How often should you ?
Body scrubs have the power to transform your skin, leaving it feeling smooth and baby-soft. However, over-exfoliation can lead to problems like skin sensitivity, breakouts, and rough patches. So, what’s the ideal ‘Goldilocks’ level of exfoliation for your skin?
Exfoliating 2 to 3 times per week is generally suitable for most people, but in certain instances, you may need to limit this frequency. To guide you through this process, our skin health experts at Reviva Mask have compiled this guide to help you determine when and how to exfoliate your body effectively.
Timing and Techniques for Body Exfoliation
The majority can maintain their skin’s health by exfoliating 2-3 times a week. Warm shower water helps open up the pores, aiding in the exfoliation process. Use your exfoliating body wash to gently scrub your skin in circular motions. After letting it sit as directed, rinse it off to reveal smooth, rejuvenated skin.
Keep in mind, it’s possible to over-exfoliate your body, even if you’re experienced. This can occur if you overuse your scrub or choose a product that doesn’t match your skin type or season. Signs of over-exfoliation may include irritation, redness, inflammation, rough patches, rashes, or dry and flaky skin.
When to Avoid Exfoliating Your Body
Although exfoliating twice a week is a good general guideline, there are certain circumstances where you might need to put the loofah aside. Avoid using an exfoliant on skin that is inflamed or injured due to sunburn, lacerations, rashes, or after treatments like chemical peels.
Why Exfoliate Your Skin?
Every day, the body replaces approximately 40,000 skin cells. Although most of the dead skin cells eventually fall off, a thin layer called the stratum corneum can remain on the top of your epidermis, leaving your skin looking dull, rough, and sallow.
Exfoliation aids the skin in its natural process of removing these dead skin cells. Reviva Mask refers to exfoliation as “the #1 game changer in skincare,” as it reveals younger, more radiant skin. Moreover, it removes a layer that can hinder skin and body care products from penetrating effectively.
Understanding Types of Exfoliants
There are several methods of exfoliating the skin, generally categorized into three types: chemical, enzymatic, and mechanical.
Chemical Exfoliants come in various combinations and strengths, but commonly include alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), lactic acid, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid (BHA).
Enzymatic Exfoliants are a type of chemical exfoliants that use natural enzymes from tropical fruits like papaya, pineapple, pear, and kiwi to break down dead skin cells proteins.
Mechanical Exfoliants or physical exfoliants use the strength of your hands to remove dead skin cells. They include tools like washcloths, loofahs, scrub brushes, or exfoliating products containing sea salt, pumice, or coffee grounds.
Choosing the Right Exfoliant
With the vast array of options available on the market, how do you select the best exfoliating body polish for you? Determine your skin type by asking yourself these questions:
- Do you have oily, dry, or combination skin?
- Are you prone to acne or sensitive skin?
- Do you burn easily in the sun?
- Do you have mature or thin skin?
Dry, sensitive, sunburn-prone, acne-prone, and thin skin may benefit from a mild mechanical or chemical exfoliant. On the other hand, oily or mature skin might require stronger chemical or mechanical exfoliation.
Also, consider seasonal adjustments to your exfoliation routine. In hot weather, more aggressive exfoliation might be needed to remove sweat and sunscreen build-up. Cold weather can cause chapped and dry skin, necessitating gentler exfoliation.
Start testing exfoliants after evaluating your skin type and the season. Begin by applying a small amount to the inner wrist skin and watching for any adverse reactions. This is especially crucial for enzymatic or chemical exfoliants.
Remember to periodically re-evaluate the exfoliant you use to ensure it continues to benefit your skin health.
This post was written by a professional at RevivaMask. RevivaMask is manufactured using high-quality umbilical cord-derived ingredients specifically designed for skin rejuvenation. The RevivaMask’s solution captures a mixture of ingredients in extracellular vesicles including a high concentration of exosomes, growth factors, cytokines, proteins, and interleukins which can help restore damaged tissue, maintain skin elasticity, and speed treatment recovery time for an unmatched experience in skin rejuvenation. Contact RevivaMask to rejuvenate your skin today.