By cleansing first you help removing dirt, sweat and make up off skin's surface. You are then working with a clean base to then exfoliate away dead skin cells that can pile up on skin's surface. Exfoliating can soften your skin and allows a fresh layer of skin cells to emerge as dead skin cells are washed away.
Benefits of using exfoliant first
When you exfoliate before cleansing, you are lifting the dead skin cells, excess oil and impurities away from your skin. Then the cleanser comes through to help wash it all away, along with other things like makeup and acne-causing bacteria.
Cleaning the face before exfoliating allows you to start with a fresh slate. Exfoliation dives into the pores, more so than a mild cleanser. It's important to remove your makeup and clean your face on a daily basis. It's not always necessary to exfoliate with the same frequency.
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Whether you use your exfoliator in the morning or evening make sure you apply a moisturizer after exfoliating to perfectly prep your skin for makeup or the day ahead, or feed your skin effective, plump-effect, moisturizing ingredients overnight!
Ultimately, using a cleanser before an exfoliator will likely be better for most people. This allows you to clean away more dirt and debris than the other method on average. However, be aware that it does come with a little more skin sensitivity.
Some beauticians recommend to Clean the face before exfoliating as it allows you to start with a fresh slate. Some others say that exfoliating at the beginning might get you better results: on the skin, with all the pollution and debris, if you just use a cleanser first, the majority of that debris will not be removed.
Your skin needs moisture, especially after you exfoliate. Using a super-hydrating facial moisturizer after you exfoliate helps replenish any moisture loss from exfoliating. Apply sunscreen.
In what order should you wash you face? The order should be: wash, cleanse, exfoliate, tone, face mask, moisturiser. By following this order, you'll be able to remove all the dirt and impurities from your face, and you'll be on your way to a clearer, healthy-looking skin.
When it comes to morning versus night exfoliation, you're going to reap the best benefits from exfoliating in the morning time. This is due to the oils your skin produces overnight. You'll be able to more smoothly remove all impurities, dead skin, and oils, when you exfoliate in the morning, rather than at night.
Rouleau says the best time to use a scrub is in the morning. Overnight you've loosened up dead skin cells with your glycolic acid or retinol products, making the morning a perfect time to brush them off. After washing or scrubbing your face, move quickly.
Most experts advise that you exfoliate two to three times per week — as long as your skin can handle it. Chemical exfoliants tend to be fine to use more regularly. Physical methods, on the other hand, may be too abrasive to use multiple times a week.
Exfoliating in the evening can help to increase the efficiency of the skin cell turnover, resulting in a clearer complexion and fresher, healthier skin. As mentioned above, if you experience redness easily, it may be better to exfoliate at night. Your skin will have a longer time to recover!
Though any time of day will work, exfoliating in the morning is ideal because the skin repairs itself at night,2 potentially leaving a layer of dead skin cells just begging to be sloughed off.
Yes, you read that correctly. “Oils can easily penetrate moisturizers, serums, and treatments, but no products can penetrate an oil, which means they need to be applied last,” says Dr. Gohara.
1 If you're just beginning with your benzoyl peroxide treatment, start using moisturizer now, even before you notice any uncomfortable dryness. You may be able to stave off the worst of it. If you've already succumbed to benzoyl peroxide-induced dryness and flakiness, slather on moisturizer as often as necessary.
Make sure to use the spot treatment after washing your face, instead of after your products, as to not dilute the formula. "To avoid a layer between the treatment and the affected area, we recommend applying the treatment directly to the blemish followed by a moisturizer," said the skin pro.
Apply a small amount of the medication, gently rub into the area, and then shave. If you are using a cream, foam, lotion, or gel, apply it to the affected area as directed, usually once or twice a day. Before applying each dose, gently wash the affected area with a mild cleanser, then pat dry.
Use your scrubbing tool to gently move along your bikini line in a small circular motion to remove dead skin cells that may be clogging up the pores. Be sure to cover the entire surface of the area. Allow the exfoliate to sit on your skin for up to 3 minutes. Rinse the area well.
When you are finished cleansing your skin, rinse your face off with lukewarm water. Depending on personal preference, you can use a washcloth or just your hands to remove the cleanser after washing. Avoid using hot water when rinsing your face. Using water that is too hot can irritate your skin and dry out your skin.
In general, you should be cleansing your face at least twice a day. “You should wash your face both morning and night because the skin creates sebum and oil throughout the day,” says Saya Obayah, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist located in Austin, Texas.
Lack of exfoliation leads to build up of dead skin cells, and could result into dry, dull, patchy, flaky skin, clogged pores, with uneven skin tone.