Your skin constantly renews itself by creating new cells beneath the surface of your skin. Ideally, old or dead skin cells come off while you bathe or wash your face to make way for newer skin cells to reach the surface. As you age, your skin's natural ability to shed its outer layer is reduced so that fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and acne tend to appear on your face. To get rid of dead skin cells, you need to exfoliate and use a facial mask regularly.
Exfoliation refers to the process of removing surface skin cells to reveal younger looking skin. It is another step that should be added to your skin care routine after cleansing and before moisturizing as the removal of dead skin cells helps ingredients of the moisturiser to penetrate your skin. If done regularly, exfoliation can show dramatic results on your skin.
Exfoliate according to your skin type. While all skin types may benefit from exfoliation, the ingredients you use and the frequency of the procedure may vary depending on the condition of your skin.
Dry skin
Your skin is dry if it feels tight and parched. Dry skin also tends to flake during cold weather. Skin dryness may be caused by ageing or the use of harsh skin care products.
After cleansing your skin with a gentle facial wash, exfoliate with a scrub made from natural ingredients. Your cupboard is filled with natural skincare products that you can use to gently exfoliate your skin. Look for grains, nuts, salt, sugar and olive oil to make your own facial scrub. Try mixing some finely ground coffee, brown sugar and olive oil to make a paste. Scrub your face with the mixture using light strokes in a circular motion.
The slightly coarse texture helps slough dead skin cells to leave your skin feeling smooth. A facial scrub made from a mixture of ground almonds, one egg white and some honey is also good for dry skin. Apply the almond mixture on your face and leave it on for twenty minutes before scrubbing your skin gently. Always rinse off after scrubbing and apply a moisturizer afterwards. Exfoliate no more than 4 times a week.
Oily skin
Oily skin need not be exfoliated too often as frequent scrubbing will only stimulate oil secretion and make your skin condition worse. After cleansing your skin, apply a homemade facial scrub containing a tablespoon of lemon juice mixed with some yogurt and one egg white. Leave on your skin for 15 minutes and scrub before rinsing with water. Exfoliate no more than twice a week if you have oily skin and skip the moisturizer after scrubbing. If you have combination skin or dry and oily areas on your face, use an oil-free moisturizer on areas where it is needed.
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin has a tendency to turn red when certain ingredients are too harsh for it. Natural ingredients that are finely ground work best to exfoliate and soothe sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin, make your own mask by mixing some ground oatmeal with water to make a paste. Leave the oatmeal mask on your face for 15 to 20 minutes and scrub gently to lift off dead skin cells.
Originally published on Jul 10, 2009
