The Best Exfoliating Gloves And How To Use Them 

If you don't already own a pair of exfoliating gloves or an exfoliating mitt, now's the time to get one! Skin naturally loses moisture as the weather turns colder, leading to ashiness, dry skin, and unsightly flaky patches. But with regular exfoliation, you can slough off dead skin cells to reveal smoother, younger-looking, healthy skin.

Below, we've rounded up everything you need to know about exfoliation gloves, how to use them, and where to find the best products on the market. At such an affordable price, you won't regret adding this handy (and surprisingly versatile) tool to your skincare routine!

What are exfoliating gloves?

Exfoliating gloves— often called exfoliating mitts— are exactly what they sound like: textured gloves designed to help exfoliate your skin. Unlike traditional loofah, they can be used on both your face and body. Simply hop in the shower, lather up your exfoliating glove with your favorite body wash or face wash, give yourself a quick scrub, and voila!

With regular use, exfoliating gloves can help improve skin textures and reveal softer, more radiant skin year-round. They're great for after shaving, before self-tanning, and between waxes.

Here are a few of the many benefits of using exfoliating gloves:

Remove Dead Skin Cells

The main reason people use exfoliating gloves is to remove dead skin cells. Regular exfoliation gets rid of rough patches, reduces ashiness, and promotes healthy skin. Use weekly in place of your regular loofah or washcloth when washing off in the shower.

Combat Acne

Besides removing dead skin, exfoliating mitts help unclog pores and whisk away the gunk and excess oil, leading to breakouts. Be extra careful when you exfoliate over pimples and recently healed spots. Avoid using any harsh scrubs, peels, or retinol serums for a day or two after exfoliating. Instead, focus on hydrating your skin with a balance of moisturizing lotions and acne-fighting serums and spot treatments.

Reveal a Smoother Shave

Exfoliating the day before shaving your legs, face, or underarms lends itself to a smoother shave. Getting rid of all the dead skin cells allows the blades to get closer to the surface of your skin, leading to longer-lasting smoothness, less stubble, and fewer ingrown hairs. Be sure to slather on your favorite body oil or lotion in between exfoliating and shaving.

Stimulate Blood Circulation

Exfoliation helps to improve blood circulation, leaving you with plump, glowy skin. Improved circulation is known to improve the appearance of fine lines, stretch marks, and cellulite. Plus, the massaging motion feels incredible after a long day!

Prevent Ingrown Hairs and bumpy skin

Exfoliating mitts can also prevent ingrown hairs after shaving or waxing. They can be used on your face, arms, underarms, legs, and bikini area. But remember to be extra gentle when exfoliating the sensitive skin around your bikini line.

Create an Even Tan

To ensure even color application, exfoliate the day before you get a spray tan or apply self-tanner at home. Pay extra attention to your elbows, heels, and knees. Follow up with a thick layer of body lotion to prepare your skin for self-tanning.

How to use exfoliating gloves

While it may feel a bit funny at first, using exfoliating gloves is incredibly easy once you get the hang of it. But be wary; using them incorrectly or too frequently can lead to dry, irritated skin. Here are a few tips on how to use exfoliating gloves correctly:

• Start by using your exfoliating gloves once per week and work your way up to two to three times per week if needed. Daily exfoliation is too harsh for most people's skin and can cause increased dryness, itchiness, and irritation.
• Wait a few minutes after getting in the bath or shower to use your gloves. This allows your skin to soften up so you can easily remove all the dead skin on the top layer.
• If you're exfoliating regularly using a glove or mitt, there's no need to use body scrub too. In fact, using both can lead to over-exfoliation and irritated skin.
• Remember to be gentle on your skin, especially around delicate areas like the face, neck, and bikini area. Your skin should never feel uncomfortable during or after exfoliation. Redness and irritation are signs you've been scrubbing too hard.
• Use small, circular motions instead of a rough back and forth scrubbing. This helps loosen dead skin cells without aggravating your skin.
• Immediately follow up your exfoliation session with a thick layer of body lotion to help soothe your skin and lock in moisture.
• Your exfoliation gloves can also be used to prevent bikini bumps and rash. Gently exfoliate your inner thighs, bikini area, and backside two days after shaving or waxing, and repeat every few days as needed.
• Be sure to wash and air-dry your exfoliating gloves after every use to keep them looking their best and extend product life. Leaving your exfoliating gloves in a wet pile on the shower floor can lead to unwanted mildew and bacteria growth. Most products have a convenient loop so you can easily hang dry your gloves in your shower to air out between uses. Most of the gloves are also machine washable.

