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Every woman deserves a radiant and a fresh looking skin. It takes so many things to have a glowy skin and exfoliation is one of them. The upper layer of our skin goes through a lot of rough treatments throughout the day and protects us from the harmful elements in the outside world. As much vital it is to exfoliate your face, as much it is important to know the frequency to do so. If I ask you, “How often should you exfoliate your face?” then different readers may give different answers.

The concept of exfoliation slightly differs from person to person. In simple terms, exfoliation is a process through which we discard the dead cells at the surface of the body. During exfoliation, the coarse particles on the skin are removed are washed off and the new skin cells are exposed. That is the reason that the skin looks healthy after exfoliation. In this article, we are going to explain you everything related to exfoliation. So let’s get started.

Why Do You Need To Exfoliate?

There is a constant production of new skin cells in the body. New cells, environmental factors and the use of make-up collectively damage your skin. By not exfoliating, you may end up with the skin pores that have a lot of dirt and debris accumulated. Exfoliation helps to remove the dirt and dead cells from the skin and to keep the pores of the skin smaller. Thus, it makes the skin look radiant and smooth.

How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Face?

The answer to this is ‘NO’. Buffing and refreshing the skin is much needed on a regular basis. But that doesn’t mean that you should do it every single day, as it may damage your skin. In the long run, the skin may become dry, rough and unevenly toned. Read further, to know how often to exfoliate, according to your skin type.

• Dry Skin

It is a common belief that exfoliating may leave roughness and abrasion on the skin. But this does not hold true. The fact is that there is an abnormal generation of skin cells in women with dry skin. It prevents normal retention of moisture and normal exfoliation. Exfoliating makes the rate of shedding dead skin cells normal and allows the new skin cells to come up. Thus, it hydrates the skin. If you have a dry skin, you can use a mild exfoliating cleanser and a cleansing brush. Use these to exfoliate your skin twice a week to get rid of the dead skin cells. Following this routine may make your skin clearer, softer and hydrated.

• Oily Skin

It is widely believed that only adolescents have oily skin, which is completely incorrect. Women of any age may have oily skin. People with oily skin can follow a simple rule that the oilier your skin, the more frequently you can exfoliate it. Do not use hot water to get rid of the oil and dirt on your face. Instead, use warm water and a mild exfoliator. It is a bit harder to remove dead skin cells from oily skin. But a detoxifying exfoliator can enter deep into the skin pores and can wash away the debris and oil from them. Thus, you skin will look clean and flawless.

• Combination Skin Or Normal Skin

The peculiarity of normal or combination skin is that the T-zone of the skin is oily, while the cheeks are dry. There are occasional breakouts in such skin. Moreover, women with oily skin have larger pores, especially in the nose region. If you too have such a skin then use a chemical peel to exfoliate your skin. The peel should contain alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids. Such peels remove the dirt and excess oil effectively from the T-zone area. The frequency of the use of such peels is different for each product. So follow the instructions that are given on the pack of your chemical peel. Women with such skin can use scrubs for exfoliation, three times a week.

• Sensitive Skin

If you have a sensitive skin, avoid using scrubs or peels that have harsh chemicals because it may cause irritation to the skin. As an alternate, you can use an exfoliating cleanser that is gentle, twice a week. Using exfoliating brushes on sensitive skin can cause allergies and irritation. Instead, use a washcloth as an exfoliating tool. Also, use a new washcloth every time to prevent the breeding of bacteria on your skin. Not doing so, may harm your skin.

How To Exfoliate Your Face?

• If you have long hair or bangs, then pull them away from your face, using a head-band.
• Place a rag or a clean washcloth under hot tap water and make it wet. Place this cloth on your face for 1 or 2 minutes, in a way that your entire face is covered. It will open your skin pores.
• First of all, it is important to clear off the face from any dirt or oil, after removing the cloth. A clean face will ensure that the exfoliation becomes effective.
• Make an exfoliating scrub by mixing three tablespoons of white sugar with one tablespoon of water, in a bowl.
• Mix the sugar and the water in the form of a thick paste, using your fingers or any other vessel.
• Now, gently rub this paste over your face in circular motions. You can either use your finger or a washcloth to do so. Exfoliate each and every inch of your face to get an even tone.
• Rinse the face with warm water. Then splash some cold water on your face, so that the pores get closed. Washing the face properly is important. Otherwise the sugar that has clung to your face will make it sticky.
• After cleaning the face with water, pat dry it with a soft and clean towel.
• Moisturize your face wet it is still moist.

What Things To Keep In Mind For Exfoliating?

