Everything You Need to Know About Exfoliating!

by Shahnaz Husain Shahnaz Husain is the founder, chairperson & manag

The beauty industry is thriving, with brands claiming to come with the best body scrub to provide your skin with all the exfoliation. But your skin type has a significant role to play in the choice of your scrub. Using a face wash and a face cream is a regular practice for most women. But your skin needs more care.

If you are someone whose skin demands more, exfoliation could be a blessing in disguise. Seems like a heavy word, hmm. Let me break it down. Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells. But that's what our body can do naturally, right?

Here’s what exfoliation does to your skin!

1. Types of exfoliation

Exfoliation can be mechanical or chemical. Mechanical exfoliation is when you use a dry brush or a scrub to do the thing. Chemical exfoliation involves salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or enzymes to reduce the surface buildup. Resorting these practices is beneficial because the skin's ability to shed dead cells slows down with age. Moreover, these methods can help you understand your skin better since you will know which exfoliation works better for you.

2. Benefits of exfoliation

Exfoliation can give you both short-term and long-term benefits. You can observe the bright skin yourself after you exfoliate once. In the long run, it will act as the best enemy against clogged pores, boost collagen for glowing skin and reduce sagging. If you are someone who struggles with makeup products, exfoliation will help them perform better since they will not be applied to any buildup.

3. How to exfoliate physically/mechanically?

Physical exfoliation is not something you should start randomly. We suggest, what's better than a DIY scrub? We'll go for ingredients that are readily available. Grab some ground coffee (not the fine powder), a handful of brown sugar, a bit of honey, and milk. Mix them all. Let's begin!

Keep your face hydrated beforehand. With 3-4 minutes of great scrubbing and a splash of lukewarm water, you will be good to go. You can store the remaining scrub in an airtight container.

4. How to do chemical exfoliation

You need to be slightly more careful with using chemicals for exfoliation. However, it will not be challenging if you use one according to your skin type and in the right way. Alpha hydroxy acids, derived from sweet fruits like grapes, are known to cure fine lines and uneven skin tone. Salicyclic acid, which is a type of Beta hydroxy acid, hydrates the skin and soothes inflammation. Retinoids are another chemical exfoliators that heal sunburns.

5. What will suit my skin type?

Sensitive skin demands beta hydroxy acids since they are mild. People with dry skin can use products with alpha hydroxy acid. DIY scrubs work best for oily skin. Retinoids are ideal for acne-prone skin.

6. The saga of professional exfoliation

If you feel your skin still lacks the exfoliation it needs, you can go for professional exfoliation. As the name indicates, it offers more intensive care. Beauty salons offer lucrative offers here but don't need to fall for every offer. Your dermatologist will be in a better position to tell what works best for you.

Professional body scrubs are different from regular ones and are gender-specific. Chemical peels, on the other hand, carry a stronger effect than homemade peel-off masks.

Two surgical methods of exfoliation are dermaplaning and Microdermabrasion. The former involves the removal of dead skin through a scalpel blade. The latter technique uses rough-tipped equipment or fine crystals for creating a vacuum and exfoliate. Don't worry, and they are safe.

Recently, ultrasound exfoliation has also gained momentum. It is preferred because it is a water-based peel that is applied to the skin. This loosens dead skin cells on the surface. Thereafter a spatula, activated by ultrasonic waves, lifts off the surface dry skin cells. This also helps in deep water infusion into the dermis to trigger the hydration of new skin cells.

Conclusion

When and how often should one exfoliate depends on one's needs. There are many body care products for black skin or fair skin. Consult your dermatologist before using one or in case of a reaction.

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