These Products Can Help You Defeat Keratosis Pilaris Once and for All

Using one of the best products for keratosis pilaris is critical for busting below-the-neck bumps that can pop up anywhere hair follicles exist (read: almost everywhere). That’s because keratosis pilaris, or KP, is a surprisingly common skin condition: About 50% to 80% of teenagers and 40% of adults will experience it at some point, according to the Cleveland Clinic. So, if you’re noticing patches of small, rough bumps that look more like red goosebumps than zits or bouts of eczema, you may be dealing with KP. Thankfully, you don’t necessarily need to get a prescription to smooth and soothe your skin.

To address these bumps, we rounded up the best treatments on the market, as recommended by dermatologists and editors, to help promote cell turnover and smooth skin—for good.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Soft Services Buffing Bar

Why it’s worth it: Let’s be real—bar soap isn’t exactly trending, but you know what is? Ruthlessly tackling keratosis pilaris. Soft Service’s Buffing Bar opts for physical exfoliation, using “magnesium oxide microcrystals [which] provide grit needed to break down the ‘glue’ holding the [dead skin] cells together” and bust blocked follicles, explains Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut. Because the microcrystals mean business, this bright blue bar is best suited for lower-sensitivity areas of your body (you know your skin best, so whatever this means to you). “In general, anything that has a physical exfoliant property should be avoided in those who have sensitive skin, acne, rosacea, eczema, or any other inflammatory skin condition that may result in a compromised barrier,” Dr. Gohara adds. Wetting the bar can help soften the scrub, and the inclusion of moisturizing and soothing ingredients like glycerin, aloe, and shea butter helps cut down on any undesired roughness. Don’t be intimidated by this 2022 Best of Beauty alum, though, because sometimes, a no-nonsense scrub is exactly what you need to nip KP in the bud.

Best Scrub: First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub

Why it’s worth it: New York City-based dermatologist Hadley King, MD, sings the praises of First Aid Beauty’s 2024 Best of Beauty-winning KP Smoothing Body Lotion. “It contains lactic acid and urea to gently exfoliate and smooth the skin, as well as colloidal oatmeal and ceramides to support the skin barrier,” she explains. We also like how the formula offers a combination of chemical exfoliation (via lactic and glycolic acid) and physical exfoliation (little buffing beads) to slough away dead skin cells and smooth texture without causing any upset. “My skin felt super smooth after using this, and the scrub never felt too harsh,” says senior business director Eilish Morley. “I really like the sweet strawberry scent as well.” Keep in mind, this formula is fragranced, so if your skin is too sensitive for synthetics, opt for the fragrance-free version.

Kara McGrath using First Aid Beauty’s KP Smoothing Body Lotion

Kara McGrath

McGrath with First Aid Beauty’s KP Smoothing Body Lotion

Kara McGrath

Best Lotion: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion

Why it’s worth it: Dry skin and keratosis pilaris often go hand in hand, which makes an über moisturizing texture-tackler like La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion especially helpful. Primarily, it uses urea to treat your dry, rough skin, tied together with barrier-friendly exfoliation, so as not to irritate sensitive surfaces. “Urea is an essential component of skin maintenance, serving as a natural moisturizing factor that binds water and pulls it into the skin (where it belongs) and kicks cracked, dead skin cells to the curb,” Washington, DC, board-certified dermatologist Adam Friedman, MD, explains.

It’s also formulated with shea butter, lipids, and allantoin to further alleviate discomfort and rebalance your skin’s microbiome. With one, fast-absorbing, non-sticky application, you’ll get up to 48 hours of locked-in moisture. What’s not to love?

Sarah Kinonen applying La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion

Sarah Kinonen

Kinonen with La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion

Sarah Kinonen

Best Drugstore: AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion

Why it’s worth it: When multiple dermatologists recommend a particular lotion for KP, it has to be good—take AmLactin’s Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion as proof. “It is important to have lactic acid in a regimen to help break down keratin in the hair follicles,” New Jersey-based board-certified dermatologist Shari Sperling, MD, says. Since it’s a treatment and moisturizer bundled into one, it can be used more regularly than higher-concentrated formulas, Jenny Liu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Minneapolis, confirms. This humble Best of Beauty-winner may not be sexy, but dang it, it works.

