Our skin is the outermost layer exposed to pollution, bacteria and infections which is why it becomes crucial to indulge in a proper skincare routine to maintain healthy skin When it comes to following a skincare regimen, you can go forward step-by-step, and, one of those steps is to exfoliate your skin.
Before we share the tips on how to exfoliate the face and its benefits, let us quickly understand — what is exfoliation.
What is Exfoliation?
Exfoliation is the process of deep-cleansing the pores and removing dead skin cells from the epidermal layers of your face. Different skin types have different ways to exfoliate the skin. It is important to note that exfoliation is not recommended for certain skin conditions, for instance, eczema.
As we all know, our skin is constantly shedding cells, and when this happens, new skin cells push their way up to the skin’s surface making the skin look plump and younger-looking. However, as we age, the natural process of exfoliation slows down. This is when you need to exfoliate your skin manually and ensure the removal of all the dead skin cells.
What are the Benefits of Exfoliating Your Skin?
The process of exfoliation helps in skin brightening, stimulating blood circulation, lightening dark spots, and reducing skin dullness and dryness to improve all appearance of the skin. Moreover, this whole process allows moisturisers and serums to penetrate better into the deeper layers of the skin making it smooth and youthful. Here are some of the popular benefits of skin exfoliation:
Unclogs the Pores
Although the body has a natural process to shed dead skin, our face tends to pile up with dirt which halts the natural shedding process. Exfoliators shed the first and second layers of dead skin, freeing the face from all sorts of congestion, including whiteheads and blackheads.
Helps Even Out the Skin Tone
Exfoliating helps rejuvenate and reenergize new skin cells. It also works to encourage the skin tissue to grow in turn to younger-looking skin. The new skin cells help you get an even skin tone, with reduced pigmentation, and closed pores and get rid of post-breakout red marks.
Prevents Blemishes
Timely exfoliation helps in removing excess oil and skin cells that clog pores and cause blemishes. Keeping this in mind, it is essential to avoid over-exfoliation that causes irritation and makes the blemishes even worse. Hence, exfoliating moderately twice a week can help clear blemishes.
Improves Skin Texture
The build-up of clogged pores, blemishes and dark spots worsens fine lines and wrinkles, leading to the uneven texture of the skin. Use the best exfoliating face scrub with soothing ingredients to help the dermis improve its skin’s texture. Moreover, it is the best way to treat flaky skin.
How to Exfoliate Your Skin in The Right Way?
Exfoliation works wonders for every skin type. But every skin type, concern and preference has different ways of exfoliation. Above all, there are various methods and tools for exfoliation. Here’s the dermatologist-approved and one of the best ways to exfoliate your skin:
Step 1- Use Cleanser
You should always start by cleansing the skin with mild facial cleansers i.e face wash or cleansing milk that come in a foaming or creamy formulation to help you cleanse the outer layer of the skin making it free from dirt, excess oil, and grime collected over the day. If you have an oily to combination skin type, choose a gel-based cleanser, or use a cream-based cleanser if you’re a dry skin type.
Step 2- Use Exfoliating Face Scrub
Next up, take a pea-size amount of exfoliating face scrub (suitable to your skin type) on the tip of your fingers. Make sure your face is a little damp and then go about doing small circular motions all the way up from your forehead, cheeks, to chin areas for 2-3 minutes. Do not rub your skin or you might injure the skin causing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Step 3- Apply Toner, Moisturiser and SPF
Further, rinse off with water and tone the skin with an alcohol-free gel base tonner and then top it off with a lightweight moisturiser and an SPF. Here you go ladies, your skin will feel clear, smooth and moisturised!
How to Choose the Right Exfoliating Products?
Good face scrubs or exfoliators contain natural exfoliants to deeply cleanse the skin without causing skin irritation or inflammation. Basically, the gritty solid particles of the face scrub give sensory signals of cleansing when massaged into the skin. Here’s a quick checklist to keep in mind before choosing the right kind of product to exfoliate your skin:
Step 1- Consider Your Skin Type
Before you choose to buy any of the deep cleansers, face scrubs or skin exfoliating products keep in mind your skin concerns, preferences and most importantly your skin type, as it might give expected results and show adverse skin reactions.
Step 2- Check for Ingredient List
The best way to exfoliate your skin is to choose the right set of ingredients that takes care of your skin concerns. Choosing the right set of ingredients for a specific skin type helps you achieve clearer and smoother skin without causing irritation or inflammation.
Step 3- No Harsh Chemicals
Last but not least, this is a very important note to ensure that the product is 100% pure, organic, and chemical-free containing no sulphate, no paraben, and no mineral oil. Organic skin care products do not have any harmful effects and are ideal for all skin types which is amazing.
