Back to basics Exfoliating your body

Body exfoliation: it's the quickest route to a smooth, buffed body. But where do you start? Go back to basics with our expert tips covering all you need to know about exfoliating your body.

Why? The benefits of exfoliating your body

Why exfoliate? "Exfoliating is the best way to keep your skin soft and looking young," says Olivia Head, general manager of spa services at The Sanctuary. Clearing away old skin cells will help create a smooth canvass for applying fake tan and help minimise in-grown hairs, while helping ensure better penetration of your favourite body care products. Just like facial exfoliation, regular body exfoliation can help prevent blemishes, too. "Buffing the dead skin away will keep it from clogging pores, which can lead to blackheads, white heads and acne," says Olivia.

When? Your weekly plan

"Incorporate a bodyt exfoliator into your shower routine at least three times weekly to slough away dead skin cells," says Soap & Glory founder Marcia Kilgore. "Not only will it simultaneously stimulate circulation; your after-shower moisture lotions will sink in more readily." Struggling to make three times a week? "Even once a week will result in softer, smoother skin," says Olivia. "You can also make changes depending on the season. For instance, in the summer with the heat and the humidity (not to mention smog and other pollution), exfoliating more frequently will help you keep your skin looking glowing and fresh."

How? Find your perfect body exfoliator

It's not just about granular body scrubs; choose from skin-renewal body products, exfoliating gloves, body scrubs and polishes.

Body scrubs and polishes: Great for instant results

The most common type of body exfoliator, these in-shower scrubs contain buffing beads, grains or kernels to manually slough away dead skin and smooth the body. "Massage the scrub in circular motions, paying special attention to the elbows, knees and heels - anywhere that is prone to dry, harder skin," says Marcia, who won't leave the house without Soap & Glory's The Scrub Of Your Life.

Expert tip: for a more intense sloughing action, massage into dry skin before showering off.

Body scrub best buys:

• Origins Modern Friction For The Body
• Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life
• The Sanctuary Spa Essentials Salt Scrub
• No7 Total Renewal Micro-dermabrasion Body Exfoliator

Enzyme and AHA body renewal products: Great if you're not a scrub fan

Less common than manual body scrubs, body-renewal products feature fruit enzymes, amino sugars or acid-based exfoliating agents, like glycolic or salicylic acid, to help clear away debris and brighten the body by nibbling away at dead skin cells, loosening the bonds that hold old skin cells together - no manual scrubbing action required. Applied as the moisturiser, most are designed for daily use; simply massage in and let skin-refining ingredients do the rest.

Body-renewal product best buys:

• Clinique Turnaround Body Smoothing Cream (with amino sugar and salicylic acid)
• Avene Cleanance K
• Dior Plasticity Body Beautifying Micropeel
• Dove Pro Age Body Lotion (with AHAs)

Exfoliating gloves: Easy and cost-effective

Handy, mess-free and seriously cost-effective, exfoliating gloves are designed to be used in the shower (a modern-day version of the loofah). Simply don the gloves, lather up with shower gel and buff from your feet up, working upwards towards the heart. Remember to wash your gloves regularly to prevent bacteria build-up.

Exfoliating gloves best buys:

• Boots Exfoliating Gloves
• The Sanctuary Exfoliating Gloves

Body exfoliation: Dos and don'ts

• DO avoid heat after using a body scrub. "Avoid saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools and other heated sources for a few hours afterwards as excessive heat can cause irritation," says Olivia Head. "It's very important to avoid exfoliating if sunburnt."


• DO approach the décolleté with caution. "The skin on your décolleté is thinner and more delicate, so I would recommend using a scrub with fine particles, like the superfine ground silicami found in Soap & Glory's Greatest Scrub Of All, to avoid scratching," says Marcia Kilgore.
• DON'T exfoliate freshly waxed parts of your body for at least 24 hours afterwards. "After that time frame, regular exfoliation may be helpful, especially on the leg, arm and bikini area, to ease ingrown hairs," says Olivia.
• DON'T get addicted and over-exfoliate! If you notice unusual redness or irritation, give your skin a break.

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Related categories:
The beauty update
Body scrubs