When Friday's false-tan isn't budging and your elbows are cracking, the soap and loofah combination won't cut it. Your body is trying to tell you that it needs more. Our skin's cells are constantly renewing themselves, with the old, top layer of our epidermis shedding away to reveal the youthful, glowy cells beneath. However, sometimes our dead skin cells decide to stay put, sticking to the outer layer of our skin. These cells build up to create that scaly, dry skin we all dread. When no amount of moisturiser will nourish or brighten, it's time to assess your exfoliation routine. Is once a day too much? Once a week not enough?
Keep reading to discover how often you should exfoliate your body.
How many times a week should you exfoliate?
Skincare specialists regularly get asked the question, how often should we exfoliate our bodies? We know that our skin is delicate and we should be gentle with it, so it's no surprise when there's skepticism about regular exfoliation. However, exfoliating your body has come a long way from scraping the skin with lotions containing rough, pointy particles. Nowadays, there are ways how to use an exfoliating scrub that doesn't involve harsh shards that create micro-tears, gradually weakening the skin's barrier.
The weaker the skin's barrier, the more likely it is to become dry, showing patches of flakiness and redness. However, with the right, dermatologically approved product, most skin can be exfoliated 2-3 times a week without this concern.
To ensure you're not over-exfoliating, stay in tune with how your skin feels. If it looks red or feels irritated, give it a break for a few days.
If you want to double check if it's that time of week to exfoliate again, take a piece of sellotape and press it down onto a section of your forearm (a part with less hair, for your own sake). Rub on the tape gently for a few seconds before peeling it away. If the tape shows flecks of dead skin, it's time to exfoliate your body!
How to exfoliate body?
We've established that aggressively micro-tearing the skin is no longer an acceptable way to exfoliate the body. Instead, use a combination of exfoliating gloves and a gentle exfoliating scrub.
How to use exfoliating gloves
A dry brush and a loofah can also be overly harsh on the skin. They may end up tugging at those new, bright cells that don't need to be tugged at. If you need an extra scrub for especially tough skin, this is how to use exfoliating gloves.
The Ameliorate Exfoliating Body Mitt stimulates circulation and removes dead skin cells without irritation. It's an exfoliating glove made from a gentle, innovative fabric weave. It efficiently sweeps away dead skin cells to leave skin feeling softer, smoother and healthier-looking. Simply sweep it over any dry patches using light circular movements before stepping into the shower.
How to use an exfoliating scrub
For regular, weekly exfoliation, it's important to get an exfoliating scrub that will physically and chemically exfoliate as well as add moisture back into those new skin cells that are now at the skin's surface.
Ameliorate's Smoothing Body Exfoliant contains biodegradable Bamboo Granules and Alpha Hydroxy Therapy to exfoliate above and below the skin’s surface, gently dissolving the bonds that are holding onto the dead skin. Meanwhile, the unique LaH6 Skin Hydration Complex, combined with Shea and Cocoa Butters and Coconut Oil leaves the skin moisturised for up to 8 hours.
When posed with the question of how to use an exfoliating scrub, you might presume the usual- lather it on in the shower with vigorous circular motions. However, you should apply this exfoliating body cream all over the body onto dry skin and leave for three minutes before jumping into the shower.
The result is the fresh, healthy-looking, bump-free skin beneath is revealed.
Why is exfoliating important
According to Very Well Health, the reason kids have such supple, radiant skin is because their cell turnover rate is twice as fast as adults. As we age, the skin's natural ability to shed those dead cells at the surface slows down even further. That is why exfoliating is so important. How often you should exfoliate depends on skin type, however, it is important to have some sort of exfoliation step in your weekly routine, whether that's by using exfoliating gloves or an exfoliating scrub massage.
Knowing how to exfoliate the body properly can not only remove dead skin cells, but improve circulation, speed up skin turnover for brighter skin and will allow your skin to absorb moisturizers and serums much better. Without it, the skin is left dry, dull, uneven, and aged.
We can be guilty of overlooking our bodies when it comes to exfoliation and hydration. We focus on getting rid of dry patches on the face, yet leave our legs and arms to figure it out for themselves. Let no body part suffer and keep those dead skin cells at bay with the right exfoliating routine.
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