Organic Harvest Recommended Exfoliating Products
Organic Harvest is a 100% vegan and cruelty-free organic brand offering an extensive range of skincare, haircare, and body care products. All of these products have no traces of harsh chemicals, parabens, mineral oils, sulphates, or any animal ingredients. This is what makes our range incredibly gentle, safe and potent.
Here are some of the organic face cleansers and exfoliators from our skincare range:
Organic Vitamin C Face Cleanser
Made with the goodness of Acai Berry & Daisy Flower the Organic Vitamin C Face Cleanser works well for deep cleansing the skin without stripping off the natural moisture level. It aids in unclogging pores and exfoliation of the top skin cells. It has the goodness of Vitamin C which helps in dealing with uneven skin tone, rough texture, fine lines and dullness. Made with 100% organic ingredients and zero chemicals, it is suitable for all skin types.
Price: 495 INR
Buy Link: Click Here
Anti Tan Scrub
Organic Harvest Anti Tan Scrub is cream-based scrub blended with the rightful combination of liquid shea butter, olive oil, clove, and camphor essential oils. As the name suggests, this scrub works great in removing tan, giving an even-toned firmed skin. The anti-inflammatory properties of the exfoliants help in stimulating the skin’s healing processes.
Price: 761 INR
Buy Link: Click Here
What Works Best for Different Skin Types?
As we all know, different skin types need different approaches to skin exfoliation. There are basically two types of exfoliating methods including manual and chemical.
We bet you after reading this will be a pro at understanding exfoliation for various skin types and concerns. Let’s dig deep to know what works for different skin types:
Dry Skin
The process of manually exfoliating dry skin is drying by itself and can lead to microtears. AHAs work as the best chemical exfoliants for dry skin because it has the property of shedding skin cells on the surface to get rid of the flakiness of dry skin and remove all the dead skin cells. Glycolic acid works as a great source of AHA exfoliant.
Oily Skin
If you are one with an oily skin type, mechanical exfoliation or tools work great to get rid of that extra layer of dead skin cell build-up and excess sebum sitting on the surface of your skin. Products that have salicylic acid with BHAs as exfoliants work really well for oily skin due to their antibacterial actions.
Sensitive Skin
If you’re a sensitive skin type, simply avoid over scrubbing or manually exfoliating, because it can cause skin irritation, rashes, and redness. Instead, opt for chemical exfoliation techniques. If you even have acne, visit your dermatologist and use salicylic acid as a skin peeling agent.
Normal Skin
If you do not have any skin conditions or normal skin type, both manual and chemical methods can exfoliate your skin at its best. Both of these methods are considered to be safe and effective. However, you can experiment and follow which one gives the maximum benefits.
Combination Skin
Combination skin types need to take extra care while exfoliating. If your skin feels dry use chemical exfoliation and if you feel your skin is oily opt for manual skin exfoliating products like face scrubs and tools. Never use both of them simultaneously as it may show adverse effects on your skin causing dryness and irritation.
FAQs
When should I exfoliate my skin?
Your skin repairs during the night and so skin experts recommend exfoliating your skin in the morning as it is badly asking you to slough off those dead skin cells sitting on the surface of the face.
Why do you need to exfoliate your skin?
Exfoliators help in the removal of dead skin cells and deeply cleanse the pores. If you do not exfoliate your skin, dead skin cells build up on the outermost layer of your skin making it dry, dull, and patchy with clogged pores leaving you with uneven skin tone and bumpy texture.
How to exfoliate your face?
To exfoliate your face, first, wash your face with a mild foaming cleanser. Then you can use a face exfoliating scrub to unclog the pores and deeply cleanse your skin free from dead skin cells.
Should I exfoliate before or after cleansing?
You should always cleanse first and then exfoliate your skin. The reason being it is better to clean away all the dirt and oil sitting on the outer layers of the skin than deeply cleanse the pores.
What do I do if I have a bad reaction?
If you ever face a bad situation of skin reactions or rashes, you should immediately skip exfoliating the skin for a few weeks, and simply stick to your mild cleanser or face wash. If the condition worsens, visit your dermatologist without any delay.
Conclusion
Looking at the benefits of exfoliation, we suggest you exfoliate the skin moderately once or twice a week, which will not only remove the dead skin cells but brighten your skin complexion.
So, are you ready to exfoliate your face and make it a skincare regime?
If ‘Yes’, try using the best organic facial scrub for the face as it will not cause any allergic reactions on your skin.