How to Use a Body Scrub: Step-by-Step (Wet or Dry, Before or After Body Wash, How Often)

📅 September 24, 2026⏱ 6 minBy The Becky Team

★ TL;DR

Use a body scrub on damp skin after cleansing, or in place of wash if it has a cleansing base. Massage a small amount in light circles for about 30 seconds per area, rinse with lukewarm water and moisturize right away. Most people need it 1 to 3 times a week. Skip sunburned, broken or freshly shaved skin.

To use a body scrub, apply a small amount to damp skin after cleansing, massage it in with light circular motions for about 30 seconds per area, rinse with lukewarm water, and moisturize right away. Most people only need a scrub 1 to 3 times a week. Skip it on sunburned, broken, irritated or freshly shaved skin.

How do you use a body scrub, step by step?

Get your skin warm and wet. Give it a minute or two under warm, not hot, water so the outer layer softens.
Cleanse. Wash with a gentle body wash, or skip this step if your scrub already contains cleansers (more on that below).
Take a small amount. Roughly a teaspoon per area, such as one leg or your butt, is plenty. More product doesn't mean smoother skin.
Massage in small circles. Use light pressure with your fingertips or palms for about 30 seconds per area, as the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests.
Rinse with lukewarm water. Check that no grains are left in skin folds.
Pat dry. Rubbing with a towel adds more friction to freshly exfoliated skin.
Moisturize within a few minutes. The AAD notes exfoliating can be drying, so lock in water while skin is still damp.

Do you use a body scrub on wet or dry skin?

Wet, for most scrubs. Water softens the surface of your skin and helps the grains glide instead of drag, which means less friction and less irritation. A gritty scrub on dry skin is an easy way to end up red and sore.

There are exceptions. Some oil-based sugar or salt scrubs are designed to go on before you step under the water, and dry brushing uses no product at all (we compare the two in dry brushing vs body scrub). Follow the label. If the label doesn't say, use it on damp skin.

Should you use a body scrub before or after body wash?

After, in most routines. Washing first removes sweat, oil and sunscreen, so the scrub works on clean skin, and you rinse everything off at the end.

There are two exceptions:

Your scrub contains cleansers. Some scrubs are made with a wash base, so they cleanse and exfoliate in one step. You don't need separate body wash on the areas you scrub.
Your scrub is oil-heavy. Some people wash lightly afterward to remove the slick feel, though that leftover oil is part of why those scrubs feel moisturizing.

Becky Booty Scrub is the first kind. It combines fine walnut shell powder with sulfate-free glucoside cleansers (decyl and lauryl glucoside), aloe and plant oils, so on your butt, thighs or legs it can stand in for body wash. Mix a small scoop with water, massage in circles, rinse. It exfoliates and leaves skin feeling smoother and softer.

Becky Booty Scrub jar beside a swatch of walnut scrub on a tray, with palm leaf shadows falling across it

How much pressure should you use?

Less than you think. The grains do the work, and your hands just move them around. Use about the pressure you'd use to wash your face, not the pressure you'd use to scrub a pan.

Signs you're pressing too hard or scrubbing too long:

Skin looks red or blotchy after you rinse.
Moisturizer stings when you put it on.
Skin feels tight, raw or tender the next day.
Bumps look angrier, not smoother.

The AAD also points out that aggressive exfoliation can lead to dark spots in people with darker skin tones. One more reason gentle wins.

How often should you use a body scrub?

For most people, 1 to 3 times a week is plenty. The AAD says how often you exfoliate depends on your skin type, and that overdoing it causes irritation. Use this as a starting point and adjust based on how your skin feels.

Your skin	How often	Notes
Normal or oily, not irritated	2–3 times a week	Back off if you notice redness or tightness
Dry	1–2 times a week	Always moisturize straight after
Sensitive	Once a week, or use a washcloth or mild chemical exfoliant instead	Try a small area first
Keratosis pilaris	Once or twice a week with very light pressure, or skip it	A urea or lactic acid moisturizer matters more (see KP treatment)
Using a retinoid, retinol or benzoyl peroxide on the area	Ask your dermatologist first	The AAD notes these already make skin more sensitive

If you react easily, our routine for sensitive skin shows how to build up slowly. For reference, a 2 oz jar of Becky holds about 60+ uses, so two or three sessions a week goes a long way.

Can you use a body scrub on your butt, thighs or bikini line?

Butt and thighs: Yes. These areas often have rough texture and bumpy follicles, and the same rules apply: damp skin, light pressure, rinse, moisturize. Our butt skincare routine shows where a scrub fits in the week.
Legs: Yes, ideally before you shave rather than after, in the same warm shower the AAD recommends for softening hair before shaving. See exfoliate before or after shaving.
Bikini line: Only the outer bikini line and upper inner thighs, gently, and never on genital skin. Don't scrub within a day of shaving or waxing, or over bumps that are red, sore or have pus.
Face: Use a product made for the face. Body scrubs are usually too coarse for it.

What should you put on after a body scrub?

Moisturizer, within a few minutes, while skin is still damp. The AAD's dry skin tips recommend moisturizing right after bathing and suggest creams or ointments over lotions if your skin is dry. Helpful ingredients they name include glycerin, jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, shea butter and petrolatum.

Go fragrance-free right after exfoliating, when skin is more easily irritated.
Save strong acids for another day if your skin stings. An acid lotion right after a scrub can be a lot for sensitive skin.
Use sunscreen on any exfoliated skin that will see the sun.

Cleveland Clinic's shower advice backs this up: warm rather than hot water, pat dry instead of rubbing, then a fragrance-free moisturizer to help keep the skin barrier healthy.

When should you skip the scrub?

Sunburn. The AAD says not to exfoliate sunburned skin.
Cuts, scrapes or broken skin. Wait until they've fully closed.
Right after shaving or waxing. That skin is already irritated and can have tiny nicks. Scrub before, not after.
Rashes, eczema flares or inflamed bumps. Scrubbing adds friction to skin that's already struggling.
While using a retinoid, retinol or benzoyl peroxide on the same area, unless your dermatologist says it's fine. The AAD warns exfoliating on top can make peeling or breakouts worse.
Any time skin is red, stinging or raw. Give it a few days off.

FAQ

Can you use a body scrub every day?

Most people shouldn't. Daily scrubbing makes irritation, dryness and sensitivity more likely. Stick to 1 to 3 times a week and use a gentle wash on the other days.

Do you use body scrub before or after shaving?

Before. Scrub earlier in the same shower or the day before, then shave. Scrubbing freshly shaved skin tends to sting and irritate, so wait at least a day after shaving before scrubbing that area.

How long should you leave a body scrub on?

You don't need to leave it on. Massage for about 30 seconds per area and rinse. Scrubs work through gentle friction, not soaking time, unless the label says otherwise.

Is a body scrub better than a loofah?

Not better, just different. A loofah or washcloth is gentler and often suits sensitive skin or keratosis pilaris. A scrub lets you target specific rough areas, and one with a cleansing base doubles as your wash. If you use a loofah, let it dry fully between uses and replace it often.

Can a body scrub replace body wash?

Only if it contains cleansers. A scrub with a cleansing base can double as your wash on the days you use it. Oil-based scrubs don't really cleanse, so wash before using them, and go back to a gentle body wash on non-scrub days.