Your skin needs moisture, especially after you exfoliate. Using a super-hydrating facial moisturizer after you exfoliate helps replenish any moisture loss from exfoliating.
DON'T rinse off a chemical exfoliant
After exfoliating, don't wash it off right away - the active ingredients take time to absorb into your skin and work their magic! Leave your exfoliant on for about 15-30 minutes to ensure the ingredients dissolve and remove all dead skin cells.
After exfoliating, make sure you thoroughly rinse away the product and any dead skin cells and then pat your skin dry with a clean towel. ”Apply a moisturizer or shea butter following your [exfoliating] and shower/soak to help your skin retain moisture and look radiant,” advises Burns.
You can test this yourself with a well formulated exfoliant: at night, apply your AHA or BHA as usual after cleansing and toning, and do a "split-test." Wait 20 minutes before applying your serum and/or moisturizer to one side, but the other side of your face, apply those next steps immediately.
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.
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.
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.
Exfoliate the Skin
Use a loofah, washcloth, or exfoliating sponge to gently exfoliate your skin before shaving. Exfoliating will remove any dead skin and allow you to shave the hair as near to the root as possible. Harsh exfoliants aren't necessary and can actually do more harm than good in your pubic area.
If you use a scrub or chemical exfoliator, apply the product gently using small, circular motions. Do this for about 30 seconds, and then rinse off with lukewarm — not hot — water. If you use a brush or sponge, use short light strokes. Never exfoliate if you have open cuts or wounds or if your skin is sunburned.
"Over-exfoliation causes irritation, inflammation like acne, makes you more susceptible to sunburn and you can lose moisture and disrupt the natural skin barrier," says Dr. Chiu, who recommends limiting exfoliation to once or twice a week.
According to dermatologists, you should exfoliate first, then wash your hair, and then wash your body. This will ensure that each shower product you use has time to work. If you have concerns about your skin, you should follow this order as closely as you can. This will help prevent acne, razor burn, or dry hair.
If an area feels dry and/or rough, it might be time to exfoliate. Important: if this same patch of skin is also irritated, red or itchy, that is a sure sign not to exfoliate.
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Your skin becomes dry
Over-exfoliation can cause your skin to be drier and even worse peeling. If you notice dry patches and find yourself reaching for the moisturiser then this is a clear indication that your skin needs a break from exfoliation.
Apply to Clean Skin, at Night
Regardless of the formula, apply your toner or serum after cleansing, preferably at night, since exfoliating can make your complexion sun-sensitive. Stick with gel or foaming cleansers rather than oils and balms, which leave a residue that can prevent toners from absorbing, says Mattioli.
Take a teaspoon of turmeric powder, add in one teaspoon of yogurt and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Mix well and apply this paste over your pubic area. Leave it for about 20 minutes and then rinse it off using cool water. Do this daily and you will soon see the result.
If you don't exfoliate two days before waxing, you run the risk of not only uncomfortable waxing services but ingrown hairs, acne, excess irritation, and increasing your chances of a less than flawless wax.
How often should I exfoliate? Twice daily – that's the aim, according to Kellett and Dr. David Orentreich, a dermatologist at Clinique. "It's better to exfoliate twice a day using mild or moderate exfoliation than to exfoliate once a week with an extremely harsh process," says Orentreich.
Over-exfoliation can lead to rough, dehydrated, patchy, and flaky skin. This usually means your over-exfoliated skin has lost its ability to absorb or retain moisture. When this happens, the effects of your beauty routine and skin care products will severely diminish.
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.