The Best Exfoliating Mitts for Soft, Healthy Skin

Now that you know how to use exfoliating gloves and why you should, it's time to break down the best products on the market. The beauty of exfoliating mitts and gloves is that most products are relatively affordable. With proper care, they'll last for many uses to come.

This gentle Earth Therapeutics Pink Exfoliating Facial Mitt is one of the best exfoliating gloves for your face. It only takes a few gentle scrubs to reveal brighter, glowing skin with less acne and a more even texture. Use your mitt weekly to clear your pores, slough off dead skin, and help your skin care products absorb better. It's great for dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. Plus, the environmentally-friendly cotton material has antimicrobial properties to keep it fresh between uses.

Reveal your healthiest skin ever with this trusty South Seas Resurface Exfoliating Mitt. Its textured surface is designed to remove dead skin cells and impurities without irritating sensitive skin. The durable mitt fits all hand sizes and stays securely in place thanks to a thick elastic wristband. Use it to remove excess self-tanner, reduce body acne, and banish ashy patches on knees and elbows.

Upgrade your tattered brown exfoliating mitt with Urban Outfitters' Good Vibes Exfoliating Gloves. The cute tie-dye design is sure to put a smile on your face every time you scrub. The stretchy exfoliating gloves slough off dead skin cells and massage skin for a rejuvenating spa-like experience in your very own shower. They're suitable for use on all skin types, including sensitive skin.

Earth Therapeutics' Organic Cotton Exfoliating Gloves are some of the best exfoliating gloves for clean beauty fanatics. While most gloves and mitts are made from synthetic nylon, these eco-friendly exfoliating gloves are made from luxurious organic cotton. Just wet the glove, squeeze on your favorite body wash, and gently scrub your entire body to reveal healthy, glowing skin that feels softer and more even-textured after just one use.

Bring a spa-like feel to your skincare routine with Sarah Chapman's Professional Cleansing Mitts. The practical mitts were developed for use during the brand's facials and are delicate enough to use on your face and bikini area. They're made from dual-textured cotton terry fabric with a sponge lining that helps lock in moisture while you cleanse. The tighter woven side can even be used to help remove stubborn makeup before exfoliating.

The Fur Exfoliating and Clarifying Mitt Trio can do it all! The three-pack of reusable finger mitts can be used on your face and entire body to prepare for product application, reduce bikini bumps and ingrown hairs and polish your way to softer skin. Each mitt features a dual-sided design that makes it easy to tackle rough patches and go easy on sensitive skin. Pair with Furs Ingrown Concentrate and Stubble Cream for ultra-smooth skin after shaving.

Sick of having your self-tan fade unevenly? Self-tanning products like to cling to dead skin cells, creating unsightly orange patches around notoriously dry spots like your elbows, knees, and feet. But this handy St. Tropez Tan Build-Up Remover Mitt can help even things out and create a streak-free glow. Use the mesh glove the day before tanning and every few days after application to ensure even coverage every time.

If you're a dude who gets ingrown hairs and razor bumps after shaving, add this DERMASURI Face and Neck Exfoliator to your beard care routine. It helps unclog pores, loosen stubborn hair roots, and slough away dirt, grime, and dead skin cells. Unlike some scratchy body mitts, the uniquely textured fabric is gentle enough to use on your face and neck. It can also be used on your chest and upper back to help banish body acne.

Evridwear Exfoliating Dual Texture Bath Gloves are one of the best and most affordable exfoliating gloves you can purchase. For under $10, Evridwear exfoliating bath gloves are gentle and an effective way to exfoliate the layer of dead skin and impurities from your body. It works perfectly with soap, body scrubs, shower gels, and body salt. And not to mention, this not one size fits all Evirdwear offers three different exfoliating gloves levels: light, moderate, and heavy, so you can pick the right one based on your body's surface needs.