So what exactly does exfoliation do for your skin? In a nutshell, it removes dead cells, promotes cellular turnover, and increases the penetration of your toners, serums, and moisturizers. Normal skin types can usually tolerate 1-2 times a week exfoliation, but over-exfoliation can cause irritation and sensitivity.

Skin type

Your skin type plays a major role in how often you should be exfoliating. Normal skin can usually tolerate 1-2 times a week, dry skin once or twice a week, and oily/combination skin 2-3 times a week to minimize breakouts. Sensitive skin types should only use chemical exfoliation, such as AHAs or fruit enzymes, and should minimize exfoliation to 1-2 times a month.

Aging skin

The natural skin-shedding process occurs about every 28 days or so, but as skin ages natural exfoliation slows down, leading to a build-up of dead skin and a dull complexion more often. As mentioned above, exfoliation helps speed up cell turnover, which in turn softens fine lines & wrinkles and diminishes pigmentation. So if you’re older and your skin can tolerate regular exfoliation, this is a very effective way to maintain a more youthful, brighter appearance.

Weather & environmental conditions

Weather and environmental conditions are also major factors in determining how often you may want to exfoliate. Heat expands & cold contracts, so for instance, if you live in a hot, humid climate or have a job where you sweat or perspire, that is going to cause pores to open up and gather impurities & debris. In cooler, drier climates, fewer impurities penetrate the skin as pores do not expand as much.  Regardless of the weather, your skin still picks up impurities every day, and dead skin forms daily as pores get covered and oils & debris get trapped. It may not be much but the longer it stays in there, the duller skin becomes. At the end of the day, if your skin looks dull & listless, a very gentle exfoliation will revitalize your cells.

There are 3 types of exfoliation

Physical Exfoliation:

This involves using a granular scrub, that when applied to the skin, physically buffs or abrades the skin’s surface to remove dead cells and buildup. Some exfoliants are extremely gritty and I don’t recommend them because even just gently scrubbing with a hard grit exfoliant can do damage. If you prefer a physical exfoliant, choose one with soft grit or a beadlike texture that also contains ingredients that will moisturize & nourish your skin. Physical exfoliants effectively remove dead skin cells. You don't need to scrub hard to achieve exfoliation. If you scrub too hard, it can lead to micro-tears in the skin, make acne worse, and lead to hyperpigmentation. Gentle massage for about 10-15 seconds will shed those dead cells.

Chemical Exfoliation:

Chemical exfoliation uses acids, generally alpha or beta-hydroxy acids (AHA or BHA), which break down the bonds between skin cells to eliminate the dead skin and decongest the pores. Don’t let the words “chemical” or “acid” scare you, as this exfoliation process is a very safe way to renew your skin. Chemical exfoliants are in fact gentler on the skin than physical exfoliants, and you can totally use beta-hydroxy acid exfoliators every day because they are water-soluble acids made from sugary fruits and extremely gentle on the skin. When using an AHA chemical exfoliant,  do not use products containing retinol on your skin on the same day. Retinol (vitamin A) itself works to renew the skin so you would be performing double exfoliation, i.e., over-exfoliation, which can cause irritation, redness, burning, and itchy skin. 

Mechanical Exfoliation:

Mechanical exfoliation is using a tool, such as a body brush, to physically remove dead cells from your skin’s surface and it’s a great tool for a quick sweep across your legs & arms before getting into the tub or shower.

Recommended Exfoliants for Your Skin Type

Normal to dry skin

Alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic & lactic) are a great choice because your skin can typically tolerate the higher strength. Plus, AHAs are humectants that draw moisture into the skin while also targeting pigmentation and aging. Glycolic acid penetrates deep into the skin and stimulates collagen production, creating a suppler, brighter appearance. AHAs do make skin more photo-sensitive so exfoliation should be done at night and sunscreen is a must during the day. Drier skin types should avoid physical exfoliation because it can strip natural oils.

Recommended Cleansers

Oily/Combination skin

Acne or oily skin does best with a benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid (beta-hydroxy acid) chemical exfoliant to remove dead cells, clean out congested pores of debris & excess oil, and prevent blackheads & whiteheads. However, using BHA’s in conjunction AHA’s is a great way to keep skin supple & youthful-looking. Salicylic acid does not make your skin more sensitive to the sun, however, the sun is not your skin’s friend and sunscreen should still be worn during the day. Gentle physical exfoliants also work well on acne or oily skin, just remember, gentle exfoliation is key.

Recommended Cleansers

Sensitive skin

Alpha-hydroxy & beta-hydroxy acids can both be used on sensitive skin as they are gentle. However, if your skin is overly sensitive, using fruit enzymes and skin-soothing botanicals or a peptide/amino acid complex would probably be better. Sensitive skin may also do well with a physical exfoliant that utilizes gentle beads and incorporates soothing ingredients. Unfortunately, some very sensitive skin just cannot tolerate any exfoliation, in which case the process should be skipped altogether.

Recommended Cleansers

In conclusion, exfoliation is a wonderful skincare routine, but you should do what is right for your skin type. You can try following the skin type recommendations listed above and if irritation occurs, cut back. Sometimes skin needs to acclimate to the ingredients, especially if exfoliation is new to you. Additionally, with the chemical exfoliants, do a test patch on your skin to see if any irritation occurs.

Dr. Whitney Bowe is a board-certified dermatologist who has created an informative video explaining exfoliation. She is a fan of chemical exfoliation as she feels it is best for the skin. She is not incorrect. As stated above, chemical exfoliants are gentler, but physical exfoliants can be just as productive as long as the cleanser and you are gentle on your skin.