As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read full disclosure here
Have you ever wanted to exfoliate your face but don’t know how? And do you know you could be picking the wrong exfoliant for your skin? There are different types of exfoliants and lots of products from peels, chemical exfoliants, scrubs, clay masks, and so on. Therefore, choosing the right exfoliant for your skin will help your skin become healthier and smoother.
Think of exfoliation like an onion. When you peel an onion, it reveals a nice smoother, radiant surface that is different from the initial skin type. In this post, I will explain in detail how to exfoliate your face based on your skin type and the top signs of over-exfoliation to look out for.
But first, why should you exfoliate your face?
Table of Contents
Why Is Exfoliation Important?
One of the top reasons to exfoliate the face is that it removes dead skin cells. Dead skin cells are cells that lie on the epidermal layer, which is made of cells that produce Keratinocytes. These old skin cells slowly push their way up by newer skin cells where they break away and eventually fall off. The skin does this itself every month meaning that the cell you had the previous month is completely different from the cells you have this month and the cycle keeps going.
But one thing is the skin cannot completely slough off these dead skin cells on its own hence it requires further assistance from us. If we leave it up to the skin to renew itself, it could lead to breakouts by clogging pores. Therefore, helping the skin with exfoliants will help reduce the risk of acne and dull-looking skin.
Now before I go into how to remove dead skin cells with different exfoliants, I would like to address some of the types of exfoliants and tips you should know before exfoliating.
Types of Exfoliation
There are two main types of exfoliation: physical and chemical. Understanding the differences can help you choose the best method for your skin type.
1. Physical Exfoliation:
- What It Is: Physical exfoliation involves using a scrub or a tool, like a brush or a sponge, to manually remove dead skin cells.
- Best For: People with normal to oily skin types. It’s great for those who want an instant smoothing effect.
- Caution: Be gentle to avoid damaging your skin. Over-exfoliation or using harsh scrubs can cause irritation, redness, and even micro-tears in the skin.
2. Chemical Exfoliation:
- What It Is: Chemical exfoliation uses acids or enzymes to dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing them to be easily wiped away.
- Best For: All skin types, especially sensitive skin, as it can be gentler than physical exfoliation. It’s particularly effective for treating acne, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines.
- Common Ingredients: Look for products with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic or lactic acid, beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid.
Tips Before exfoliating your face
Hydration: Lol, I know this probably sounds cliche but it is important to stay hydrated. Drinking a lot of water, eating fruits and having a good amount of sleep helps to boost natural skin exfoliation.
Use a warm towel: Before you exfoliate, try using a warm non-abrasive towel on your skin. This will help open up pores and will make the exfoliants more effective in removing dead skin cells.
Choosing the right product: This is vital to ensure you are not using products that might irritate your skin. So make sure you use a product specific to your skin type
How To Exfoliate Face Based On Skin Type
1. Hydroxy Acids – Ideal For Sensitive Skin
If your skin is sensitive, you need to be careful of the kind of exfoliants you buy. People with sensitive skin often experience redness, irritation, burning and stinging. If you are not treating acne, hyperpigmentation, dryness and other skin conditions, you really do not need to exfoliate. Gentle cleansing is enough for sensitive skin.
However, if you feel you need to exfoliate, go for exfoliants that contain hydrating ingredients together with hydroxy acids such as glycolic, mandelic or lactic acid.
Krave Beauty is a company that puts sensitive skin types in mind. I generally love the gentility of this product.
It is made with 5.25% glycolic acid plus hyaluronic acid to soothe and hydrate the skin. Also, the PH of the product is 3-4 which is ideal for gentle exfoliation.
Another great exfoliant for sensitive skin types. This exfoliant is a mix of lactic acid, glycolic acid and salicylic acid for smooth skin while Niacinamide and reishi have calming and hydrating properties.
If you are also treating hyperpigmentation with sensitive skin, give this a go.
2. Granular Exfoliant – Ideal For Dry Or Dehydrated Skin
If your skin is dry or dehydrated, then look for scrubs that contain jojoba beads. Jojoba beads are fats that are soft and gentle when used. Unlike microbeads that are not environmentally friendly, jojoba beads are naturally sourced and environmentally friendly. They are less aggressive and when mixed with emollients, they offer smoother and gentle exfoliation for dry skin.
This product contains jojoba beads and glycerin. The jojoba beads slough off dead skin cells for cleaner and smoother skin while glycerin moisturizes the skin.
This company use sustainable gentle ingredients to reduce irritation.
It contains jojoba beads to remove dead and unhealthy skin cells with absolute rose to improve skin complexion.
It also contains cucumber and glycerin for a soft, smooth finish.
3. Beta Hydroxy Acids – Ideal For Acne-Prone Skin
For acne, you need to look for exfoliants that remove dead skin cells by loosening them from each other. These kinds of exfoliants are found in salicylic acid, glycolic acid and other AHAs. The best is salicylic acid because salicylic acid works by going deep into the pores to clear out dirt, oil and other impurities.
Also, it is not ideal to use more than one exfoliant at a time, it can be too aggressive and irritating for your skin. When using a salicylic acid exfoliant, consider pairing it with moisturizers and sunscreens.
