9 Tips for Perfectly Exfoliated Skin

Who doesn’t want to have healthy-looking, glowing skin? By exfoliating the proper way, you can help your skin find its glow. But perfectly exfoliated skin doesn’t come around easily; there is a lot of care to be taken to make sure you do right by your skin.

If you’re not sure what you’re doing wrong with your exfoliation technique, Lionesse can help you out. We’ve accumulated 9 tips to help you achieve perfectly exfoliated skin at home. We’ll also be recommending body care and face care products that can help your skin look more radiant and firmer than before. So, let’s get into it!

Why Should You Strive for Exfoliated Skin?

Is it necessary to have exfoliated skin? The short answer is yes. But there’s more to it; our skin routinely gets rid of dead cells every 28 days or so and that’s why some people are of the view that exfoliating your skin is not necessary. However, as we age, the cell-turnover process tends to slow down. So, there’s a very good chance that some of those dead skin cells end up staying on your skin. These have been subjected to harsh UV rays, environmental aggressors, and all sorts of pollution that we encounter daily. So, they will appear rough and with a darker hue, making your skin look dull, flaky, and often wrinkly.

If you exfoliate your skin, you can help ensure that no dead cell gets left behind. 

Other Benefits of Exfoliation

Exfoliated skin appears fresh and radiant, but why is that so? The process delivers many benefits to your skin, including:

• Diminishing the look of hyperpigmentation
• Improving the absorption and effectiveness of other skincare products
• Brightening up the appearance of your skin
• Minimizing the visibility of your pores
• Making your skin appear supple with a velvety-soft texture to the touch

Without exfoliation, it would be very easy for dead, dulling skin cells to start collecting at the top layer of your skin. These skin cells clog out your pores and lead to many complications that can be hard to cope with — dry, patchy skin, dullness, rough texture, wrinkles, and irritation.

Types of Exfoliants

There are two ways to exfoliate your skin; chemical and physical. What is the difference between the two?

Chemical Exfoliants

Although most people like to steer clear of anything that has “chemical” in the name, these exfoliators are very mild on the skin. Chemical exfoliants contain acids and enzymes that work on the deeper levels of your skin, loosening the bonds that hold your dead skin cells intact. This way, they are easily removed from the skin, paving the way for new cells to come to the surface.

Physical Exfoliants

In comparison, physical exfoliants are harsh and therefore not suited for dry, sensitive skin types. These exfoliants are made up of grainy particles that work only on the surface level of your skin. They manually remove dead, dull cells and debris from your skin’s surface as you scrub with a loofah or a washcloth.

Know Your Skin Type

Exfoliating needs differ from one skin type to the next. If you’re unaware of yours, you can’t expect to get good results. So, how do you exfoliate based on your skin type?

Dry & Sensitive Skin

If your skin is dry and sensitive with frequent rough patches, you don’t stand to gain much from physical exfoliation. You could risk further irritating your skin if you accidentally get too harsh with your scrubbing technique.

Chemical exfoliants that contain gentle acids like glycolic, lactic, and mandelic would work very well to remove dead cells from dry skin while also keeping it hydrated and appearing fresh.

For Oily and Acne-Prone Skin

If your skin is oily and tends to break out often, you can opt for either chemical or physical exfoliation — your skin will benefit from both.

If you choose manual exfoliation, opt for a non-abrasive scrub so you don’t end up causing damage to your skin’s protective barrier. Scrubs that contain light, soft granules like jojoba beads or bamboo powder will work effectively well to slough off dead cells while being gentle on the skin. No matter what those DIY videos tell you, avoid making your own scrubs at home with harsh granules like salt or sugar. They don’t work well on your skin in the long run. 

If you need to take care of frequent breakouts that are often associated with oily skin, chemical exfoliants will do the trick! By working on the deeper levels of your skin, a chemical exfoliant will help unclog your pores and inhibit sebum production. Go for exfoliants that contain AHAs and BHAs like mandelic acid and salicylic acid.

Combination Skin

If you have combination skin, it can get a little tricky. The recommended technique is to go for a mix of chemical and physical exfoliation but not on the same day. Go for chemical exfoliants with mild acids if you feel like your skin is more dry than oily. But if it’s more on the oily side, you can opt for more powerful acids like salicylic.

Exfoliate Your Face After Cleansing & Toning

To get the best results from your exfoliation technique, it’s important to follow the proper skincare routine.

For facial exfoliation, start by cleansing your face to get rid of any residual makeup or dirt particles. Pat your face dry gently and follow it with toning to balance the feel of your skin.

