According to a leading dermatologist, “exfoliators are the unsung heroes of beauty skin care”.  Teenagers skin cells flake off to reveal an even more luminous layer every 14 days but, for every year past the age of 20, that rate increases by a day.  Therefore, exfoliating those dull layers offers a fresher surface, plus it clears your skin.

Here’s a guideline you can use depending on your skin type:

Normal Skin- Not too oily and not too dry means you have a healthy barrier keeping the good stuff in and the bad stuff (like irritating chemicals) out, so you can use pretty much any type of exfoliator, however, there is one that will work better – a serum, peel, or cleanser with glycolic acid.  This super small molecule can penetrate deeper than other AHAs, zapping a hefty amount of dead skin cells fast.  You can use it twice a week.

Oily Skin- Your complexion can also withstand all types of exfoliators, however, your best exfoliator will contain a salicylic acid toner because it will zap lackluster dead skin cells (that block pores), plus it dissolves excess oil that can lead to blackheads and breakouts.  Just be sure to get it in a high concentration (look for at least 1-1/2%) and a toner that is formulated to stay on the skin, not wash off, so it has time to be effective.  Use once or twice a week.

Dry Skin- Your skin is low in protective oils and has little tolerance for glycolic or salicylic acids.  But there’s a gentler way to give yourself a beautiful skin treatment – an enzyme peel.  Fruits like grapefruit, pumpkin, and pineapple contain natural enzymes that can dissolve that wall.  They’re designed to “shut off” after 5 minutes so you can’t overdo it.  Use once a week.

Sensitive Skin- Gritty, acidic, and new formulas can irritate your skin and you need to be extra careful.  The best thing for you to do is spot test an exfoliator on your inner arm before applying to your face.  Then, proceed only if there is no reaction.  Creamy scrubs made with synthetic beads are best for your complexion.  Lotion-like exfoliators with round, synthetic beads are gentler and soothing to the skin.  Check for ingredients or terms like “fine microbeads” or “jojoba beads.”  Limit use to once per week.

Now, with all this being said, there is a product called F5 Exfoliating New Cell Scrub that is all natural (to the best of science and nature), botanically-based, and can be used on all skin types.