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Exfoliating can be one of the most satisfying steps in a skincare regime, but for that reason, you have to make sure you don’t overdo it! Here are my top picks of the Best Exfoliators for 2026 and how best to use them.
Best Exfoliators 2026 for Mature, Dry & Sensitive Skin
You have to be more careful when it comes to exfoliating if you have dry or sensitive skin. Also mature skin can always benefit from a more cautious approach to exfoliation. It is probably best to avoid anything too ‘scrubby’ and stick to gentle acid and enzyme formulations.
Omorovicza Acid Milk
If you’re looking for an exfoliator that delivers results without leaving skin feeling tight or irritated, Omorovicza Acid Milk is well worth considering. This milky treatment combines a blend of exfoliating acids with nourishing ingredients, making it ideal for those who want smoother, brighter skin while maintaining comfort and hydration. The texture feels more like hydrating milky toner than a traditional acid treatment, and it leaves skin looking fresh and radiant rather than stripped.
I particularly like this for mature skin because it offers effective exfoliation without compromising the skin barrier. It helps to refine texture, boost glow and improve clarity, while the creamy, conditioning formula makes it suitable for those who find stronger acid toners too aggressive. It’s a luxurious treatment that slots easily into an evening routine and leaves skin feeling soft, balanced and beautifully polished. Also a little goes a long way, and a bottle will last you months and months.
For more information, read Omorovicza Acid Milk Review.
Medik8 Press & Glow
This is one of my favourite exfoliators and in fact one of my favourite Medik8 products. This is a brand I really love.
This gentle exfoliating liquid uses PHAs (polyhydroxy acids), the gentlest type of acid. The formula is just swiped over clean skin with a cotton pad and it works to remove dead skin cells and gently refine the texture. It is a hydrating formula with Aloe to hydrate and Acai Extract to prevent inflammation.
It works really well with another of my favourite Medik8 products, Crystal Retinal which is a super effective yet gentle retinoid. Read my full Medik8 review here.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
This was my first ever purchase from Dermalogica many moons ago. It has truly stood the test of time and remains an innovative and effective, yet gentle exfoliant that can be used daily. As I said earlier though, once or twice a week should be enough.
It’s a powder that you mix with water to use, and it contains Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes along with a Phytic Acid from Rice Bran, White Tea and Licorice. These combine to smooth and brighten the skin while soothing ingredients ensure that everything stays calm.
Pro tip – spend some time mixing it into a light foam in palm of your hand before applying to fully activate the ingredients.
Gallinée Vinegar Mask
If your skin is feeling dull, congested or a little out of balance, Gallinée Vinegar Mask is a brilliant weekly treatment. This creamy clay mask combines exfoliating acids with Gallinée’s signature focus on supporting the skin microbiome, helping to smooth texture and boost radiance without leaving skin feeling stripped. It delivers that satisfying deep-clean feeling while remaining surprisingly gentle and comfortable to use.
I especially like this for mature or sensitive skin because it offers more than simple exfoliation. Alongside refining and brightening the complexion, it helps to keep skin feeling calm, balanced and hydrated. After use, skin looks clearer, smoother and fresher, making it an excellent choice when you want a glow boost without reaching for stronger acid treatments.
For more info, read Gallinée Vinegar Mask Review.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Toning Mist
If you like your toning step to feel more like skincare than a traditional toner, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Toning Mist is a really interesting modern hybrid. It’s an ultra-fine mist that instantly hydrates and softens the skin while also delivering gentle exfoliation thanks to gluconolactone (a PHA). It also includes marine-derived ingredients designed to help refine the look of pores and support a more balanced complexion, so it works as both a hydrating mist and a light treatment step after cleansing.
I think this is a great option for mature skin because it gives that immediate plumping, comforted feeling while still gently encouraging skin renewal in the background. It helps skin look smoother, more even and slightly more “awake” without any tightness or irritation. It’s especially useful if your skin feels a bit dull or dehydrated, or if you want a very easy way to add a touch of gentle exfoliation into your routine without committing to stronger acids.
Read Elemis Pro-Collagen Toning Mist Review for more information.
Best Exfoliators 2026 for Combination & Oily Skin
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive
This is somewhat of an icon when it comes to exfoliating, and Kate says this is the next best thing to a facial in her clinic!
It offers both a physical and chemical exfoliation. Physical exfoliation lifts dead skin cells, and the chemical exfoliation gently dissolves dead skin. The formula clears pores and improves skin texture with a combination of AHA Lactic Acid and BHA Salicylic Acid plus Papaya, Pumpkin, Pineapple Enzymes.
A good dose of Aloe Vera, Honey and Vitamin E work to soothe and soften skin while Vitamin A and C help to neutralise free radicals and defend against environmental aggressors.
It’s a super quick treatment, it only needs two minutes, and after I use it, all my products sink in beautifully.
It is available at:
Sachi Complexion Clarifying Accelerator
This is one of Murad’s newer launches and I really like it. It’s a bi-phase formula that you shake to activate.
The peel is designed to be used daily, but if you’re sensitive it’s best to ease in gently and build up.
In spite of the fact that this contains a blend of BHA, AHA and retinoid, it actually feels really gentle on the skin. It is hydrating rather than stripping, is fabulous on any areas of congestion, and has a nice tightening effect on the pores.
