What is the best thing to use to exfoliate your skin?

Author: Abigale Nikolaus IV  |  Last update: Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Exfoliating Brush: A facial cleansing brush is one of the best types of physical exfoliators. You can use it with your regular face wash or with an exfoliating scrub. Exfoliating Sponge: This offers some of the same benefits as other exfoliators but without irritation.

What is the best product to use to exfoliate your skin?

Our Top Picks
  • Best Overall: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, $68.
  • Best for Combination Skin: SkinCeuticals Cell Cycle Catalyst, $115.
  • Best for Oily Skin: SkinMedica AHA + BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, $48.
  • Best Toner: OleHenriksen Glow2Oh Dark Spot Toner, $35.

How do I exfoliate my skin naturally?

Sugar Scrub: Mix sugar with a carrier oil (like coconut or olive oil) to create a scrub. Gently massage it onto your skin in circular motions, then rinse off with warm water. Coffee Grounds: Use used coffee grounds to exfoliate. They can help remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation.

What exfoliate do dermatologists recommend?

Size: 1.7 oz.
  • Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Paula's choice skin perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. Courtesy of brand. ...
  • Best for Oily Skin: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner. ...
  • Best for Combination Skin: Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. ...
  • Best for Dry Skin: RéVive Enzyme Essence Daily Resurfacing Treatment.

Is it better to exfoliate with a brush or scrub?

Overall, using a dry brush to exfoliate your body is the best method because of its internal health benefits- it unclogs pores, stimulates the nervous system, increases blood circulation, and promotes lymph flow/drainage. These benefits are why I decided to incorporate it into my skin routine.

How to Properly Exfoliate Your Skin

Is it better to exfoliate with a sugar or salt scrub?

Although sugar scrubs are highly effective at physical exfoliation, they do not provide any other cleansing benefits. Salt scrubs, on the other hand, do detoxify the skin as they scrub, which can be a huge benefit for people struggling with overactive oil glands on the body, for example.

Is it best to exfoliate before or after washing?

Benefits of using exfoliant first

Then the cleanser comes through to help wash it all away, along with other things like makeup and acne-causing bacteria. If you cleanse first, the cleanser helps you exfoliate better, while if you exfoliate first, the exfoliant helps you get a deeper cleanse.

What removes dead skin from the body?

Mechanical Exfoliation: in contrast to chemical exfoliation, mechanical exfoliation removes dead skin physically. This technique may involve the use of a soft brush or a washcloth to gently rub in circles on the face. Most effective on normal to oily skin types, this tends to be more harsh than chemical exfoliation.

How often should you exfoliate your skin?

It depends on a few factors, such as your skin type, the products you're using, and your environment. If you have normal skin, you can probably exfoliate two to three times a week. If you have dry skin, you may want to exfoliate only once a week or every other week, and make sure to stay away from harsh exfoliants.

Do you moisturize right after exfoliating?

Follow with moisturizer.

Exfoliating can be drying to the skin. Apply moisturizer immediately after exfoliating to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.

What is the best homemade exfoliator?

Mix 2 tbsp finely ground oatmeal with 1 tbsp honey and 1tbsp warm water to form a thick paste. Then, massage into your face (and/or body) and let it sit for 4 minutes to really absorb that oaty goodness before rinsing away with warm water. Use your scrub once or twice a week.

What is the black stuff when I rub my skin?

The “black stuff” when you rub your skin is nothing but dead cells, dirt and surface grime. It comes off due to friction caused by rubbing your skin.

How to remove dead skin from feet?

They can do this by following the steps below:
  1. Soak the feet in warm water to soften the dead skin.
  2. Wet the pumice stone or foot file with warm water.
  3. Gently rub the pumice stone or foot file over the dead skin or callus. ...
  4. Rinse the dead skin off the feet. ...
  5. Pat the feet dry with a clean towel.

How to get glass skin?

Here are a few clear skin tips to help you on your journey toward healthy-looking glass skin.
  1. Double cleanse. ...
  2. Use an exfoliator. ...
  3. Apply a hydrating serum. ...
  4. Reach for a sheet mask. ...
  5. Layer on a lightweight moisturizer. ...
  6. Always finish with sunscreen.

What is the best natural exfoliator?

6 of the best natural exfoliators
  • Baking soda. If you are using a facial exfoliator, the particles will need to be fine grained, to avoid them being too harsh. ...
  • Ground oatmeal. ...
  • Coffee grounds. ...
  • Sea salt. ...
  • Pumice stone. ...
  • Ground sugar.

Is it better to exfoliate at night or in the morning?

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.

How often should you shower?

While there is no ideal frequency, experts suggest that showering several times per week is plenty for most people (unless you are grimy, sweaty, or have other reasons to shower more often). Short showers (lasting three or four minutes) with a focus on the armpits and groin may suffice.

What happens if you don't exfoliate?

Poor exfoliation is a leading cause of blackheads and whiteheads, some of the most common signs of acne. You can also develop “undergrowth” without regular exfoliation. This is comprised of not only dead skin cells but also trapped dirt and oil, which can lead to ingrown hairs.

What is the GREY stuff coming off my skin?

The grey stuff that comes off after rubbing your skin is a mixture of dead skin cells and dirt. The body sheds around 500 million particles of skin every day as the epidermis produces a new layer.

What melts off dead skin?

Chemical
  • AHAs. AHAs work by dissolving the top layer of skin to reveal new skin cells underneath. ...
  • BHAs. BHAs penetrate the pores to unclog them and are more suited to oily and combination skin types. ...
  • Retinol. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that people use for skin care.

How to exfoliate skin in a shower?

How to exfoliate your body
  1. Step 1: Get wet: Step into the shower and wet your body from head to toe.
  2. Step 2: Circular rotation: buff your skin in gentle circular motions. Start with the bottom of your feet and work your way up.
  3. Step 3: Don't scrub too hard.

What comes first, soap or cleanser?

Scrubbing first loosens dead skin cells, dirt, and other debris. Following with a cleanser then washes away these loosened particles, providing a thorough cleanse and leaving a smooth, receptive surface for moisturizer.

Should I exfoliate on dry or wet skin?

It depends on the product you're using and the ingredients. Generally, chemical exfoliants are applied to dry skin and then washed off with warm or cold water. If you're using a physical exfoliant on your body in the shower, exfoliating wet skin is much easier.

Do you use body scrub or soap first?

If we're cleaning our bodies, we should start with a clean slate. Start with an all natural body soap to remove the outermost layer of body oils, dirt, and dead skin. Then apply your body scrub to exfoliate the skin further, removing the tough, dry layer of skin below.

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