To scrub or not to scrub

I thought scrubbing is too harsh on our delicate aging skin. Au contraire! Exfoliating is one of the most effective ways to keep older skin looking youthful. With this aging thing, our natural exfoliation process slows down and cause a build up of dead, dull skin. How depressing does that sound? Exfoliating will get rid of these dead skin cells and unclog pores to leave your skin all fresh and clean. Over time it will diminish wrinkles too (long scientific explanation that I will spare you from).

Keep in mind that aging skin is thin and dehydrated and most likely has visible wrinkles. Bear with me, I am trying to make this as uplifting as possible. Due to the thin skin, don’t get overly scrub happy. Narrow it down to one or two times a week. If you are younger and reading this: start making this a part of your routine now!

Exfoliating will also help your other products perform better, since they become less effective when you have a build up of dead skin cell. There fore this may save you some money too, because you will need to slap on less of your moisturizer for impact. Avoid scrubs with overly aggressive chemicals or large partials like apricot pits. they may tear your skin.

My current favorite is Tula’s skincare So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub. It is a gentle, natural sugar face scrub. It does feel a little harsh when you first feel it on your skin but once you massage this into your wet skin it feels nice and smooth. There was a full size product in my Allure Beauty Box. They are very good with full sizes, that’s why I love it! This product is a little more high end at $34.00. If you are on a smaller budget, please try St. Ives Scrub Fresh Skin Apricot at $4.99. Love for St.Ives

When using exfoliants at home, make sure your skin is clean. Do not use a washcloth while using the exfoliants. Use your finger tips or a Clarisonic with a sensitive brush head. Immediately apply a hydrating moisturizer right after you have rinsed off the scrub. I would wait with any products with retinol until you have a non scrub day.

This does not only apply to your face. Your body likes a good scrub twice a week too. I have yet to find a body scrub that is not messy and will not leave my tub clogged. I know I should resort to the scrubs in the tubes but I prefer the thicker ones in a tub. I love the Tree Hut watermelon scrub. The smell of it will linger in your bathroom the entire day. By far the most effective body smoother is Goddess Glow’s Bootylicious Butt Scrub. For a mere $12.00 it will leave your bum noticeably smoother.

After scrubbing any body part make sure you lather in oils or lotions since you have prepped your body to better absorb them. Rub a dub scrub on!