Some days, we’re lucky if we manage to take off our makeup and wash our faces before we collapse into bed. Bonus points for moisturizing. 

But exfoliate? 

That just seems like a luxury. It’s a step we often skip, since we might assume it’s really just icing on the cake and not all that important.

But we are here to let you know - exfoliating is such an important part of your skincare routine.

In fact, exfoliating is one of our favourite skin tricks, and it really works. 

One of the easiest ways to boost your natural glow, help clear up your skin, minimize the appearance of sun damage, and maintain a beautiful complexion is to exfoliate regularly. 

Exfoliation helps increase skin cell turnover.

Healthy skin completely renews itself every 25 to 30 days, but as you age, this period of cellular regeneration gradually increases. When your skin-cell turnover rate slows, your complexion appears dull, wan and aged.

Exfoliation speeds up the turnover rate to reveal newer, fresher, and healthier skin that's radiant instead of dull.

Exfoliation improves skin's texture and appearance.

Have you ever suffered from a sunburn that later left you with a blotchy tan and perhaps peeling skin? This is a vivid example of uneven texture and tone.

Without exfoliation, the same effect is occurring with your complexion, just on a smaller scale. Exfoliation helps smooth different areas of the skin for a more even look and feel.

Exfoliation can improve hyperpigmentation.

Whether you're addressing age spots, sun blemishes or a generally uneven skin tone, exfoliation is your go-to treatment. Exfoliation naturally increases your skin cell turnover rate, which helps to shed areas of darkened skin more quickly, resulting in visibly brightened skin.

 

 

Exfoliation helps hydrators and serums to absorb deeply.

If you want to get the most effective results from your hydrator or serum, then exfoliation is an absolute must. Without exfoliation, the active ingredients in these products have to penetrate through an increased thickness of dead skin cells before they reach the cells they can affect. Instead, once you remove this layer of dead skin cells, your serum can absorb easily, with all its benefits!

 

Exfoliation helps to fight signs of premature ageing.

An exfoliant can help to reduce signs of premature ageing by:

• Increasing the turnover rate of skin cells
• Fading and blending areas of uneven skin tone
• Smoothing skin's texture

However, only chemical exfoliants are also able to stimulate your skin's manufacture of important skin proteins such as collagen. These proteins help to support skin, and a lack of them allows fine lines and wrinkles to form.

 

So which exfoliant should you be using for your skin type?

There are two main kinds of exfoliant: chemical exfoliation and physical exfoliation.

What is a physical exfoliant?

Pretty straightforward exfoliation with the use of small particles, a brush or cloth, or a scalpel. But not all physical exfoliants are created equally. You don’t want any of the exfoliating agents to be too large, for example, large sugar granules, or fragments of nuts. These can leave microtears in your skin, which can lead to bacteria and other nasties invading the epidermis layer. Scrubs do work, but they need to be handled gently. 

What is a chemical exfoliant?

Chemical exfoliants remove dead skin cells with the use of - you guessed it! - chemicals to aid in cell turnover. 

Active ingredients in chemical exfoliants include AHAs, BHAs and TCAs. Here at GoodieCo, we prefer something a little more gentle on your skin, but just as potent: Fruit enzymes: like those found in pineapple. People with sensitive skin might have a hard time with AHAs, BHAs, and TCAs, but luckily, fruit enzymes work more in their favour by providing a gentler exfoliation. The enzymes break down the keratin proteins that are within those upper, old skin cells, revealing fresh, new, and brighter cells from beneath the surface. 

 

Our recommendations

We actually recommend a blend of the two - however, we also recommend choosing an exfoliant with a very gentle physical aspect. As we mentioned earlier, anything too harsh can actually cause more harm than good.

For oily or acne-prone skin

Bright Skin - Face Polish Powder - full of those delicious AHA we mentioned! This SUPER-fine polishing powder applies as a mask and then gently scrubs away impurities to resurface your face and leave your skin feeling clear & brand new. The combination of natural clays and oat extract work to draw out clogged pores and balance oil production.

For sensitive, dry or mature skin

UnMask - Detoxifying Superfood Mask - This mask combines a blend of potent, organic, raw superfoods with Australian Kaolin and Bentonite clay. It draws impurities out of the skin, replacing them with a unique blend of nourishing, skin-enhancing raw nutrients. When removed it very gently exfoliates and resurfaces the skin to decrease the visibility of age spots and provide a more even complexion. 

 

The bottom line of exfoliation? 

Not only does sweeping away dead skin cells, grime, pollution, and makeup residue have the instant benefit of deep-cleaning your pores to make your skin look brighter and feel silkier; it also allows any serums, treatments, and hydrators that you apply afterwards to penetrate deeper and work more effectively.