The Meaning and Benefits of Exfoliation – What Does It Do?

Exfoliation is the quickest way to make your skin glow naturally – and can be easily done at home. Basically, it loosens and removes the dead skin cells that are still attached to your healthy new skin cells. The process is great for unclogging pores, clearing up pimples, getting rid of ingrown hairs, evening out skin tone, improving blood circulation and correcting skin texture issues.

After dull dead skin cells are removed your skin is smoother and brighter, giving you that healthy glow we all crave. It also encourages your skin to produce more collagen, which means younger, plumper looking skin.
 
Think of exfoliating as preparing your face for the products you use on it. Once your pores have been cleaned, they are more open to fully absorb your moisturiser, anti-aging creams or whatever else you have in your beauty routine, and so your skin really benefits from them. No wonder makeup artists have been using it for years to prep for a glowing, fresher looking skin.

Best Chemical and Physical Exfoliators For The Face

In recent years we have steered away from the once-popular harsh exfoliating facial scrubs, known as physical exfoliators. This is because while their abrasive qualities feel like they're doing good for your skin they are actually damaging it by making hundreds of tiny micro-abrasions. This can make your skin inflamed, causes redness and brings on premature ageing.
 

• Chemical exfoliators or at home face peels are the answer as they work to 'unglue' the dead cells from your skin through certain ingredients, like acids and enzymes, instead of physically scrubbing them out, which is way kinder to your skin. By helping dull dead skin cells to separate from the rest of your skin, a fresher, healthier and glowing skin is revealed, often overnight.  
  
  The best exfoliators will contain AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids, e.g. glycolic, citric and lactic acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy/salicylic acid). As a rule of thumb, AHA's stimulate cell turnover and renewal as well as enhance natural moisturising factors, and so are best for dry, dehydrated skin, while BHA's work both on cleaning the skin and inside pores and are therefore good for oily and acne prone skin or if you have large pores.  BHA's are also gentler on the skin so are recommended if your skin is sensitive. 
   
  Many products include a mix of both. Just remember that using an acid on your skin makes you more vulnerable to the sun so it's extra important that you wear SPF every day.
   
  The best chemical exfoliators and peels for oily and acne-prone skins:
  
  Exfoliating face cleansers for daily use:
  La Roche Posay Effaclar Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel Cleanser with salicylic acid and LHA (Lipo-Hydroxy Acid) best for oily skins.
  Bioderma Sebium Exfoliating Purifying Gel Cleanser with salicylic and glycolic acids for oily skins.
  Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract includes citric acids and moringa seed extract. For all skin types.
  
  Specialist chemical face exfoliators and face peels:
  Bioderma Sebium Night Peel, an overnight serum-gel with 15 % glycolic acid.
  Crème Classique Glycolic Acid Peel with 10% glycolic acid for severe acne and blackheads. Can also help smooth early wrinkles. Available at Dis-Chem.
  La Roche Posay Effaclar Ultra Concentrated Serum with glycolic and salicylic acids, LHA plus niacinamide for hyperpigmentation.
  Garnier Pure Active Anti Blackhead Charcoal Peel Off Mask with charcoal and salicylic acid to remove impurities and unclog pores.
  Institut Esthederm Intensive AHA Peel Concentrated Serum with 12% AHAs (including glycolic, lactic, citric and salicylic acids). A skin-perfecting peeling serum for oily to combination skin, dilated pores, irregular, uneven skin texture and dull skin.
  
  The best chemical exfoliators and peels for normal, dry and aging skins:
  Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser with gentle lactic acid for daily use.
  Crème Classique Glycolic Acid Peel with 10% glycolic acid to smooth away early wrinkles. Can also be used for severe acne and blackheads. Available at Dis-Chem.
  NeoStrata Smooth Surface Glycolic Peel Pads with 10% glycolic acid plus amino acids that help plump the skin, smooth wrinkles and reduce irritation.
  Avène Gentle Exfoliating Gel with microbeads plus niacinamide and sodium salicylate ideal for sensitive skins.
  My Payot Micro-Exfoliating Peeling Essence with glycolic acid & vitamin-rich orange extract. Use as a primer under moisturiser.
  Skin Republic 2-step AHA Peel Pad Plus PH Balancing Face Sheet Mask includes glycolic and lactic acids, as well as niacinamide to help treat hyperpigmentation.
  
  The best chemical exfoliators for sensitive skins:
  Vichy Normaderm 3in1 Scrub Cleanser and Mask for sensitive skin with salicylic and glycolic acids.
  Clarins Gentle Peeling Smooth Away Cream with primrose extract to gently eliminate dead skin cells and impurities.
  