You might want to check out Lionesse’s White Pearl 2-Step Cleansing Kit, which incorporates The White Pearl Facial Cleanser and Skin Toner. The cleanser is meticulously created as a gentle, non-abrasive formula to help lift dirt particles off your skin while removing excess oil from the top layer. It’s the perfect solution to reignite your glow!

The White Pearl Skin Toner packs organic fruit extracts and other skin-loving ingredients to help balance the feel of your skin. The formula is designed to diminish the look of pores on your skin and make it appear soft and refreshed.

After toning, wait a while to let it absorb properly into your skin. Then dampen your skin with lukewarm water as it makes it more permeable compared to dry skin. Now, apply a thin layer of the exfoliant to your face with your fingers.

If you’re using a chemical exfoliant in liquid form, use a cotton pad. And if the exfoliant is in the form of a lotion or gel, just use your fingers.

Finding the Right Exfoliant for Your Skin

Lionesse has the perfect chemical exfoliant to add to your beauty routine — the White Pearl Facial Peeling. This product is infused with a unique combination of Nut Shell and Pearl Powders to give your skin a fresh look. The formula is designed to effectively remove dead skin cells while controlling how dry/oily your skin feels.

It works best when applied to dry skin. Massage a small amount in circular motions for about 30 seconds and then rinse off with cool water.

Don’t Forget About the Rest of Your Body

When it comes to exfoliating your body, it’s a good idea to go for physical exfoliants on the rough areas like your heels, elbows, and knees.

Clean your body, rinse, and then use your hands to apply the scrub directly onto your skin while it’s damp. Use a gentle loofah or a sponge to massage your body in circular motions. These exfoliating tools will also help you easily reach all parts of your body. For the rough areas, using a pumice stone can help soften the calluses and get rid of dead skin easily.

We’ve got just the right product for exfoliating your body — the Lionesse Body Scrub from our White Pearl Collection. The rich formula incorporates finely-ground diamond powder to help rid your skin of dead cells and impurities. This fragrant body scrub is your ticket to achieving flawless-looking, exfoliated skin!

You can also go for a chemical exfoliant for your body as these can be especially helpful if you have breakouts on your back or chest. Use the same application technique as stated above and follow the product instructions to ensure that the exfoliant is to be rinsed off. Don’t forget to follow with a moisturizer to replenish the feel of your skin.

Be Gentle with Your Skin

Don’t go overboard with your exfoliation technique in the hopes of getting rid of every last dead skin cell. It’s important to remember the first rule of achieving perfectly exfoliated skin: less is more.

So, always be gentle with your skin when you’re manually exfoliating, Use a washcloth or a loofah, and don’t apply a lot of pressure.

Exfoliate at the Right Time

Some people believe that exfoliation should be done in the morning while others believe that exfoliating before bedtime is the key to healthy-looking skin. So, which one is it? It depends on your plans for the day. If you exfoliate in the morning, you’ll benefit from the oils that your skin produces overnight. These will help remove all the impurities and dead cells smoothly. However, if you have plans to go out in the sun afterward, your skin would be much more vulnerable to harmful UV rays and pollutants.

On the other hand, by exfoliating at night, your skin would have ample time to heal as you get a good night’s rest and then bounce back feeling rejuvenated and refreshed in the morning.

Don’t Over-Exfoliate

Exfoliating your skin is not the same as cleansing; the latter is a daily necessity to keep off dirt and impurities while the former is just to help a process our body already does naturally. And over-exfoliating is a very real problem.

How much you exfoliate depends on your skin type.

If you have dry skin, exfoliating once a week would suffice. However, if your skin is oily, you can do it two to three times a week.

Don’t Exfoliate After a Treatment

To avoid a bad reaction, be sure to wait at least a week to exfoliate after having a laser treatment or waxing.

It’s also recommended to wait a full week after a chemical peel for the next manual exfoliation in case you’re using both techniques. 

Familiarize Yourself With the Products

Always follow the instructions that come with the exfoliant to make sure you’re doing it right.

Some require rinsing off while others don’t. Special care should be taken with chemical peeling products since these often accompany precise instructions, like how long you can leave them on.

Exfoliate in the Shower

The last but most helpful tip in our arsenal is to exfoliate in a warm shower.

Doing so will help soften up your skin, open pores, and release natural oils. This will allow the exfoliants to work their magic effectively!

Summary

These were our helpful tips for acquiring flawlessly exfoliated skin. Incorporate them into your skincare routine and you’ll start to notice the positive changes within a few weeks!

Don’t forget to also check out Lionesse’s extensive collection of skincare products. Each one packs a meticulously-devised formula to help you pamper your skin the way it deserves!