The #1 Skincare Mistake We Make
Posted by Brenda Smit-James on
Are you prone to making this common skincare mistake? If so, no fear I have good news for you!
The good news is that this skincare mistake is easy to correct and avoiding it will help your skin glow, giving you skin confidence every day.
The #1 skincare mistake we make is with regard to exfoliating. We either over-exfoliate or we don't exfoliate. Which one do you do? Or perhaps you are in the middle, where you don't exfoliate enough.
How much is enough? What is the optimum number of times to exfoliate each week?
It depends on your skin type. My husband, for example, has oily skin and so he exfoliates every morning. But his skin is also tough so he can get away with exfoliating often. For most of us, who don't have skin like his, it’s ideal to exfoliate one to three times a week. Listen to your skin. It’s pretty smart, and it will tell you what it wants and needs.
However, regardless of our skin types, we should all exfoliate. Whether our skin is dry, normal, combination, oily or even sensitive, it is important to exfoliate to remove the top layer of dead skin cells that our cleanser doesn't remove. A cleanser will take off our makeup and some dirt and grime, but we really need exfoliation, some traction from the beads, to remove the dead skin cells.
Keep in mind that you don't need to use vigorous action on your skin, simply exfoliate using gentle circular movements. You also don't need an exfoliator with big or coarse beads. Small gentle beads will do the trick.
I regularly use two Annique exfoliators, the Essense Crème Exfoliator and the Essense Enzymatic Exfoliator. The Crème Exfoliator is, as its name suggests, a cream exfoliator which I use once or twice a week in the morning. The Essense Enzymatic Exfoliator is a gel exfoliator that uses enzymes to remove the dead skin cells. I use this one after I've done exercise, or been out hiking, when I have a layer of perspiration on my skin. I love how it cuts through the sweat, the perspiration, and the salt, and leaves my skin crisp, clean, fresh and glowing.
Exfoliating is a necessary addition to every skin care routine but be kind to your skin and don't over-exfoliate.