Last Updated on October 9, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
Chemical vs physical exfoliation: which one is better? One thing’s for sure. If you’re not exfoliating, you’re missing out. Exfoliants remove all those dead cells that make your skin look tired, dull, and old, giving your face a brighter and healthier look. But, not all exfoliants are created equal. There are two types: chemical and physical exfoliants.
Which one is better? Chemical exfoliation, hands down. It exfoliates skin more evenly, is less likely to cause irritations, and can even hydrate skin and boost collagen production. Not bad for something that just gets rid of dead skin cells, huh? Here’s why chemical exfoliants win this battle (and whether there’s ever a good reason to use a physical scrub instead).
Chemical vs Physical Exfoliation: What’s The Difference?
| CHEMICAL EXFOLIANTS | PHYSICAL EXFOLIANTS | |
|---|---|---|
| How they work | Use acids to loosen dead skin cells | Scrub dead skin cells off with friction |
| Common types | Glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid | Scrubs, brushes, and washcloths |
| Where they work | Skin surface; salicylic acid also works inside pores | Skin surface only |
| Exfoliation | More even | Can be uneven |
| Irritation risk | Can irritate when overused | Can irritate or scratch skin, especially with harsh particles |
| Extra benefits | Some acids hydrate skin, boost collagen, or help prevent breakouts | Mainly remove dead skin cells |
| Best for | Dry, oily, acne-prone, and sun-damaged skin, depending on the acid | People who prefer gentle manual exfoliation |
| My verdict | The winner! More benefits with less irritation when used correctly | Not my first choice, especially harsh scrubs |
What Are Chemical Exfoliants?
Chemical exfoliants dissolve the “glue” that holds skin cells together, allowing them to fall off. They can also dissolve the dead skin cells themselves. Chemical exfoliants are often called acid exfoliants because they use exfoliating acids to the do the job. The most common ones are:
- Glycolic acid: Thee most famous member of the alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs member), it can also boost collagen production and hydrate skin, making it ideal for dry and sun-damaged skin. Here’s how to use it in your skincare routine.
- Lactic acid: Another alpha hydroxy acid, Hydrating and super gentle, it’s perfect for sensitive skin. See how it compares to glycolic acid.
- Salicylic acid: A beta hydroxy acid (BHA), it reduces breakouts by exfoliating the pores from within, so it’s most suitable for oily and acne-prone skin types. Here’s how to use it for pimples and acne.
Chemical exfoliants can cause irritations when used too often. Start by using small concentrations a couple of nights a week and build dose and frequency from there.
Best Picks:
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum ($90.00): This exfoliant has both salicylic acid to unclog pores and glycolic acid to fade away the dark spots pimples sometimes leave behind. And, just like all the options on this list, no fragrance. Available at Cult Beauty, Sephora and SpaceNK.
- Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ($37.00): The cult BHA liquid exfoliant from the brand, it unlclogs pores and treats blackheads and acne. The texture’s a little sticky, but if you can take that, this is one of the best salicylic acid exfoliants out there. Available at Cult Beauty, Paula’s Choice and SpaceNK.
- The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% ($9.20): A simple Lactic Acid exfoliant enriched with Hyaluronic Acid to provide gentle exfoliation and hydration skin at the same time. Available at Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, SpaceNK, The Ordinary, and Ulta.
Related: Glycolic Acid VS Salicylic Acid: Which One Should You Use?
Don’t know which skincare products you can mix and match together and which ones deactivate each other? Download your FREE “How To Layer Actives Like A Pro” cheat sheet to get the most out of your skincare products:
What Are Physical Exfoliants?
Physical exfoliants mechanically remove the dead cells on the surface of the skin. To do the job, they use all kinds of natural or synthetic particles that can brush dead cells off your skin. The most common are:
- Apricot kernels
- Britstles (Clarisonic)
- Oatmeal
- Salt
- Silicone brushes (Foreo)
- Sugar
- Walnut shells
- Washcloth
The problem? Most of these little particles can have jagged edges that can scratch and tear up skin. Apricot kernels are the absolute worst. Avoid! Plus, physical exfoliants may not exfoliate evenly. If you scrub your chin for 2 minutes and your cheeks for 2 and half, your skin will be more exfoliated in some places than others.
Which Exfoliant Is Best For Your Skin Type?
Chemical exfoliation wins the battle, but that doesn’t mean you can grab any acid and call it a day. Your skin type matters. A lot. Pick the wrong one and you could end up with irritated skin instead of that healthy glow you were promised. Here’s what I’d recommend:
| Skin Type | Best Exfoliant | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Dry skin | Glycolic acid | Exfoliates, helps skin retain moisture, and boosts collagen production. |
| Oily skin | Salicylic acid (BHA) | Gets inside pores to remove the excess oil and dead cells that clog them. |
| Sensitive skin | Lactic acid or a washcloth | One of the gentler AHAs. Start slowly and skip exfoliation when your skin is irritated. If that’s too harsh for you, use a washcloth a couple of times a week. |
| Combination skin | Salicylic acid or glycolic acid | Salicylic acid for oily, clogged areas; glycolic acid for dry, dull areas. |
| Mature skin | Glycolic acid | Exfoliates dead cells and can help improve the appearance of sun damage and fine lines. |
What about physical exfoliants? I’m not a fan of harsh scrubs, whatever your skin type. But if you love using a soft washcloth, there’s no reason to throw it away. Just be gentle. You’re washing your face, not scrubbing a dirty frying pan.
