Top 3 Chemical & Physical Exfoliants for your Skincare Routine

If your skin doesn’t look as clear and bright as it could, exfoliation might be just the thing it needs. By exfoliating your skin, you remove all the dead skin cells that clog your pores and cover your skin’s natural glow.

There are two main ways you can exfoliate your skin – physically (manually) and chemically (with products). Physically, you exfoliate the skin by using products tools that can lightly and safely scrape away the skin cells from the very top of your skin. Chemical exfoliation, as its name suggests, uses chemicals – exfoliating acids – to dissolve the dead skin layer.

Here are a few examples of both physical and chemical exfoliation products, to help you decide which one might be better for your skin.

Physical Exfoliation

1. Scrubs

Face and body scrubs are amongst the most popular methods of exfoliation. They use grainy ingredients, such as sugar, sea salt, coffee grounds or crushed kernels, to gently slug away dead, dry skin layer. Kopari Coconut Crush Scrub, for example, has brown sugar as the exfoliating agent, and coconut oil to soothe and replenish the skin.

2. Exfoliating Brushes

Body brushes, sponges, loofahs, facial cleansing brushes… They all mechanically remove dry, dull skin and reveal the healthy, young skin underneath. You can use them during your shower or to enhance the effect of your face wash. There is also a technique called dry brushing, which uses a specialized body brush to exfoliate dry skin.  

3. Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is an in-office treatment that thoroughly removes the outermost layer of the epidermis. You get a professional strength exfoliation of the skin, for maximal results in a form of renewed, rejuvenated complexion.

Chemical Exfoliation

1. Exfoliating solutions

Exfoliating toners, masks and serums are mostly based on two main types of exfoliating acids: AHAs (which remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin) and BHAs (which sinks into pores to unclog them). One of the most popular products in this category is The Ordinary’s Peeling Solution, which contains a potent combination of 30% AHA and 2% BHA.  This is one of my personal favorites.  It really helps diminish dark spots.  

2. In-office chemical peels

You can also get a professional chemical exfoliation which uses even stronger exfoliants and therefore needs to be handled by professionals. Depending on your skin condition, your dermatologist can recommend which type of peel - light, medium or deep - would be the best for you.

3. Aqua peel 

We also have to mention another type of exfoliation – Aqua Peel – which is gaining in popularity. Aqua peel is another professional skin exfoliating method which combines chemical exfoliation with a suction device that thoroughly cleanses the pores, after which the skin gets rehydrated and replenished.

* * *

If your skin is dull, prone to blackheads and breakouts or you simply want to help it stay youthful for longer, exfoliation might be just the answer you’ve been looking for. Whether physical or chemical,  that one step makes all the difference and enhances the best in your complexion.

 xoxo,

Allison