Products You May Like
We know exfoliating scrubs can be harsh on the face—so who’s to say they’re particularly great for the skin on your body? To each their own, of course, but Eva Mendes prefers the gentler buffing of a Korean exfoliating mitt—a genius, barely abrasive wash cloth that allows her to control the intensity of exfoliation, leaving smooth, but never sensitized skin behind.
The actress recently shared the best-kept secret with The Strategist. “I’ve tried everything: loofahs, bathing cloths, brushes, the this, the that. But nothing beats these because you can control how much you want to exfoliate,” she raved. She went on to describe learning about the mitts at a Korean bath house in Los Angeles.
“The experience is not like a typical spa; it’s much more about the ritual of being a woman. You’d go in and there was a cold dipping pool, a hot natural-water pool, sauna—dry saunas, wet saunas—and then you’d get these massages; you’d get bathed,” she said. “One of the things they would use when they scrubbed you down were these mitts. I started asking, ‘Can I buy these?’ They sent me to the right place. I have my little packs I travel with. I need them.”
The best part is that they’re reusable. “You can keep washing them,” Mendes added. “Throw them in the laundry. Once they start losing their luster, you feel it. But they last for a while.”
Not only are the mitts more effective and gentler than most scrubs, they’re more affordable, too. Various Korean skincare brands sell their own versions, and most, like these from Amazon, come in packs with multiple for under $10.
They’re made of a frosted polyester-cotton blend that buffs away dead skin, and their wearability makes it really easy to give the entire body the attention it deserves. Their porous texture also encourages body wash to foam and lather generously, making for a luxurious and squeaky-clean shower experience. If you’re a frequent self-tanner, you’ll love them for prepping cumbersome areas like elbows, hands, knees, and feet for a smooth application, and for removing them when it starts to wear off.
Reviewers are huge fans of the simple solution. “I love these—they are great for the skin, and not bulky at all so I can travel with them in my toiletry bag,” one shopper writes. “They exfoliate my skin so well and I feel so clean after using them,” another adds. “My skin has never been so soft,” someone else raves.
So what are you waiting for? Toss out that damp loofah, say no to harsh scrubs, and stock up on a Mendes favorite for smooth, supple skin from head to toe.
Kayla Blanton is a freelance writer who reports on all things health and nutrition for Men’s Health, Women’s Health, and Prevention. Her hobbies include perpetual coffee sipping and pretending to be a Chopped contestant while cooking.