Does exfoliating help dry skin, or does that make dry skin worse? Today we’re looking to bust another dry skin myth, but the truth is that it’s not as straightforward as a simple true or false statement about exfoliating dry skin helping or harming.
Let’s get into the details of whether or not exfoliating helps dry skin.
The Myth:
You can’t exfoliate dry skin without making it worse.
The Truth:
It’s easy to see where the myth “you can’t exfoliate dry skin without making it worse” comes from because there is a TINY bit of truth to it!
The thing is, if you over-exfoliate your skin, it will have a harder time holding on to moisture and staying hydrated.
But, done right, exfoliating dry skin helps remove excess dead skin cells that lead to dull-looking, rough, dry skin.
Done right, you also remove buildup that gets in the way of product absorption (which is crucial when trying to balance dehydrated or dry skin).
So how do you ensure you get the benefits of exfoliation without overdoing it?
- Avoid doubling up on exfoliating products. For example, if you’re using an enzyme-based facial cleanser (these exfoliate!), you’ll want to switch to a gentle cream-based or micellar cleanser without enzymes, AHAs, BHAs, or other exfoliating acids before you add a facial scrub to your routine.
- If your skin is experiencing redness, sensitivity, or a burning sensation throughout the day, that’s a good indicator that your skin’s protective barrier is considerably compromised. This can quickly happen with common acne or “anti-aging” focused routines that contain a lot of actives (especially when used in combination or a high %) that exfoliate the skin.
- Pick a gentle exfoliating product that hydrates and soothes while sloughing off dead skin cells, like our PHA scrub with aloe, calendula, and barrier-building jojoba oil.
As always, scrub gently radiant rebel,
