10 Tips for Better Exfoliation

by Emily Linehan on October 07, 2021

If I asked you "do you want smooth, glowing, radiant skin?", I am sure you'd say "Of course!". After all, isn't that the goal of everyone who loves skincare?

How often do you exfoliate? Exfoliating on a regular basis is a great way to help achieve the results you're looking for. Not only do you see results right away, exfoliating helps prevent acne breakouts and even helps reduce the appearance of fine lines. It can really be considered the triple threat of skincare products, because exfoliating helps everybody.

Like anything, there are tips and tricks to get the most out of exfoliating. Let's glow!

1. Use a Gentle Exfoliant

It's very important that your exfoliant is gentle, so you don't damage your skin. Rough exfoliants can cause micro-tears, which you may not be able to see, but can cause chronic inflammation that later snowballs into premature aging of the skin. Our Skin Smoothing Polish is a facial exfoliant that is gentle enough to use daily, for all skin types.

2. Apply to Your Entire Face

Focusing on the trouble-spots is a natural thing to want to do, but for all-over results, it's important to exfoliate your entire face, from hairline to jawline. Our Skin Smoothing Polish can also be used on the neck and décolleté.

3. Cleanse Your Face Before You Exfoliate

Make sure that you first, wash your hands, then second, cleanse your face before you exfoliate. You don't want any makeup, sunscreen, or anything else on your face that could get in between you and your exfoliant (literally!).

4. Use Your Hands

The best tool you can use to exfoliate at home is your hands! There are many skincare tools out there like skin cleansing brushes that harbor bacteria and also create those micro-tears. It's also easier to use a little too much pressure when you have a skin brush between your hand and your skin. Because of this, applying exfoliant with your hands is the safest way to exfoliate your skin at home, and still has excellent results. Read more about skincare tools here.

5. When Exfoliating the Body: Mix With Your Body Wash!

When exfoliating the body (not the face), try mixing a little bit of your acne-safe exfoliant (like our Strawberry Smoothie Body Polish) with your "regular" body wash, like our Sensitive Body Wash. The two together will provide a gentle, all over clean and smoothing. Do this daily for best results.

6. Use Lukewarm Water When You Rinse

Hot water feels so good on the skin, but it is actually drying, which is a disaster for acne and the signs of aging. Opt for lukewarm water when you rinse your exfoliants off and your skin will be much happier!

7. Exfoliate as a Part of a Greater Routine

Exfoliating the skin will make your skin smoother and looking healthy, but it's just a small piece in the big puzzle of radiant skin. You'll see the best results when you implement exfoliants into a thoughtful skincare routine. If you haven't taken our free consultation, we'd love to invite you to! Emme Diane will look at your skincare concerns and a variety of lifestyle factors, then design a custom skincare routine based entirely on your unique skin. You can find that online consultation here.

8. Don't Dry Your Face Off

If you're following an Emme Diane Skincare Routine, your next step will be Calm Down Toner, then a humectant, likely our Skin Quencher Gel. Our Skin Quencher Gel locks in moisture, so the more moisture on the skin, the better! With that being said, if your face is dripping, of course pat off the excess water. Pat, but don't rub. Never dry off your face by rubbing a towel over it. Your towel, no matter how soft it feels to the touch, can cause unnecessary friction. Instead, pat your face dry.

9. Use a Fresh Towel

Whether you're exfoliating your face or your body, it's important to follow up with a fresh, clean towel. While this may seem obvious, especially for the face, it can be a simple, habitual action that can cause breakouts. Don't use the same towel for your hair and for your body. Hair products are common, sneaky culprits of acne and come off from your hair, onto your towel, and before you even know it - onto your skin to incite a breakout. It's better to leave whatever is on the towel, on the towel, and reach for a fresh one each time. Learn more about hair care products and acne here.

10. Follow Up With Moisturizer

When exfoliating the body, follow up with a moisturizing lotion as soon as possible. Exfoliating can be drying, so this is an important step you don't want to miss. When exfoliating the face, follow with the next step in your Emme Diane Skincare Routine to ensure all of that moisture gets replenished!