Just like removing your makeup before bed and putting on sunscreen prior to going outside, the golden rule for exfoliation is don’t do it every day or you can irritate your skin.
While there is some truth to that, assaulting your skin with powerful acids and or chemicals can increase your risk of irritation. It is not a one size fits all situation and depending on what exactly you use to exfoliate, you can actually do so as often as you want.
Having a routine of regular exfoliation is essential for healthy, glowing skin, especially with age. The skin’s usual turnaround cycle is 28 days, but as we age this cycle grows longer, plus you have to factor in pollution, and environmental aggressors wreaking havoc on the skin.
What does this mean?
Well, this means dead skin cells can build up on skin causing dullness, roughness, congestion and even those pesky breakouts. Exfoliation buffs away the dead skin cells, clearing the way for more radiant skin underneath, smoothing your skin texture, and keeping pores clear of debris.
Which means,
if you exfoliate every day these perks could add up to all around clearer and brighter skin.
So long as you properly exfoliate the skin daily, especially if you’re using mostly gentle ingredients, it can keep your complexion fresh while also minimizing sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles. So when you consider exfoliation daily, you should choose a soft and gentle exfoliant that is not loaded with chemicals.
Exfoliants can be found in various masks, soaps and body scrubs.
Our Rejuvenate clay mask makes for a great gentle face exfoliant due to the bentonite clay. It gently sluffs off excess sebum while providing your face with essential restorative nutrients that help to protect and heal damage. Not to mention it does wonders for evening out skin tone and leaving your face feeling smooth.
Activated Charcoal is another great gentle exfoliant even though it is mostly known as a toxin drawing agent, it is gentle enough to exfoliate the top layer of your skin. Another good source of natural exfoliants is salt and sugar. While salt is more aggressive in removing dead skin due to its natural makeup it is great for feet and various other body parts that may have excessive dead skin. Sugar is a more gentle mid-grade exfoliant that is a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the environment into the skin. Not to mention it is a natural source of glycolic acid and alpha-hydroxy acid that penetrates the skin and breaks down the “glue” that bonds skin cells, encouraging cell turnover and generating a fresher, younger-looking skin.
So whatever you decide to do, exfoliation is essential to good skin health. Just remember that your skin is far more sensitive to UV exposure and you should apply some sort of skin protection when exposed to UV. Bring out the best looking you this summer.
