The benefits of face exfoliation
Face exfoliation is key to achieving a bright and healthy complexion, in both look and feel. By helping to unclog and purify pores, exfoliation has an array of benefits for your skin – including helping other skincare products in your routine to permeate skin deeply. Beyond complimenting other skincare products, face exfoliation can help to:
• Even skin tone and brighten complexion
• Prevent breakouts and unclog pores
• Encourage new cell turnover
• Address dullness
• Improve skin texture
• Help skincare and makeup products sit on skin
With so many potential benefits, it might be tempting to reach for an exfoliant right away. But before that, ask yourself “how often do I need to exfoliate my face?” This depends on what type of exfoliator you use, so let’s unpack it.
The different types of face exfoliation
There are two broad categories of face exfoliants: physical and chemical. Both are beneficial to skin, but there’s key
differences between chemical and physical exfoliants in terms of how they address these skin concerns.
•
Physical face exfoliants buff the skin surface with materials like a brush or scrub, but overuse isn’t ideal, so less is more when it comes to how often to physically exfoliate the face.
•
Chemical face exfoliants are generally more gentle, because instead of scrubbing away dead skin cells, they aim to dissolve them with AHAs like glycolic acid and BHAs like salicylic acid.
There are numerous other
skincare benefits of glycolic acid, so check out the
Glycolic Bright skincare collection. Then read on for our exfoliation tips for each skin type.
How often to exfoliate a dry face
For those with dry and sensitive skin, a gentle chemical exfoliant helps to clear away dead skin cells without causing stress or discomfort to skin. So, what’s the best frequency to aim for when considering how often to exfoliate for dry skin types?
Building in chemical exfoliants alongside hydrating skincare is the best option for exfoliating dry skin. We recommend using the
Glycolic Bright Instant Glowing Serum-Infused Sheet Mask once a week because its lightweight serum formula can provide deep nourishment to dry skin. Post cleansing, wear the sheet mask for 15 minutes and pat the excess serum into your skin after use.
How often to exfoliate oily skin
Natural face oils come from the pores, and exfoliation aims to unclog and purify them. This means the timeline for how often to exfoliate faces with oily skin is much more regular, so we suggest a brightening chemical exfoliant cleanser instead of a physical exfoliant. In terms of how often to use exfoliating face wash, we recommend the following products for daily use.
• The Glycolic Bright Glowing Daily Cleanser Foam to support glowing skin in the AM.
• Or for guys , try the Hydra Energetic Unclogging Pores Scrub morning or night.
• Sun exposure can increase oil production, so SPF is especially important if you have oily skin. For UV protection that can help with oil control try the Glycolic Bright Glowing Day Cream.
How often to exfoliate acne-prone skin
What’s best when it comes to how often to exfoliate acne-prone skin? If you’re dealing with breakouts, we suggest incorporating the Glycolic Bright Instant Glowing Face Serum into your skincare routine a few times a week. Formulated with1.0% glycolic acid, this serum can help improve the appearance of imperfections and dull skin.
• Apply in the PM after cleansing by massaging the serum into the skin in an upwards motion.
• Then lock in your skincare with the Glycolic Bright Night Cream, infused with vitamin- E to help support the skin barrier overnight.
Now you know how exfoliating can support brightened skin, target dull under eyes with our article on how to tackle dark circles and eye bags.
