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When it comes to proper skin care, exfoliation is a must. Not only does it slough away dead cells, but it results in healthier, more luminous skin. In fact, whether you’re young or old, prone to acne or not, regular exfoliation offers a host of significant benefits.
If you’re interested in learning more, here’s a look at what exfoliation is, why it’s so important for both men and women, and examples of how you can get started doing it today.
What Does Exfoliation Mean?
Exfoliation is, essentially, scrubbing. Through it, you can remove dead cells from the surface of your skin, unveiling softer and more radiant skin underneath, while also priming the area for toners and moisturizers. Because overdoing it can strip too many natural oils, the best routine is exfoliating two or three times a week.
The Benefits of Exfoliation
Many people who wash their faces daily aren’t aware of what exfoliation offers. In fact, however, there are some incomparable benefits that come from the practice.
Consider a few of the perks of regular skin exfoliation:
- Buffing away dead skin cells. Dry, dead cells tend to accumulate on the skin’s surface, creating rough patches and/or damage. Exfoliation buffs away these cells, leaving a brighter, fresher look.
- Bringing blood flow to the area. Scrubbing the skin helps increase circulation to the area, encouraging new, healthy tissues to grow. This is especially beneficial for healing blemishes, scars or dark marks.
- Reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Everyone gets wrinkles at one point or another, so if you haven’t discovered them yet, you can bet you will. Exfoliation helps you remove the dead cells that can build up on and accentuate those fine lines. This can make them less noticeable.
- Preventing breakouts. If you have oily, acne-prone skin, exfoliation is a great way to remove the dead cells clogging pores and causing breakouts. This can reduce the size of pores and help your skin stay clearer.
- Priming your skin for moisturizers, etc. As exfoliation removes the dead cells clogging your pores, it clears them to be ready to absorb serums, toners and moisturizers. This helps you maximize the power of your regular grooming regimen.
Why Exfoliation Is Not Just for Women
You don’t need makeup or a beauty routine to benefit from exfoliation. Even men can’t afford to ignore this practice, as a good scrub can have a major impact on the skin and shaving. Because exfoliation clears dead cells that cause matted hairs and razor obstacles, it can help you achieve a closer shave. Likewise, by removing the cells that can clog follicles, it might prevent ingrown hairs.
Examples of Effective Exfoliation Products
Because exfoliation has long been shown to be a beauty booster for the skin, today’s cosmetics industry is loaded with face scrubs, salt scrubs and various exfoliation devices. You don’t have to book a spa treatment to see the benefits of exfoliation; simply scrub your skin with an exfoliator at home. Shop any beauty store, and you’ll find abundant over-the-counter facial scrubs that have gritty ingredients made to remove dead skin. Finding the right option for you involves trying methods to see how your skin responds and how you feel. Look for products with gentle ingredients that won’t over-aggravate the skin. Try scrubbing once a week, working your way up to more frequent use.
No matter your age, gender or skin type, there’s a lot to gain from proper exfoliation. Try adding this practice to your grooming routine and see what happens!