Exfoliation is essential for healthy and younger-looking skin. Why? Every twenty-eight days skin renews itself, leaving your skin with a fresh layer of baby cells. As we get older, this shedding process slows down, leaving us with fine lines, dry looking areas and potentially an uneven skin texture.
Exfoliation stimulates new cell growth by removing the cells your skin is no longer shedding. If they are not removed, they are trapped on the surface, leaving the skin dull. It takes a few days for a noticeable amount of dead cells to accumulate and it’s best to exfoliate once or twice a week. You don’t want to irritate your skin or remove healthy living cells by doing it daily, no matter how good it feels to exfoliate!
There are two ways to exfoliate; using a Manual scrub, or using a Chemical exfoliant.
A manual exfoliant (or a scrub as it is also known) targets the surface layer of the skin and is physically applied with your hands. Usually little beads or granules are circulated over the face to shed dead skin cells and renew the look of the skin.
A chemical exfoliant works deeper in the skin, usually combining a skincare product with naturally-occurring acids like AHA’s or BHA’s and/or retinol Vitamin A serums that all help to break up dead cell build up under the skin.
Manual
Skinstitut Glycolic Scrub 14%
Here we have a slight mix of manual and chemical.
I am one of those people that If I am going to use a scrub, I want to feel it, without being too harsh of course!
This scrub comes from an Australian cosmedical skincare brand, so they know a thing or two about the skin. This is a deep cleanse exfoliant to buff the surface of the skin, creating a brighter, newer complexion.
Because it is a true scrub, it is suitable for most skin types, except red, irritated, sensitive skin. Using jojoba beads, tea tree oil and glycolic acid at 14% (very safe for the skin) pores are unclogged and skin is renewed. It is an important step used one to two times a week in assisting the performance of your other skincare products.
Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains for Face
We love Bobbi Brown makeup, but the brand is also up there in skin health.
This different style of face scrub contains luxurious Japanese adzuki bean powder grains that can be mixed into your daily cleanser, or just water, when needed. The beauty is your scrub can be customised to how your skin feels. Add just a few grains when skin is sensitive and add more when needed or when skin is looking better. Because of this customised application, it is suitable for all skin types and assists in cell turnover, giving you glowing skin.
RRP $65
The Body Shop Seaweed Pore Cleansing Facial Exfoliator
We all know The Body Shop and we all know seaweed right?
Well this little gem is all about re-balancing oils on the surface of the skin, giving a deep pore clean, but is soap free. This makes it clean without being squeaky clean, which can leave you feeling tight, which isn’t good for the skin.
The wild-harvested seaweed is actually non-oily and great for conditioning the skin, leaving it hydrated and fresh while the jojoba micro-beads polish away build up of the daily grime. Use 1-2 times a week.
RRP $19.95
Philosphy The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash
If you are someone that cleanses daily (I should hope so) but really does not want to have a separate exfoliant, this product is for you.
So many two-in-ones just do not deliver the same results, but they do cut down time.
In the exfoliant world, some two-in-ones are too harsh to use everyday; you don’t want to over-scrub, drying out and over stimulating the skin.
This face wash will give a very mild exfoliation daily. Great for sensitive skin, the time poor and a lover of a product multi-tasker. The re-surfacing benefits are mild, but as it is used daily, it builds up to be as effective as a weekly scrub.
RRP $40
Chemical
Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser
I like the idea of a gentle two-in-one. Your skin is cleansed, but because of the lactic acid built into this cleanser, you also get a skin re-surfacing effect. Great for the time poor or if you don’t want to use too many products, but still want that skin brightening effect.
Unlike other cleansers that also exfoliate your skin, this product does not contain any beads. It is purely a chemical exfoliation, assisting in re-surfacing the skin by removing dulling surface debris and accelerating cell turnover.
RRP $58
ivadore Revive Back to Life AHA & BHA Pearl Polish
Regain youthful looking skin with ivadore’s double action exfoliating pearl polish. Combined with both AHA’s and BHA’s (a natural occurring acid found in skin) to help unglue and remove dead skin from within that causes dull, tired and uneven skin tones.
Pearl Powder can speed up the skins natural metabolism and it gently softens, firms and rejuvenates newly revealed cells, leaving you with a smooth, glowing and vibrant complexion. Suitable for all skin types.
RRP $45
Ultraceuticals Even Skintone Serum Mild
Being a big fan of Ultraceuticals myself, I know this little re-texturising skin serum very well.
It is a great daily or as needed product for a very even amount of exfoliation under the skin, leaving it much brighter and smoother. Perfect if you are a makeup wearer as it makes skin surface a better base for foundation so they bond together as one.
Containing AHA and BHA, this is a mild version of the Even Skintone product range, with two more higher level of concentrated ingredients available.
This product is suited for all skin types.
RRP $96
Go-To Exfoliating Swipeys
Single-use facial pads soaked in all-natural solution that perfectly exfoliates and hydrates the skin. Sounds good right?
We should all know by now how important the ‘exfoliate’ step is in our skin care routine: boosting the performance of our daily skincare routine, plus renewing the skin. But it can feel like a chore.
These pads change that with the effectiveness of a gentle lactic acid, plus ultra-hydrating essential oils to create a fresher, newer, brighter skin and all in one sweep of a cotton pad. So easy and quick!
RRP $49.95
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