Exfoliating your skin, both on your face and your whole body, is hugely beneficial for the look and feel of your skin and for your overall health. The skin is your largest organ and taking care of it helps you to stave off the signs of age, keep yourself free from blemishes, acne and uneven skin tone, and can even aid your immune system and circulation.
There are a number of different ways you can exfoliate: a face or body scrub, which uses physical exfoliants like sugar or salt crystals, seeds, or oatmeal; a body brush, sponge or glove, which provides a rough surface with which to rub against the skin; a chemical exfoliator, which uses certain acids to break apart bonds between dead skin cells on your skin’s surface.
Whichever your preferred exfoliant, including exfoliation in your skincare routine delivers multiple benefits:
Unclogs pores
Exfoliation helps to keep your skin clear and clean. When pores are blocked with dirt, sweat or dead skin, it can cause the natural oils your skin produces to become trapped, leading to a breakout. Exfoliating works to remove those blockages in your pores, meaning your skin remains clean, clear and blemish free. This is also great if you have dry skin, as unclogging pores allows the natural oils your skin produces to reach your skin and nourish and moisturise it. Unclogging your pores on a regular basis can mean you’re much less likely to suffer from whiteheads or blackheads also, which can be frustrating, painful, and difficult to remove.
Combats Acne
In the same way that exfoliating can prevent breakouts and blemishes, it can also work to prevent acne. While it’s important to use gentle exfoliants for sensitive and acne-prone skin, since hard scrubbing can cause further irritation, the same principle works. Gentle exfoliation can slough away the dead skin cells that cause blockages in your pores which lead to acne. By including exfoliation in your skincare routine, you can combat acne for good.
Helps your skincare routine work better
By clearing your pores and smoothing the skin of all dead cells, dirt, and sweat, you’re allowing your other skincare products to work to their full potential and penetrate more deeply. Serums, moisturisers, and other skincare products can work more effectively, meaning the effects of your skincare routine can be amplified.
Improves circulation
The act of exfoliation stimulates the blood vessels under your skin, improving blood flow and helping your skin to look healthier. Healthy blood circulation is vital for overall health, and so anything you can do to stimulate circulation and keep your blood moving throughout the body can help support your body’s major functions and vital organs.
Supports your immune system
Exfoliation also aids lymphatic drainage, which removes the toxins and waste from your skin cells, improving the health of your skin, as well as aiding your immune system. The lymphatic system, as well as removing toxins and waste, also produces white blood cells and other cells that fight off viruses and bacteria. By stimulating your lymphatic systems through exfoliation, you’re helping your body to stay healthy.
Increases cell turnover
When we exfoliate, the old skin cells on the surface of our skin are swept away, making room for new, healthy skin cells to appear. New skin calls are created a few layers beneath the surface, and your skin is continually pushing them through to the top (epidermal) skin layer. Exfoliating regularly means that new skin cells can reach the surface more quickly, keeping your skin glowing and rejuvenated.
Stimulates Collagen synthesis
Collagen synthesis is the process whereby your body converts certain amino acids and minerals into collagen, which helps to plump the skin and smooths fine lines. Exfoliating works to stimulate the process of collagen synthesis and therefore help your skin retain its youthfulness.
Creates an even skin tone
Uneven skin tone can be down to a number of reasons. Inflammation caused by blemishes, scars or acne can cause patchy skin, as well as sun exposure. Both of these instances can cause an excess of melanin to be produced, leading hyperpigmentation which manifests as dark spots or patches of uneven skin. Exfoliation can help to reduce the effects of this by clearing away dead skin and speeding up cell turnover, to help to renew and refresh your skin back to its natural tone.
Aromatherapy
While this isn’t technically a direct effect of exfoliation, but rather of the product you choose, by using exfoliating products that are made with natural botanicals and organic essential oils, you can reap the benefits of exfoliation as well as the effects that aroma can have on your overall wellbeing. When using naturally scented products, your skincare routine can be a luxurious, self-care experience in which to indulge guilt-free.
The health of your skin is important for overall wellbeing – after all, it is your body’s largest organ. At anatome, we’re experts in creating skincare products that exfoliate as well as provide olfactory delight with organic essential oils. We also supply high quality body brushes and bathroom accessories. Take a look at our range of exfoliants designed to keep your skin bright, rejuvenated and healthy.
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