Best Lightweight: DermaDoctor KP Duty Dry, Rough, Bumpy Skin Moisturizing Lotion

Why it’s worth it: Mamina Turegano, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Louisiana, calls the super lightweight DermaDoctor KP Duty a “dermatologist staple,” and for good reason. Its key ingredients include a patented blend of AHAs, BHA, PHAs, urea, and green tea—and that’s just the opening act. To replenish and protect your dry, bumpy skin, you’ll get a hearty dose of ceramides (eight, to be exact) and squalane to provide hours of moisture. Meanwhile, cupuaçu steps in to fortify the skin barrier and deeply hydrate, rounding out this hardworking, no-frills pick.

Best for Body Acne-Prone Skin: Peach & Lily KP Bump Boss Microderm Body Scrub

Why it’s worth it: For glass skin below the neck, this K-beauty brand offers a dream team of actives to go beyond KP, addressing body acne and ingrowns as you suds up. “Peach & Lily KP Bump Boss Microderm Body Scrub has 10% AHA and PHAs, as well as hyaluronic acid to help loosen dead skin while hydrating the skin,” explains Chicago-based board-certified dermatologist Caroline Robinson, MD. There’s a laundry list of soothing, redness-reducing ingredients to nourish compromised skin, including mugwort, barley, and cica, plus enriching botanical extracts like asian plum, apple, grape, and papaya.

Best Set: Glytone KP Kit

Why it’s worth it: It’s not just exfoliating lotions and scrubs that help smooth the look and feel of keratosis pilaris—an excellent body wash can make a difference, too. “I really like the two-step approach in the KP Kit by Glytone that pairs a glycolic acid-based body cleanser and body lotion with vitamin E for extra hydration,” Texas-based board-certified dermatologist Heidi Prather, MD, says. Dr Robinson is also a fan of the Exfoliating Body Wash. Its “8.8 free acid value of glycolic acid is mild enough for sensitive skin but effective enough for dry, rough, bumpy, or flaky skin on the body,” she says of the body polish.. In addition to recommending this wash for KP, Dr. Robinson says the brightening formula also helps reduce hyperpigmentation. And BTW, this kit includes a loofah for gentle scrubbing. Wins all around.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is keratosis pilaris or KP?

“Keratosis pilaris is a buildup of keratin—a hair protein—in the pores that clogs up and blocks the opening of growing hair follicles,” New York City board-certified dermatologist Doris Day, MD, previously told Allure. “As a result, small bumps form over where the hair should be.” Birmingham-based board-certified dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, MD, notes that “KP differs from dark pores (or ‘strawberry legs’), which represent shaved dark hairs and keratin that turn dark when exposed to oxygen.” So, if you run your hands over your skin and don’t feel physical bumps, it’s most likely not KP.”

How do you treat keratosis pilaris?

It turns out that treating KP overlaps with fighting acne.. So, as with acne, “treatment of KP responds best to a combination of exfoliation and hydration,” Dr. Prather explains. Meanwhile, Dr. Sperling says alpha and beta hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAs) are the way to go. “When treating keratosis pilaris, it is important to look for products with lactic, salicylic, or glycolic acid to help smooth skin.”. New York City-based board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, adds that KP tends to flare up during the winter months, so having a potent moisturizer to combat dryness on hand is extra key.

Can you permanently get rid of keratosis pilaris?

Sometimes, but it depends on your skin and management. Dr. Kim warns that “KP is very difficult to treat and persists throughout adulthood.” While he does say the aforementioned acids—in addition to ammonium lactate, urea, and vitamin A derivatives—can help reduce bumpiness, they will not cure KP.

Should I see a dermatologist for KP?

Remember that products and treatments may work to varying degrees of success for different people. “There are many types of KP that may require a customized approach based on your presentation and symptoms,” Dr. Prather says. “See your board-certified dermatologist for evaluation, diagnosis, and a customized treatment plan, including topical therapies and possible in-office laser treatments that can help improve the discoloration and rough texture from KP.”

Meet the experts

• Jenny Liu, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Minneapolis
• Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Heidi Prather, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Texas
• Mamina Turegano, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Louisiana
• Caroline Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Chicago
• Doris Day, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Corey L. Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Birmingham, Alabama
• David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Shari Sperling, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.