The Correct Way to Exfoliate Your Skin for Girls Who Might Be Doing It Wrong ...
By Alison • 11 Comments
By Alison • 11 Comments
Exfoliation is an important part of caring for your skin. Your skin renews itself every 2 to 4 weeks, which means that the dead skin cells quickly accumulate and make your face look dull. By getting rid of the dead skin cells, your face will look fresher, and if you're applying fake tan you should always exfoliate your body first. But is it as simple as just applying body or face scrub? This is the right way to exfoliate your skin …
Facial and body scrubs are not interchangeable. Body scrubs will be too harsh on your face, so you should always use a scrub that's designed for facial use. And facial scrub will probably not be strong enough for your body, although you can use it on your body if you wish. But definitely don't use a body scrub on your face.
Do you have a body brush that you never use, or that you use in the bath? That's not the right way to go about it. You should actually dry brush your body before you shower or bathe, so that you can then wash the dead skin off. An alternative to the body brush is to use an exfoliating glove, which should again be used dry before bathing.
Exfoliation isn't just about obvious parts of your body like your arms and legs. Remember to exfoliate neglected areas like your elbows and feet, which are actually the areas that may need it most. Hard skin can build up very quickly on your feet, and elbows can soon get dry (don't forget to moisturise these areas as well).
Although you need to exfoliate regularly, you shouldn't overdo it, especially on your face. Exfoliating too frequently can make your skin red and irritated. Once or twice a week should be enough for both face and body, although if you use a scrub with beads (which is gentler), you can try using it more often.
Dry, peeling lips are a problem for many of us in winter. The lips don't have any natural oils like our skin, so usually need exfoliating. But you should take extra care with them, as scrubbing too harshly can make them crack and bleed. Don't use even a facial scrub on them. Instead, cover them with Vaseline and brush gently with a toothbrush.
You should always use a gentle motion when exfoliating your face. Use small circular movements, rather than rubbing roughly up and down - and never rub like you're sanding wood! Be even more gentle when you're exfoliating your lips. You may need to scrub harder on your feet, but make sure that you're not irritating your skin.
Now that you've revealed that lovely fresh skin, you'll want to reap maximum benefit. Exfoliating allows moisture to penetrate further into your skin, and once you've got rid of the dead skin your skin may be dry. So once you've rinsed off the scrub and dried your face or body, follow up with a moisturiser.
Get into the habit of exfoliating regularly, and your skin will be fresh and glowing! You can even make your own scrubs - it's fun!