How Often Should You Exfoliate?

Mar 28, 2014

Sandy D.

Sometimes I feel like I'm over doing it :/ I exfoliate every other day, if not every day.

Mar 28, 2014

Sandy D.

My skin is very oily and and prone :/

Mar 28, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

I do it everyday.

Mar 28, 2014

Kenzie L.

Depends on your skin. there's no right amount of times you should per week because everyone has a different cell turnover and your climate amongst many other factors will determine your skincare needs including but not limited to exfoliating.

Mar 28, 2014

Kyraa D.

I have to everyday or my pores become clogged & I break out :/
if you can, only exfoliate once or twice a week.

Mar 29, 2014

Katherine L.

Exfoliating is really good for certain skin types, but not acne prone skin. If you insist on exfoliating, I would say once a week is good enough since it actually irritates your acne.

Instead of exfoliating, try mixing a pinch of baking soda and a few drops of water until it looks like a paste. Apply this onto your acne and blackheads and leave on for 15 minutes; wash off with warm water after. This works even better than exfoliating which helped me a lot.

An alternative to the above treatment is to gently scrub your face with it, concentrating on acne scars. Make sure you don't overdo it since it really irritates your acne.

Hope I helped! :)

Mar 29, 2014

Katherine L.

Yes you should. Its tried and tested on a lot of people's faces and it doesn't irritate at all. All it does is good so why not use it? :)

Mar 29, 2014

Katherine L.

It all depends on your skin type. Unless you have unusually sensitive skin, it should work OK. I have sensitive skin but baking soda has never irritated me. And after all, you really should patch test before trying anything new.

Mar 29, 2014

Kyraa D.

Yeah, baking soda isn't really that great for your face. it'll just irritate your skin.
where have you seen it tried & tested?

Mar 29, 2014

Katherine L.

It's a remedy I've seen on blogs and YouTube videos and beauty pages, and after all I actually didn't say all humans can stand baking soda, and it's just something that works really well for me. Have you seen anyone get a rash from baking soda? Probably not unless they're allergic to it.

Mar 29, 2014

Katherine L.

And baking delicious stuff, and I don't see why you shouldn't use it. Does it give you a rash? No. Does it irritate your skin? No. Does it work? Yes.

Mar 29, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

Baking soda helped my acne when it was at its worst. I see no harm in it at all.

Mar 29, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

Everyone's skin is different.

Mar 29, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

I didn't know kitty was the skin expert and everyone's skin.

Mar 29, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

Lol

Mar 29, 2014

Breanna C.

Okay , We Get It Everybodys Skin Is Different. Don't Talk To Jacqlyn Like That. There Is No Need For It. Just Agree To Disagree & Please Stop.

Mar 29, 2014

Breanna C.

No Need To Thank Me. You Don't Deserve That💜💚

Mar 29, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

Talk to her like what? No one talked to her in a rude manner so don't make it sound like we did. The only point that was being made was that yes, it may be "bad" but it works for some. She was so quick to say its horrible because of what someone said instead of just listening.

Mar 29, 2014

Autumn K.

Use what you want to use on your skin. jacqlyn was only giving you some advice and an opinion on baking soda. And yes kitty k has done a lot of research about skincare but if you feel like baking soda works for you then do it.. do what you want, its your skin. there's no need to be rude.

Mar 29, 2014

Breanna C.

This Is A Site Where We Are Able To Give Opinions & Give Suggestions On What Might Be Best & I Felt Like You Were Being Alittle Rude , She Has Helped Many On This Site & Is Normally A Person That Give Very Good Advice. You Cocked A Bit Of An Attitude By Saying "I didn't know kitty was the skin expert on everyone's skin." I Was Simply Saying That She Didn't Deserve To Be Talked To In That Manner , She Is Very Sweet & I Don't Believe She Was In Anyway Shape Or Form Trying To Be Mean. She Was Just Sharing Her Knowledge. If You Like To Use Baking Soda On Your Face Go Ahead She Was Just Saying That It May Not Be In Your Best Interest. I'm Sorry If You Felt Like Anybody Was Being Rude Towards You. Have A Wonderful Night. 😊👌

Mar 29, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

So you don't think saying "you shouldn't use baking soda on your face..." And "tired and tested? No it"ll irritate your face" oh and saying people use it for cleaning toilets. So your telling for those responses weren't rude towards Katherine? Katherine was sharing her advice on what's she done and Jaclyn was shutting her down.

Mar 29, 2014

Kitty K.

Here's the deal...
Exfoliation depends on what product you are using. Gentle exfoliators can generally be used every day, however the more abrasive something is the less often should it be used. If you want to exfoliate often then a very gentle exfoliant should be used. Jojoba Beads & Oatmeal are two perfect example of exfoliants that are very gentle. If you are using a face wash with a AHA, BHA ( Salicylic Acid for instance ) then you are still exfoliating. It may not be appear that way physically but these are chemical forms of exfoliants and are usually more harsher than physical exfoliants. The use of harsh exfoliants on the face ( think apricot scrubs, nut shells, brown sugar, etc. ) are not tolerable for the skin on the face.
It can depend on how much your skin can handle, but with chemical exfoliants you want to make sure you don't over do it. Most don't even realize that they are exfoliating both physically and chemically.
Over exfoliation of the skin can do more than just give you more wrinkles, there have been reports of women who have over exfoliated and ended up destroying their skin. In terms, it can result with skin infections so severe that surgery was required to deal with it. It leaves a big nasty scar and it's something you generally want to avoid. When looking for an exfoliants look for something that is very round, and not jagged or sharp. Exfoliation is not something you want to do harshly.

As for baking soda?
Baking soda can be used as an exfoliant. ALL exfoliants can irritate acne. It is recommended that those with active acne try to avoid exfoliation. Some are more irritating than others. The deal with Baking Soda and why I personally would never put it on my face ever again are:
1. Risk of chemical burns.
2. It's PH is not initially meant for your skin - nor is it the best choice for acne.. Skin care problems are generally caused by genetics, diet, and mistreatment of the problem to begin with, such as scrubbing dehydrated, acne skin with baking soda, which damages the skincare barrier and makes your face a bacterial breeding ground. Think of your skin barrier as part of your immune system -- it is essential for keeping the bad guys out and the good stuff in, such as moisture. Scrubbing it with a too-alkaline cleanser is increasing moisture loss and decreasing the ability to keep bacteria on your skin in check. Worse, by toning your skin with a product with a pH of 2.4-3.4, you are putting your skin at risk for chemical burns, which at best are uncomfortable and at worst will scar.
Professionals have used baking soda in the past on their clients, however this is done professionally with someone who has an understanding of your skins PH.
It is ultimately up to the person whether they want to continue the use of baking soda or not - I will not force anyone to choose what they want to do with their skin care but it is good to de-bunk some things and let information spread.

Here is a link to medical journal if anyone's interested on the use of cleaning detergents on skin;
http://www.sebamedbikeday.de/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/Studien/Saeuremantelkonzept/1.06.pdf

Mar 29, 2014

Katherine L.

So all I was trying to do was give advice, I apologize if I sounded rude or mean in any way and I promise I didn't mean to. It's totally up to you to try the baking soda method, and like most remedies, it has its pros and cons. Sorry if I sounded mean </3.

Mar 29, 2014

Kaitlyn M.

All of you are seeing it one sided. Jacqlyn should have just said it hurt her skin and left it at that and your right I shouldn't have smarted off with that comment, it was rude and immature of me. I apologize for it.

Mar 29, 2014

Hilda R.

How do yoy exfoliate.