If exfoliating isn’t a part of your regular skincare regime, you might think about including it. Exfoliation has one too many skin benefits, and you will miss out on them if you don’t exfoliate your skin. It is a general misconception that people with sensitive skin cannot exfoliate, well we’re here to tell you that there are exfoliators for every skin type. There are gentle exfoliators for rosacea, strong exfoliators for stubborn pores, and so on and so forth. You just need to analyze your skin type and choose your exfoliator accordingly.
Why should you exfoliate?
Exfoliation is very good for maintaining the health of the skin. It unclogs the pores and removes the dead skin cells that accumulate on the surface of the skin. It leaves you with softer and brighter skin. Unclogging of the pores helps in keeping the acne at bay. Since it removes the layer of dead skin on the surface, it helps the other skincare products penetrate deeper into the skin. This is also one of the reasons why you should include exfoliation in your regular skincare routine. Exfoliation increases the cell turn over and also gives you an even skin tone. It is also helpful when it comes to stimulating collagen synthesis.
Different types of exfoliators-
- Physical Exfoliators-
These exfoliators are the ones that you apply manually on your skin to get rid of the dark skin. They are the most popular skin exfoliators. Salt, sugar, apricot kernels are some of the commonly used physical exfoliators.
- Chemical Exfoliators-
Chemical exfoliators use acids to dissolve the glue that holds the skin together for easy sloughing off. Chemical exfoliators are gentler than scrubs, and they exfoliate the skin and goes the extra mile. However, too much or too often, the use of these exfoliators can cause skin irritation.
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids- Consisting largely of glycolic acid and lactic acid, these exfoliators are ideal for dry or sun-damaged skin.
- Beta Hydroxy Acids- Consisting largely of salicylic acid, these exfoliators are ideal or oily or acne-prone skin. They also act as gentle exfoliators for rosacea.
Exfoliators according to different skin types-
- Dry Skin-
Exfoliation is important for dry skin and should not be neglected. However, physical exfoliators might not be a good fit since the process of exfoliating is drying and can cause micro-tears or irritation. If you have dry skin, go for alpha hydroxyl acids since they are gentle on dry skin and are effective. Glycolic acid smoothly removes the dead skin sitting on the surface and encourages a healthy skin turnover. However, make sure to follow up with a moisturizer since glycolic acid can make the skin prone to sun damage.
- Sensitive Skin-
Sensitive skin can be prone to rosacea, and therefore, you would require gentle exfoliators for rosacea, acne, redness, and irritation. For this skin type, you should avoid scrubbing or other mechanical exfoliation techniques because they would just cause irritation and worsen the skin condition. People with this skin type should go for exfoliators with mild chemical formulas like lactic acid and apply it with a washcloth. This will have a gentle effect on the skin. For acne, you can use a salicylic acid exfoliator. This will prevent breakouts. Exfoliating for at least three times a week will be enough for effective results.
- Oily Skin-
Oily skin is usually denser than the normal skin. Unlike sensitive skin where you require gentle exfoliators forrosacea and acne, you might need strong exfoliators for this. This makes this skin type an ideal surface for manual exfoliating or brushing. Physical exfoliators are ideal for removing the extra layer of build-up on the surface of the skin. However, choose a mild concentration since oily skin can be required to be exfoliated daily. You can gently use a scrub or an external exfoliator and apply it on the surface in circular motions for the best results.
- Combination Skin-
Combination skin types usually require a combination of physical and chemical exfoliators. However, make sure not to use both of them together since it can be too much for the skin and cause irritation. Also, it is advised to follow up on the exfoliation with moisturizer id the skin feels dry after the process. You can exfoliate the skin two to three times a week, and if the oily portions seem to be oilier than usual, you can slowly increase the frequency of use.
- Normal Skin-
Normal skin has self-exfoliating properties. You can choose any exfoliating method for this skin type. However, you should go for glycolic acid since it boosts collagen production, which increases the elasticity of the skin and helps in keeping the wrinkles away. You can exfoliate once a week if necessary and might have to experiment to find the right exfoliator for your skin.
So, these were different exfoliates for different skin types.