by Jessica Teas
Exfoliation is a fancy way to say scrubbing off dry, dead skin skin. There are several ways to exfoliate — some free, some pricey and many in between. You can use a wash cloth or loofah, buy a grainy scrub or go to the spa for a full body treatment. Used properly, all these methods remove dead skin, improve circulation and leave your skin smooth and calm.
Searching for a Scrub
You can use a scrub brush or loofah to slough off dead skin, but if you’d rather use a scrub product, there are plenty to choose among. Here are some pointers for finding one for your skin type:
- Look for ingredients that attract moisture to the skin, like hyaluronic acid, honey, squalene, glycerin, beeswax, mineral oil or lanolin.
- If you prefer natural products, use moisturizers and exfoliating scrubs without mineral oil. Look instead for nut and fruit oils, like almond, jojoba, safflower, sunflower and avocado.
- If you have particularly dry skin, choose a body scrub with an oil base. Wash with soap before you use the scrub, not after, so a thin coating of oil remains on the skin.
- You can make your own exfoliating scrub by combining 3 parts nut or seed oil (almond, safflower, sunflower) to 1 part sugar or coarse salt.
- The gritty grains in exfoliating body scrubs vary in courseness. If you have dry or sensitive skin, choose a fine-grained body scrub.
- If you have eczema or psoriasis, seek medical help.
Exfoliating in the Shower
- Rub off dry skin, gently, using one of the two methods below. Whichever one you choose, improve blood and lymph circulation by starting at your hands or feet and working towards your torso. On your torso, work from the outside toward the center.
- Dry brush with a body brush for 2 minutes before showering. Gently brush with short, sweeping motions.
- In the shower, use a wash cloth, loofah or spa gloves to gently massage your skin with a moisturizing bath wash, body scrub or coarse salt.
- After showering, pat your skin with a towel until it's not quite dry.
- Apply moisturizer generously to your damp skin.
- In summer, use an SPF moisturizer.
- In winter, balms and heavy creams work best. Use extra on elbows, heels and knees. If you shower right before bed, butter your feet with thick cream and slip on cotton socks to wear overnight.
Beauty writer and consultant Jessica Teas contributes to national and international beauty publications. InStyle Magazine's UK edition named Jessica's website, www.beautywoome.com, one of the 50 best style websites.
