Some Tips On How And Where To Exfoliate
Exfoliation may be one of the most tricky parts of any skincare routine. It can either give you clear, and smooth skin, or in some cases cause severe damage to your skin. If you are using a gritty and grainy formula and exfoliating your skin till raw, then you are doing it wrong.
Odds are your favorite exfoliator is actually damaging your skin and most definitely not doing what it’s supposed to do. The main purpose of your exfoliator is to smooth out rough patches, fade away acne and dark spots and make your skin clear and have a supple glow. On top of that, it should reduce the redness of the skin.
Now I know what you are thinking. You think that this sounds like those old commercials touting the magical properties of an exfoliator. But trust me all that was said is true. And we will show you why, how and what you are missing as well in this blog.
We have done extensive research and have spoken to some experts to find out how to properly exfoliate your skin. So let’s get into it without delay.
What Happens When You Exfoliate?
If you follow the beauty scene at all then you would know that exfoliation is a big trend nowadays. With people becoming more and more skincare savvy, it is imperative that you know what exfoliation is and how to exfoliate properly.
Usually, in children and young people, the skin cells change every 28 days. But as time goes on this cycle becomes slower and slower. This means that there is a build-up of dead skin cells on your skin. This can cause dull, discolored, and broken out skin from clogged pores.
On top of that, if you are using any skincare product, the dead skin cells can sometimes prevent your skin from absorbing the materials needed. This will as you can guess cause further damage. This is even true for makeup. You will never see a perfect foundation application if you have a dead skin cell build-up.
This is why everyone from the beauty world keeps talking about the importance of exfoliation. Exfoliation is basically you assisting your skin in removing dead useless cells from the surface so that new fresh skin cells can be free to breathe giving you smooth, clear glowing skin.
How To Exfoliate?
There are basically two methods of exfoliation. You can use physical exfoliation methods or chemical exfoliators. The end result of both methods may be the same but they are vastly different as their name suggests. So, let’s first talk about the physical exfoliators. This is the oldest form of exfoliation method and the most popular.
This involves grainy abrasive instruments like brushes and scrubs. You use them to physically rub the skin and remove the dead cells. Now, I am not in favor of that. Even though physical exfoliators are the most popular, they are also the ones that can cause major damage. The abrasive nature of these exfoliators can cause micro-tears on your skin which will cause long term damage.
However, you can use these on thicker skin like the back. It is better to not use it on places that have thinner skin like your face. This is why the other method is usually my suggestion. Chemical exfoliators are also known as acid exfoliators within the industry. These exfoliators are considered as a better solution than your average physical exfoliators.
These exfoliators are so much better because they are based on gentle acids which simply break down the binding agent within the dead skin cells. Then, you can just simply wash away and you get simple clean smooth glowing skin. This is why we created our tumeric based exfoliation skin care Glow Up mask.
We know that buying expensive exfoliators can become a hassle when the cost accumulates over the year. On top of that, to get truly glowing smooth skin, you would need to get exfoliating facials that would cost you even more.
The Turmeric Glow Up mask will not only give you glowing, hydrated skin but will also clear away acne spots and exfoliate your skin with a subtle touch. So, now that you know how to exfoliate let us tell you about the places you should focus on exfoliating.
Places You Should Not Forget To Exfoliate In Addition To Your Face
You already know that you should be exfoliating your face. And you should as that is the primary focus.
But in addition to that, there are plenty of other places you should be focusing on as well. Here we will tell you about the places you should exfoliate along with your face.
Lips
We know they are on the face but trust me these are often forgotten. Have you ever seen problems like dry, peeling skin flakes and lipstick that looks clumpy? If you have then let me tell you that this happens to un-exfoliated lips.
You can easily do lip exfoliation at home. Just simply take a soft toothbrush and gently make small circular motions. This will get the job done.
Remember that the skin on your lips are easily irritated so you have to make sure you don’t overdo it or become too aggressive. If you want to splurge a little then you will also find specially flavored lip scrubs that will get the job done.
Butt
If you work out in tight clothes and you sit a lot throughout the day then trapped, unexfoliated fine hairs can result in a bumpy butt. You don’t really want that do you? Often times the rigors of daily life can cause a pimple outbreak and that is an unpleasant experience.
So, what do you do? Well, for the butt cheeks, you can use a physical exfoliator. Simply take an exfoliator bath glove along with a gentle cleanser and scrub away. You can try out cleansers that are really gentle on the skin and work wonders. When you do this, you will see that there is smoothness like never before.
Arms
Do you know what chicken skin is? It is a genetic thing. There are plenty of people out there with bumpy skin like this. If you are suffering from this then you can remedy it by exfoliating. In cases like this, you should not use mechanical exfoliators as it can leave red blotchy spots and make your skin raw.
You should look for gentle exfoliators. If you are looking for gentle exfoliators, then you can try lotions containing alpha-hydroxy acids as they are really gentle on the skin.
Legs & Heels
When you use a razor to shave there’s always a risk for inflammation. Fortunately, there is an easy way to completely avoid this. You should simply try using an exfoliating shaving gel. Also, if you are one of those people who use multi-blade razors, please stop.
They are really harmful to your skin. Always use 1 or 2 blade razors. Using multi-blade razors can irritate and damage hair follicles resulting in red blotches and skin damage. Another tip that you should always follow is that you should shave with the grain, never against it. You should also use a glycolic wash when shaving instead of shaving cream as it will create a much smoother surface.
So, now with the legs done, let’s take a look at those heels. After all, they are the ones that suffer the most during those long winters. During winter, you can get skin buildup and painful cracks or fissures.
To avoid them you should regularly wash and exfoliate your heels. So, what should you do? Well, simply get a urea-based cream from your local drugstore and apply it on your heels. Do this at night and wear socks.
The cream thins out the layer of thick skin that builds up over time on your heels. On top of that, if you are regularly visiting the beach then take some sand and some ocean water and rub it on your heels. Trust me this DIY hack works wonders!
Homemade Remedy For Your Face Exfoliation?
As you already know, turmeric is an amazing skincare product. This is why we have harnessed the good things from turmeric and created our turmeric Glow Up mask. But you may not always want to buy things.
So, what do you do then? Do you go without exfoliation? Obviously no! There is an amazing exfoliation mask for your face that you can cook up from your kitchen. So what do you need? You need 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder, 4 tablespoons of chickpea flour, and 4–5 tablespoons of milk or water.
Take a small bowl and use a measuring spoon to put in the ingredients and then whisk away. Mix the ingredients until they are completely uniform.
Before you apply the scrub, wash your face using a gentle cleanser, preferably an aloe vera cleanser. Start applying the scrub in small amounts on your skin and make small circular motions.
When you are done scrubbing, just wash it off and pat your skin dry. After that follow all the other steps in your skincare routine. Make sure you take the utmost care in finding the perfect skincare routine for your skin if you currently do not have a routine. If you have overly sensitive skin or allergies then consult your dermatologist.
And with that, we hope you start exfoliating if you are not already. Please do share your thoughts in the comments below. We appreciate and look forward to your input. Till next time, bye girl
Originally posted in: https://www.underglowskin.com/blogs/news/tips-on-how-and-where-to-exfoliate
