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Once or twice a week is great, but everyday exfoliation is even better. Clinique Derm Pro Dr. Michelle Henry gives us her top five reasons to exfoliate daily. Once or twice a week is great, but everyday exfoliation is even better.
Face scrubs should be used one or two times a week to exfoliate dry, normal and combination skin types. If you have oily skin or acne-prone skin you may wish to exfoliate two to three times a week to help keep blemishes at bay.
Eventually, your complexion can become dry and flaky. You may even develop a rashlike texture, leading to uneven tone (like patchy, red blotches). Breakouts are another common reaction, especially small, rough, bumpy pimples.
Fact: Any scrub that contains large, irregularly shaped particles damages skin by causing micro-tears on its surface. Common culprits include ground-up shells, fruit pits, and volcanic rock. Micro-tears gradually weaken skin's barrier, making skin more prone to dry, flaky patches, redness, and signs of sensitivity (1).
After scrubbing your skin, never leave it bare. If you ignore your skin after scrubbing away the dead skin cells, your skin will become dry. Prevent dry skin by applying a moisturizer that suits your skin type after exfoliation. This will seal moisture within the skin and keep your skin hydrated, soft and supple.
Frequency – Do not use a scrub every day. Use a face scrub once a month or once in two weeks. Otherwise, it could dry out your skin. Scrubbing frequently strips off the natural moisture of your skin.
By removing dead skin cells, facial scrubs allow oil, dirt, bacteria, etc. that were trapped deep within pores to come to the surface. The blemish that results is actually the body's way of expelling toxins completely. Breakouts that occur anywhere from two to four weeks after a gentle scrub are normal.
Typically, exfoliating does not cause acne. In fact, in most cases, exfoliating can help minimize acne when performed properly as part of an acne treatment program. Beware though, if exfoliating is done improperly or too often, it can bring on problems. If you use a scrub, use as directed and be gentle.
Conclusion. In the end, exfoliation is essential for achieving visually appealing skin, but failing to hydrate the surface can cause painful irritations and dryness that leave your skin feeling worse than before you exfoliated.
Gently massage the scrub onto the skin for as long as your specific product recommends, usually from 30 seconds to a full minute. Then, rinse off with warm water and gently pat your skin with a clean towel. Follow with a hydrating mask, serum or cream.
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.
Should you exfoliate before or after shower? Same rules apply here as they do for washing your face. It's way better to exfoliate after you've finished using haircare or other shower products and when you can use cool water.
Telltale signs that you are over-exfoliating your skin
These include irritation, redness, inflamed skin, plus your complexion can become dry and flaky. You may develop a rash like texture, leading to uneven tones like patchy, red blotches. Breakouts are another common reaction, especially small, rough, bumpy pimples.
For blackheads, though, regular exfoliation can help remove excessive amounts of dead skin cells that can lead to clogged pores. The process may also gently remove existing blackheads. Rather than looking for harsh scrubs, you'll want to focus on alpha and beta hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAs).
Over-exfoliation can also lead to an acne breakout. At first, excessive exfoliation inflames your skin's surface. Slowly, the inflammation escalates into an acne breakout. So, if your skin shows signs of acne after exfoliation, this indicates that you are not doing it right.
“Scrubbing the skin can cause inflammation, and inflammation can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. So there's potential that it can make the skin darker, which is the exact opposite of the desired result,” explains Engelman.
You'll get the best results if you clean your skin before exfoliating it. Splash on a little lukewarm water and apply your favorite cleanser with your fingertips, then rinse it away with more lukewarm water.