How To Exfoliate For Brighter, Healthier Skin

It’s time we levelled with you, gents. If you really want that face to look its best, you need to start upping your skincare game. A daily lather with bath soap or body gel isn’t going to cut it.

Gone are the days of our grizzly faced grandfathers – today’s man knows the importance of bright, healthy-looking skin.

Without regular exfoliation, dead skin cells can become trapped on the skin’s surface and lead to clogged pores, rough texture, dullness, dryness, and flakiness. When we’re younger, our skin is fairly good at sorting out the turnover of skin cells without our help, but as we age the regeneration process slows down. Give yours a boost with regular exfoliation using the tips in this “How To” Exfoliating Guide.

Why do I need to exfoliate?

Not only does exfoliation remove dead skin cells, speeds up the turnover of your skin and makes it appear younger, but it also clears the dirt, oil, grime, and other debris that your skin and pores gather during the day.

Exfoliating your face cleans deep within pores, removing all that nasty stuff that clogs them and leads to breakouts. Pores are minimised, blackheads are reduced and your overall tone is improved. The improved cell turnover also softens and brightens the skin so you can say goodbye to those fine lines and wrinkles.

How To Exfoliate Your Face

Depending on the exfoliator you choose (chemical or scrub), the method for using it will differ. While chemical exfoliators can simply be rubbed in after cleansing and drying your skin, scrubs need a little extra care.

1. Use warm (not scalding) water to wet your face.
2. Apply a small amount of face scrub onto the palm of your hand.
3. Rub between your palms, then apply to your face and neck area.
4. Massage the scrub in circular motions.
5. Rinse off and pat dry with a soft towel.
6. Moisturise.

Exfoliating two to three times per week is about right for most men, however, once you reach 40 your skin starts thinning, so aim for once or twice a week maximum.

Top tip: Rubbing too hard will do more damage than good. If your skin moves, you’re being too rough!

How To Exfoliate Your Body

To care for the thicker skin on your body, regular exfoliation is a must. As well as leaving your skin soft and smooth, it’s particularly beneficial for those who shave, as it reduces ingrown hairs. The majority of body scrubs use coarse materials like sugar or salt to provide their abrasive action.

1. Cleanse your skin with body wash or a quality soap.
2. Rub a grape-sized amount of body scrub between your hands.
3. Massage over your body in circular motions.
4. Rinse and pat dry.
5. Moisturise.

Use a body scrub two or three times a week to help remove dead skin cells that get trapped in your pores and to increase circulation and encourage cell turnover.

And a word to the wise – you can’t save a few quid by using your body scrub to exfoliate your face. While the thick granules of sugar are great for sloughing dead skin off knees and elbows they’re like sandpaper to the thinner skin on your face.

And, for the love of all things holy, don’t skip that last step. Moisturising locks much-needed hydration into that new, baby-soft skin and keeps it protected from the elements.

Want to learn more about choosing a good exfoliator? Read Why We Don’t Use SLS (And You Shouldn’t Either).