What Should I Look For In an Exfoliating Product?

Exfoliating your skin can be the best thing you can do for your skin. Exfoliating makes the skin glow and nourished, making it look healthy. For the face products to work well, you should consider their ingredients for better results.

Exfoliation involves scrubbing dead cells from the skin for bright skin. Removing the dead skin from the body can be done manually by scrubbing an exfoliant on the skin, brushing off dead cells with a face cloth, or using chemicals to dissolve the dead cells. Exfoliating makes it easier for the skin care products to be absorbed easily into the skin, making them more effective. There are different skin types. They include oily, sensitive, normal, and dry skins. These skin types need different attention. Below is detailed information on what you should look for in an exfoliating product for desirable results.

Tips to Remember When Using Exfoliating Products

• Do not over-exfoliate the skin because it will cause irritation by peeling or flaking it.
• Do not use face scrubs when you have chronic acne or the skin is already inflamed.
• When the skin is exfoliated, it loses moisture. Therefore, use a moisturizer to replenish the lost one.
• Before using an exfoliant on your skin, consider what you use on your face. For example, some medications and over-the-counter creams make the skin sensitive; thus, exfoliating it might lead to breakouts.

What to Consider in Face Scrubs

The Skin Type

People have different skin types, making it an essential factor to consider when choosing face scrubs and other face products.

Oily Skin

People with oily skin tend to produce more sebum, the naturally produced oil by the skin. The oil can clog the pores, thus causing inflammation. When you have this type of skin, you should avoid using face products that contain oils such as coconut oil. Salicylic acid can work best for this skin type because of its acne-fighting abilities. Therefore, those with oily skin should use face products with this ingredient. Although the skin is oily, always remember to moisturize after exfoliating it.

Normal Skin

Having normal skin does not guarantee using any product on it or to exfoliate it more than twice a week. Over-exfoliation will damage the skin. According to Vogel et Al. (2015), products with methyl lactate or cucumber extracts and vitamin B3 can help reenergize the skin. Consider having these ingredients in the face product that you will be using.

Dry Skin

You can limit your exfoliation depending on your skin type. Avoid using face products that have alcohol because your skin will dry more. Therefore, choose skin products that can add oil to the skin. Such oils include coconut oil, shea butter oil, and ceramide. Use enough moisturizer after exfoliation to keep the skin hydrated.

 Sensitive Skin

 People with this type of skin tend to be very reactive to certain products that they introduce to their skin. Therefore, they need to be more careful with the face products they use. Willow bark extract is the most common ingredient for people with sensitive skin because of its anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties. This constituent can be used to fight acne. Therefore, when purchasing skin care products for sensitive skin, consider having willow bark in them for better results. After exfoliation, consider having a good moisturizer for the skin.

The Concentration

Skincare products come in different concentrations. If you have sensitive skin, you will need a mild concentrated product so that it does not irritate the skin. The concentration of the manual exfoliant depends on the type of exfoliant, the size of the granular and your application, the amount of product you use, and how vigorously you scrub the skin.

There are products with acids such as salicylic acid, which can be found in strengths of up to 2%. At this level, the beta hydroxyl acids ingredient can penetrate the skin. On the other hand, glycolic acid uses manual and chemical compounds to improve the skin's texture. Face products with tea tree oil and jojoba extract can help clear the skin and brighten it making you have nourished and glowing, youthful skin

Why you Should Exfoliate Your Skin

It Unclogs the Pores

The skin is exposed to many things that may attract dirt. Also, the skin produces a natural oil known as sebum. According to Bhadra (2020), overproduction of the oil might end up clogging the pores, thus causing inflammation and breakouts. When you exfoliate the skin, the dirt, oil accumulated, and dead cell on the skin is removed, making the skin clear and lighter. This is because the skin is freshened, allowing the turnover process to take place, giving you glowy, healthy skin.

Helps to Fade Scars and Dark Spots

According to Nautiyal & Wairkar (2021), there are times when the skin has hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and dark spots. When you exfoliate the skin, all these will start to fade away since exfoliating enhances the removal of dead cells and allow the new healthy cells to take over, thus having a smooth texture.  

 Helps the Skin Absorb Care Faster

 When you exfoliate the skin, you allow the skin to absorb care faster, making them work for better results. Exfoliation involves the removal of dead skin, which is the upper layer that may hinder the skin from absorbing the care. Face scrubs are not the only skincare products used on the face. You need cleansers, moisturizers, and serum. For these products to give you the bests results, they need to be easily absorbed into the skin.

Improves the Skin Tone and Texture

The skin looks dull and dry when there is a build-up of dirt and dead skin cells. You can make the skin glow and smooth by using a gentle exfoliator to remove the dirt and dead skin, giving you glowy, youthful skin.

 Makes the Skin Too Firm

 Applying and using exfoliants allows you to interact with the skin. Gently scrub the exfoliant on the skin in a circular motion. According to Humbert et al. (2015), massaging the product makes the skin firm, reducing the sagging of the skin caused by aging.

Conclusion

Exfoliating is essential for healthy, glowing skin. When choosing exfoliating products, you should consider your skin type and the concentration of the product. Moreover, the concentration of a product is based on the skin type, how you use it, and your desired results. If you want to use a highly concentrated product on the skin, ensure you sensitize the skin through exfoliation. Most people would consider exfoliating only the face. However, other parts of the body also need to be scrubbed. Also, you cannot use the body scrub on the face because it might irritate the delicate skin. Therefore, choose an exfoliator that best suits your skin.

References

Bhadra, P. (2020). A Literature Review Onacne Due to Hormonal Changes and Lifestyle.

Humbert, P., Fanian, F., Lihoreau, T., Jeudy, A., Elkhyat, A., Robin, S., ... & Haftek, M. (2015). Mécano-stimulation™ of the skin improves sagging score and induces beneficial functional modification of the fibroblasts: clinical, biological, and histological evaluations. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 10, 387.

Nautiyal, A., & Wairkar, S. (2021). Management of hyperpigmentation: current treatments and emerging therapies. Pigment cell & melanoma research, 34(6), 1000-1014.

Vogel, J. H., Bolling, S. F., Costello, R. B., Guarneri, E. M., Krucoff, M. W., Longhurst, J. C., ... & Winters, W. L. (2005). Integrating complementary medicine into cardiovascular medicine: a report of the american college of cardiology foundation task force on clinical expert consensus documents (writing committee to develop an expert consensus document on complementary and integrative medicine). Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 46(1), 184-221.