How To Use Chemical And Physical Exfoliants
You’ve picked your exfoliant. Now, how do you use it without making your skin throw a tantrum?
- Cleanse your face first. Get rid of makeup, sunscreen, and dirt.
- Apply your exfoliant. If it’s a leave-on toner or serum, follow the instructions and don’t rinse it off. If it’s a wash-off product, rinse as directed. If it’s a scrub or soft washcloth, massage it all over your skin without pressing hard. No aggressive rubbing!
- Follow with moisturiser. Your skin still needs hydration, especially when you’re exfoliating.
- Start with two nights a week. If your skin is happy, you can gradually increase the frequency. More isn’t automatically better.
And don’t forget sunscreen in the morning, especially if you’re using AHAs. Whichever type you choose, don’t exfoliate irritated, peeling, or sunburned skin. Give it a chance to recover first.
FAQs
Can You Use Chemical And Physical Exfoliants Together?
You can, but why would you want to? One exfoliant is usually enough to get rid of dead skin cells. Adding a scrub on top of an acid doesn’t magically double the glow. It just increases your chances of irritation. If you really want to use both, use them on different days and keep an eye on how your skin reacts. Personally, I’d stick with chemical exfoliation and save myself the hassle.
Is Chemical Or Physical Exfoliation Better For Blackheads?
Chemical exfoliation, hands down. More specifically, salicylic acid. Blackheads form when oil and dead skin cells clog your pores. A scrub may smooth the surface of your skin, but it can’t do much about what’s going on inside those pores. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, so it can get into pores and help remove the buildup that causes blackheads. That’s why it’s my go-to exfoliant for oily and acne-prone skin. Here’s what really works to remove blackheads.
How Do You Know If You’re Over-Exfoliating?
Your skin will let you know. And trust me, it won’t be subtle. Look out for redness, stinging when you apply products that never bothered you before, tightness, unusual dryness, flaking, and skin that suddenly feels raw or sensitive. If that sounds familiar, put the exfoliant down. Stop exfoliating until your skin feels normal again. In the meantime, stick to a gentle cleanser, a moisturiser, and sunscreen during the day. And when you start exfoliating again, do it less often. Your skin doesn’t need to be exfoliated into submission to look good.
Related: How To Repair A Broken Skin Barrier
Chemical VS Physical Exfoliation: Which Type Is Best?
Chemical exfolition all the way. Why?
- It exfoliates skin evenly.
- It’s less likely to irritate skin (unless abused).
- Chemical exfoliants also do other stuff like hydrate skin and boost collagen production.
Seriously, who said that chemical is bad?
I stick with mostly chemical exfoliants for my dry skin!
Jamilla, I prefer chemical exfoliants too. They are very effective.
Wow, I never knew that there’s a difference between both exfoliants. Funny thing though, I’m using Hada Labo AHA & BHA Gentle Exfoliating Wash but I keep on getting pimples. I’ve never been allergic to any ingredient before, even salicylic acid.
Addy, is that a rinse off product? Cos AHAs and BHA need to stay on the skin to work, if you wash them off they just won’t do anything which may be why you’re still getting pimples. I know some experts recommend massaging face washes into the skin for a minute to enhance the effects of exfoliants before you rinse them off but I’m not sure how effective that would be either. Imo, if you’re going to use either AHAs or BHA (or both), you should buy leave-in products to get the most out of them (and your money).
ah thanks for the heads up! yes it’s a rinse off product. guess need to get a leave-on treatment then.
Addy, you’re welcome. 🙂
I prefer physical exfoliants. For some reason, my sensitive skin isn’t too happy with the chemical variety.
Trisha, sensitive skin needs time to get to chemical exfoliants, especially if the concentrations of the active ingredient is high. But a washcloth is a great alternative for sensitive skin too. Physical exfoliants work well too as long as they don’t have rough particles that tear up skin.
This was a great post! I always thought for some reason that a chemical exfoliant was harsher than physcial probably because of the “chemical” connotation but it makes so much sense now. I use both. I have been using glycolic acid (MD Formulations cleanser which is great btw) but I will now consider a salicylic base for the next time as I am prone to blackheads. I do love the dermabrasion physical exfoliant from Kiehls…it is strong, so as long as it is not used with a firm hand, it has been THE MOST supereffective physical exfoliant I have used.
