When thinking about how to exfoliate dry skin, you want to keep these tips in mind:
Steps on How to Exfoliate Dry Skin
1.) Start with a clean, dry face.
Use a cleanser designed for dry or sensitive skin. These cleansers tend to contain less drying ingredients.
2.) Use a Level 3 (dry) or Level 4 (very dry) ViaBuff exfoliator.
The ViaBuff Facial Buff only increases the efficacy of your existing cleanser, with 60% more surface area than the average buff, and open-cell construction that is customized to your skin care needs! It’s amazing to use with your cleansing or exfoliating products daily. And considering each puff lasts 30% longer than the average competitors’ puff, it’s a solid investment in beautiful skin!
3.) Do NOT use a toner.
Dry skin does not require a toner.
If you have very oily skin, you are definitely likely to benefit from a toner, because they contain ingredients like brightening gluconolactone and oil-balancing ingredients like oatmeal.
If you have normal or combination skin, you are likely to benefit from using a toner only on oily areas of your face, and avoiding dry areas altogether. A relatively safe bet is a toner with witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), which contains tannins that act as natural astringents, gently drying out oils within the skin (Archives of Dermatology, 1998). Witch hazel also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it soothing and calming to the skin (Complimentary Therapies in Medicine, 2000).
But if you have dry to very dry skin, I would skip a toner altogether. Despite popular belief, toners do not aid the rest of your skin care regime, as verified by Dr. David E. Bank, M.D., director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery, in Mount Kisco, New York: “There’s no truth to the theory that toners prep the skin or help other products penetrate better.” (RealSimple.com, 2010)
4.) Apply serum or moisturizer.
Remember to apply your products lightest to heaviest, with the exception of sunscreen, which should always be applied last.
Why You Need to Exfoliate Dry Skin
Exfoliation is one of the most important skin-care steps for skin.
Exfoliating dry skin can make skin look instantly younger. The built-up, dead layers of dry skin often can look patchy, rough, discolored, scaly, and lined. While you may think that this is the result of aged collagen, elastin, and fibrous structures within your skin, dry skin often looks aged because of the top layer. Once that layer is removed, your skin immediately looks smooth and unwrinkled!
Exfoliating removes dead skin cells, dirt, sebum, and debris on the surface of the skin. Skin is left with smaller-looking pores. Other skin care products also penetrate the skin better.
Using the ViaBuff exfoliator allows you to customize the level of exfoliation you need. For dry skin, we recommend the ViaBuff Level 4 Clinical Exfoliator. The ViaBuff is designed to be a gentle, effective way to remove dead skin cells, dirt, sebum, and debris on the surface of the skin, without using irritating or drying chemicals.
Can I Use the ViaBuff with My Existing Skin Care?
Absolutely.
Think about it this way: If you are applying a moisturizer to non-exfoliated dry skin, it can’t get to the skin cells. Instead, it is resting atop years of accumulated dead skin cells, as well as more recent dirt, debris, and other particulate matter. Your skin may feel temporarily more hydrated, but the moisturizing ingredients can’t penetrate your skin to do any work. It’s just drawing in moisture from the surface!
But once dirt, debris, sebum, and dead skin cells are removed from the skin’s surface, the resulting skin has just the right pH balance and moisturization level. The clean surface and the natural skin oil that linger dissolve your favorite oil- or water- based skin treatment, allowing the moisturizing ingredients to reach your skin to do effective work.
The result? Beautiful, healthy skin — faster.
Got Questions About Dry Skin?
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