It contains two key ingredients; 2% Salicylic acid to unclog pores and green tea/butylene glycol for a more radiant and dewy finish.
An amazing and budget-friendly product that gets the job done. If you have acne plus dry skin, this is the ideal cleanser plus exfoliant to go for. The formula contains ceramides, and niacinamide to balance out the drying effect of salicylic acid.
4. Clay Masks – Ideal For Oily Skin
The clay most frequently used is bentonite which has excellent oil-absorbing qualities that oily skin will benefit from. Also, some clay masks contain exfoliants to help remove dead skin cells and smoothen the skin out.
Clay masks should be applied for 10 – 15 minutes after night cleansing. Then remove it by wetting the mask and wiping it off gently with a very soft cloth. Depending on how oily your skin feels, you might want to use it two or three times a week.
This product has only one ingredient – bentonite clay to remove excess oil that leads to breakouts. All you need to do is to mix the clay in water and form a paste then wash it off after 10 minutes.
Your skin will feel soft and well exfoliated.
Not only does this clay mask contain oil-absorbing ingredients, but it also contains salicylic acid to help with acne. That is if you got oily and acne-prone skin.
Apply a thin layer over your skin, let it sit for 10 minutes and remove with lukewarm water. It will reduce excess shine, inflammation and soothe redness.
How Often Should You Exfoliate?
The frequency of exfoliation depends on your skin type and the type of exfoliant you’re using:
- Dry/Sensitive Skin: 1-2 times per week
- Normal/Combination Skin: 2-3 times per week
- Oily/Acne-Prone Skin: 3-4 times per week
Always listen to your skin. If you notice redness, irritation, or increased sensitivity, reduce the frequency of exfoliation.
Steps to Properly Exfoliate Your Face
1. Cleanse Your Face: Start with a gentle cleanser to remove makeup, dirt, and oil. This ensures that your exfoliant can penetrate more effectively.
Apply the Exfoliant:
- For Physical Exfoliants: Gently massage the scrub onto damp skin in circular motions. Focus on areas that tend to be rougher, like the forehead, nose, and chin.
- For Chemical Exfoliants: Apply the exfoliant evenly over your face, avoiding the eye area. Follow the product’s instructions for how long to leave it on your skin.
2. Rinse Thoroughly: Use lukewarm water to rinse off the exfoliant. Avoid using hot water, which can strip your skin of its natural oils.
3. Moisturize: After exfoliating, it’s essential to replenish your skin with moisture. Use a hydrating serum and a moisturizer suited to your skin type.
4. Sun Protection: Always apply sunscreen during the day after exfoliating. Exfoliation can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so protecting it is crucial.
Tips for Safe Exfoliation
- Avoid Over-Exfoliating: More isn’t always better. Over-exfoliation can lead to irritation, breakouts, and a weakened skin barrier. Stick to the recommended frequency for your skin type.
- Be Gentle: Whether you’re using a physical or chemical exfoliant, always be gentle with your skin. Harsh scrubbing or using too much product can do more harm than good.
- Patch Test: If you’re trying a new exfoliant, especially a chemical one, do a patch test on a small area of your skin to check for any adverse reactions.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped in know how to exfoliate your face according to your skin type. Picking the right kind of exfoliant helps a lot. Just in case you may have over-exfoliated your skin, read the top 5 signs of over-exfoliation and how to heal it
What kind of exfoliant do you use? Please comment below, I would love to hear from you
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.
Great post! I never really thought about how important removing dead skin was, but now I do! I’ll be sure to make use of the things that you suggested in the future!
Yaayyy, I’m glad you found it helpful 💜
Hi Tunrayo,
This post is so timely, I am currently looking for a good exfoliating product. I have tried a few like L’Oréal’s pure clay glow scrub and Body Prescription Vitamin C facial mask. I just like to change routines every now and then. Your oily skin guide is useful, I have oily skin so I will be looking into it.
Thanks.
These are all such great tips! I definitely need to exfoliate my skin more! I don’t do it enough.
This post is super helpful and so clear, even people who have no clue about exfoliating will understand it. Thank you for sharing!
xoxo Simone | https://beautymone.com
Thank you for reading, I’m super glad you found it easy to read and understand 💜
I do not have clear skin, though I have been drinking cleansing teas to wash out my liver. That said, since I cannot scrub off dead skin from my face the way I scrub it off my feet, I love these steps to removing dead skin cells!
Yeah, the skin on our face is quite sensitive compared to the feet, so we need to take extra caution. I’m glad you love the steps💜
Great post! I am using The Ordinary peel and it’s fantastic
Thanks for sharing these tips! They are so practical and very easy to follow!
Thanks for sharing these tips! They are so practical and very easy to follow.
It is interesting to learn about the different ways to exfoliate. It is so important for us to take care of our skin. I use retinol to help remove some dead skin cells. Oooh! I am currently using the 7-day scrub from Clinique right now. It has been great. Thanks for sharing!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Knowing the skin type is important for exploitation. An enlightening post
Thank you for the advice! It is helpful! It’s always great to exfoliate. It’s my favorite part of my skin care routine!
