A silk exfoliating glove works on a different principle than a scrub or an acid toner: instead of dissolving dead skin cells chemically, it lifts them off physically, the same way a loofah or a dry brush does - just with a much finer, smoother touch. SilkWide's gloves are woven from 100% Crepe de Chine mulberry silk, come in two sizes built for two different jobs, and last for years if you treat them right. Here's how to actually use one.
In this guide:
What Is a Silk Exfoliating Glove?
SilkWide's exfoliating gloves are woven in Crepe de Chine, a tightly textured mulberry silk weave with a fine, slightly crinkled surface - a different construction from the smooth 23 Momme charmeuse we use for pillowcases and bonnets. That texture is what does the work: it catches on dead, flaking skin cells and sweeps them away, with no synthetic fibres, plastic microbeads, or added chemicals - the kind found in most drugstore body scrubs and konjac sponges. The fabric itself gets no chemical treatment, which is part of why it's gentle enough for skin that doesn't get along with physical scrubs.
Face Glove vs. Body Glove: Which One Do You Need?
SilkWide makes two sizes, and they aren't interchangeable. The Premium Silk Exfoliating Glove for Body Peeling (€24.95) is cut larger, for full-body use - backs, arms, legs, elbows, anywhere skin tends to get rough or flaky. The Premium Silk Exfoliating Glove for Face Peeling (€21.95) is the smaller of the two, shaped for a lighter pass on the thinner, more reactive skin of the face - meant for skin that doesn't tolerate scrubs or acids well. Put the body glove on your face and it will feel too rough; try to do your whole body with the face glove and you'll be at it all evening. See both side by side in the Silk Exfoliating Gloves collection.
How to Use It: Wet or Dry?
Both work. Which one you reach for depends on what you want out of the session.
Dry: slip the glove on and move it over dry skin in long, overlapping strokes, generally working toward your heart (up the legs and arms). Dry exfoliation is the more intense of the two - it lifts more dead skin per stroke - so keep the pressure light and the session short, especially the first few times you try it.
Damp: wet the glove with warm water (soap is optional) and go over the same areas in the shower or bath, once your skin has had a minute or two to soften. This is the gentler option, and the better place to start if you've never used a silk glove before, or if you're using the face size.
Pro Tip: if you're new to silk gloves, spend your first few sessions on damp skin rather than dry. You'll still feel the glove doing its job, but it's much harder to overdo it - and you'll learn how your own skin responds before you try the stronger dry version.
How Often Should You Exfoliate With It?
For the body glove, two to three times a week is a reasonable starting point for most skin - exfoliating the same patch daily is more likely to cause irritation than extra smoothness. For the face glove, once or twice a week is usually plenty, since facial skin is thinner and renews itself faster than skin on the body. If your skin looks pink or feels tight and sensitive afterward, that's a sign to stretch the gap between sessions, not to push through it.
After-Care: Washing and Storing Your Glove
Rinse the glove in lukewarm water after every use to clear out the skin cells it just lifted off - this is what keeps it hygienic, not just what keeps it looking clean. Let it air-dry fully, laid flat or hung up, out of direct sun, before using it again or putting it away; silk that stays damp for long stretches is more likely to pick up a musty smell. Every week or two, hand-wash it properly with a mild, silk-safe detergent and dry it the same way. Looked after like this, a silk glove easily outlasts a loofah or a plastic exfoliating mitt, both of which tend to harbour bacteria and wear out within a few months.
The same gentle-on-skin thinking runs through everything else SilkWide makes from mulberry silk - if you haven't already, it's worth reading about the wider benefits of silk for skin and hair, from pillowcases to bonnets to eye masks.
Who Should Skip It
Physical exfoliation isn't the right tool for every skin, and a silk glove is still physical exfoliation - just a gentler version of it. Skip it, or check with a dermatologist first, if you have broken, actively inflamed, or sunburned skin, skin that's recently been treated (a peel, laser treatment, or similar), or a diagnosed condition like eczema or psoriasis that's currently flaring. SilkWide's silk fabric is certified OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and carries no chemical treatment - that's a statement about what is and isn't in the fabric, not a medical claim about what the glove can do for a skin condition, and it's no substitute for a dermatologist's advice on your own skin.
If your skin tolerates physical exfoliation well, a silk glove is one of the gentler ways to do it - and once the basics are down, it fits naturally alongside the rest of our bestsellers, several of which (our silk pillowcases among them) are built around the same idea: less friction and less irritation, for skin and hair that mostly just needs to be left alone to do well.
FAQ
Can I use a silk exfoliating glove every day?
We wouldn't recommend it on the same patch of skin. Two to three times a week for the body glove, and once or twice a week for the smaller face glove, is enough for most skin to see a difference without becoming irritated.
Do I need soap or a scrub with the glove?
No - the silk's own texture does the exfoliating. Plain warm water is enough; a mild soap is fine if you want to cleanse at the same time, but you don't need an additional scrub or exfoliating product on top of it.
Is the face glove really different from the body glove?
Yes. The face version is smaller and meant for a gentler pass, for skin that's thinner and more reactive than the skin on your body and that doesn't always get along with scrubs or acids. The body glove is cut larger, for a firmer, full-body job.
Is the exfoliating glove the same silk as SilkWide's pillowcases?
No - the gloves are woven in Crepe de Chine, a different, more textured weave from the smooth charmeuse used in our pillowcases and bonnets. Both are 100% mulberry silk and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified; the weave is simply chosen for a different job.
