How often should you exfoliate your face?
How often should you exfoliate your face?
A burning question in the skin care world. There are a few different ways to exfoliate your face, whether it is chemically or physically and just like anything, it will also depend on your skin type. The epidermis continually makes new skin cells and replaces about 40,000 old, dead skin cells that the body naturally sheds every day. This means we get new skin every 30 days. However, not every single cell sheds off which is where exfoliation comes into play.
The main purpose of exfoliation is to remove the excess dead skin cells from your face so the new ones have a place to grow. I’m sure we all have experienced texture on our faces where these little bumps just won’t go away but they aren’t pimples and they aren’t budging with just a simple cleanse. Frustrating, right? With a weekly exfoliation, you will slowly start to see these stubborn bumps fade.
Dry Skin Types
For the people who have dry skin, you will want to exfoliate once or twice a week with a product
that contains a moisturizing ingredient. You don’t want to cause your skin to become irritated, leading to more dryness and sensitivity. A rice powder exfoliant is an excellent choice for dry skin. Dermalogica sells one and it is highly recommended!
Oily/Acne Prone Skin Types
Depending on what your skin can tolerate, people who have more oily skin can exfoliate two to
three times a week. Products that contain BHA and Salicylic Acid Are going to be your best friend and help unclog pores, assisting in preventing breakouts and controlling the oil levels in your skin.
A little bit of oil, a little bit of dryness- you really can’t go wrong in any exfoliation product you
chose to use. Similar to oily skin, exfoliating two to three times a week depending on what your skin can tolerate is recommended. Products that contain Mandelic Acid are going to really help both control the oil without drying out those dryer spots either.
Tips
Remember, everyone’s skin is different! Trial and error is going to come in handy because not
every product is going to work for you and that’s okay. Always start off slow, and work up your skin’s tolerability to each new product. Exfoliation should always be done on clean skin! Remember to always cleanse before exfoliating. Follow up with a nice serum and moisturizer and your skin will thank you!