When it comes to exfoliation, there are two schools of thought. Some experts are pro scrubbing skin every day, while others take a more gentle approach to exfoliation and prefer vitamin A serums. Editor Trudi Brewer sheds light on what we rate and when is the best time to polish your complexion.
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There is a skin mantra we follow, regardless of the product we use. Protect your skin in the morning, and correct your skin at night - in saying that we cleanse and moisturise morning and night, apply sunscreen every day regardless of the weather and boost our evening routine with serums before bed.
Top tips
So where and when does exfoliation fit into a skincare routine - morning or night? The answer comes down to choice - whatever suits your lifestyle, and beauty habits is our advice. Here's our top tips to help you decide.
1. If you wear makeup every day, exfoliating at night helps lift any remaining makeup from the skin and ensures that the serums you use will absorb properly. If your skin is oily and prone to breakouts, your skin can look dull in the morning, try exfoliating in the morning to make dull skin glow.
2. If you use a vitamin A or Retinol-based serum, make sure you don't exfoliate on the day you use these, as Retinols have the same shedding effect on the skin.
3. Always be gentle, never use large grainy particles to buff the skin, go for organic beads to gently work their magic. Or vibrating ultrasonic brushes, such as Cutisonic, the gentle pads leave skin feeling ultra-clean rather than polished.
4. Make sure the skin on your body and face is clean and damp when you apply grainy scrubs, this helps shift makeup and grime from skin and allows the product to gentle slide over the skins surface.
5. When you exfoliate, make sure you apply scrubs with a flat hand to apply gentle pressure and move in circular movements, rather than scrubbing with your fingertips that applies too much pressure.
6. When exfoliating the body start at your feet and work your way up the body, and don't forget areas like the heels, knees and the elbows- these are the areas where dry skin can thicken and crack.
7. Try not to over-exfoliate, twice a week at the most is recommended by the skin experts. Over-zealous, repeated scrubbing is probably the single most significant cause of breakouts, dryness and sensitivities.
Exfoliating scrubs The face
Sebamed Clear Face gentle Scrub, $24. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, $102. Sukin Revitalising Facial Scrub, $16 Burt's Bees Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub, $25.
