The importance of exfoliation

Throughout our lives our skin goes through constant changes. Our skin cells in the epidermis renew themselves roughly every 28 days as the old cells are replaced by new ones. As we get older, this process slows down which makes exfoliation even more important as we age.

Desquamation is the body's natural process of exfoliation, or the shedding of dry, old, hardened skin cells so new cells can come to the surface. In an oily skin condition, desquamation can be slowed, as oily skin acts as a glue that holds dead skin cells to the surface. This can contribute to clogged follicles, leading to the build-up of acne bacteria which stimulates the production of breakouts.

Exfoliation is especially helpful to those with oily skin. In addition to smoothing, improving skin tone and enhancing skin's receptiveness of oil-controlling ingredients, exfoliation helps rid oily skin of dulling skin cells to help keep skin clean.

When deciding on which kind of scrub to use, its important to know which kind of scrub to go for. Body scrubs with larger exfoliants are great for the body but can be too harsh for the skin on your face. You should look at using a much softer scrub for your face like a sugar scrub or a coffee scrub which is much more softer on the skin.

It is recommended that you exfoliate your face once or twice a week. Too much exfoliation can actually damage your skin and cause more harm than good.