Exfoliating 101

We need to talk about exfoliating because apparently a lot of people don’t completely get what it is. and they’re doing it totally wrong.

If you feel like I just called you out, yes this is a personal attack, but don’t worry because after this post no one’s gonna know

Here’s the best way I can explain it. Think about Purrell. You know how hand sanitizer only cleans a certain percent of germs? Imagine face wash as hand sanitizer. In summary, facewash only removes so much debris from you your skin, there’s always a little bit of dirt left behind that you just can’t reach. Some of you may notice these as blackheads, small whiteheads, or maybe just a bit of rough texture in your skin.

This is where exfoliating comes in. Exfoliating provides a deeper cleanse that a face wash just can’t give you. Don’t get too excited - there’s a catch. You should not be exfoliating every day. You should at most be exfoliating every other day, and that’s if you have very strong skin and a very mild exfoliate. It is best to start slowly and then proceed with caution, once you see how your skin reacts to the exfoliator, you can use it a bit more frequently.

Now before you go and run to buy your Saint Ives Apricot Scrub I’m gonna tell you to STOP. That shit is an embarrassing excuse for an exfoliator and I’ll tell you why.

The not-so-well-known-fact about exfoliating is that many people aren’t conscious of is the difference between physical exfoliants and chemical exfoliants. Not only do people not know the difference, but many don’t realize how terrible physical exfoliants are for your skin. I know they appear beneficial because you feel these microscopic beads rubbing against your face, and you’re ultimately left with “smoother” skin. However, what makes physical exfoliators so counterproductive is that they actually cause more tears and irritation to your skin, and they’re not really helping to get any of the dirt clogged up in your pores.

This also goes for Kylie’s Walnut Scrub. Oh, Kylie!

Chemical exfoliants may sound scary, or like they might make your skin peel off, when in reality they’re just applied by gently wiping the face with a cotton round and a little bit of product - kind of like a toner. (Toner is a whole different step we’ll talk about soon). A few of my favorite recommendations run decently priced, including Paula’s Choice and unsurprisingly, Glossier’s Solution. Dermalogica sells a mini exfoliator for about $15, and while it may run out quickly, it’s a great way to try out a pricey brand without completely committing.

So the moral of the story is throw out your physical exfoliants, get on the chemical exfoliants wave, don’t overdo it and dehydrate your skin - and you’ll be on your goddamn way. 

 The skincare goddess of your dreams

XO

Julie