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I knew that I was showering wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. Loofahs were too scratchy. Washcloths required me to do way more laundry than I wanted to. And those typical poufs that I used as a teenager seemed like a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria. I half-convinced myself that yes, it was fine to just lather shower gel with my hands. It was okay to glide my bar of soap directly across my skin.

Still, in the back of my mind, it was clear that this half-hearted routine wasn’t doing me any favors—I knew I wasn’t cleaning my skin as thoroughly as I should. I didn’t think there was anything I could do—until I discovered the Luv Scrub.

I don’t remember where I first heard of it; it might have been in a passing conversation or something I saw recommended on Twitter. But when I finally bought one a year ago, I knew things would never be the same.

The Luv Scrub—effectively, a long piece of flexible, soft mesh, not unlike a shower pouf that’s been fully unraveled—lathers up soap better than any washcloth. It leaves my skin soft and gently exfoliated. And it stretches so that I can even scrub my back. It’s made showering feel more indulgent, but not in a way that requires any extra work on my end—the mesh does all the sudsing (which also helps my products last way longer). When I’m done, I rinse the Luv Scrub out, hang it to dry, and off I go.

Caroline Owusu-Ansah, founder of the brand, grew up with this kind of mesh scrub in her shower—they’re a staple in Ghana, where her family is from. Eventually, friends took interest in the ones she kept at home, and she decided to make her own. Now for just $18, it’s easy to get smooth, clean skin. I’m never going back to my Luv-free days.

LuvScrub wash cloth
Mesh Body Exfoliator, Luv Scrub ($18)
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My other shower must-haves:

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