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When you have sensitive skin, you need to treat your skin well, you need to nourish it and pamper it, you need to prevent irritation before it starts.
The best exfoliator for sensitive skin is going to be one that is gentle and doesn’t scratch or damage your delicate skin.
Exfoliating is great for getting rid of dead skin cells and revealing the fresh, younger looking skin underneath. It can also prevent breakouts by removing the old skin that could otherwise get trapped in your pores.
Sensitive skin will do best with gentle treatments, if you are moving and tugging your skin around under your exfoliate, you are being too rough. As with any skin care product, do a spot test first to be sure your skin can handle it.
Why Organic?
Every skin type benefits from using natural products and avoiding harsh, synthetic chemicals, but for sensitive skin, it is a necessity. It surprises me that the sensitive skin care products you find in stores are full of toxins, how can this be good for anyone with reactive skin?
Sticking to organic and natural products will help keep your skin healthy as well as help you avoid potential irritants. Of course, you still need to know how to read ingredients lists, as the organic and natural label can be misleading.
The products we recommend on this site are never deceiving, we only recommend the highest quality and truly natural products.
Avoid Plastic Microbeads
Plastic microbeads contained in exfoliates are accumulating in the environment. These tiny plastic beads make their way into our rivers and oceans, where fish eat them. They are contributing to plastic pollution and may bio-accumulate through the food chain.
Types of Exfoliation
There are 2 methods we recommend for exfoliating sensitive skin, physical exfoliation (with a gentle exfoliate) and oil exfoliation.
Physical Exfoliation
It is important to be very gentle with your skin when you exfoliate with this method (learn why your exfoliate may be damaging your skin), otherwise you will irritate and inflame your skin. Look for exfoliates with gentle abrasives.
Gentle abrasion ingredients include: jojoba beads, powdered herbs, vanilla seeds or rice bran. Avoid walnut shells, baking soda, sugar, and diatomaceous earth, these are far too harsh.
My #1 recommendation is Odacite’s Jojoba Bead Exfoliate
Another method is to use your regular cleanser and a washcloth. Apply your cleanser to a soft, clean washcloth. Use the washcloth to gently rub your cleanser over your face, the washcloth will remove some dead skin, and this may be all the exfoliation you need.
Oil Exfoliation
This is a mild exfoliating method that is useful when you have peeling, flaking skin. A high quality oil is needed, jojoba oil works wonderfully for all skin types.
- Apply the oil to your skin, letting it sit for a few minutes.
- Use a few cotton balls to move the oil around and loosen flaky skin.
- Use small, circular motions, and remember, be gentle!
- You don’t want to be tugging and rubbing your skin.
- Your skin should stay put, the oil is what should be moving around.
Now wash your skin with a gentle cleanser. The wonderful thing about Odacite’s Jojoba Bead Exfoliate is that you get both an oil exfoliation and a physical exfoliation.
Read My Odacite Review
Conclusion
Exfoliating can be a great way to brighten up and freshen your skin, it can give you a healthy glow. When you deal with sensitive skin, it is especially important to BE GENTLE. Be gentle with your skin by using light, circular motions, and use gentle, all-natural products.
A gentle washcloth may be enough exfoliation for your skin, or you may want something with a little more power and nourishment. Ocacite’s Jojoba Bead Exfoliate is a great choice because it is gentle, effective and healing.
What do you think about using an exfoliate? Do you find that your sensitive skin can tolerate exfoliating? Leave us your story below!
Yours In Beauty,
Andrea
Andrea/Maria,
I’m Asian and “cursed” with a double dose of oily skin. Even though I’m a male, I still look for great products for oily skin and the best skin care products for oily skin. Your website is very informative and easy to navigate. My family loves what you two do!
Keep up the great work and reviews on the best oily skin care products available!
Cheers,
pj
I have oily skin too 🙁 I also have acne, so I am always looking for products that won’t clog my pores. Thanks for your kind words 🙂 This website is a labor of love!
Andrea