One of the most skipped things in personal care, is exfoliating. In order to have even, healthy skin it is important to exfoliate regularly. However, these exfoliants come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.
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What is physical exfoliating?
Physical exfoliating is a process of using an exfoliator (abrasive) material that is able to slough off dead skin cells and dirt. You need to get the dead skin cells off to allow the new ones to come to the top and grow. It is important to choose the right exfoliant for your product, to ensure you get the best results.
Why should you exfoliate?
After you exfoliate, you will notice that your skin will immediately feel smoother. Furthermore, exfoliating helps with increasing blood flow to the skin cells. Plus, dead skin cells make your skin look dull, uneven and enhance fine lines.
You always want to think about the type of product you will be making before you pick your exfoliant.
Word of caution when exfoliating
Too much of a good thing and all. You never want to use an exfoliator that is going to irritate your skin. The goal is not pain and tiny skin tears, rather it is just to remove the dead skin cells from the top of your skin. Using an exfoliator that is too abrasive for your skin, can actually cause damage.
Types of exfoliators
The type of exfoliator that you use is super important, as all exfoliators are not created equal. Remember, some of the exfoliants will be more abrasive than others and should only be used on certain areas of your body.
Activated Charcoal
This is a kind of cool exfoliant, in that it traps toxins and washes down the drain.
Botanicals
Think rose petals, lavender or chamomile.
Colloidal Oatmeal
Colloidal oatmeal is oatmeal that has been ground into a powder form. It is such a mild exfoliant that you don’t really notice it. Ideal for facial products.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds can be used in a variety of different ways. Grounds in soap are kind of harsh, but if you use used coffee grounds in a scrub it is mild.
Jojoba Beads
Jojoba beads come in all kinds of colors and sizes. They are biodegradable. Ideal for sensitive areas (face, lip and cuticle) as it is non abrasive. Be careful not to heat, as these do melt.
Luffa
Luffa is often put into a melt and pour soap base. This is a rough and strong exfoliator for tough places such as hands, feet and elbows.
Oats
Oats, such as oatmeal offer a low to medium exfoliation.
Pumice Powder
Pumice powder comes from volcanic rock, that is crushed and grinded. It is a soft and light powder and an effective exfoliator. It is nontoxic and biodegradable. Although the powder feels soft and lightweight, it is very strong and should only be used on feet and hands.
Salts
Salts come in a variety of sizes and have a medium to high exfoliation. Normally, you will want to use a fine grain in body care products. Salt can have a drying effect, so it is not recommended in face care.
Seeds
There are a ton of seeds, such as strawberry seeds that are used for exfoliating. The need to be in a product with suspension so they don’t float to the top or sink to the bottom of your formula. They are normally coarse exfoliants that are suitable for your body.
Sugar
Sugar is similar to salt, it has a medium to high exfoliation. It is often preferred as an after shave product as salt can cause irritation. However, it can leave a sticky feeling behind.
Exfoliants by Formulation Type
Things to think about before choosing your exfoliant:
This is important because you are probably going to use a pretty gentle exfoliator on your face, but a rough one on your feet.
If you are making a formula that has water (aqueous), you will want to steer clear of dissolvable exfoliants like sugar and salt. Rather, you will want to use exfoliants that will not dissolve like jojoba beads or seeds.
I steer clear of any exfoliants that might damage my skin. The sharp edges on some exfoliants can cause tiny tears in your skin.
Look at the exfoliants size, texture and shape to guide you.
Exfoliants for Facial Care
- Activated Charcoal
- Colloidal Oatmeal
- Jojoba Beads
- Sugar- Fine (Lips)
Exfoliants for Body Scrubs
- Botanicals
- Oats
- Salt
- Sugar
- Seeds
Exfoliants for Pedicure
- Botanicals
- Salt – Coarse
- Sugar – Coarse
- Luffa
- Pumice powder