I Count on These Exfoliating Sponges to Leave Skin Feeling Silky and Smelling Divine

I’d like to scent my entire existence with Kai’s signature fragrance. The reed diffuser is hands down the most fragrant, mood-boosting of any I’ve tried, and it will forever remain in my bedroom. I’ve waxed poetic about the convenient rollerball fragrance oil, too, which allows me to reapply the soft, clean scent any time I please. Recently, I tried the Kai Body Buffer, and it might be one of my favorite ways to experience the delicate, gardenia-forward fragrance.

Shop now: $40; amazon.com

The Kai Body Buffer is a fragrant, exfoliating sponge infused with soap in the brand’s signature floral scent. It moisturizes the skin, cleanses, and sloughs away roughness to leave your limbs ultra-silky and smelling fresh. Sold in a pack of two, each lathering sponge can be used up to 40 times in the shower or bath, making this little luxury a surprisingly practical pick. 

If you’ve yet to experience Kai’s standard fragrance, it’s a truly intoxicating aroma, featuring notes of gardenia that mingle with additional white florals — plus a mildly musk-like scent  I can’t quite place. I’m hardly alone in my love for the scent; Nicole Kidman and Mila Kunis have used various products from the Kai’s lineup, per the brand. Fellow InStyle colleagues, including Senior Commerce Editor Christina Butan, who adores the Kai Body Buffer, unanimously approve of the smell, too, which has been a fan favorite since Kai’s launch in 1999 thanks to its fresh, clean, and, in my experience upon smelling it on others, universally flattering fragrance.

The sponges come dry, but still feel soft and bouncy; to activate, simply run under water, et voilà! Kai’s scented body wash appears in a frothy lather, ready to scent and soften your skin. Once wet and used on skin, it feels reassuringly skin-sloughing in its satisfying grit. 

Amazon reviewers love the sponges for myriad reasons. One shopper calls the sponges “a great treat,” noting the “very gentle buff but very strong results.” Another reviewer points out that the soap-infused sponges are “great for traveling.” Another shopper who calls the fragrance “gorgeous,” mentions the “luxurious soap…makes you feel like you’re showering in a spa.” 

For an upgraded shower experience and smoother skin scented with light florals, shop the Kai Body Buffer at Amazon. Moreover, with Mother’s Day coming up, I’d be remiss not to mention that it would make for an excellent gift.