So many of our customers ask us if we need exfoliation and how often we should do it. So we wanted to discuss about that in this post.

If you have been in front of a shelf of scrubs, acids and peels and you have felt more confused, you are not alone. There are tons of exfoliating products in the market but very little understanding of what to do with them.

Let's look at together what is exfoliation , why the skin needs it, and how to do it in a way that is beneficial for the skin.

What is exfoliation?

Every day, the skin sheds thousands of cells from its outermost layer. This process is called cell turnover. In younger skin this tends to happen roughly every three to four weeks. As we age, the cycle slows, and it could reach up to six weeks or more.

When the dead cells built up over time, it is one of the reasons why the skin starts looking duller over time. The dead cells do not always fall away from the skin themselves. Instead, they can sit on the surface, mix with oil, sweat, make up and finally settle into pores. This will could eventually block our pores and welcome acne again in our face.

Exfoliation is like sweeping a garden path. That means clearing away the old leaves, and what is underneath gets a chance to be seen. But there need a balance. If you sweep too hard, you can damage the path itself. The balance, between clearing the old leaves and not damaging the path, is really what good exfoliation is about.

But this process has some side effects too, which are worth mentioning. Anything you apply afterwards, a serum, an oil, a moisturiser, tends to reach the deeper layers of the skin more easily, and have a higher effect. After exfoliation, we should make sure to use always a gentler and soft product for the skin.

Your skin decides how you exfoliate

Not every skin wants the same exfoliating ingredients. It is worth checking what is good for you depending on your skin type.

Dry Skin - If your skin tends towards dryness, doing less will always be better. A simple mask of plain yoghurt, oatmeal and honey would work best. The natural lactic acid from plain yogurt offers a very mild exfoliating effect and help to remove the dead cells without stripping moisture. Exfoliating the skin once a week could be enough.

Oily Skin - Oilier skin can generally need higher frequency, perhaps two to three times a week is needed. Here, a mask of finely ground oats mix with yogurt can help absorb excess surface oil while offering mild exfoliation at the same time.

Sensitive Skin - This type of skin should be taken care with care. Exfoliation can be done once a week or two weeks. It should be exfoliated with softer ingredients, such as finely grounded oats mixed with aloe vera gel. For this type of skin, we should skip any mask with visible granules or sharp edges coming from the oats, which could tear the skin.

Mature Skin - If your skin is more mature, a regular but gentle approach can be used. Since natural turnover has slowed, ingredients such as papaya, which contains natural enzymes, are worth exploring. Follow always with a moisturiser and, during the day, don't forget sunscreen. The mix of plain yogurt, honey and finely ground oats works also very well for this type of skin.

Apply your desired exfoliant mix to clean skin. Leave for ten to fifteen minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry. Follow with your serum and moisturiser.

The body plays slightly different rules

The skin on our bodies is thicker than facial skin, which means it can generally take a slightly firmer approach, especially on rougher areas such as elbows, knees and heels.

🟠 A quick note

A few things worth remembering before any body scrub: We should never scrub the body if we had sunburns or we were exposed recently in the sun. In addition, we have to moisturise our body afterwards, for instance aloe vera works great after a body exfoliation. Exfoliated skin is also more sensitive to the sun, so if you exfoliate do not expose yourself immediately to the sun.

We are currently working with our labs in a special formula for body scrub. However, while our own product is still under development, we have partnered with Nutriherbs. Nutriherbs has a sepcial scrub which is built around an ingredient you already know and we love and trust: turmeric.

Alongside turmeric, the Nutriherbs scrub uses dead sea salt as the physical exfoliant, together with vitamin C, resveratrol and centella asiatica. The fine salt crystals help lift away rough and dry skin in the body. Sea salt’s natural mineral content, including magnesium, calcium and potassium, helps to support healthy looking skin.

The other ingredients in the Nutriherbs scrub play also an important role:

• Vitamin C is often associated with a more even complexion over time.

• Resveratrol is generally understood to support the appearance of skin texture.

• Centella asiatica has a long history of use for soothing skin that feels dry, red or easily irritated, and may help support hydration alongside that.

As the salt crystals these scrub are not recommended for the skin face, but works very well on the body. To exfoliate the face, we would still recomends the gentler and natural ingredients mentioned above. 

Discover the Trumeric Scrub

A word from the heart

Exfoliation matters. It’s one of those steps that makes everything else in your skincare routine work better, that means smoother skin, better absorption, and finally that healthy glow! If you’ve been curious about trying it yourself, try the advices we shared in this post, and tell us how it felt. To exfoliate your body, our turmeric scrub is there whenever you’re ready to try it.

With warm,

Kurbela Team