• Always use warm water while exfoliating. Hot water may damage your skin by enlarging the pores.
• Do not use body scrubs to exfoliate your face. Use only the products that are made for face.
• Always exfoliate your skin in circular motions.
• Apply moisturizer after exfoliating and washing your face. This will make your skin your skin soft and smooth.
• Do not apply make-up within few hours of exfoliation.
• Morning is the best time to exfoliate your face, as the skin repairs all the wear and tear to its cells at night.
• Also, do not exfoliate after shaving the hair on your face.
• Do not over-exfoliate your skin, as the small granules in the scrub may tear your skin. Exfoliate just twice a week.
• If you exfoliate two times in a week, do not do it on two consecutive days. Instead, keep gaps between the days of exfoliating to allow your skin to regenerate.
• In case of shortage of time, you can mix your cleanser and scrub together to massage your skin.
• When you are exfoliating, do not forget to use the scrub or tools on the lips and neck region too.
• For people who have a highly sensitive or blemished skin, exfoliating is not advisable.
• Before purchasing any product, test them at the backside of your hand.

This is all about exfoliating your face in a correct way. Read further to know little secrets and tips for a clear and beautiful skin.

Tips For A Clear Skin

• Before hitting the bed, always wash your face to get rid of the debris and oil that have accumulated on your skin throughout the day. On some days, if you feel very tired to wash, then keep some cleansing wipes handy, near your bed.
• For washing the face, it is advisable to take a dime-sized portion of the cleanser and wash your face for 30 to 45 seconds.
• Scrub your face gently and by not being too vigorous. Also, do not use very harsh chemicals on your face.
• Keep all your face cleansing tools clean. Otherwise, germs may accumulate on them and may damage your skin by forming breakouts.
• When you take the cleanser in our hands first, the ingredients of it will get activated. So they will work more effectively on your face.
• Whenever you use hairstyling products, remember to wash the pillow covers, as they may stick to the pillow covers at night. In turn, these products cling to your skin.
• Instead of washing the face after cleansing, you can clean it with an astringent, so that the oils do not get washed away entirely.
• Exfoliate your skin not more than twice a week.
• Exfoliate in the shower, so that the skin pores are open sufficiently.
• Do not rub the face after washing, but just pat dry gently.
• If you have an acne problem, then follow these three steps to clean your skin: cleansing with a salicylic acid product, spot treatment with a benzoyl peroxide product and moisturize daily.
• Keep the use of chemical products on your face to minimum.
• Use a good quality sunscreen cream before you go out in the open, on a bright day.
• Keep tissue papers in your bag, to wipe your skin from the oils and dust, occasionally.
• Soaps are very alkaline. So do not use them to wash your face. Use a face-wash instead.
• Do not go out in harsh sunlight. If you need to go, then apply a sunscreen lotion half an hour before you go.
• Along with skin care from outside, it is important to intake food full of nutrition to make the skin healthy. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains etc.
• Follow a healthy schedule and have a good sleep at night. Stress, drinking, smoking, late nights etc. are enemies of skin. Try to stay happy.
• In offices the ambient humidity is controlled to 8-10 percent, which leads to moisture evaporation from the skin. So drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Try to use homemade scrubs and facial masks to keep your skin naturally fresh and flawless.

Which Foods Help To Keep Skin Healthy From Inside?

Tomatoes – Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is an anti-oxidant. When tomatoes are heated in any form and then eaten, they provide a natural sun protection.

Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are packed with Vitamin C. So eating them regularly helps to reduce wrinkles and increase the collagen production in the skin.

Apples – Apples too contain Vitamin C. Eating apples daily helps to keep skin firm and provide a natural radiance to it.

Pumpkin Seeds – The pumpkin seeds have lots of zinc content. So consuming these seeds help to brighten the skin tone, create new skin cells and control the oil production in skin.

Spinach – Spinach is full of anti-oxidants. It reduces wrinkles, strengthens the skin tissues and flushes out toxins from the body. Thus, the skin appears bright and clear.

There are still a lot of fruits and vegetables like lemons, strawberries, carrots, beet-roots, safflower oil, flax seeds, green tea, almonds, dark chocolates, canned tuna etc. which help in beautifying the skin from inside.

Recipe For Homemade Scrub For Exfoliating

• Oatmeal Scrub

Ground oatmeal can have revitalizing effects on your skin. It helps in not only exfoliating the skin, but can also absorb the dirt and other debris from the skin. This scrub has hydrating properties and also helps to overcome skin problems like acne, sunburns, flaky skin etc. It is safe to use by the people with very sensitive skin too, who find even other natural scrubs damaging to their skins.

To make the oatmeal scrub, all you have to do is mix 1 tablespoon of ground oatmeal with 1/4^th teaspoon of salt and water or olive oil. Make a paste and gently massage in circular motions to exfoliate the skin. Let it stay on your skin for 5 to 10 minutes and then wash it with warm water.

Hope you found this article on How often should you exfoliate your skin? and other skin care tips useful. If you have any other useful tips, feel free to drop them in the comment box, to help other readers.