How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Face?
When it comes to skincare, everyone's chasing that bright, fresh look. In addition to using the right products for your skin, developing a solid exfoliation routine can help you reveal fresh, radiant skin that's also nourished and healthy-looking. When adding exfoliation into your skincare routine, finding the right balance between too little exfoliation and too much exfoliation is essential. Keep reading for our top exfoliation tips to help you find how often you should exfoliate your face.
How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Face?
Consider Your Skin Type
Every complexion is beautifully unique, not just in appearance but in composition as well. Knowing your skin type can help you determine how many times a week to exfoliate your face.
- Dry or Sensitive Skin: If you've got sensitive or dry skin, you may think skipping exfoliation can cut back on irritation. However, failing to remove those built-up layers of dead skin and dirt can make matters worse. Gentle exfoliation once or twice a week is usually an ideal schedule for those with this skin type.
- Oily Skin: Does your skin produce large amounts of sebum? If so, you can probably handle more frequent exfoliation sessions. Be sure to enjoy a good exfoliation treatment at least two or three times a week to keep buildup under control and reduce blackheads, pimples, and excessively shiny skin.
- Combination Skin: Dry patches in one area and oily patches in another mean combination skin. Exfoliating two or three times a week should work well for this skin type. Take note of more sensitive areas and adjust your schedule accordingly.
Which Kind of Exfoliant are You Using?
There are so many options when it comes to exfoliating your skin! Every product is different, so make sure you understand what you're using to determine the proper frequency for your skin.
- Gentle, Fine-Grain Scrubs: Face scrubs that are formulated with natural microcrystals are designed to cleanse your skin, slough away dead cells, and remove the dirt that gets trapped deep inside your pores. The finer granules are easier on the delicate skin of your face and neck, making them safe to use on a regular basis that suits your unique skin type. A brightening face scrub is a great choice for every skin type, with natural alumina to remove layers of grime, plus Dragonfruit to smooth and clarify for deep clean.
Face scrubs that are formulated with natural microcrystals are designed to gently cleanse your skin, slough away dead cells, and remove the dirt that gets trapped deep inside your pores.
- Rough, Coarse-Grain Scrubs: Products made with larger granules are excellent for targeting large patches of dry, flaky skin. However, rougher scrubs can cause damage to your complexion, resulting in irritation and a breakdown of the skin's protective moisture barriers. Save these products for other areas of your body that can stand up to a good scrubbing, such as your arms, legs, and feet. It's still important to learn how to exfoliate every area of your body for cleaner, healthier and smoother skin from head to toe.
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Chemical Exfoliants: These products use chemical reactions rather than friction and movement to remove dead skin. How often you use these types of exfoliators truly depends on the nature of the product. Some are gentle enough for daily use, while others may require weeks between treatments. Be sure to read the labels carefully and monitor your skin's response to chemical treatments. There are two major categories to choose from.
- Alpha Hydroxy Acid: AHA is a water-soluble acid derived from certain fruits, usually with higher sugar content. These exfoliants remove the surface of the skin to make room for new cell growth, resulting in a more even skin tone, pigment, and texture.
- Beta Hydroxy Acid: BHA's are oil-soluble and can penetrate the skin more effectively than some AHAs. As a result, many people find BHAs very effective in removing more dirt and oil below the surface, as well as eliminating dead skin cells.
What Happens When You Exfoliate Your Skin?
Exfoliation is vital for developing a bright, clear complexion and glowing skin! It's a great way to help your skin feel fresh and clean, but it does so much more than provide a deeper cleanse. It also helps improve the tone and texture of your skin.
Your skin is in a perpetual state of renewal. Over time, older skin cells are shed from the surface. During this process, dead skin cells may build up on your skin's surface and result in dull, tired-looking skin with clogged pores. A gentle face scrub can help release dead skin cell buildup to help reveal a surface of fresh, healthy-looking skin.
1. Removes Dead Skin Cells on the Surface of Your Skin
Dead skin cells on the surface of your skin can give your complexion a dull and lifeless look. Exfoliating with a brightening face scrub helps reveal healthy-looking skin underneath for a radiant glow. Regular exfoliation also helps improve the appearance and feel of uneven skin tone for a more uniform texture.
2. Deep Cleans Skin
Exfoliation helps unclog pores and prevent clogged pores by removing dirt and impurities from your skin. Regularly using a face scrub revitalizes uneven skin and allows your skin to breathe for a brighter complexion. Our charcoal acne scrub uses the power of salicylic acid to deep clean your pores and prevent future breakouts.
3. Refines and Polishes Pores
Exfoliation with a fine grade or microcrystalline face scrub refines and polishes your skin to visibly reduce the appearance of pores. The process helps remove deep-down dirt and debris that can wreck your complexion. By giving your pores a much-needed clean sweep, you can help regulate oil and sebum production while controlling clogged pores at the same time.
Tips to Up Your Exfoliation Game
Ready to up your exfoliation game? It may be time to increase the frequency of your exfoliation sessions based on your skin type and method. When using face scrubs, most work effectively with light, even pressure. Take caution not to press too hard or massage too aggressively. That pressure can be rough on the skin surface and cause irritation.
Make sure you test out new products by using them only once a week until you know how your skin reacts to different textures and ingredients. Also, be sure to give extra attention to your T-Zone and along your hairline, where oil production is more prolific.
- How often you exfoliate your face can depend on your skin type. For oily skin types, two to three times a week may work best for your skin. On the other hand, if you have normal or combination skin, exfoliating once a week may be best.
- If you have sensitive skin, look for a gentle exfoliant and avoid rubbing too hard when scrubbing.
- Avoid using any exfoliant on broken or irritated skin. This includes sunburns, rashes, and any cuts or scrapes.
