How to Exfoliate Sensitive Skin: 3 Effective Ways

Over-exfoliation is a vice for some people, but for others, their skin has the opposite reaction to it. A scrub cleanser with heavy grit and gristle, perhaps something with coffee grounds in it, and you’ll certainly polish your face into a glow haven! However, for the satisfaction to slough away the dirt and grime with those tiny particles and dramatically declare that my skin is clean is much harder for sensitive skin types. This little indulgence absolutely backfires for sensitive skin, which can leave skin irritated and more inflamed than before, so how can exfoliation happen correctly?

How to Exfoliate Sensitive Skin the Right Way

Over-exfoliate and you’re likely to create tiny cracks in the skin barrier that lead to more loss of hydration and inflammation. You think you’re fixing the problem, but you’re actually making it worse. Luckily, both chemical and physical exfoliants can be used for those with sensitive skin, and moisturizing immediately afterward can help with tolerability (and avoid redness and burning).

Exfoliators, both physical (think, scrubs and facial brushes) and chemical (typically alpha-hydroxy acids like glycolic or lactic acid and beta-hydroxy acids like salicylic acid) play a key role in helping to slough away dirt and dead skin cells, and resurface your skin. They also make it easier for your products to penetrate the surface of your skin more effectively. You can basically consider exfoliation the gateway to softer, brighter skin overall, though dermatologists suggest easing into it if you have easily reactive skin, especially for touch-and-go conditions like eczema or rosacea.

Because people with sensitive skin are more prone to redness, burning, flaking, and irritation from these treatments, it’s important to use them less frequently and use lower strengths than someone with oily or combination skin may be able to use. Over-exfoliating can result in red, flaky, irritated skin especially on the face.

How can you exfoliate sensitive skin then? Here are three easy and safe ways to make it happen:

1. Make sure your skin care routine is catered for sensitive skin. Finding the right facial cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and eye cream for sensitive skin will help your skin remain calmer and less irritated on a daily basis so when you exfoliate it’s already full of calming ingredients!
   
2. Look for sensitive skin type-specific masks and scrubs. Several different brands realized they were missing a key skin type and created similar scrubs, masks, and cleansers with a lower potency of the ingredients that help exfoliate the skin. A quick search on Google or Sephora will help guide you to the right products!
   
3. Receive a sensitive skin facial. Most people with sensitive skin are not aware that facials are absolutely available for them and won’t cause their skin to look red, puffy, or painful afterward. There are several types of facials, including custom ones, that a professional aesthetician can recommend to remove dead skin and press refresh on dry, dull complexions. Consult your local day spa for the right facial for sensitive skin!

When it comes to sensitive skin, you just have to remember that lower levels of the same ingredients other skin types can handle more are the solution for aiding your face with renewal treatments!

Botanica Day Spa Sensitive Skin Treatments

At Botanica spa, located in Clearwater, FL, everyone can find the right facial, massage, or body treatment – no matter what their skin problems may be! For sensitive skin, our skin care products and experienced aestheticians are the perfect mix for helping you achieve the right exfoliation to see the results you’ve been waiting for. Call us today at 727-441-1711 to book your sensitive skin facial and receive a thorough consultation before your appointment to ensure you leave the spa happy, glowing, and redness free! And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more amazing tips to stay looking fabulous!

Love,
Gen