Correct Way to Exfoliate Your Skin: Step-by-Step

As we age, the process of cell regeneration slows down. This means that the body is slower to shed skin cells and generate new ones. When old skin cells start to pile up on the surface of the skin, it can leave skin looking dull, rough, and dry. Furthermore, the build-up of dead skin cells can result in excess oil and clogged pores, leading to blemishes and acne. Proper exfoliation removes the barrier of dead skin cells clogging the skin and uncovers fresh new cells below. This opens the way for moisturizing products to penetrate more deeply into the skin, which makes them more effective. In short, a regular exfoliating routine will leave your skin looking fresh and healthy.

Remove make-up - If you wear makeup, remove makeup first, there are a lot of make-up removers currently on the market both liquid and wipes. However for a cheaper, more natural alternative coconut oil or olive oil can be used for both face and eye make-up and baby wipes can be used for those with sensitive

Cleanse your face – Wet your face with warm water and use a gentle non-comedogenic and oil- free cleanser. Massage the cleanser onto your face in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes then rinse off with warm water.

Exfoliate your freshly cleansed skin – Exfoliating your skin should be done 1-2 times a week, depending on how sensitive your skin is. Some people can exfoliate a day or two more a week but if you become overly dry or your skin becomes irritated, reduce your exfoliation treatments. Start off with once a week and if your skin can handle it, add in an extra day a week of exfoliation.

Use a toner – Witch hazel is great as a toner (it’s great for sensitive skin) but make sure you dilute the solution with a little bit of water as essential oils can be quite powerful on your skin. Any other water-based toner is fine as well; stay clear of alcohol-based toners as alcohol-based skincare products over-dry the skin.

Moisturize – Moisturize your skin preferably with a non-comedogenic, oil-free, and fragrance/color-free moisturizer. Even if you have oily skin, follow this step. You will not become oilier as moisturizers balance the pH levels of your skin to keep your skin balanced and not overly dry or oily. In turn, you will have less acne breakouts and prevent premature aging of the skin.

Apply Eye Cream – People always tend to forget eye cream. Especially me! Anyone over the age of 16 should be using an eye cream to provide added moisture to the eye area and prevent premature aging of the skin around the eyes. I was watching Tyra a few years ago and she showed the benefits of using Vaseline as an eye cream at night, since then I have been using it (when I can remember) and it really does work. Vaseline is also really good for eyelashes and eyebrow growth (two birds with one stone).

Exfoliating the skin is simple and can easily be added to any skincare routine. The skincare routine above should only take a few minutes so make sure to make this a daily or nightly ritual. It is better to exfoliate at night since your skin restores itself while you sleep so after giving it some tender loving care, your skin can breathe peacefully through the night. Remember, every person’s skin reacts differently to exfoliating so start with less treatments each week and see how your skin reacts from there. Be very gentle on the skin when exfoliating!