Lesson 2: Exfoliation

Of all the ways to breathe life back into dull, grey, tired-looking skin, nothing is more effective (nor faster and simpler) than a spot of gentle exfoliation. From the variety of exfoliating ingredients available in products to different types of exfoliators it can get incredibly confusing knowing which is the best purchase for your skin. To help you out, here at Mankind we’ve taken the time to provide some help so here’s a crash course in how to give your skin a pep talk!

Step 1: Choosing the Right Exfoliator

Exfoliation is basically just a posh word for giving your skin a bit of a buff and polish, ridding it of grease, grime and dead skin cells, and making it look cleaner, healthier and younger in the process. What’s more, exfoliators are great for preparing skin prior to using moisturisers and face masks and can help prevent ingrown hairs too. There are two main forms; ones that use physical particles to remove the dead cells (scrubs) and ones that do it with the help of ingredients such as Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid. Some, like Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Ageing Buffing Beads, even combines both for a ‘double whammy’ effect! As a rule of thumb scrubs are great on all but the most sensitive of skins whilst peels, washes and non-abrasive scrubs are great for sensitive or oily skin.

Step 2: Do Not Scrub Too Hard

The best way to apply exfoliators with mildly scrubbing particles like Baxter of California Facial Scrub is with gentle circular movements avoiding the eye area. Don’t rub to hard or you’ll just sensitize your skin. Instead, let the scrub do the work. Don’t over-use either or you’ll end up looking like Freddy Kruger! Unless you’re using an exfoliator designed for daily use like Menscience Advanced Acne Pads, a twice-weekly application is plenty. Apply exfoliating washes in the same way and apply peels according to the instructions. Or why not make things really simple and slap on Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm before crashing out at night and let it work while you kip? You can also opt for the gentle option of an over night exfoliator such as the Alpha H Power Peel, which will gently do the hard work whilst you sleep.

Step 3: Don’t Neglect the Body

Improve your bodywork – it’s not just the skin on your face that needs exfoliating. The skin on your body can also benefit from regenerating skin cells using this method, particularly if you want to prevent ingrown hairs on areas like your bum or are thinking of applying a self-tanning product. To make exfoliating simple take the Molton Brown Re-Charge Black Pepper Bodyscrub Bar into the shower or, if you prefer body washes, use Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliating Paste twice a week. Body scrubs are also great for preventing acne by removing pore blocking grease and grime so if you’re blemish-prone make sure you add exfoliating to your weekly skincare routine!