An exfoliant is an important part of any beauty routine. It can be the use of a washcloth for the face or a razor for your legs, as long as you are gently rubbing your skin or even scraping it, you are removing excess dead skin cells. A good exfoliant will smooth your skin because it removes the dead cells to reveal the newer ones underneath.
Facial scrubs are ones with very subtle grains, like finely milled apricot pits.
If used gently on the face they can be very effective. Facial masks perform exfoliation, when they dry they take the dead skin cells with them. Some facial masks have a grainy texture that helps smooth the skin during the rinse cycle. Toners are even exfoliating products and work by removing dirt and cells via a cotton ball or pad. Toners are used on the face and neck.