Taking care of your skin might require mapping out a routine. Washing and moisturizing are second nature to most, but people can easily forget to exfoliate. Exfoliating gets rid of the layers of unneeded, dead cells that cause dull, dry, and rough skin. Let this be your guide to exfoliation, leaving your skin the healthiest it can be.  

Types of exfoliants  

Physical  

Products such as scrubs have actual sugar, salt, and other grains that buff out the dull, dry skin cells to promote healthy cell turnover.  

Chemical  

Using a chemical exfoliator means there’s no scrubbing required since ingredients like glycolic acid dissolve dead skin cells, and they are rinsed away with the product.  

How often should you exfoliate?  

Many disagree on how often it’s necessary to get rid of those dead cells, but the truth is it’s because everyone’s skin is so different. There is no one schedule that works best for everyone. You’ll have to start by introducing exfoliating gently into your routine with once a week. If you think your skin can use more scrubbing, try increasing to twice or maybe even three times. Anything more than three times a week may not be healthy and could damage skin. Places like your face are more sensitive than other areas like your legs. Treat each area differently, and chances are your exfoliating schedule will vary for different parts of your body.  

Best places to exfoliate  

Face 

If you want a radiant, glowing look then exfoliating your face is an important step in facial care. 

Legs  

Your legs go through a lot. From swimming, to exercising, and everything in between, cells are turning over skin fast. Keeping legs soft and smooth will require some scrubbing. A good time to do this is before you shave.  

Lips  

This is an area you wouldn’t think needs more than just lip balm to be healthy, but lips shed their skin too.  

Elbows/arms/shoulders 

We’ve all experienced dry, cracked elbows and dry shoulders. Arms are exposed to more sun than any other part of the body. Skin cells need some TLC after that sun exposure.  

Good products to try  

On a budget?

Simple Kind to Skin Facial Scrub 

L’Oreal Paris Pure Sugar Scrub 

Neutrogena Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser 

Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser 

Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub 

Want to splurge? 

Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion™ Pore Perfecting Exfoliator 

Clinique Exfoliating Scrub 

Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment 

Tatcha Rice Polish Powder 

ExfoliKate® Intensive Exfoliating Treatment