You learn something new every day. In my case, almost off of this is new. The extent of my knowledge on skin care is simply that I’m supposed to be using face wash and moisturizer. In truth, I just spring for a bottle on the shelf that’s for oily of normal skin. But in reality, I would likely be your worst nightmare. Usually, I just wash my face in the shower with Olay body wash and call it a day.
Lol, there is actually a whole lot that goes into skincare. It does help to know what we apply on our skin because the ingredients are more like drugs. They may improve or damage the skin if care isn’t taken. I’m glad this post helped. Thank you for reading 💜
Good information to know – I don’t know much about this but need to
Thank you, glad you learnt something off the post💜
I never really realized that there were different exfoliant’s for different skin types. I just use a variety… foam, clay, scrub, etc. because I figured that each one had a benefit to it. Thank you for this information because it was very enlightening and it showed me that I really need to make sure I exfoliate on a regular basis.
Thank you for reading and I am glad this changed your perspective into exfoliating properly. 💜
Oh this was so useful – thank you!! I’ve never even considered skin type to inform what choice of exfoliator before. I’m lucky in the sense that I’ve got combination skin – at least I haven’t been making things worse! Great post!
This was an informative read. I’ve heard of exfoliation but didn’t know that depending on your skin type, there are certain products to use. Thank you so much. 🙂
My skin is terrible at the moment, I’ve not looked after it well at all. I also had no idea about different skin types, some helpful advice here.
I’m glad you found it helpful, thank you
Such an informative post. Its so important to use products that are right for your skin type and its great that your talking about it.
I do love a good (gentle) daily facial scrub. I’ve been switching between a Neutrogena one and an Aldi Lacura one – they’ve both really good at unclogging things. And I also have an electronic facial cleansing device that helps exfoliate while massaging. It’s such an important skincare step, thank you for this detailed post on why! Lisa
Good advice
These are great products! My favorite is Peeling Gel Exfoliating Products – is it weird I enjoy pulling the dry mask off? hahahah
Such a helpful and interesting post! Some great tips. Thank you for sharing! X
Absolutely informative! Loved it.
Thank you 💜❤️
Thanks for sharing! Some great tips and product suggestions!
Sophie // SophieMLoves
Great post! I love, love, love peel masks. I use one thats called Dead Sea Peel Mask, and its meant to detox your face and it works wonders! I love how my skin feels afterwards.
Thank you for reading, I absolutely love peel mask as well, they make your skin feel really soft
I’ve been using a few products from The Ordinary recently but haven’t tried their peeling solution before. It sounds like something that could be perfect for my skin type though! x
https://www.femaleoriginal.com
OMG, this post is so informative. I have sensitive skin, normal to oily and I just love clinique’s 7 day scrub and Drunk Elephant T.L.C. they work wonders for my skin. Thank you for sharing.
Darina
https://daramiblog.com/
Love how in depth this post is and how you went in to every skin type and a range of different products as well. I always struggle to maintain a skin routine but this is making me want to get back to actually committing to one haha. Thanks for sharing your advice and some great recommendations xx
Thank you so much for reading. And I am happy you found this post helpful. Yaaaayyy, lets get your skin care routine started. 💜❤️
This is really interesting and helpful, I had no idea of all the options available out there!
As someone with sensitive skin, I LOVE foaming products. I haven’t tried that particular green tea product, but I am definitely going to check it out after reading your recommendation.
Such a detailed post! My skin is dry but it absolutely cannot take peels. Over-exfoliation in dry skin causes pimples. So another great option for dry skin is gentle 100% natural scrubs. 🙂
sounds good, i think ill try it 🙂
Hi Rayo! Thank you for this blog post. I have dry skin so sometimes I’m scared to exfoliate but your tips about putting a warm towel on my face and making sure I have a good moisturizer is a good reminder. Thank you so much! ♥️
Thank you 💜. So glad you found it helpful
I love these tips – Hopefully my skin starts to improve
I have really dry skin. I didn’t even know some of these products existed to exfoliate for my skin type. Good information.
This is really good information. 👍❤️
Thank you 💜
Super informative! I have oily skin that’s acne prone, and I’m really intrigued by the chemical cleansers you mentioned. Do you know how often you’re supposed to exfoliate? Once a week maybe?
Thank you ☺️. Yes, you can decide to exfoliate once or twice weekly but I exfoliate once in a week
I have oily acne prone skin & my favorite exfoliator to use is the Lush Mask of Magnaminty. It’s a clay mask that has added ground aduki beans to exofoliate the skin when you wash it off. I also use the Alba Botanica Acnedote scrub which is great for acne prone skin!
Oh that’s a great product, thanks for sharing yours
Thanks very much for this post!!!
This is such great info on exfoliating. I didn’t know much about it until I read this post. Thanks for sharing!
Really helpful post, my skin care routine is VERY hit and miss but I’m really trying to stick to it at the minute.
Ooh fab tips! I’ve wanted to try exfoliating for a while now but I’ve never known how to do it, so this was so super helpful! I have really sensitive skin but do suffer with occasional acne so I’ll look out for products with Hydroxy Acids. Thank you so much for sharing x