The key to a happy skin is smart exfoliation, for smooth skin that reflects light evenly. The suggestion is to exfoliate two to three times a week with an exfoliator suited to your particular skin type.
So how do you know if you are overdoing it? Here are some tell-tale signs:
- A shiny forehead that indicates you have stripped the natural texture from your skin.
- Puffy skin resulting from inflammation as an indicator that you have gone too hard.
- Skin breakouts. It's all about moderation. When you are doing it right exfoliation gets rid of dead skin cells that clog pores. But being overzealous can disrupt the skin's natural barrier and exacerbate the problem. Oh, why is everything so complicated?
If you've overdone it, stop! When things settle down reintroduce your exfoliating routine two to three times a week.
The lowdown
Oily or combination skin: Use a gentle salicylic acid-based cleanser daily to help clear clogged pores and once a week use a sugar scrub gently to clear away dead skin cells and any other debris.
Normal skin: Try a 10 per cent glycolic acid peel once or twice a week. Pads are ideal as the dose is pre-measured, so you can't overdo it. Follow up with a soothing moisturiser to help prevent inflammation and redness.
Sensitive skin: Try a gentle lactic acid peel, which is a milk-based alpha hydroxy acid, once a week. It is the gentlest of the AHAs and features a larger molecule so it is not as harsh.
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