, green tea | Size: 30 treatments | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Dr. Madfes is a big fan of lactic acid exfoliators for sensitive skin, such as Dr. Dennis Gross's Ultra Gentle Daily Peel. A pared-down version of the beloved Alpha Beta peel, it combines lactic and mandelic AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) with BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) salicylic acid to dissolve dead skin on the most delicate complexions.

"Gentle acids loosen the top layer of the skin and naturally shed," explains Dr. Madfes. In addition to exfoliating, these pre-soaked pads provide soothing benefits with plant-based anti-inflammatory ingredients like green tea, cucumber, and witch hazel. You'll notice visibly refined skin the first time you try it. And with regular use of this two-step system, you can count on less visible pores, reduced fine lines, and smooth-as-butter texture.

Best Budget

• Budget-friendly

• Gentle formula

• Hydrating

Type: High-strength lactic acid peel | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, hyaluronic acid| Size: 1 ounce| Cruelty-Free: Yes

On a budget? Your best bet is this brilliant little tincture from The Ordinary. Combining lactic acid with our favorite humectant, hyaluronic acid, it gently dissolves dead skin cells and delivers immediate hydration. We found our skin was super soft and smooth immediately after using as well as the next day. For those with really sensitive skin, we recommend starting off by using it once weekly and building up to twice a week if your tolerance allows for it.

Read Full Review: This Chemical Exfoliator Gave Me Smooth, Clear Skin—And It's So Affordable

Dr. Pierre recommends looking for chemical exfoliators with ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid, vitamin C, and multi-fruit acids. However, he warns to be careful with salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid that's often used to treat acne, because it can be quite strong.

Best Drugstore

• Budget-friendly

• Great for all skin types

• Not greasy

• Contains fragrance

Type: Fruit enzyme liquid peel | Active Ingredients: Fruit enzymes, licorice extract| Size: 3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We also love e.l.f.'s Gentle Peeling Exfoliant. It ever-so-gently gets rid of dead skin with papaya and tangerine fruit enzymes, then calls on licorice extract to boost radiance without irritation.The liquid texture makes it really lightweight and easy to layer in your skincare routine, too.

Best With Retinol

Type: Fruit enzyme night oil | Active Ingredients: Retinol, vitamin C, plant oils| Size: 1 ounce| Cruelty-Free: Yes

Retinoids can have an exfoliating effect while encouraging cell turnover. In addition to retinol, this skin-refining potion is chock full of antioxidants and plant oils like jojoba, argan, and evening primrose to replenish stressed complexions.It's great that it's in the form of an oil because it works to address uneven skin texture while also maintaining a moisturizing formula.

Best Cleanser

Type: Glycolic acid/AHA cleanser | Active Ingredients: Glycolic acid, squalane| Size: 4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Cleansing oils are great for people with sensitive skin because they work to clean the skin while also providing necessary moisture and remaining super gentle. This one is fantastic for cleansing as well as makeup removal, and we love that the formula contains a blend of fruit enzymes to provide exfoliation, as well as superfoods and squalane to nourish and hydrate the skin. We also appreciate that the texture is luxe-feeling, but isn't too thick or hard to spread around the face.

Best Powder

Type: Salicylic acid/BHA and fruit enzyme daily cleanser | Active Ingredients: Rice bran, colloidal oatmeal, salicylic acid| Size: 0.5,2.6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you're partial to exfoliating powders, you'll love Dermalogica's award-winning Daily Microfoliant. Boasting a much-deserved large following, it gently exfoliates with rice bran and salicylic acid while calming irritation with colloidal oatmeal.It can take a bit of practice to figure out how much water to combine it with for the optimal experience, but once you do, it works to gently exfoliate the skin and reveal a more radiant complexion. If you have dry or super sensitive skin, use it just once or twice a week

Read Full Review: I’ve Been Using This Powder Exfoliant For 7 Years and I Don’t Think I’ll Ever Quit It

Best Serum

• 3-in-1: Resurfaces, hydrates, and clarifies

• Targets hyperpigmentation

• Won't cause redness

• Tingles slightly

Type: Salicylic acid/BHA and glycolic acid/AHA night serum | Active Ingredients: Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, honey, hyaluronic acid| Size: 1 ounce| Cruelty-Free: Yes

Farmacy Honeymoon Glow contains a gentle medley of AHAs and BHAs to address uneven texture, hyperpigmentation, and clogged pores. But it doesn't stop there—hyaluronic acid⁷ and honey¹² hydrate, plump, and protect reactive skin. Within a few days, we already saw a difference in the texture of our complexion. Note that it is a potent formula, so we recommend patch testing and using sparingly at first.

Read Full Review: Farmacy's New Honey-Infused Resurfacing Serum Brightens Up Dull Skin Overnight

Best Toner

Type: Glycolic acid/AHA toner | Active Ingredients: Glycolic acid, niacinamide, licorice root| Size: 7.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This is hands down, the best glycolic acid toner for sensitive skin. Combining an exfoliating AHA with niacinamide and licorice root extract, the ultra-hydrating formula breaks down dead cells and sebum, and strengthens the skin barrier.We also love that it's suitable for all skin types, including acne-prone.

