As an aesthetician, skincare is really important to me! It’s essential to take good care of your skin. But sometimes your skin needs more than just daily cleansing and moisturizing to look beautiful. Exfoliating regularly is going to help you get that smooth skin you’re wanting! Keep scrolling to learn how and why you need to use exfoliator and the best exfoliator for face so your skin is happy and healthy!
Your daily skincare routine should include cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. But a step often neglected is exfoliating! But what is exfoliating? Exfoliating is getting rid of dead skin cells and product buildup on the surface of your skin. And it is such an easy and satisfying step in the skin care routine!
If you want smooth skin and glass skin, the key is a great exfoliator! Healthy skin that glows requires some TLC. It requires an investment in time and great skincare products. Waterless skincare will give you the most effective results because the ingredients are more powerful and potent.
What Does Exfoliating Do?
First off, what is exfoliating and what does it do? Over time, our skin collects buildup from skin care or makeup products, outdoor elements, or dead skin cells. It’s great to wash your face daily, but to truly get rid of the buildup, you must also use an exfoliator to scrub the layer off to achieve smooth skin.
I like to think of our face as a windshield on the car. Days and weeks after you wash your car, your windshield gets a film or layer of grim on it. Unless you wash it and scrub it, it continues to build up. Same thing happens to our face. If we don’t wash it and scrub it, it will have a layer of grim built up on it.
Here are some benefits from exfoliating regularly:
- It removes dead skin cells.
- It improves the efficacy of other skincare products like serums, oils, and moisturizers.
- It evens out your skin tone.
- It helps unclog pores.
- It stimulates blood flow.
- It improves collagen production.
How Do you Exfoliate Your Skin?
After you have cleansed your face, take a small amount of exfoliator on your fingertips. Gently rub the product into your wet skin in circular motions. Focus on your nose, sides of nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead. Make sure to avoid the eye area! The small granules will do their magic and gently rub off the dead skin cells and product buildup. After a good rub, rinse your face with warm water and a wash cloth and pat to dry. That’s it!
Exfoliating can be harsh on some skin types. So, make sure to be gentle and only exfoliate a few times a week. But you will definitely notice a nice change in the texture of your skin! That’s how to get smooth skin!
How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Face?
The frequency you exfoliate your face depends on your skin. If you have sensitive skin, then just exfoliate once a week. If you have normal skin, then you can exfoliate your face 2-3 times a week.
Doing it too often can irritate the skin. Just schedule in the extra step to your skin care routine so you get in a good habit.
Types of Exfoliating
There are several types of exfoliators: physical, enzyme, and chemical.
- A physical exfoliator has granules that physically scrub your skin’s surface.
- An enzyme exfoliator focuses on the top layers of the epidermis. Enzymes can boost your skin’s natural ability to break down skin cells.
- A chemical exfoliator goes beyond the top layers of the skin and uses chemicals like AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) or BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) to help dissolve and loosen the bonds between dead skin cells and oils.
Skin Exfoliating Tips
Here are a few skin exfoliating tips so you get the healthiest and smoothest skin possible:
- Avoid using harsh and abrasive exfoliators. A good example of this is an apricot scrub. The granules are too big and tough and may leave your skin smoother but it will also scratch it in the process. Those tiny scratches can become infected and cause blemishes and breakouts. Harsh exfoliators end up doing more harm than good.
- For most exfoliators, only use 1-3 times a week. Exfoliating too often will irritate the skin. If you have sensitive skin, only exfoliate once a week.
- Don’t just rely on exfoliation for smooth skin. Also cleanse, tone, and moisturize daily to have happy and healthy skin!
When Do You Exfoliate in Your Skincare Routine?
Depending on what type of exfoliator you’re using will determine which step you add exfoliating into your skincare routine. Let’s break it down…
If you’re using a physical exfoliator, you will exfoliate after you have cleansed your face. Apply the gritty product on your face and gently rub it in circular motions on your face. Rinse it off with warm water and a clean cloth. Then you follow up with toner, serum, and moisturizer.
