Top 5 Face Exfoliators
I’m an exfoliating junkie. I love to scrub. My day just isn’t complete with out scrubbing my skin raw with the latest and greatest on the exfoliation market. I’m expert on these skin care products. Not only am I a self absorbed makeup artist, but a licensed aesthetician as well. So that means that I know a thing or two about good skin care products. Now, not everyone should take the liberty to scrub until they feel the burn like I do. Really, the less is more philosphy is true here. I just don’t practice what I preach.
This is what you should know about exfoliators:
They come in manual and chemical forms. Manual exfoliators are scrubs — grains, granules, crushed seeds, polyethelyne balls and so on. Chemicals exfoliants are commonly alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acids, enzymes and retinols. There are a plethora of professional exfoliators which we will not get into at this time. I love, love, love AHA’s. I have been known to do a vigorous scrub and then a professional strength chemical exfoliant right after. Sure, I get red and it burns like the dickens, but the next day my skin looks like I just had a blissful evening…
Why you should scrub:
1. It removes dead skin cells.
2. It helps moisturizer penetrate the skin.
3. It’s an anti-ager for the skin, can diminish fine lines
4. Help give skin a glow
Scrubs to avoid:
Anything with big uneven particles. In particular the good ole crushed apricot seed or walnut seed. Forget all that harsh stuff. Now, there are scrubs that use a powder form or a very small particle form of those ingredients and they are perfectly fine. Always try to sample the product before you buy it. Run the scrub through your fingers. Does it feel rough? Don’t use it. The granules should be smooth and even.
Here are my top 5 manual scrubs and recommendations for skin types for which they are appropriate:
1. Best for mature and sun damaged skin. Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion –
My all time favorite. Diamond shaped magnesium oxide crystals polish skin to perfection. Dr. Brandt’s scrub is in a creamy base with great ingredients like Chamomile, Aloe, and Hibiscus Flower as well as Vitamin E and Retinyl Palmitate. Even though it’s great for mature skins, most skins can benefit from this scrub which should be used no more than twice weekly.
2. Best for Acne and razor bumps
Peter Thomas Roth Pumice Medicated Acne BPO 2.5% This powerful scrub combines the antibacterial powers of Benzoyl Peroxide with exfoliating beads to clear up blemishes. My daughter swears by this stuff.
3. Best for Sensitive Skin
Ole Henriksen New Beginning Scrub This is such a gentle scrub that the most sensitive skin can benefit from it. Dry skin loves it. Jojoba seed wax does the exfoliating and tea tree oil purifies. Even a hard core exfoliating junkie like me has to admit that it gets the job done.
4. Best for Oily Skin
L’Occitane Olive Face Mud We all know that mud draws oils from the pores, but this mud combines crushed olive pits to exfoliate and refine skin. The perfect combination for oily skin.
5. Best for Him
Nickel Super Clean Scrubbing Gel
Getting your guy to add another step into his skin care routine (if there is such a thing) is probably next to impossible. So just get this great scrub, (I have used it myself, for research purposes only) which combines cleansing with a mild exfoliation. Tell him he’ll look younger if he uses it. Everyone has a vain streak!
One more I must mention that’s in the drugstore division, but totally rocks is St. Ives Medicated Apricot Scrub. Contains salicylic acid and is great for blemished skin. It only costs a few bucks, what a great deal!
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March 24th, 2007 at 3:45 am
i was previously crazy about exfoliating until my face started breaking out when i moved to a colder country and my frens commented that it was due to the thinning of my skin from prior exfoliating. i am not sure about this but can too much be scrubbing be bad?
March 24th, 2007 at 5:15 am
Thanks for reading my blog!
If you were using a chemical exfoliator more often that needed, in particular a retin a type product, your skin can definitly be thinned. More likey however is that your skin has become sensitized due to over exfoliating. Sensitized skin is manifest with redness, irritation, dermatitis and other irritations. Usually what has happend is that the natural lipd barrier on the skin has been broken and the skin is no longer able to naturally defend and protect itself from the environment.
This is just a general statement, not meant to be a diagnosis.
March 24th, 2007 at 11:05 am
yea, that seems right.I have not gone through any rough exfolaiting now for around 9 months plus, so hopefully my skin will heal with time…
If anything i would recommend that people with my skin condition exfoliate less vigorously and frequently too.