How to Choose a Body Exfoliating Towel (Including for Sensitive Skin)
"How do I choose a body exfoliating towel?" is one of the most common questions we hear, and it's usually followed by: "Will it be too rough if I have sensitive skin?" We make a Japanese exfoliating towel, so we're not neutral. But the things worth checking are the same whichever towel you buy. Here's a plain, practical guide.
The short answer: choose a towel that's long enough to reach your back, feels comfortable once it's wet and lathered, dries between showers, and is easy to rinse and hang. If your skin is sensitive, how you use the towel matters just as much as which one you pick: warm (not hot) water, light pressure, and fewer days a week to start.
What is a body exfoliating towel?
A body exfoliating towel, often called a Japanese washcloth or Japanese towel, is a long, textured towel for washing your body in the shower. You lather it with your usual body wash, and the texture gently buffs your skin as you wash. Here's how it compares with what you may be using now:
- Loofah or bath puff: small and round, hard to use on your back, and it stays bunched up, so it can be slow to dry.
- Regular washcloth: soft and simple, but short, so your back is still hard to reach.
- Exfoliating glove: lots of control on arms and legs, but the middle of your back is tricky.
- Body exfoliating towel: long enough to hold one end in each hand and wash your whole back, and it hangs flat to dry.
What to look for when choosing one
You don't need a long checklist. These five things make the biggest difference day to day:
- Length. You should be able to hold both ends and move the towel across your back. If reaching behind you isn't as easy as it used to be, this matters most, because the towel does the reaching for you.
- How it feels wet. A towel feels different dry than it does in the shower with lather on it. Judge it wet. It should feel scrubby but comfortable, never scratchy.
- How fast it dries. Hung open after your shower, it should be dry by the next one. A towel that's still damp the next day is harder to keep fresh.
- Easy care. Rinse, wring, hang. If the care routine is complicated, it won't get done.
- A clear replacement guide. Every shower tool wears out. It helps to know up front how long yours is meant to last.
Choosing (and using) one for sensitive skin
Sensitive skin doesn't have to rule out a body towel, but it does mean going gently. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that people with dry, sensitive or acne-prone skin may find physical exfoliation too irritating, and that the more aggressive the exfoliation, the less often it needs to be done. With that in mind:
- Pick a towel you can fold. Folding it up gives you a gentler, softer feel.
- Use light pressure. Let the lather and the texture do the work.
- Start slowly. Once or twice a week is plenty at first. Add more only if your skin stays calm.
- Skip some spots. Don't use it on broken or wounded skin, cuts, a sunburn, or anywhere that's already irritated.
- Watch how your skin responds. Redness, stinging or a raw feeling means ease off. If you have a skin condition, check with a dermatologist first.
How to use a body exfoliating towel
Whichever towel you choose, the routine is simple:
- Warm up first. Spend a few minutes under warm (not hot) water so your skin softens.
- Wet and lather. Wet the towel, add your body wash or soap, and work up a lather.
- Do your back. Hold one end in each hand and use the full length in sweeping motions.
- Go slow on rough spots. Use slow, light circles on dry areas like elbows, knees and feet.
- Fold it for a gentler wash. Folded up, it's softer for the rest of your body.
- Rinse and moisturize. Rinse with lukewarm water, pat dry, and put on moisturizer while your skin is still a little damp.
How to care for it, and when to replace it
Good care keeps a towel fresh and helps it last:
- Rinse all the soap out after every shower.
- Wring it out well.
- Hang it fully open so it can dry, not balled up on a ledge.
- Replace it if it stays damp or starts to smell musty.
This is also where a towel can save you trips to the store. Cleveland Clinic suggests replacing a natural loofah every three to four weeks. One Sima Japanese towel, replaced about every 90 days, lasts as long as about three loofahs replaced monthly. That means fewer purchases and one less thing to keep track of.
Choosing a body exfoliating towel: FAQ
Can I use an exfoliating towel if I have sensitive skin?
Many people can. Use light pressure, fold the towel for a gentler feel, and start with once or twice a week. Don't use it on broken or irritated skin, and ease off if your skin turns red or stings.
How often should I use a body exfoliating towel?
Start with once or twice a week and adjust to how your skin feels. The harder you scrub, the less often you need to do it.
Will it help me wash my back?
Yes, that's one of the main reasons people choose one. Hold one end in each hand and move the towel across your back in sweeping motions. No twisting or reaching needed.
Do I need a special body wash?
No. Use the body wash or soap you already like. Just wet the towel and work up a lather.
Can I use a body exfoliating towel on my face?
We don't recommend it. Facial skin is more delicate, so stick to something made for faces.
How often should I replace it?
We recommend replacing the Sima Japanese towel about every 90 days, or sooner if it stays damp or smells musty.
Try it for 30 days.
If you don't love it, we'll refund you – no questions asked.
Sima Japanese Exfoliating Washcloth
Long enough for your back, quick-drying, and one towel lasts about 90 days.
Shop the Sima Japanese Washcloth →