It happens to everyone – dry skin. But dull, dry skin doesn’t have to be your life. Enter the exfoliating glove, a simple beauty invention that allows you to turn the shower into a double-duty solution. Exfoliating gloves help you banish dry, dead skin so that you can get that healthy glow back. We’ve rounded up some of the top exfoliating gloves to help you start your exfoliation quest.
Best Exfoliating Gloves Overview
- Best Overall: EvridWear Exfoliating Dual Texture Bath Gloves
- Best for Daily Use: Earth Therapeutics Exfoliating Hydro Gloves
- Most Effective: Zakia’s Morocco The Original Kessa Hammam Scrubbing Glove
- Best Water-Only Glove: Dermasuri Deep Exfoliating Body Scrub Mitt
- Best for Frequent Replacing: SMITCO Exfoliating Gloves Body Scrubbers
- Best Quick-Drying: Supracor Spa Bath Mitt Body Exfoliator Face Scrub Sponge
- Best Budget: Urbana Exfoliating Gloves for Shower, Bath, and Cleansing
- Best Detoxifying: Clean Logic Detox Charcoal Exfoliating Bath Glove
- Best Organic Material: Hydrea London Organic Egyptian Loofah Exfoliating Glove
- Best One-Size: Linda Exfoliating Bath Gloves
- Easiest to Use: Songwol Korean Exfoliating Large Viscos Bath Gloves
11 Best Exfoliating Gloves to Try
From the best organic to budget picks, below, find the best exfoliating gloves to consider trying!
This pick from EvridWear is our Best Overall recommendation because it’s designed to help you gently exfoliate as well as stimulate your skin. The dual texture on these exfoliating gloves allows for moderate exfoliation when your skin feels rough, while the lighter side is ideal for daily use. They’re great for exfoliating areas prone to rough skin, like elbows, feet, and knees. Find it on Amazon!
Make bacne and eczema flare-ups a thing of the past with these exfoliating gloves. While they only have one texture, you’ll like that the Earth Therapeutics Exfoliating Hydro Gloves are gentle enough to be used daily but strong enough to banish dry, flaky skin. They’re also great as a daily option for exfoliating your feet – especially in the spring and summer when sandals and flip-flops can encourage dry skin. Fans also love that these gloves can help combat ingrown hairs. Pick it up on Amazon!
For people with larger hands that dislike traditional exfoliating gloves because they’re too tight, this oversized mitt is a much better choice. Since it lacks fingers, it’s great for a wider range of hand sizes. Available in four colors, you can use it on either hand and with your favorite soaps, scrubs, or body wash. Along with banishing dead skin, you can also rely on this mitt to unclog your pores. It’s available on Amazon.
If traditional light-colored exfoliating gloves aren’t appealing, this mitt is a great alternative. Since exfoliating gloves are designed to get rid of dead skin, they can look pretty grimy, even when they’re not dirty. This black mitt looks sleek but still gives you all of the skincare benefits that you need. However, unlike traditional gloves, this pick is designed to be used without lotions, soaps, or scrubs. Simply use it on wet skin, and the unique surface of the fabric grabs dry skin, helping to exfoliate and reveal healthy, glowing skin. For best results, use this pick twice a month. Get it from Amazon!
For people that want to get the best bang for their buck, this four-pack of SMITCO Exfoliating Gloves is a great option. These machine-washable gloves are designed to be economical while effectively sloughing off dead skin and acting as a pre- and post-step for tanning and hair removal. All of the gloves come with a hanging loop, so you can air-dry after each use. And these gloves stretch up to 11 inches, making them ideal for people with a range of hand sizes. You can find them on Amazon.
A common concern with exfoliating gloves is that they can encourage mildew if they don’t dry properly. The Supracor Spa Bath Mitt Body Exfoliator is a great option if this is a concern since it features a larger weave that helps to facilitate airflow and ensure that mildew doesn’t have a chance to settle in nooks and crannies. Plus, the oversized mitt is convenient for people with all types of hand sizes to use. Grab it from Amazon!
Dry exfoliating is a popular option for people who struggle with skin that’s frequently flaking. These soft Urbana exfoliating gloves help you to gently exfoliate before you hop in the shower so that you can effectively cleanse your skin and ensure that your moisturizer will deeply penetrate the skin’s layers. Note, though, that you can’t choose your color, as the brand promises to send a random option from the available hues of white, gray, and pink. Get them from Amazon!
If you feel like you need something that goes beyond simply exfoliating your skin, then these charcoal-infused exfoliating gloves from Clean Logic are perfect. Along with sloughing off dead skin, the charcoal helps to remove toxins and impurities. But more importantly, charcoal is naturally antimicrobial so that odor-causing mold and bacteria aren’t allowed to grow on your gloves. And we also like that these are accessibility-friendly with packaging also written in Braille. You can find them on Amazon.
Multiple textures combine with an organically sourced Egyptian cotton fiber to create an effective cleansing and exfoliating routine that doesn’t leave you feeling guilty about your impact on the planet. This bath mitt is also an open-ended one-size-fits-all option, making it ideal for users of all hand sizes. The loofah is also sourced from a climbing vine. Pick it up on Amazon!
Having extra exfoliating gloves on hand is a great way to always be prepared when an exfoliation session is required. This four-pack is designed to work with most hand sizes thanks to the stretchy material. While occasional use is great for exfoliating rough skin, consistent use helps to stimulate circulation and maintain soft skin over time. They are available on Amazon.
For a lot of people, the traditional exfoliating gloves aren’t practical. If you have larger hands or even long nails, you may find that those gloves don’t fit. So, we this pick because it’s a large five-pack of towels. Each towel measures 5.1 by 8.3 inches, giving you plenty of surface area to effectively slough off dead skin. Get this option from Amazon!
What to Look for in a Good Exfoliating Glove?
If you’re shopping for exfoliating gloves, chances are you’ve seen some flakes, and you want to banish them. So, keep the following key features in mind as you shop for bath gloves.
Texture
A good exfoliating glove, mitten, or towel should have a somewhat rough texture to help effectively remove dead skin. However, while the texture should be rough even when wet, it shouldn’t be so intense as to cause discomfort when you use it.
Style
As you saw from the picks we included in our recommendations, shower gloves come in a variety of styles. The traditional option is a fitted glove that offers plenty of stretch. These are usually intended for most average hand sizes. But people with larger hands or even longer nails may find that they accidentally end up ripping standard gloves. In that case, look for mitts instead of gloves or even a towel that gives you more surface area and accessibility options.
Maintenance
Some shower gloves are designed to be used for a set period before needing to be replaced. Others have a longer shelf life but require being washed in the laundry occasionally.
Also, pay attention to how easily the fabric or material can dry over time. Gloves that take too long to dry can encourage the growth of bacteria and mildew. Not only is that simply gross, that also means that you’re introducing bacteria and other microorganisms to your skin every time you use them.
Materials
Shower gloves can come in a variety of materials. The most common options that you’ll usually find in stores feature gloves made from synthetic materials. But it’s also possible to find more natural options such as loofah sponge material or even organic cotton or muslin. This is going to be a personal choice based on your preferences and sustainability goals. However, experts recommend that people with sensitive skin opt for a natural fiber glove.
Usage
It might seem obvious that an exfoliating glove is designed to remove dead skin, but not all gloves can be used in the same manner. While most shower gloves are designed to be used in conjunction with your preferred soap or body wash, others such as the Dermasuri mitt we listed earlier aren’t designed to be used with soap.
Photos via @zakiasmorocco, Instagram