The Truth About Exfoliating

For any age, any skin type, and any time of the year, it is possible to have that pestering patch of dry flakey skin that you desperately want to get rid of. The first thought is probably to exfoliate and since the most common exfoliator that you will see on the market is some sort of scrub, it is easy to think that it is the perfect solution to rid your face of the dead skin. However, while a scrub might work for some people, it could also be the worst thing for you. And on top of that, not all scrubs are made equal so one kind of scrub can be a miracle worker, another might end up being a total nightmare for your skin.

Why Do We Get Dry Peeling Skin????

Even if you have super oily skin, you might find a dry patch or two that is dead and peeling. Dry, flakey skin is not always a sign of having dry or dehydrated skin. It can also be a part of your skin cells' natural life cycle. When your body produces new skin cells, they travel all way from underneath the skin until they get to the outermost layer. And just like the other cells in your body, your skin cells too must die. However, our bodies naturally shed dead skin cells in a process called desquamation so not every dead skin cell will end up as being part of that one dry flakey patch. Now in response to certain strains on your skin, like a climate change, lack of hydration, sun exposure, or not properly being washed, some of the those dead skin cells will not want to naturally shed because they want to shield the skin from these factors. That is why you find yourself peeling when the weather changes.

Solutions and Types of Exfoliators

This is where exfoliating comes in super handy. It will basically force your body to shed those dead skin cells and reveal the new ones. However, it is important that you don't automatically pick up the first exfoliator you see on the shelf, but instead learn about the one that is right for you.

Physical Exfoliators

Physical exfoliators are the ones that you are probably most familiar with because just like the name suggests they have physical properties that will force the dead skin off. These will include any kind of salt and sugar scrub; basically anything with some sort of beads. These will tend to work well for you if you don't have acne prone or sensitive skin because if you are too harsh with them, they can be quite irritating. If the beads are not polished, they can also cause micro tears in your skin that will spread bacteria around. However, that does not mean that having acne prone skin means you need to steer clear of these kinds of scrubs. Finding a scrub with fine beads that do not have rough edges will make it less likely to irritate your skin. Here are some of my favorites.

One of recent discoveries that I have absolutely fallen in love with is the Algenist Multi-Perfecting Detoxifying Exfoliator. The beads in the product are quite smooth which makes them ideal for exfoliating without irritating. I am also obsessed with this formula because it has a creamy base that is made with microalgae and oligosaccharides which leave my skin feeling baby smooth, but not dry. Many other exfoliators tend to strip your skin of moisture because the product's inherent need to eradicate anything on the top layer of your skin, but this one leaves your

skin super soft without drying it out. If you have sensitive skin and are looking for a physical exfoliant, I would highly recommend this one because of the gentle beads and since it is oil free, it won't clog your pores. It has also never broken my skin out and since I use it when I do my nighttime skincare routine, I know that I can always count on this product to keep my skin looking good in the morning.

Another one that I have been using for almost a year now is the Origins Never A Dull Moment Skin Brightening Face Polisher. This one took me a while to get used to because it has a texture and consistency unlike any other product I have tried before. When you squeeze it out of the tube, you end up with this thick piece of goop on your hand that doesn't seem to spread or separate when you try to rub it around on your face. This was really frustrating to me because I couldn't seem to get this product to what it claims. Then I learned the secret. You basically need to rub this around between your hands until the product turns into a creamy paste with a much thinner consistency than the original product. This only takes a few seconds and after that, you are ready to use this just like a normal exfoliator. This product claims to be skin brightening and all I can say is that it sure is. With the natural acids found in the various fruit ingredients, my skin always immediately looks brighter after I use this, And since I mentioned the fruit seeds and extracts, this product has the most amazing smell. The one down side I could mention is that since the exfoliating beads are parts of fruit seeds, they can tend to me a little rougher and harsher on t

he skin. If you have ultra sensitive or acne prone skin, this might not be for you because of the micro tears that could occur. I have never found this product to be irritating, but I thought that I would put that warning out there.

These kinds of products do come with a few catches. The first one is that you need to be careful how often you use a physical exfoliant. Over exfoliating is a very common problem that tends to make people's skin break out or become irritated. When you exfoliate your skin, the new skin cells are just becoming exposed to the outside world. They have been protected by the dead skin cells for a while and have never needed to fend off the environment on their own. It is super important to moisturize and hydrate your skin after you exfoliate because those new cells need the water and nutrients to grow and do their job. If you don't apply any sort of moisturizer or serum after you exfoliate, those cells will also dry up and die making you think that they need to be exfoliated off again. However, those cells and the cells under it were not ready for exfoliation. Ultimately not taking care of your skin after you exfoliate or exfoliating every single day can dry out your skin and irritate it. For physical exfoliants, I recommend using them 2-3 times a week depending on how much your skin needs it. Depending on the season, I can get away with exfoliating once a week or I have to do it every other day.

Chemical Exfoliators

If you want something that is gentler on the skin or something that can be used more often than a physical exfoliant, chemical exfoliants will be your best friend. The best thing about chemical exfoliants is that there are so many different kinds so it is really easy to find a formula that will work for your skin type and skin needs.

There are a few main kinds of chemical exfoliants that you will tend to see are AHAs and BHAs. I've mentioned these ingredients in a few of my other blog posts, but here are the basic gists of each. AHAs are main derived from plants and include ingredients like lactic acid or glycolic acid. They are water soluble and work better for those with dry skin because they stay on the surface and attract moisturizing agents to the skin. BHAs include ingredients like salicylic acid and are preferred for those with more oily skin because they will penetrate the oil and get deeper into your pores.

One chemical exfoliant that I have been using for a long time is the Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3. The best thing about this is that there are 5 different versions of this product that are altered to accommodate for different skin types. The lotion 3 is made for oily combination skin and is contains BHAs. This is a very strong formula so I try my best to use it once a week or even once every two weeks. I also try to avoid using this in the winter because there is alcohol in the product. The common stance on alcohol in skincare products is that it is heavily drying, which is true, but it can also kill bacteria in acne.

Another one of my favorites is the Glossier The Solution because it is a combination of BHAs and AHAs. This means that it perfect for practically any skin type because the BHAs will penetrate the oil deep in your pores to help clean them and then the AHAs will continue to hydrate the skin. It is gentle and has never irritated my skin and it is also cruelty free and vegan. I finished up my bottle not that long ago and have been meaning to pick up a new bottle.

And finally for my dry skin gals and guys, I have found a new product that I am obsessed with because it is super convenient and won't break the bank. Sephora Collection recently launched a new skincare line and their new Glow Peel Pads are absolutely amazing. A tub of 60 pads is only $15 and the container isn't too big or bulky so they are perfect to travel with. Besides that, these product is made with glycol acid so it with gently exfoliate the skin while leaving it supple and hydrated. Glycol acid is also a great ingredient for leaving your skin super glowy. It is great for sensitive skin and although glycolic acid is great for dry skin, these pads are not oily based so it will still be a great product for oily or combination skin as well.