Learning how to exfoliate your face is essential to any skincare routine. Whether you're a skincare novice or a skincare pro, there are plenty of tips to keep in mind to ensure you get a fresh, smooth complexion without ruining your skin.
“Exfoliating removes dead skin cells on the outer surface of the face, which can make skin look dull and a little rough,” he says. Dr. Saami Khalifian, MD, Double board certified dermatologist SOM Aesthetics.
The best way to exfoliate your face comes down to choosing the right products and methods for your skin type. While some may give you instant results in terms of how smooth your skin feels right afterward, as with any skincare routine, results can take time. Being too aggressive can cause irritation, and being inconsistent in your routine won’t produce long-term results.
Slow and steady is the name of the game here. While the skincare aisle can seem intimidating, there are a few tips to keep in mind when shopping best facial exfoliants to add to your list. Keep reading for a crash course in facial exfoliation 101.
What is exfoliation?
Understanding the exfoliation process is key. “Exfoliation is the use of chemical or physical exfoliants that actually help with cellular renewal,” says Dr. Heidi Prather, MD, board certified dermatologist in Westlake Dermatology. These exfoliants remove dead cells from the outer layer of skin, called the stratum corneum, using a gritty substance, such as a scrub, or chemicals, such as glycolic acid.
From combating dullness to keeping pores clear, there are many reasons why this step is important. “Exfoliants are going to help keep that layer of skin thin, keep skin healthy, keep cellular turnover going so we have that glow,” adds Dr. Prather. “That thick stratum corneum also creates a barrier that prevents the products we use from penetrating. If we can keep that barrier thin and allow our smart skincare products to penetrate better, we’re going to get better performance from those ingredients.”
How often should you exfoliate your face?
How exfoliate your face frequently one of the biggest steps in understanding the best process for you. Different skin types and conditions, including oily, combination, sensitive, dryAnd acne prone— can't tolerate the same amount of exfoliation. Ultimately, people with dry or sensitive skin will exfoliate less than people with oilier skin.
In general, Dr. Khalifian recommends two to three times a week for normal, combination, acne-prone, and oily skin types, though he notes that for many, two weeks is likely ideal. Dry, sensitive, and mature skin types should consider exfoliating perhaps twice a week.
“The sebaceous glands pump oil into the skin, which essentially lubricates the skin and allows it to repair itself,” says Dr. Khalifian. “But when we overexfoliate, the skin becomes irritated, inflamed, and dry. So if you have oily skin, you’re less likely to get dry. If it’s not dry, it’s not going to get as irritated and red.” That’s why someone with an oilier skin type can tolerate more exfoliation than someone with dry or sensitive skin.
What types of exfoliation are there?
Exfoliation methods generally fall into two types: physical (or mechanical) and chemical. Understanding this difference will help you determine which is right for you.