Best Exfoliants For Glowing Skin

Exfoliating your skin may not be considered a necessity in your skincare regimen. Some may feel that a proper face wash and moisturizer is all you need. The skin naturally exfoliates itself every 28 days, so why would someone need to exfoliate? The answer to that question would vary depending on who you ask. Some may need to exfoliate to improve their skin condition, and some may not.

What Is Exfoliating?

Exfoliating is the process of removing the upper layer of dead skin cells to reveal newer, healthier skin underneath. As mentioned above, the body naturally exfoliates on its own, but sometimes your skin needs the extra help to remove it.

Different Types of Exfoliants

There are two types of exfoliants, which are chemical and physical. Chemical exfoliants use alpha-hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, or enzymes to loosen the glue-like substance to allow the shedding of the dead skin cells easier. Physical exfoliants are when you scrub your skin using an exfoliating tool or products that contain granules.

Best Exfoliant For Your Skin Type

Dry Skin - Chemical exfoliants will be the best for dry skin. Alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic, lactic, citric, and malic acid is good for removing dead cells and encourage healthy skin turnover. AHAs are water-soluble and made from fruit sugars, so they only work on the skin’s surface, helping retain natural moisture under the skin. Manual exfoliants are an option, but they generally are more drying than chemical exfoliants. If you do opt for manual, use scrubs that have moisturizing benefits. Those with dry skin should stick to exfoliating only a few times a week.

Sensitive Skin - Someone with sensitive skin may feel hopeless to find an exfoliant that doesn’t irritate the skin as the exfoliating process is considered a harsher routine in a skincare regimen. Avoid using manual exfoliants as it can further irritate the skin. Use a mild chemical exfoliatiant like polyhydroxy acids, which is the gentlest form of chemical exfoliants. Exfoliating once a week would be ideal for sensitive skin.

Oily Skin - Those with oily skin tend to exfoliate out of necessity. Oily skin usually has breakouts, pimples, and blackheads because of clogged pores. Exfoliating helps to remove the extra layer of buildup along with thickened pore lining. Because of the additional buildup, manual scrubbing might do a better job of removing it. It is also good to rotate with chemical exfoliants containing salicylic acid.

Normal/Combination Skin - Manual and chemical exfoliants are usually safe for this skin type. Choosing either one or even alternating between the two is a personal preference. Normal and combination skin would ideally exfoliate several times a week.