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How to Choose the Perfect Exfoliator for Your Skin
Exfoliators can be tricky; if you have dry, sensitive skin, you can risk irritation and even more dryness than what you started with. It all relies on choosing the right exfoliator for your skin type. If you’re not sure where to start, OROGOLD has got you covered.
Here’s our take on positive exfoliation practices and how to choose the best exfoliators to do right by your skin. So, before diving in, be sure to check out OROGOLD’s collection of nutrient-rich exfoliators that are packed with botanical extracts, AHAs/BHAs, and the best skincare vitamins to treat your skin to the best that the beauty world has to offer.
Why Should You Exfoliate?
To exfoliate or not to exfoliate — that is the question.
There is an ongoing debate in the beauty community about whether exfoliators are a necessary addition to your skincare routine.
So, let’s settle it once and for all; yes, exfoliating your skin is great to help give it a renewed and refreshed look.
Even though your skin habitually gets rid of dead cells roughly every 28 days, there’s a chance some of them might get left behind. These cells tend to stay there for a while and, as a result of UV rays, germs, environmental aggressors, and other skin rivals, they start to appear very rough with a darker hue.
Exfoliating would help rid these residual dead cells from the surface of your skin and bring the new cells up to reignite the glow. Some exfoliators are also particularly formulated to penetrate your pores and unclog them from the inside.
That said, it’s also important to bear in mind that excess of anything is bad — too much exfoliation can actually do your skin more harm than good. But we’ll delve into the dos and don’ts of exfoliating later on in this article.
Benefits of Exfoliation
So, what does exfoliation do for your skin? Its possible benefits include:
- Making your skin appear brighter
- Enhancing the absorption of topical skincare products and thus, their efficacy
- Unclogging pores and decreasing the occurrence of breakouts
- Making your skin appear tighter,
- Rebalancing how dry or oily the skin feels
- Softening the look of your skin’s texture
- Reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation
If we don’t exfoliate our skin, it’s easy for dead skin cells to get trapped on the outer layer of the skin and start accumulating. This can lead to a host of skin problems, including dryness, dark spots, dullness, clogged pores, rough texture, and obvious wrinkles.
How Do Exfoliators Work?
Exfoliation involves two techniques: physical and chemical. How do they work differently?
As the name sounds, physical exfoliators are textured bits and grainy particles — such as crystals, micro-fine granules, and natural beads — that work by manually removing dead, dull cells and debris from the top layer of your skin by scrubbing or sloughing. They work solely on the surface level.
Meanwhile, chemical exfoliators work by loosening the intercellular glue holding the dead skin cells intact by the use of enzymes or acids. They penetrate deeper into the skin compared to physical exfoliators, and thus, are more effective.
Even though the term “chemical” might put off people with dry, sensitive skin, it’s just indicative of how the ingredients work. In fact, mild chemical exfoliants like mandelic acid serve as a much better option if you have sensitive skin that can’t tolerate physical scrubbing or pore congestion that runs deep.
The Best Way to Exfoliate Your Skin
There is a proper way to exfoliate your skin so you can reap the most benefits from the process. For both physical and chemical exfoliation, you should start with your usual beauty routine — properly cleansing your skin to remove any makeup, dirt, or other impurities, and patting it dry. We would recommend our 24K Mousse Cleanser for this.
Then, follow up by toning your skin to leave it feeling balanced. The 24K Purifying Toner will get the job done perfectly!
Using Chemical Exfoliators
Apply a thin layer of the chemical exfoliant after toning your skin. If the exfoliant is in liquid form, use a cotton pad to gently apply it across your skin. If it’s a lotion or a gel-based formula, just use your fingers to apply.
Now, wait a few minutes before moving on to the next step of your routine to let the exfoliant work its magic completely. Don’t rinse unless the instructions say so.
Some chemical exfoliators come as peeling solutions. These work excellently to tackle the appearance of aging skin, acne scars, and melasma. These are to be rinsed off a few minutes after application.
So, make sure you familiarize yourself with the product instructions before trying it out on your skin.
Next, just follow with a moisturizer or a serum as you would normally do after toning in your daily skincare routine.
Using Physical Exfoliators
Just take a dime-sized amount of the exfoliant and apply it onto damp skin, massaging in circular motions. It’s important to keep your skin moist for physical exfoliation as that makes it soft and much easier to rub off the dead cells.
Don’t apply a lot of pressure and stick to gentle motions. According to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, being too harsh with your physical exfoliant can worsen cases of hyperpigmentation.
After you’re done, rinse off properly and treat your face with a skin-soothing serum or moisturizer, like OROGOLD’s 24K Deep Moisturizer. Its luxurious, light-textured formula is enriched with Vitamin E and Shea Butter to pamper your skin and provide ample hydration. You’re bound to end up with plump-looking skin that feels velvety-smooth to the touch!
For taking care of your body after exfoliation, we recommend using our 24K Classic Body Butter. This exotic formula features a creamy blend of rich ingredients, including Shea Butter, Organic Chamomile Extract, and Sunflower Seed Oil. Its powerful hydrating ingredients will leave your skin looking fresh and feeling as smooth as ever!
