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The NIVEA Guide On
How To Exfoliate

Everything you need to know about exfoliation and how to exfoliate your face and body for smooth, radiant skin.

Read Time

7 min

In short:

The NIVEA Guide on How To Exfoliate
What Exactly is Exfoliation?
Why should you Exfoliate?
Types of Exfoliation
How to Apply Facial Scrub
Exfoliating your Face by Skin Type
How to Exfoliate your Body
How often should I Exfoliate?
What Times should I Exfoliate?
Some Final Do's & Dont's

The NIVEA Guide On
HOW TO EXFOLIATE

Skin is your body's largest organ, so knowing how to take care of it properly is hugely important. Most of us cleanse and moisturise regularly, but what about exfoliation? This is a key step in your skin care routine that can keep your skin smooth and soft, among many other benefits.

If you're looking to exfoliate and you're wondering what it actually does, you're in the right place. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about exfoliating, discover the right exfoliants for your skin type, and find out how to exfoliate your face and skin safely.

What Exactly Is
EXFOLIATION?

Exfoliation comes from the Latin word exfoliare, meaning to strip off leaves. To exfoliate your body is basically to strip off old skin cells. Roughly every 30 days you naturally shed dead skin cells to allow new skin cells to form on the top layer of your skin.

WHY SHOULD YOU EXFOLIATE?

Sometimes, if these dead cells don't shed, you're left with dull, dry, flaky patches and clogged pores. Exfoliating can help prevent this. Exfoliating simply speeds up the process by buffing away the dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. Plus, you'll also sweep away dirt and bacteria at the same time. This keeps your skin smooth, soft and glowing with radiance.

EXFOLIATING REGULARLY BRINGS MANY BENEFITS:

1
Removes dead skin cells

2
Stimulates blood flow to flush out toxins

3
Brightens and improves the appearance of skin

4
Encourages skin turnover, resulting in brighter skin

5
Improves the absorption of moisturisers and serums for hydrated skin

6
Helps prevent clogged pores which can cause blemishes and breakouts

7
Long-term exfoliation can increase collagen production to boost skin's elasticity

Types of
EXFOLIATION

There are many different ways to exfoliate your skin. Popular ones to try at home include exfoliating scrubs, creams, masks and serums. Then there are exfoliation tools, such as pumice stones, exfoliating gloves, shower puffs and electric cleansing/exfoliating brushes.

Depending on your skincare needs, there are professional exfoliation methods too, such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion and dermaplaning. For these treatments, chat to a dermatologist or medical professional who can help you choose the best options for you.

You can, and should, exfoliate all parts of your body, but delicate areas like your face need a different, gentler approach.

HOW TO EXFOLIATE YOUR FACE

It's easy to start incorporating exfoliating into your facial skincare routine to help you get healthy, glowing skin. As your face is one of your most sensitive areas, it's important to use really gentle exfoliating scrubs and see how your skin reacts.

A good place to start is our NIVEA Gentle Cleansing Scrub, designed for all skin types to give a thorough cleanse. It exfoliates thoroughly and effectively to remove dead skin cells. It also refines and smooths the skin's surface for an even complexion.

Plus, because it's enriched with the antioxidant benefits of Vitamin E, it can help strengthen your skin's protective barrier and keep its natural moisture balance every time you cleanse.

Discover NIVEA Exfoliation Scrub

How to Apply
FACIAL SCRUB

When you're applying facial scrubs, remember to take care and be gentle on your skin. Here are some steps you can follow as a guide:

1
Use your fingers to apply the facial scrub to your forehead, nose and chin.

2
Work your way from the centre of your forehead to your temples.

3
Rub gently from the bridge of your nose towards the tip.

4
Make more intensive circular movements in the area around the edges of your nose and very gentle movements on your cheeks.

5
Work along your jawbone to your chin.

6
Finally, move down your neck from your chin.

7
Always make sure to avoid the eye and mouth areas.

For more advice on exfoliating delicate areas, read our guide on How To Exfoliate Lips

Exfoliating Your Face
BY SKIN TYPE

Your skin type will determine how you exfoliate your face so that it suits your specific skin concerns.

Normal skin

If your skin is clear and not prone to acne, dryness, excess oil or irritation, chances are it's normal. Most exfoliators and exfoliation methods work well for this skin type. It might be a good idea to experiment with different ones to find the right one for you, but use them one at a time to see how your skin reacts.

Dry skin

If your skin is dry, flaky or rough, you have dry skin, so it's even more important that you buff away the old skin cells and let new skin cells emerge. Look for moisturising formulas that can break through the surface layer of your skin, allowing your moisturiser to properly hydrate your new skin cells.

