Get Skin that Glows: Exfoliate!

Exfoliating is a important step in your skincare regime. Our skin is constantly regenerating cells. It is made of several layers. Skin of all ages produces new cells, which start at the bottom layer and move to the surface, eventually shedding off. In children this happens every 2-3 weeks, but as we age, the process becomes slower and takes approximately a month for new cells to get to the top layer. The more dead skin cells that stay on the surface of your skin, the more dull and dehydrated it looks. Dead skin cells also clog pores and can cause blemishes and scaling. Acne causing bacteria feed on the oil trapped by skin cells that don’t turn over fast enough. UV rays decrease cell turnover even more.

Exfoliating your face on a regular basis can improve the results of your skincare products and bring more life to your skin. It can improve your skin texture, reduce the appearance of pores, and help clear acne breakouts. No matter your skin type, everyone can benefit from exfoliating. There are two types of exfoliation:

1. Physical such as scrubs, brushes
2. Chemical such as glycolic and salicylic acid, retinol etc.

Exfoliation should leave your skin soft, glowing and healthy looking, not red and irritated. For some people, exfoliating scrubs may be too harsh, so a chemical exfoliator would work better. Exfoliating about twice a week is recommended for most people, but this also depends on your skin. Whatever method you choose, remember to be kind to your skin. Treat it like a fragile fabric. No matter your skin type, exfoliation should always be followed by a moisturizer and be sure to use sunscreen, since you are exposing new skin cells, you will burn easier.

Click through the slideshow to read about some amazing tried and true exfoliating products out there!