Exfoliating Your Face: It’s All About the Prep
Exfoliating is fantastic for your face and body, getting rid of all those dead skin cells and ensuring your pores are nice and clear. Choosing the right exfoliator will go a long way to determining how effective this is for you, but the prep is critical for the best exfoliation experience, and the Soakly Facial Soaking Cloth doesn't take much for you to get it right. Unsure how to prepare your skin for it, though? Here are a few steps and tips to help you out.
- Choose the Right Product for You
As we said before, you need to get the right product for you. Not all are created equal, nor do they all act the same with various body chemistries and skin types. There’s no surefire way to know what will work best, but there are ways to generally narrow down the list a bit. Right off the bat, most people should probably stick with a chemical exfoliator since they tend to be gentler on the skin and less drying. However, if you have super oily skin or haven’t had much luck with chemical ones in the past, it might bode well to try a physical exfoliator like the Sasshay soaking cloth or scrub with fine granules.
- Know When to Skip It
An important part of prep is knowing when you should be exfoliating and when you shouldn’t. Once again, this is highly individual. Skin that’s prone to more dead skin, is oilier, or is overall more resistant to damage/drying can take more exfoliation than drier, more delicate skin types. A good rule of thumb is to do it 2 to 3 times a week – particularly when using a physical exfoliant. Those who are using chemical exfoliants or who have tougher skin can sometimes handle more and those with sensitive skin can handle less. Experiment, but start with less and go from there. Too much exfoliating is incredibly damaging, so always be careful and be safe.
- Wash Your Face Properly
It may seem obvious to some, but you should always wash your face before you ever go in with an exfoliator, whether of the physical or chemical variety. Ensure you don’t use anything harsh, however. Use a gentle, sensitive cleanser and preferably with lukewarm water. This will soften your skin and help open up your pores so your product can work better.
- Know How to Apply It
Knowing what to apply is good, but it does little good if you don’t know how to apply it. Physical exfoliators usually call for wetting your face and rubbing your product in small, light circles for 30-60 seconds before rinsing and patting dry. Meanwhile, chemical exfoliators usually just have you gently tapping or spreading the solution on your face and letting it sit. These general guidelines can vary quite a bit, however, depending on your specific product. The directions are there for a reason, so use them.
- Keep Your Tools Clean
Last but certainly not least, you should always keep any tools you’re using clean and disinfected whenever possible. If you’re using a facial cloth, wash it after every use preferably, and throw any loofah away after a couple months maximum. For those who like using a Clarisonic tool, change out the brush head every 3 months or so for best results. Just following these simple guides will keep harmful bacteria at bay and allow your skin the best chance at good results.