• Has a strong fragrance

Type: Glycolic acid and lactic acid/AHA nightly mask | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, glycolic acid, pumpkin enzymes, watermelon extract, hyaluronic acid | Size: 0.8, 2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This Byrdie favorite ever-so-gently exfoliates with lactic acid, glycolic acid, and pumpkin enzymes, while watermelon extract and hyaluronic acid soothe and hydrate the skin. We also love that it's an overnight mask, making it easy and convenient to apply before bed and let it work its magic while you sleep.

Read Full Review: Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask Is a Treat for Skin

Best Physical

• Budget-friendly

• Gentle formula

• Balances the skin

• Sugar dissolves rapidly

Type: Fruit enzyme scrub | Active Ingredients: Sugar, squalane, botanical extracts| Size: 3.38 fluid ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

"A great manual exfoliator is the SeSpring So Polished Sugar Scrub because it's gentle and contains camellia and lotus, which hydrate, nourish, and balance, while peony soothes and protects the skin," says celebrity esthetician Joshua Ross of SkinLab. It's particularly ideal for those with sensitive skin because the scrubbing particles are extremely gentle.

Best for Redness

• Lightweight

• Reduces redness

• Soothes irritation

Type: Salicylic acid/BHA brightening serum | Active Ingredients: Azelaic acid, salicylic acid, licorice root| Size: 1 ounce | Cruelty-Free: Yes

To combat redness, reach for this skincare booster from Paula's Choice. The key ingredient is azelaic acid, an impressively effective yet notably mild exfoliant that tackles everything from rosacea to uneven texture to general inflammation.We also appreciate its versatility—it can be applied on its own or mixed in with your nighttime serum or moisturizer.

Type: Lactic acid and glycolic acid/AHA gel | Active Ingredients: Lactic acid, glycolic acid, licorice root, green tea| Size: 28 to 60 pads | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Exfoliating pads are great for travel and mess-free application in general, and these are the best ones for people with sensitive skin. The pads themselves are soft, and the formula is gentle enough not to irritate reactive skin. They're pre-soaked with AHAs to melt dead skin, plus licorice root extract and calming ingredients like green tea and aloe vera.

Best for Body

Type: Retinol, lactic acid and glycolic acid/AHA serum | Active Ingredients: Retinol, lactic acid, glycolic acid| Size: 5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you're looking to incorporating a body exfoliating tool or product into your routine, we highly recommend this one from Topicals. It's a lightweight body serum with a lotion-like texture that utilizes the power of encapsulated all-trans-retinol (a gentle form of retinol) as well as glycolic and lactic acids to smooth skin texture. It's fast-absorbing, works to rid the skin of flakes and bumps, and leaves it looking smooth and radiant.

What to Look for in an Exfoliator for Sensitive Skin

• AHAs: If you have sensitive skin, “start with an AHA such as glycolic, lactic, or mandelic acid at a low concentration, once a week,” says board-certified dermatologist Brian Hibler, MD. "And there’s no need to rush to a high concentration. It’s more important to be consistent with use and go slowly to avoid creating excess irritation.” Of all the AHAs available, he says that lactic acid is one of the most gentle; it has a softening and moisturizing effect and can be used on a more regular basis, even by those with sensitive skin.
• Hydrating Ingredients: Exfoliation can dry out the skin, so Dr. Hibler suggests reaching for combination products that also contain hydrating ingredients like plant oils or hyaluronic acid. This, he says, will prevent the skin from drying out, leaving the complexion soft and smooth.
• Potential Irritants: Lastly, Dr. Hibler recommends using products that are free of common irritants like artificial fragrances, dyes, and alcohol. While many of these ingredients won’t aggravate most skin types, it’s not worth chancing a potential bad reaction if your skin is on the sensitive side.
  

FAQ

• The proper way to apply an exfoliator depends on the type of product you're using. There are cleansers and scrubs, which you combine with water, massage onto your skin, then rinse clean. Then you've got pre-soaked pads and exfoliating toners, which you gently rub around clean skin. Some exfoliating products come in the form of serums that go on after cleansing, along with masks and treatments, which can often be left on overnight. It's always best to follow the directions on the packaging of the product you're using.

• "In general, I would recommend somebody exfoliating once a week if they have sensitive skin," says Ross. "Over-exfoliation can lead to a compromised liquid barrier, which will exacerbate sensitive skin and could lead to redness and further irritate skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema."

• "Always follow with a moisturizer containing hyaluronic acid or glycerin," advises Dr. Madfes. Beyond that, you can use most other skincare products along with an exfoliator. However, be mindful when using other actives, such as retinol, bakuchiol, vitamin C, tea tree oil, or caffeine, as these ingredients could irritate the brand-new skin you just exposed through exfoliation.¹ When combining skincare products with exfoliants, Dr. Madfes says, "Look for a pH balance close to normal skin, around 5."

Why Trust Byrdie?

Theresa Holland is a skincare aficionado and commerce copywriter specializing in cosmetics. She interviewed two board-certified dermatologists and a licensed esthetician for this article, compiling their product recommendations, insight into formulations, and application tips. Before landing on her final selections, she pored over user reviews, combed through ingredients lists, and referenced several peer-reviewed articles. From the above, Theresa is personally fond of Dr. Dennis Gross, Paula's Choice, Glow Recipe, First Aid Beauty, Dermalogica, and My Konjac Sponge.

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 enough exfoliators for sensitive skin from Black-owned and/or Black-founded businesses to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at  and we will evaluate the product ASAP.