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It’s been a long, long winter. My legs haven’t seen the light of day since last Labor Day, and when I’m not in the office, I’ve been wearing sweatpants and leggings. On top of it, I just haven’t had much time to exfoliate and really give my skin the TLC it deserves. Ugh, tragic, I know. My elbows have the texture of rocks, and my arms are so bumpy you could probably use them to exfoliate your face: but with beach days on the horizon, I’ve been meaning to give my bodycare an overhaul.
And every spring and all summer long, I use Soft Services’ buffing bar: A soap-like bar you use to scrub away dead, dry skin, leaving you feeling oh-so smooth and supple. It reminds me a lot of the body scrubs I’d get at the Korean spa, but more gentle, and you can be butt naked in your own bathroom (although you truly cannot beat the efficacy of a K-spa scrub down!). It’s time to bust out the buffing bar again, and this year, Soft Services dropped a new scent: Green Banana.
Soft Services, Green Banana Buffing Bar
Helps with:
Dry, dead skin
Keratosis pilaris (those bumps on your arms, thighs, and butt)
Strawberry skin
Ingrown hair
Why I Love Soft Services’ Buffing Bar
Like I said, my body is in rough shape by May, and a quick and easy solution is to give myself a spa-like experience using the Buffing Bar. While my conditioner works its magic, I’ll generally spend five minutes scrubbing my arms, butt, and thighs in a circular motion, and medium-firm pressure. That’s usually all it takes! I personally don’t have sensitive skin, so I don’t have to worry about irritation, but if you do, you may want to use something more gentle, like a traditional body scrub.
And yes: My butt is SO smooth when I’m done scrubbing. After a winter of leggings, bacteria gets trapped and causes inflammation, breakouts, and exacerbates keratosis pilaris (this is why you may notice more bumpiness after hanging around in sweaty leggings and sweatpants—gross, but normal). The Buffing Bar is my ultimate butt remedy.
Bonus? It smells *so* good! The Green Banana bar actually captures the scent of peeling open a super green, not-yet-ripe banana—so instead of that cloying, honeyed scent, you get this almost floral fragrance that’s really subtle and springy. During fall, Soft Services has a pumpkin buffing bar that oh-so-slightly flirts with how a PSL smells in the distance. I’ve tried and loved all of the brand’s buffing bar scents, but there really is something unique and lovely in the Green Banana bar.
How to Use the Buffing Bar
The Soft Services Buffing Bar is a microcrystal exfoliant, meaning, it’s made of very, very fine, compressed sanding crystals that melt away as you apply it to your skin under running water. It’s also formulated with shea butter and aloe juice that infuses skin with hydration as it simultaneously buffs the surface.
Using it is simple: It looks like a bar of soap, and you press it against skin in a circular or up-and-down motion, creating friction as the bar exfoliates away. Then, rinse! I always apply a lotion post-shower for extra hydration, but that’s just my preference.
Who the Buffing Bar Is Best For
The Buffing Bar is best for people who deal with skin issues like dryness, keratosis pilaris, strawberry skin, and yes, ingrown hairs. However! If you have sensitive skin, I wouldn’t recommend this (nor would most dermatologists). And if the area around your ingrown hair is painful or inflamed, you should ask your derm or health care provider before treating it yourself.