Oily skin

If your skin appears shiny and feels greasy, you have oily skin. This means you can use slightly stronger exfoliating scrubs to help remove the excess layer of build-up on the skin. Exfoliator brushes can also help with this.

Sensitive skin

If new products often irritate your skin, it can be sensitive, so tread carefully. Choose products suitable for sensitive skin and avoid harsh scrubbing, which can irritate the skin. Instead, apply exfoliators carefully with a gentle face cloth.

Sometimes, sensitive skin can be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as eczema or rosacea. Remember to talk to a medical professional or dermatologist before trying out any new products.

Combination skin

A mixture of oily and dry, or dry and normal sections, is usually characteristic of combination skin. You could try alternating between a scrub and a brush, concentrating the scrub on the drier areas, but don't use both at the same time.

For a multitasking face scrub, try our NIVEA Pore Purifying 3-in-1 Wash Scrub Mask. As a wash, scrub and mask, it unclogs pores, making it a good option for blemish-prone skin. If you have oily skin, it has anti-shine and sebum-reducing qualities. If your skin is on the sensitive side, the mild anti-bacterial formula has natural Magnolia Extract and soothing Kaolin Clay, which is gentle enough to be used daily to remove impurities and deeply cleanse the skin.

To see more in our range, discover NIVEA Face Cleansers.

How to Exfoliate
YOUR BODY

Exfoliation isn't just for your face. You have dead skin cells all over your body that need to be buffed away. Exfoliating your body not only smooths your limbs but can also help ease other concerns, such as body acne and the appearance of cellulite.

Here are some tips on how to exfoliate the different areas of your body.

1. ARMS AND LEGS

Using a brush, sponge or glove is the easiest way to slough off dead skin cells. Just make short, light strokes for about 30 seconds in the shower. This not only gets rid of dead skin cells but stimulates circulation too. You might also want to try dry brushing. Use a dry body brush and create circular motions around your arms and legs. As well as brushing off dead skin cells, it can help the appearance of cellulite and boost lymphatic drainage.

2. FEET AND HANDS

There are plenty of scrubs and peels specifically designed to get rid of the dead skin cells on your dry hands and feet. Pumice stones are natural exfoliators that are great for dry patches in thicker areas of skin on knees, elbows and feet. Soak your feet first in warm water to soften the skin and be sure to wet the pumice stone first.

For more advice on achieving soft feet, read our guide on How To Get Rid Of Hard Skin On Feet.

3. PUBIC AREA

Before shaving or waxing your bikini line and pubic area, it's a great idea to exfoliate. This step will soften the skin, which can prevent issues caused by hair removal, such as razor burn, ingrown hairs and itchy pubic hair. Use a really gentle scrub, loofah or body brush and have a warm shower to soften the skin first.

How Often Should I
EXFOLIATE?

The main thing is not to overdo it, especially if you're new to exfoliating. Each time you exfoliate, a regeneration process is set in motion, and this can cause stress for the skin. Be gentle and learn what your skin needs and wants.

As a general rule, exfoliating your face twice a week as part of your weekly skincare routine is enough to keep dry, dull skin at bay without stripping away too many of your skin's natural oils. Oily skin often needs more regular exfoliation.

Exfoliating sensitive areas of the body too often, such as the face, can have the opposite effect and lead to dryness, redness and itchiness.

Age is a factor too. It usually takes around 28 days in younger people for the complete cycle of cells to turn over. However, this process slows down as you age and takes longer, around 45 days, to complete. So as you mature, even though you still need to exfoliate, you might need to exfoliate less, maybe once a week instead of twice.

What Times Should I
EXFOLIATE?

There are better times to exfoliate and times when it's best to avoid it.

NIGHT TIME

Each time you exfoliate you expose a fresh layer of skin, making your skin more sensitive and vulnerable. Exfoliating at night is safer as there's less exposure to sun damage and free radicals, and your skin can heal while you sleep. After exfoliating, your skin will be more sensitive to the sun's harmful UV rays than normal, so it's especially important to apply SPF.

NOT AFTER TREATMENTS

Leave about a week after any facial treatments before you exfoliate, as this could otherwise have detrimental effects on your skin. Exfoliating is a good idea before waxing or shaving, but after any hair removal treatment, leave it a few days before exfoliating again.

Some Final
DO'S & DONT'S

Now you know that exfoliating, when done properly, can bring many benefits and help you get smooth, radiant skin. Removing dead skin cells, built-up oils, dirt and impurities can improve your skin's appearance and help you feel refreshed. Here are some final do's and don't's before you dive in.