The Best Exfoliators According to Your Skin Type
Exfoliant ingredients tend to vary significantly from one skin type to another. If you have sensitive skin, your exfoliant would be on the milder side with gentle acids like mandelic, as mentioned above, or lactic. So, let’s delve deeper into the recommended ingredients and suitable OROGOLD exfoliators for different skin types.
For Oily and Acne-Prone Skin
If you have oily, acne-prone skin, you can benefit from both chemical and physical exfoliation.
For the latter, it’s highly recommended to choose a non-abrasive scrub to avoid any microtears or adverse effects on your skin. Since people tend to get overzealous while they’re physically exfoliating their skin, it’s better to stay on the safe side with a non-abrasive scrub.
Go for ones that contain very light granules, like jojoba beads and bamboo powder, to prevent causing any damage to your skin.
If breakouts are common for your skin, you would benefit more from chemical exfoliation. This will work effectively to unclog your pores and fight excessive oil production from deep within instead of just on the surface level.
AHAs and BHAs like mandelic and salicylic acids work great to improve oily, congested skin by enhancing texture and clearing acne. These acids won’t just fight sebum production but also slough off dead cells that clog out your pores.
You can try out OROGOLD’s 24K Cryogenic Diamond Gommage infused with rich ingredients like Sea Buckthorn Fruit Extract and Retinyl Palmitate that work excellently to soothe the look of inflamed skin. The formula also includes diamond dust. This is highly effective in relaxing the feel of the pores and removing any residual dirt particles from them. Our breakthrough leave-on solution will gently exfoliate your skin while removing excess oils and debris. So, you can welcome newer-looking skin!
For Dry and Sensitive Skin
If you have dry, sensitive skin, physical exfoliation is generally not recommended. But if you were to opt for it, choose a scrub that effectively, but gently, removes dead cells while also delivering sufficient hydration to your skin. Scrubs that are honey-based, that come in a creamy, lotion texture with super-fine grains, or ones with rich moisturizing oils would be the perfect options to exfoliate and hydrate your skin at the same time.
Luckily, our 24K Classic Body Scrub is just what dry body skin needs. This velvety-soft formula works to gently exfoliate the skin while keeping it feeling hydrated. Enjoy skin that appears smooth and radiant with this classic scrub!
If you choose chemical exfoliation, lactic, mandelic, and glycolic acids are top-tier ingredients that can do wonders for your dry skin. These are very mild yet effective when it comes to removing dead skin cells. They help maintain hydration in the skin, making it appear fresh and soft after exfoliation.
OROGOLD’S 24K Multi-Vitamin Deep-Peeling + Mandelic Acid is just what your sensitive skin needs! This superior gel exfoliant is infused with rich skincare ingredients that work together to deliver exceptional results — Bamboo Stem Powder, Vitamin C, and Mandelic Acid. Get rid of dead skin cells and make your skin appear much more radiant with our luxury exfoliating formula.
For Combination Skin
There are two types of combination skin: (1) more on the normal-to-dry side and (2) more on the normal-to-oily side. If your skin is the first type, it’s advisable to opt for chemical exfoliants with mild ingredients such as the ones mentioned above. For the second type, you can either stick with physical exfoliators containing non-abrasive grains or try chemical ones with salicylic acid that offer gentle exfoliation and prevent pore-clogging.
You can check out OROGOLD’s 24K Multi-Vitamin Deep-Peeling exfoliating gel that packs Vitamin C and Bamboo Stem Powder to gently remove dead skin cells without being harsh against your skin. This luxury exfoliating solution will leave your skin appearing luminous and more refreshed than before.
The Dos and Don’ts of Exfoliating
Exfoliating is a slippery slope if you don’t fully know what you’re doing. Here are some dos and don’ts to bear in mind:
Don’t: Over-Exfoliate
Exfoliating should not be considered a part of your daily skincare routine. If you have very dry skin, exfoliating once a week is more than enough. For oily, acne-prone skin, twice a week is recommended.
Do: Be Gentle with Your Skin
Always bear in mind the golden rule of physical exfoliation: less is more. So, be gentle with your skin and use a washcloth or a gentle loofah. Facial exfoliation requires even more care as the skin is very delicate compared to that of the rest of your body.
Don’t: Exfoliate After a Treatment
If you’ve recently undergone a facial treatment, chemical peel, or waxing, wait a week or so before exfoliating. Doing so, you’ll avoid any adverse effects that could ruin your skin, possibly causing permanent damage.
Do: Exfoliate at Night
Exfoliating makes your skin feel vulnerable as you’re revealing a new, fresh layer with heightened sensitivity. If you exfoliate during the day, you can risk damaging it when you go outside in the sun. Make it a habit to exfoliate before going to bed so your skin has time to heal and bounce back in the morning!
OROGOLD Solutions to Enhance Your Skincare Game
Your exfoliating routine relies heavily on your skin type. It’s important not to consider it synonymous with cleansing and toning, which should be done daily. Just keep it moderate but consistent.
With OROGOLD’s meticulously-formulated solutions to help rejuvenate and refresh your skin’s appearance, you can exfoliate your skin the proper way! Our skincare line infuses pure, 24K refined gold into ultra-luxurious formulas for everyone to enjoy!
Check out more of our gold-infused skincare here.
