Whether your skin concern is acne, uneven texture, tone or anti-aging, regular exfoliation will help your skin look its best. Chemical exfoliators such as lotions, liquids and pads, have become a favorite sloughing strategy of many a beauty editor, leaving manual or physical exfoliators like scrubs and cleansing brushes as a less popular method. Learn about the benefits of each, the frequency with which they should be used and the ingredients to look for in these pore purgers.
Should you toss your beloved facial scrub with wild abandon or can it still be incorporated into your skin-care mix? First of all, make sure you choose just one method per day — either chemical exfoliation (pads, liquids and lotions) or physical. If you’ve achieved exfoliation with the former, you can actually irritate your skin by using a physical exfoliator on top of that.
There isn’t a skin type that won’t benefit from the use of a well formulated chemical exfoliant. They help improve texture and tone while unclogging pores and diminishing the look of larger ones. Plus you can layer on your other skincare products on top, allowing for better penetration of your serums and moisturizers.
Ingredient-wise, glycolic acid is especially great for normal to dry skin that is showing signs of sun damage or uneven tone. One to try: at-home facial product, DCL G10 Radiance Peel. It’s a retexturizing and radiance-revealing treatment infused with 10% glycolic acid designed for all but the most sensitive skin types. In just one simple step, these pads whisk away dry, dead skin cells to perfect and polish the complexion and encourage healthy cell turnover. They also decongest pores, absorb excess oil and treat blemishes while diminishing the look of fine lines and wrinkles. If you prefer a lotion consistency, DCL AHA Resurfacing Lotion 20 is for you. This potent exfoliating treatment is powered by 20% glycolic acid to cause cell renewal to resurface and rejuvenate even severely dry and damaged skin, resulting in softer skin with more uniform skin tone. It also hydrates with vitamin E and other effective emollients to soothe, soften and comfort.
Salicylic acid is good for normal to oily skin that’s prone to breakouts, clogged pores and redness. DCL Spot Treatment can be used, of course, on the spot for blemishes, or applied globally to the face as a preventative measure for very acne-prone skin. The product features an ultra-concentrated acne treatment powered by 2% salicylic acid that helps clear breakouts instantly, while helping to prevent future blemishes from forming. Natural antiseptics, astringents and exfoliants help eliminate excess oils, keep pores clean and battle acne-causing bacteria, while skin-calming botanicals help relieve post-spot redness and irritation.
Daily application is important. It’s best to apply these exfoliants to the skin at night for maximum exfoliation that won’t interfere with sun exposure, as glycolic and salicylic acid can cause skin to be more sensitive to the sun. So if you opt for a product featuring one of these ingredients, make sure to wear your SPF during the day. DCL Super Sheer Sunscreen SPF 50 is a great option, as it’s easy to layer over your regularly scheduled skincare regimen.
What’s your exfoliant of choice?