Read Murad Daily Clarifying Peel Review.
You can buy it at:
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
This is an iconic exfoliator, and great if you want to tackle imperfections such as blemishes, acne or clogged pores.
It uses salicylic acid and green tea to treat blackheads, whiteheads, and enlarged pores by regulating oil production. It will refine skin texture and leave it looking and feeling more smooth and less congested.
Buy it at:
Best Exfoliators 2026 for Normal Skin
Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads
I love to use these pads when I want a quick fix to ensure my makeup goes on smoothly. They are one of my top favourite Elemis products.
They use Elemis’ Tri-Enzyme Technology to gently work on dark spots, pores and uneven skin texture. The formula uses Lactic Acid and Probiotic Ferment Complex to boost cell renewal, and Elemis say they can be used twice daily. I’d only ever use them once daily or less to avoid over-exfoliation, however.
You can buy them at:
It is designed to brighten and tone, and also promote anti-ageing action. If you love your skin to reflect light and really shine (in a good way), this is the one!
It contains a blend of Glycolic and Citrus Fruit Acids to clarify and brighten, while Hyaluronic Acid plumps and smooths. It’s another one that delivers instant results and I love it before a hydrating mist and serum for ultra glow.
You can buy it at:
Dr Melaxin Peel Shot Exfoliating Black Rice Ampoule
Dr Melaxin Peel Shot Exfoliating Black Rice Ampoule is one of those modern exfoliators that sits somewhere between skincare and a bit of clever “skin-satisfying” theatre. It’s a gommage-style formula that gently rolls across the skin as you massage it in, helping to lift away surface buildup while also delivering a blend of AHA, BHA and PHA alongside hydrating rice extract, niacinamide and squalane. The result is skin that feels noticeably smoother and looks more refined almost immediately after use.
I really like this for mature skin because it gives that instant polished, brighter finish without feeling harsh or overly stripping. It’s particularly good if skin is feeling a bit textured, dull or congested, but still needs comfort and hydration. While it’s not a traditional acid treatment in texture, it does leave skin looking clearer and more even, making it a great occasional reset when you want visible results without overdoing stronger exfoliants.
Best All Round Luxury Exfoliators 2023
Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial
This a professional quality exfoliating mask that contains a powferful 25% AHA/2% BHA blend with glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric, and salicylic acids. It also includes chickpea flour, pumpkin ferment plus a soothing antioxidant blend of matcha tea, milk thistle, and apple, which are antioxidant and also gently exfoliating.
There’s also Cactus Extract to calm, Virgin Marula Oil to nourish, Niacinamide (vitamin B3) to work on lines, tone and texture, improve signs of ageing (fine lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness) and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer (low weight HA alternative) for enhanced hydration. Plus loads more!
You can buy it at:
Cle de Peau Skin Refining Clay Scrub
This is a fabulous all-rounder because it contains a beautiful clay blend to gently decongest the skin, along with very gentle physical exfoliants to polish.
It’s mineral-rich and is infused with natural kaolin clay sourced from the Appalachian Mountains in the United States. This works to detoxify the skin, without drying it out. There is also sebum-absorbing powder and antioxidant-rich rose apple leaf extract to balance and protect.
It’s amazing for a deep clean and a really smooth feel, plus it contains Cle de Peau’s Skin-Empowering Illuminator derived from golden silk essence, theanine and Japanese pearl which helps provide environmental protection and delivers radiance.
You can buy it at:
It is balanced with Ceramides to minimise irritation while it works on reducing dark spots, brightening the skin and improving the look of lines and wrinkles.
I like to use this at night, and the follow up the next morning with the Kate Somerville Exfolikate for ultra glassy skin. Once a week with that power duo will keep skin in check.
Buy it at:
Best All Round Budget Exfoliators 2026
The Ordinary 30% AHA 2% BHA Peeling Solution
This is an absolutely excellent peel at an excellent price!
The Ordinary’s AHA BHA mask is a 10 minute treatment that dissolves debris and dead skin, while hydrating and providing an antioxidant boost. All for about £6!!
It has all the acids you need to keep your skin in shape – Glycolic, Lactic, Tartaric, Citric Acids, Salicylic Acid – and leaves my skin smooth and glassy. It’s fab.
Read The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution Review.
You can buy it at:
No7 Good Intent Pore Buff Clarifying Acid Pads
If you like the convenience of exfoliating pads, the No7 Good Intent Pore Buff Clarifying Acid Pads are a really easy way to work acids into your routine. These pre-soaked pads are infused with a blend of glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids, so they help to clear congestion, smooth texture and brighten dull skin in one simple swipe. They feel lightweight and refreshing on the skin, and the format makes them especially good for days when you want something quick and fuss-free.
I think these work particularly well for mature skin that’s starting to look a little uneven or lacklustre, or for anyone dealing with occasional congestion around the nose and chin. They deliver noticeable smoothing without feeling overly harsh, and leave skin looking fresher and more refined after use. Used a few times a week, they’re a great maintenance exfoliator to keep skin looking clear and polished.
I have this list is helpful to you! If you’re looking for a new cleanser, make sure you check out Best Cleansers for 2026, and let me know if you have any questions!
