The exfoliation of your body with a body scrub can leave skin looking and feeling baby soft, smooth, and gorgeous. However, exfoliating too much can be a problem. Excessive exfoliating with body scrubs can result in a cascade of undesirable side effects ranging from skin sensitivity and cracking to rough patches and breakouts. So, what’s the perfect goldilocks-level of exfoliation?
Even if most people can benefit from exfoliating 2–3 times a week, there are certain situations in which you may need to reduce how often you exfoliate.
We’ve put together this guide from Peleva’s Skincare Experts to help you determine when and how to exfoliate your body. So, continue reading to establish a body polishing routine that works
for you.
When and How to Exfoliate Your Body
Generally, two to three times each week is sufficient to keep your skin in a healthy condition. Make sure the water in your shower is warm before you exfoliate — this will open your pores. Let your exfoliating body scrub sit on your skin for the recommended amount of time, then gently scrub it off. Rinse well to experience smooth, baby-soft skin.
Remember that even when you become an expert at exfoliating your body, you can still overdo it by using your scrub more often than necessary, or by using a scrub that isn’t right for your skin type and season (more on this later).
Here are a few warning signs that you’ve scrubbed your skin too hard:
● Irritation
● Redness
● Inflammation
● Rough patches
● Rashes
● Dry and flaky patches
When Not To Exfoliate Your Body
Exfoliating 2–3 times a week is generally recommended, but there are times when you might have to put the loofah down. For instance, you shouldn’t use an exfoliant if your skin is already injured or irritated as a result of:
● Sunburn
● Laceration or rashes
● Other products, like chemical peels
Why Should You Exfoliate?
As you shed old skin cells, your body replaces them with new ones. Some of these dead skin cells are eventually sloughed off your body naturally, but a fine layer remains at the very top of your epidermis, called the stratum corneum.
Dead cells may accumulate at the stratum corneum, which can leave your skin looking as follows:
● Dull
● Rough
● Sallow
In order to remove dead cells from your skin’s surface, it is crucial to use an exfoliant to assist the body’s natural sloughing process. You can reveal younger-looking, fresh skin by sloughing off dead skin cells from the surface; you also remove the hardened layer of dead skin cells that makes it difficult for body and skin care ingredients to absorb and deliver results.