Exfoliators: Why Are They Necessary?
Exfoliating should be a consistent part of your skin care routine, if you want to get the best results from your skin care products and moisturizers. Healthier, smoother looking skin will help keep you looking younger than your age. That may not be such a good idea if you’re fifteen, but for those of us who are over 30 or 35, well…
Also called scrubs, exfoliators are designed to “scrub” away dry or dead skin cells. Made of dried fruits, nuts, sugars, salts, and/or grains (i.e. oats, wheat, etc.), grasses and flowers, these items are finely ground for the face and coarsely ground for the body. These ground particles are added to creams, lotions, oils as well as liquid and compressed (bar) soaps.
Why Do I Need an Exfoliator?
Many people are not aware of the fact that their skin renews itself every 25 days and that ashy, flaky feeling skin is just dead skin cells that haven’t been removed. The body is able to withstand larger particles and although they’re not designed to be abrasive or scratch the skin, if exfoliators are used with excessive pressure - they will.
If you want your skin to look polished and if you want the natural oils that your skin produces to surface, then you need to exfoliate. That’s the best way to remove dead skin cells and help your skin stay smooth and soft. Men get an exfoliating effect from shaving however the top of their faces would get a positive result from a weekly facial scrub.
What do they do?
In order for your skin’s natural oils to come to the surface, your dead skin cells should be sloughed off and with correct use, exfoliators also polish the skin which leaves it feeling soft and smooth. When you don’t use an exfoliator, those cells pile up and the results can be hair bumps or acne, especially in dryer skin areas like your back or shoulders.
How Do I Use Exfoliators?
If you have dry skin, you can use the oil based scrubs and oily skin should use the gel based products. Combination skin can use the lotion types and sensitive skin should use the mildest or baking soda based scrubs. After cleansing and while your skin is still wet, apply about a teaspoon of your exfoliator to a clean, wet wash cloth.
Gently scrub in a circular motion; all over your face and throat for about 30 seconds. Rinse your cloth thoroughly, and use it to rinse/wipe away the exfoliating grains. Use a clean towel to pat your face dry and then complete with the application of your toner, eye treatment and your moisturizers.
Those new to exfoliators often believe that using the product more often or longer will give better results. Wrong! These products have been tested by their developers to determine how to get the best results. You don’t want your outcome to be extremely dry skin, so use twice weekly, follow directions for time and you’ll get the best results from your home facial treatment.