Every 30 days or so, our skin sheds old skin cells, to reveal new skin cells underneath. This process is known as cell turnover. It happens all over our body. But what happens when the old skin cells don’t fully fall off? Skin becomes dull, dry and flaky, fine lines and wrinkles become apparent, and even our pores can become clogged with debris and dead skin cells, causing breakouts and black heads.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big advocate of half those things on the list above. But, lucky for us, there is a solution. This solution is one of the most important steps of skin care and so many of us skip right over it.
So what’s the secret to an even skin tone, smaller, unclogged pores and a beautiful, natural glow? That, my friends, would be exfoliation.
It is one of my favorite and most important step in my skin care routine, and after learning more about what it actually is and how it can benefit you, I’m sure you’ll see why. And, if exfoliation isn’t one of your steps in skin care, I’m sure after reading this, it will be!
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So What Is Exfoliation?
Simply put, exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells, toxins and impurities from the epidermis, or outer most layer of you skin. Sometimes, dead skin cells don’t fall off right away and they need a bit of help. The longer they sit on the skin’s surface, the more likely they will clog pores and cause problems for the skin.
What Types of Exfoliation Methods Are There?
There are 2 main methods of exfoliation. One, being mechanical exfoliation and the other is chemical exfoliation.
Mechanical exfoliation includes physically or manually removing dead skin cells off of you skin using various exfoliating tools. Some of these tools would be body scrubs, loofahs, exfoliating gloves and even a simple washcloth.
It is the easiest and most common method that can be done on all skin types and offer immediate results.
More advanced techniques would include dermaplaning and microdermabrasion. In order to do these methods, it’s best to visit the spa or your local dermatologist.
Chemical exfoliation requires specific chemicals and acids to be applied to the area that needs to be exfoliated. This is usually on the face. These chemicals and acids gently break down the bonds between the skin cells and help loosen up the dead cells and debris. This makes it easier to simply wipe away the impurities from the skin.
Which Method is Best for Me?
It’s dealer’s choice honestly. What ever method is best suited for your needs and whatever you can fit into your schedule.
A few pointers here. If you have sensitive dry, sensitive or acne prone skin, you may want to look into chemical exfoliation. Depending on the product you use, it can be a more gentle exfoliating process that won’t irritate your skin.
If you have oily and thicker skin, you may want to opt in for a stronger chemical or mechanical exfoliation.
Let’s Be Clear
Exfoliation isn’t limited to the face. You can exfoliate your entire body to achieve smoother skin, an even skin tone and a beautiful, irresistible glow. Because the skin on your body is different than the delicate skin on your face, you may have to use different exfoliating methods for your body than you would on your face.
Read Next: The Benefits of Exfoliation
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What exfoliating method do you use in your skin care routine? Let us know in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. Neither Self Verve nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. Be sure to contact your physician before trying any of the items stated in the above article.
