When and how should you exfoliate your skin?

Exfoliation effectively eliminates dead cells and impurities that accumulate on your skin. When done correctly, it enables cellular renewal and helps your skincare products penetrate more deeply. To get healthy glowing skin, find out when and how you should exfoliate.

When?
How often you should exfoliate your skin varies primarily according to the areas you’re treating, whether the face or the body. The delicacy and irritability of your skin should also be factored into the decision. Here’s a general rule of thumb for exfoliating these areas:

• Face. Exfoliate your face two or three times per week at most. Afterward, thoroughly cleanse your skin and apply a moisturizer.

• Body. Do a complete body exfoliation once a week. Doing this in the shower is best as the heat helps open the pores and enables you to get the best results.

Exfoliating at night gives your skin’s cells all night to regenerate. It also allows time for any redness to ease.

How?
If you choose a product containing microparticles or an exfoliating accessory like a loofah, use small circular movements to exfoliate the desired area. If you use a chemical treatment with acidic ingredients, leave it on your skin for a few minutes before rinsing.

Whichever method you choose, remember that products intended for the body shouldn’t be used on the delicate skin of the face.

Ask your cosmetician or esthetician for help choosing an exfoliating product best suited to the needs of your skin type.