One of the best things you can do for your skin is exfoliate it. This applies to all skin types: oily, dry, combination, and sensitive. You wouldn’t restore a beautiful piece of wood without sanding it first, would you? Much like sanding, exfoliating requires tools to refine the skin’s texture by removing flaws – in this case, excess oil and dead skin cells. If your goal is healthy, glowing, smooth skin, exfoliating is your new best friend!
Effective methods of renewing your complexion include physical exfoliators and chemical exfoliators. These may sound terrifying, but don’t be alarmed! These expressions are just fancy terminology for sloughing off dead skin cells. Physical exfoliators include small grains, stones or tools such as a brush and are more abrasive than the chemical method. Chemical exfoliation is often preferred over physical as it can be more effective, less harsh and is perfect for those worried about irritating their skin with the abrasiveness of a physical exfoliant. Regardless of your preferred method, it is extremely important not to overuse your exfoliators. Although it may be tempting to give your face this at-home spa experience every day, the recommended use is 1-3x per week. Exceeding this amount can cause redness, irritated skin and potentially more breakouts – the exact opposite of what you want.
Your two biggest allies for exfoliation include Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs). AHAs exfoliate the surface dead skin cells and BHAs penetrate deeper into the pores. Be on the lookout for Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid and fruit enzymes such as pineapple and papaya. These are the superstar ingredients to rid your complexion of excess oil, impurities and reveal fresh new skin! Make sure to stay away from parabens, sulphates, alcohol and mineral oil.
Looking for an at-home alternative? Browse your kitchen for oats, brown sugar, cane sugar, baking soda, honey, papaya, pineapple and honey. There are thousands of DIY Face Scrub recipes that are just a click away! Be sure to research which ingredients will work best for your needs and skin type.
TIP: Do NOT forget to follow with your favorite serum and moisturizer! Just like restoring wood, you need to apply a sealant and finish to complete the process. Voila!
Happy scrubbing!
Image used with permission by:
https://blog.althea.kr/2017/11/skincare-acid-guide-kbeauty.html
Good stuff