These Exfoliating Sugar Cubes Are Way Better Than Body Scrub

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As soon as September hits, I start making opinions on new things (clothes, beauty products, adorable pastel pink reading glasses, etc.) based on how good of a holiday gift they'd make. Which is why when the Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes ($22) landed on my desk, I’d already mentally gifted them to five people.

On aesthetics alone they're good: The colorful cubes come in a clear glass jar with a simple black-and-white label, cute enough to double as bathroom decor when not in use. But surely the best part is that they really work, too.

As a lover of exfoliating and a hater of typical body scrub — scooping it out of the huge tubs with my hands, probably (no, definitely) using way too much — these individual-use sugar cubes upgrade and simplify the entire process. I've been using the coconut-scented cubes in the shower twice a week as recommended, gently exfoliating all over with just one cube, concentrating on especially rough spots like my elbows. (Pro tip: Breaking the cube up in your hands with a little water first helps move the product around and allows for better exfoliation.) It leaves my skin feeling extremely soft and ready for moisturizer.

They smell so light and fresh, too; the scent lingers post-shower, but not so much to be overwhelming. If coconut isn’t your thing, the brand has a ton of other scents to choose from, like peach, lemon, tangerine, or blue raspberry. And thankfully they're under $25, so you won't feel bad for buying two — one as a gift for a friend and one as a gift for yourself.