  Read More. Oily Skin? All You Need to Know About the Best Skin Care Routine and Makeup for You

 

• Facial scrubs AKA Physical exfoliators. If you do use a scrub, the exfoliating particles need to be super fine because the skin on your face is delicate and sensitive. They also need to be round as irregularly-shaped beads will cause micro-abrasions. Plus many microbeads we find in exfoliating scrubs aren’t biodegradable and have actually been banned in America (but alternatives are available).
  
  To be safe, rather go for natural alternatives like sea salt, oats, or a sugar scrub, which is one of the mildest scrubs you can use. If you can’t find what you want in-store, homemade scrubs are so easy to make. Depending upon their ingredients they can be either a chemical or physical exfoliator - or both.
  
  The best physical exfoliators and scrubs for the face:
  Clarins Scrubs are available in Fresh with natural beads for all skin types and Comfort, an oil scrub with sugar microcrystals for dry skin.
  Eucerin Dermo Purifier Oil Control Scrub with lactic acid for oily/combination and acne-prone skin.
  Neutrogena Bright Boost Resurfacing Polish includes glycolic acid and mandelic acid, plus natural cellulose exfoliators for brighter and smoother looking skin.
  IQ Clear Start 3in1 Wash Scrub and Mask with anti-oxidants, salicylic acid and aloe for oily skin.
  BioNike Defence Micro Exfoliating Scrub with shea butter, sweet almond and jojoba oils, and Vitamin B5 for sensitive skin.
  Garnier Skin Pure Active 3in1 Charcoal combining a wash, scrub and mask for oily, acne prone skin.
  
  
  Read More. Want The Best Skin Care Products For You? Choose Which Ingredients You Need

How To Exfoliate Your Face

If you’re using a physical exfoliator or scrub, start with freshly washed skin and pat it dry. Apply a coin-sized amount of your exfoliate scrub to your fingertips and gently massage the product in small circles all over your face (or just over your problem areas). Be sure to not use too much pressure and to not take longer than a minute or so. You can also use a face brush to gently work the product in circular motions onto your skin. Rinse off with water and your hands or a soft face cloth.

Chemical exfoliators like facial peels can be applied in many different ways – either for a few minutes before you wipe or wash off, or under your moisturiser or night cream for a longer period of time. You can even include them as part of your daily cleansing routine. Just follow the instructions on the product to ensure you are using it correctly and don’t cause any damage to your skin.

How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Face?

Once you see the benefits that exfoliating has on your skin you will probably want to insert it into your skincare routine as much as possible. This is where many women go wrong. There is definitely such thing as over-exfoliating your skin, and it can result in tiny, invisible tears in your skin that get inflamed and make it dehydrated. If you see any signs of redness, dryness or irritation, immediately cut back on exfoliation to avoid longer term damage that could take months to reverse.

You should exfoliate your face between one to three times a week maximum. Figure out how often you need to be exfoliating by paying attention to your skin. So, if your skin only feels dry and in need of a good exfoliating session after a week then you only need to do it once a week. 

On days where you aren’t exfoliating, use an acid-based facial wash (see suggestions for your skin type and concern above). This will give you the same benefit of unclogging your pores and smoothing out your skin but without the roughness of an exfoliator or a scrub.

Read More. The Best Skin Care Product Essentials You Need To Use Based On Your Age

How To Exfoliate Your Body

Our face is our best asset so it makes sense to exfoliate it, but is it really necessary to exfoliate the rest of your body too? Well, yes. You want to be glowing all-over, don't you?
 
Using an exfoliator on your body is especially great for ingrown hairs from shaving, preparing your skin for fake tan, minimising dark marks and spots, and tackling those pesky red bumps lots of women get on their upper arms. Body exfoliators can be a bit rougher than the ones you use on your face, and it's really easy to make your own by mixing coarse sea salt with olive or coconut oil.
 
The best exfoliators and scrubs for the body:
Clarins Exfoliating Body Scrub that includes bamboo powders.
Freemans Exfoliating Body Sugar Scrub Coffee for an instant invigorating boost of energy while gently exfoliating dry, dull areas to reveal silky, soft-feeling skin.
Bodycology Body Scrub Cherish The Moment Exfoliating Sugar Scrub with moisturising avocado oil and shea butter.

Read More. The Truth About Cellulite and What You Can Do to Be Free of It

Best Way To Exfoliate Your Body

First get your skin damp in the shower. Next load up your hands or shower gloves with your exfoliator and apply in circular motions all over. Don’t over-exfoliate: your whole body should take you about three minutes. Rinse off in the shower and follow with a creamy moisturiser once you’re dry. Your skin will happily absorb the moisture and feel really amazing afterwards.

Our product picks: Try Cleanlogic Sustainable Exfoliating Body Gloves or the Cleanlogic Body Exfoliating Scrub with charcoal to draw out impurities and remove excess oil and dirt, both from Dis-Chem.

View Video. Exfoliate! Glycolic Acid & Salicylic Acid to Smooth, Tighten, Firm and Brighten Your Skin!