A personal tip, I find the main thing in exfoliating is to spend longer exfoliating but gently….instead of a quick and hard scrub and rub. I find my skin (cells) needs quite a bit of time to soften up, before they can even be sloughed off. Doing it this has way has been noticeably effective.
Wendles, it is such a shame that the word chemical has acquired such a bad connotation. It is more and more commonly used to describe synthetic ingredients (which are perfectly safe and effective anyway), when the word means everything that’s made up of matter. That includes water, plants, pretty much everything..
I’m glad the Kiehls exfoliator works well for you. And thanks for the tip. I agree, especially for chemical exfoliants. They need to stay on the skin to work. If you scrub skin really hard or for too little time, the results won’t be as good and may even irritate skin.
having tried both, i think chemical usually works better for me. BUT i love the feeling of grainy exfoliant when i am using it ;P if you know what i mean
Xin, I know what I mean. 😉 I can’t give up physical exfoliants for good but I prefer chemical ones too. I think they are more effective and gentler.
I have both 🙂 I know that chemical exfoliants are better, but sometimes there’s this physical need to really give my face a good scrub. I use Soap & Glory’s Greatest Scrub of All. It’s got salicylic acid so perfect for days when I really need to feel “clean”.
Krys, I know what you mean! I usually use chemical exfoliants but there are times when I feel like I need to use a physical one too. 🙂
I use a physical exfoliant (sugar) at the moment. I think it works better for me, probably because of its granules.
Amanda, sugar is a great exfoliant. I sometimes use it in a paste to scrub my lips.
Great post. I use chemical exfoliants but like you still love the feel of a physical face scrub.
Christina, thanks. I think chemical exfoliants work better in the long run, but sometimes it feels nice to use a physical one too.
I switch off and use both…what an informative post 🙂 very nicely done 😀
Vonnie, thanks. I like to use both types too, even though I use chemical ones more often. 🙂
I have found oatmeal is the best physical exfoliant because it has healing and calming properties and it is natural/cheap.
Amy, I like oatmeal too. It works really well and is so cheap!
I use a salicylic acid mask, but I think I’ll go the washcloth/baby brush route since the SA one leaves me flaky.
Ana, I’m sorry the SA mask doesn’t work for you. A washcloth is my fave type of physical exfoliant as it is really gentle and can be used every day.
Just one thing to say… Your posts are always so informative !!!
Ruth, oh thank you! So glad you find them useful.
Recently I been using oatmeal to cleanse my face morning and evening , I also apply BHA 2% of PC’s along with Pore Targeting Treatment of Proactive Plus , do you think I am over-exfoliating my skin ?
Look forward to hearing from you 🙂 !
Hoang, the combination of BHA and benzoyl peroxide can be too strong for some people. If you didn’t have any problems with it so far, then your skin may be able to tolerate it. But I would either pick one or use them on alternate days.
can you give me examples for natural exfoliants?
Reham, sugar and apricot kernels are natural exfoliants, but they’re not very good and could irritate skin, too. When it comes to exfoliation, chemical (with glycolic or salicylic acid) is much better.
I agree that chemical exfoliant a are so much better for your skin than abrasive scrubs! I use an AHA overnight lotion from derma e that works wonders, and I’ve overcome my distrust of toners to embrace pixi glow tonic, but when I just need to have that strangely productive feeling you get from physical exfoliation (it just feels like you’re really accomplishing something; just spreading a lotion or gel on your face and leaving it doesn’t have the same effect), I use a gommage peel. They’re not so polar in the US but I was introduced to them when I was living in Tokyo. You spread a gel over your skin, leave it for a few minutes, then massage it in circular motions. The gel rolls up into little balls and takes all you dead skin with it. It’s so fun it’s almost addictive, plus it’s way less harsh than most other physical exfoliants. I highly recommend trying a gommage!
(Sorry to come off like the skincare version of a Jehovah’s witness- “Can I tell you about our lord and savior gommage?”)
Ugh, please forgive the typos. My phone is not cooperative.
Thiel, if only using chemical exfoliants were so satisfying as using a scrub! There is something about seeing all that dead skin come off that’s really addictive. Too bad they don’t do skin any good. Gommage peels are a better alternative indeed. Thanks for pointing that out.
Hii.. i have oily / acne prone skin.
i currently use the ordinary mandelic acid, cetaphil, the ordinary 2% salicylic masque, the ordinary Hyaluronic Acid, and cetaphil moisturizer..
I am not sure if should be using mandelic acid first or hyaluronic acid first? can you please help me with this…
Shama, mandelic first.
Gio what chemical exfoliants do you recommend for the body, specifically upper back area? Thank you x
Lizzie, Paula’s Choice has a BHA exfoliant for the body that’s really good.
Can salicylic acid and glycolic acid be used together? I am acne prone and found good results with glycolic acid. I exfoliate with it every night. I am considering adding La Roche Effaclar treatment to my routine. Do you think that would be okay? Thank you.
Denise, in this case, I prefer to use products that contain both, like Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum.