Abigail's The How and Why of Exfoliation

The Why and How of Exfoliation with Abigail Stoms

So why should I exfoliate?

 I’ve had this asked of me many times.  Exfoliation helps bring the healthy cells to the surface and soften the skin.  Exfoliation also helps keep the pores from clogging if you are prone to breakouts.  This comes with a warning however.  If you have sensitive skin, be careful how you exfoliate and what product you use.  But sensitive skin is a discussion for another time. 

How often?

 A general rule is to exfoliate every 2-3 days- any more frequently and you risk over- stripping the skin.   This will cause the skin to produce too much oil so it can repair the damage caused by too much exfoliation.  Over production of oil will cause clogging of the pores and an unhealthy shine on the surface of the skin.  This can also alter the PH levels of the skin.  A proper PH level will assist in anti-aging and fight against free radicals, but that’s a completely separate article.

What should I use? 

Keep in mind that billions of dollars are dumped into the skincare industry every year.  The big beauty companies pump exorbitant amounts of money into research on how to get you (the consumer) to buy their product.  Even if it looks good and it is endorsed by a Hollywood starlet, chances are, it’s not good for you. A product should speak for itself without a celebrity endorsement.  If you really want to know what is good for you, ditch the advertisements and what the media is telling you use and try looking on the back of the bottle.  If the ingredients list is more than 20 items of words you don’t know, put it back.  We can discuss what ingredients to look for another time.  

Stick with natural, as in from your own home.  You can mix up your own facial exfoliator at home or order from sagepure.com if you want to save on time and products.  Sage Pure products like the lotion bars and sugar scrubs including my favorite, the Lemon Sugar Smoother, are preservative and alcohol free.  They have my endorsement and can be trusted. 

So what should we discuss next?  Do you have a skin care question that you want answered?  Let us know.  We are here to help you navigate the sometimes confusing realm of skin care. 

Want an easy way to exfoliate your pretty face?  Check out the previous post about making your own exfoliator! Again, remember not to exfoliate more often than every 2-3 days.

Stay Gorgeous!

Abigail Stoms