EXFOLIATION 101 - All You Need To Know About Exfoliating Your Face & Body

Why You Need to Exfoliate

The skin has a natural process it undergoes daily, desquamation, where the older skin cells are pushed toward the outermost layers to be sloughed away. Doing so will leave behind fresher, smoother, and healthier skin.

However, your skin slows down like any other organ in the natural aging process. As it does, it becomes less efficient at getting rid of those old skin cells without a bit of help. When that happens, the skin matrix traps those older cells, leading to duller skin.

Regular exfoliation is the best way to help brighten up the skin and keep it functioning healthfully, ensuring cellular turnover remains optimal. But there's a catch…you need to exfoliate correctly and at the correct intervals. Being too rough or doing it too often can cause other skin woes and lead to rough, dehydrated, patchy, and flaky skin or a compromised skin barrier. If this happens, the effects of your beauty routine and skin care products can severely diminish.

How to Exfoliate Your Skin

At home, there are several ways you can exfoliate your skin and face. The first method is by way of mechanical exfoliation. Mechanical exfoliation involves a textured product to get rid of those dead skin cells clinging to the surface of your skin. You must use softer materials and a gentle touch on your face.

Scrubbing too hard can damage this delicate skin, so apply it with light pressure. Your skin should never appear red or irritated after manual exfoliation. If it is, you're probably pressing too hard.

You can also try chemical exfoliations for your face. While 'chemical' may sound aggressive, it can simply mean you're using those skin-loving AHAs and BHAs. Ideally, using products containing both skin acids in natural formulations is the best course of action - a gentle, toxin-free, yet remarkably effective way to get all the exfoliation benefits without the downside of more aggressive salon treatments.

When You Should Exfoliate

There's a reason why the saying "too much of a good thing" is a thing. Exfoliation also falls into this category. It is an essential step in a good skincare routine, one you'll likely love because your skin will feel so soft and fresh. However, doing it too often can work against you.

As you start a regular exfoliation routine, you should watch your skin's response. You should aim to exfoliate once per week for your face (unless you struggle with problem skin, in which case you may need to increase this to a couple of times a week). Aim for twice a week on the rest of your body. Any lingering redness or irritation means you should apply more gently and less frequently.

What Products Should I Choose for Exfoliation?
When putting exfoliation into your skincare regimen, you'll need separate products for the face and body. This is because products for the body are often courser - too aggressive for your delicate facial skin.

Best 100% Natural Product for Facial Exfoliation

Indagare's Atonement Superfood Clay Masque WON first place at the 2023 Beauty Shortlist Awards for the best superfood clay mask. However, this 4-in-1 product is loved by so many because it cuts many steps out of your skincare routine, with the final phase of using this mask unleashing its magical exfoliating powers.

It's a clever formulation because it features natural BHA from white willow bark extracts, which provide gentle exfoliation thanks to salicin, a key ingredient in its composition, while it sits on your skin. It also contains pineapple enzymes, serving as an AHA that chemically exfoliates for a superb lit-from-within glow.

Taking the refining and resurfacing powers of this stunning mask a step further and complementing the blend of herbs that help to brighten, nourish, and purify skin, the chemical exfoliation is completed by a beautiful bamboo powder.

Let's step away from all the talk about exfoliation before we swing back because Bamboo deserves a little paragraph. As well as encouraging your skin to produce more collagen (which helps with elasticity) as the mask dries, Bamboo powder is an excellent source of hydration and helps to lock in moisture, leaving the skin feeling plump and hydrated.

And here is where Bamboo steps up to do some heavy lifting in the exfoliation department. Once it's done its work on your skin, you will dampen the mask and massage it in tiny circles for a minute so the Bamboo can do a gentle exfoliation and take that glow to a whole new level!

Finally, wash Atonement Superfood Face Masque away when you are finished (wipe your face clean with a konjac sponge for salon-like vitality) and be amazed at the radiant and healthy appearance that greets you.

It's such a magical exfoliator for the face that one reviewer said, "My skin feels as soft as a baby's bum!" Another customer said. "I look and feel like I've just had an expensive facial!." And yet another commented: "I couldn't believe the years it washed away."

Best Exfoliant for the Body

The Rose & Neroli Luxury Body Scrub is perfect for the rest of the parts of your body. This organic body scrub is formulated to exfoliate, detoxify, and nourish, all with pure and predominantly certified-organic ingredients. It leaves skin feeling buffed but moisturised - honestly, your precious body is in for a divine treat.

This scrub is made with certified organic raw sugar and Himalayan salt, detoxifying and exfoliating for the skin. A combination of divine botanical and plant oils helps round things out by immediately replenishing skin with nourishing omega-fatty acids without leaving it feeling heavy or greasy. Those oils – jojoba, macadamia, rose, neroli, sweet orange, lavender, and geranium – all come together for a spa-like experience you can enjoy in your home anytime.

Organic sugar is a stellar skincare ingredient because it's mild yet capable of removing those dead skin cells. It also clears dirt out of your pores. Meanwhile, the Himalayan salt powers through dead skin cells as well, and with its bounty of minerals, it is superior to other salts in restoring your skin with hydration. The oils are merely a finishing touch for a luxury exfoliation that nourishes and refreshes your skin so you step out of the bath or shower feeling completely reset. And your mind will love the heavenly aroma.

Final Exfoliation Tips

Even with these fantastic exfoliation products, it's so essential for you to apply them with a gentle touch. Use small, circular motions when applying to get the best effects. Take the time to enjoy the ritual - slow down, and smell the scent of the body scrub. Read a book or pop a lovely song on while you are masking. Better still, apply the hair oil for a top to toe treatment - let the oil condition your hair while the face mask resurfaces and detoxifies your skin, and then once they are washed away, finish your self-care ritual with a beautiful body scrub (don't forget the heels of your feet - it's a great way to get longer between pedicures!).

Additionally, with exfoliation and cleansing, ensure your water is lukewarm rather than hot. Hot water can sap your skin of essential moisture.

If you have open cuts, wounds, or a sunburn, skip exfoliating on that area until your skin has healed. And above all else, always follow your exfoliation with a nourishing face oil to keep your skin hydrated and healthy.

Now that you know how to handle exfoliation in your skincare routine give it a try and watch how it helps you to reveal your most beautiful skin!