With all these trendy facial oils / sprays / serums, let's cut the frivolous and get back to basics. Before I had a set skincare routine, I was just washing my face with a cleanser and hoping for the best with my acne-prone, oily skin. Now, my routine is filled to the brim, but before delving into skincare treatments, I was questioning one thing that all of the magazines and skincare people were telling me to do: exfoliate. Do I really need to do it? Must I really buy a second cleanser-type product instead of something new and cool and inventive? Well, for me, yes.
For any skincare newbies, exfoliating is basically using a more abrasive granular product on your face (or body) to remove dead skin cells. After I exfoliate (two or three times a week is enough — I just exfoliate whenever I shower at night) my skin feels extremely soft, smooth, and radiant. It helps remedy dullness for sure, and can even help with skin texture issues. I now feel its essential for the health of my skin. A subtle rejuvenation so to speak. Will it solve all skin problems? No, but it's a step towards improvement.
Finding the right exfoliator is essential though. My skin type is tough, for lack of a better word, so I need to use a normal to more abrasive scrub with bigger granules. If you have more sensitive or delicate skin, a gentle exfoliator is necessary, otherwise it could do more harm than good. Luckily there are tons of them on the market. I find if I use something too gentle, its basically ineffective. So make sure to find the type that works best for you.
The exfoliator I have pictured above is a sample of the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate, apparently "Hollywood's 2-minute facial" and I've just finished it up this week. Let me tell you, the 5 oz. size costs $175, which is absolutely ridiculous. It worked well, the smell was pine-y and medicinal in a really pleasant way, but it didn't do anything more miraculous than what I used before it: the St. Ives Blackhead Clearing Green Tea Scrub for less than $5. Save your money to spend on skincare treatments — drugstore is the way to go for exfoliators (and even cleansers... but that's for another post!) The St. Ives one I would highly recommend. I've heard great things about their Blemish Clearing Apricot Scrub too!
Are exfoliators a part of your skincare routine? Any recommendations to share? I'm in need of a new one!
so you exfoliate after cleansing right? I use to do it but then I fell out of the loop but I really want to improve on taking care of my skin especially with these months when I don't want to wear makeup that much.
ReplyDeleteI just put up my sort-of skincare routine up. I mention a mini sample of the pumpkin enzyme mask from Peter Thomas Roth and it exfoliates but you leave it on for a couple of minutes and then wash it off. It smells incredible and feel amazing on the skin afterwards. And honestly, I just keep refilling my mini tub with samples that I ask from sephora (frugal life ftw)
I exfoliate after removing my makeup with a face wipe, but don't use any other soap/cleansers. Then follow with toner & other "treatments". So in the end I probably exfoliate three times a week (when I shower) then every other day I use a cleanser w/ my Clarisonic!
ReplyDeleteI'll check out your skincare routine post! I've heard really great things about the Peter Thomas Roth masks. I used to use his brightening serum and loved it. But you're right... very price-y. That's one major thing I miss about the US — Sephora and their samples.. xx