Hi everyone,
In today’s post, we will try answering one of the most commonly asked questions about acne prone skin— does exfoliating the skin increase acne? The answer to this question is both yes and no. If you use the wrong type of exfoliator, then yes, exfoliating your skin will increase your acne problem. Moreover, if you do it the wrong way—either in terms of the technique or in terms of the frequency—then also exfoliating will increase your acne breakouts. However, contrary to popular belief, exfoliating your skin is also one of the ways in which you can keep acne and other tricky skin conditions at bay. But the key is to do it just right—with the right kind of product and in the right way.
In this post, we will take a look at what kind of exfoliation increases acne and what kind of exfoliation actually helps ease the acne condition—and how you can incorporate this into your skincare routine.
1. Using Physical Scrubs Is A Big No-No:
Physical exfoliators or face scrubs are a strict no-no if you have acne prone skin. These scrubs are quite abrasive and they can aggravate your acne, increase the redness and inflammation, and perhaps even spread the infection.
2. Don’t Use Exfoliators With Synthetic Beads:
You will see a lot of exfoliators or scrubs in the market that contain colourful or chunky exfoliating beads. These are often synthetic beads that are made with artificial colours and are harsh on the skin. Avoid using products of this kind.
3. Avoid Exfoliators That Dry Your Skin Out:
Many gel-based exfoliators or very gritty exfoliators can easily dry your skin out. A good exfoliator should only remove your dead skin cells while still restoring the moisture in your skin. If you find that an exfoliator is drying your skin out, stop using it. This will only increase the sebum production in your skin and increase the acne problem.
4. Make Use Of Chemical Peels:
One of the best ways to exfoliate acne prone skin is by using chemical exfoliators or chemical peels. These types of exfoliators gently remove the topmost dead skin layers of your skin without being harsh or abrasive. These exfoliators contain ingredients like AHAs, glycolic acid or salicylic acid, which help renew your skin.
Recommendations: Collistar Glycolic Acid Perfect Skin Peeling
5. Exfoliate Using Face Masks:
Another great way to exfoliate acne prone skin is by using the right types of face masks. Apply a face mask that combines ingredients like Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth), turmeric powder, sandalwood powder, neem powder, charcoal powder, etc. These masks will deeply cleanse your skin, give it a natural glow and help soothe any redness and inflammation caused by acne. Moreover, these ingredients also have anti-bacterial properties, which help fight acne.
Recommendation: Banjara’s Multani Mitti Face Pack Powder
6. Use A Tool Or Brush To Exfoliate:
If you are using a cream-based exfoliator that does not contain any gritty ingredients, then you could consider using something like a facial cleansing brush or a face mitt for more effective results. You can control the exfoliation with these tools.
Recommendation: Clarisonic Mia Fit Skin Cleansing System
7. Always Soothe Your Skin After You Exfoliate:
To make sure that your exfoliation skincare routine is not increasing your acne or damaging your skin further (rather than benefiting it), you have to do the right things after you exfoliate. Always use a skin-balancing toner after you exfoliate to help minimize the pores. Follow this up with a moisturizer to soothe the skin and keep it soft, supple and free of acne.
Recommendation: Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Clarity-Activating Toner
8. Nutmeg and Milk Face Pack for Acne and Pimple Scars:
This is a multipuprose mask that not only gets rid of pimples, it also reduces acne scars as well. Full recipe to make this mask here.
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