How often should I exfoliate my face?
When it comes to exfoliation, we often get confused on the “how often”, “how long” and “how”. Exfoliation is needed to unclog the pores and remove dead skin cells, to reduce dullness and improve skin tone. There are numerous products that have exfoliating properties, but which one is correct for you? And how often should you do it??
Exfoliation can be chemical (using an acid or enzyme, for example AHAs and BHAs) or physical (scrub with semi abrasive little particles). As you can understand, there are hundreds of options; you need to understand which one is suitable to you, which one your skin enjoys without suffering.
If you go for chemical exfoliation, containing for example salicylic acid, glycolic acid, AHAs / BHAs fruit acids, be careful and read instructions, you don’t want to overdo and get skin irritated or exposed to sunlight afterwards as this can damage the upper layers of the skin and cause dark spots in the longer term. AHAs are less strong, generally derived from fruits, they can be applied at home. Go gentle, especially if you have fair or sensitive skin.
If you go for the physical scrub, be aware of the options available and choose wisely. First of all avoid plastic beads, they have already been discontinued in most countries, but there still could be some left on the market, so ensure that all the ingredients are of vegetable or mineral origin. Examples of exfoliating ingredients: clay, fruit powder, bamboo, rice powder, coconut shell, olive stones powder, almond flour, etc.
If you have sensitive or dry skin, harsh products can cause irritation, leading to further dryness and sensitivity. Physical exfoliation is fine, but pay attention to the intensity/pressure applied and to the ingredients, be gentle with pressure and choose gentle ingredients.
The absolute maximum you should be exfoliating is 3 times a week. In fact, over-exfoliate and you're likely to create little cracks in the skin barrier that lead to more loss of hydration and inflammation.
· Dry and sensitive skin: 1 per week
· Oily or acne prone skin: 2-3 times per week
· Combination skin: 2-3 times per week
· Mature skin: 2 times per week
How long should you exfoliate your skin? About 1 minute!
We prefer gentle physical exfoliation and mild natural fruit acids, because you can better control the effect on skin, choosing vegetable sustainable ingredients and you can apply the desired pressure, listening to your skin. In fact our Green Clay & Lemon Mask & Scrub, it contains organic lemon peel powder to gently exfoliate while releasing antioxidants and fruit acids, the clay will capture all the toxins and the tapioca starch will make the skin really soft. Gentle and effective is the preferred approach to healthy skin!
Do you have any questions or comments? Let us know!