If you are using an enzyme exfoliator like an enzyme mask, you will apply the mask after you have cleansed and toned your face. Apply the mask and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Remove with warm water and follow up with toner, serum, and moisturizer.
If you are using a chemical exfoliator like an AHA, then you will apply it after you have cleansed and toned your face. An AHA is a serum so you will replace that step in your skincare routine. Then finish off with moisturizer.
Pro tip: avoid using exfoliator on the nights that you use a vitamin c or retinol.
*This image is showing where you would use a physical exfoliator in your skincare routine.
Top 4 Favorite Exfoliators
There are a ton of exfoliators on the market. Some are great and some aren’t so great. Here are my top 4 tried and true exfoliators that I use and love:
- Daily Essential Co Exfoliant– This is a plant based exfoliant. It has salicylic acid and jojoba oil beads that leave your skin so soft! It’s so gentle that it can be used daily. This is a physical exfoliator. (for 10% off, use this discount code at checkout: TDEJOELLEN)
- Seint Masque– This is used as a masque to exfoliate your skin. It removes the dead surface cells of your skin by leaving it on for several minutes. This is an enzyme exfoliator.
- F10 Olive Core Face Peeling– This exfoliator contains olive seed powder & olive leaf powder to gently exfoliate the skin to help remove dead skin cells. This is a physical exfoliator.
- F81 AHA + HT Serum Face– This has glycolic acid & lactic acid to help exfoliate the skin’s surface and help promote cell turnover. This is a chemical exfoliant that helps dissolve and loosen the bonds between dead skin cells and oils to help you achieve radiant and smooth skin. This is a chemical exfoliator.
- F76 Honey Enzyme Face Mask– (not pictured) This is a great chemical exfoliator that you can use 1-2 times a week. This is an enzymatic face mask that removes dead skin cells, refines your pores, and leaves your complexion looking and feeling radiant! I use this weekly! This is an enzyme exfoliator.
An honorable mention that I have not used but I have a lot of friends that use it and love it is Cure exfoliator. This one is a stronger physical exfoliator so it’s best to use it less often.
Having a good skincare routine is KEY to having healthy and happy skin. Everyone’s skin is different so it’s important to know what products will work best for you. Take this quick skin quiz to guide you to knowing the best products for your beautiful skin!
FAQs
- What is exfoliator? Exfoliator is a skin care product that has a fine texture to it that will help slough off dead skin cells and smooth your skin.
- How do you exfoliate your skin? After you have cleansed your face, take a small amount of exfoliator on your fingertips. Gently rub the product into your wet skin in circular motions. Focus on your nose, sides of nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead. Make sure to avoid the eye area! The small granules will do their magic and gently rub off the dead skin cells and product buildup. After a good rub, rinse your face with warm water and a wash cloth and pat to dry. That’s it!
- How often should you exfoliate your face? The frequency you exfoliate your face depends on your skin. If you have sensitive skin, then just exfoliate once a week. If you have normal skin, then you can exfoliate your face 2-3 times a week.
- What are the best exfoliators to use for your face? There are a ton of exfoliators on the market. Some are great and some aren’t so great. Here are my top 4 tried and true exfoliators that I use and love: Daily Essential Co Exfoliant, F10 Olive Core Face Peeling, F81 AHA + HT Serum Face, and Seint Masque
Take extra care of your skin and it will glow! Try out these best exfoliator for face for smooth skin and see which one you like best! Love the skin you’re in =)
Here are other blogposts you might enjoy:
Unlock Radiant Skin with Oliveda’s Skincare
Face Serum Benefits and Why You Need to Use It
Spring Clean Your Everyday Skincare Routine
How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes
How to Avoid Under Eye Creasing
Eyeshadow Tips for Hooded Eyes
And check out some of my favorite places to shop!
About the Author
JoEllen is a licensed aesthetician, certified makeup artist, and certified John Maxwell coach, speaker, and trainer. She works with women helping them look and feel confident. She loves teaching women simple beauty techniques so they can feel empowered to try it at home. Her motto is that when you look and feel good, you do good!
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