What are some good products to exfoliate? On aging skin how often should you exfoliate? What should I use to remove make-up? Is Dove soap O.K. to use on your face?
Thank you for your questions.
These are all questions and answers that I’ve struggled with and keep testing and retesting depending on my skin, the season and what’s going on in my life.
Even as recently as a month ago I had to reevaluate my entire skin regimen because I was breaking out.
First off, it is always a good idea to go to a reputable aesthetician to have your skin evaluated; and it’s okay to tell her that you don’t want to buy her spa products and to ask for drugstore alternatives.
To your questions, here are some products I use and recommend.
Good Exfoliators:
Right now I am using Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion exfoliating cream. I received a deluxe sample from Sephora and it has lasted about 4 weeks. A jar of it is $75, which is pricey for an exfoliator, but it does last, I really like it, and it seems to get great reviews on Sephora too. Plus, with Sephora you can have the item shipped to your door which is much easier than going to the busy store.
Use it twice a week and create a schedule, like, to only use it on on Sunday and Thursday nights. Also, I believe it is good to exfoliate at night because instinctively it doesn’t seem like a good idea to put makeup overtop of freshly scrubbed skin nor is it a good idea to expose it to the outdoor elements like pollution, sun or wind.
Another exfoliating product to look into is Retinol. Here is a link from a previous post that will explain more. Again, use it once or twice a week, on nights alternating from your microdermabrasion cream treatment.
Good Makeup Removers:
I like to use a gentle but effective eye-makeup remover first (ones I like, links included: Lancome, Clinique, Kiehl’s and Andrea Eye Qs are a bargin buy).
Then use a cream/milk cleanser to gently remove makeup (ones I like: Vichy (The Vichy website is down, grrr, but you can find their milk cleanser at Shoppers Drugmart or Bliss).
THEN a face wash (one with bubbles or more of a soapy feeling to ensure that “clean” feeling, the ones I love are: Spectro Jel or Kiehl’s)
Lastly, use a toner (again, Kiehl’s).
Is Dove Soap OK to use on your face?
Nope.
Honestly, I understand the temptation to use it; it’s a classic, it’s cheap, it’s easy… but it’s very drying and creates a barrier of dry skin that traps breakout causing stuff underneath…then you breakout.
Hope this helps…let me know if you have any other questions or how you do with these suggestions.
