Did you know your body sheds up to 500 million skin cells a day!

That's a lot of dead skin; where does it all end up? A lot of it can end up clogging your pores and leading to skin issues such as breakouts or dullness.

Fortunately for our skin, humans invented exfoliating. The practice of exfoliation goes back as far as the ancient Egyptians, who used pumice stones and sand to exfoliated their bodies.

1. Exfoliating Removes Dead Skin Cells

One of the top benefits of exfoliating skin is the removal of dead skin cells from your pores. The dead skin can end up clogging your pores if they aren't regularly removed.

If your pores are clogged with dead skin, the oil produced by your skin can get trapped. There is nowhere for the oil to escape to, and it can end up causing breakouts.

When you remove the dead skin cells with exfoliation and unclog pores, it can help break down the bacteria on your skin.

Just remember not to scrub too hard as it may end up drying your skin out.

2. Improves Skin Cell Turnover

The epidermis is the outer layer of your skin; it suffers the most damage from the outside world. The epidermis is tough, but it needs good care to stay healthy.

Your skin cells are constantly renewing. Adult skin cells tend to last for around 28 days before they are shed and replaced by new, younger cells.

Exfoliating gets rid of the dead skin cells faster, making it easier for the new cells to rise to the surface layer of the skin.

This cell turnover process would eventually happen naturally, but you can speed up the renewal of skin cells with exfoliation.

3. Prevents Breakouts

Using a gentle exfoliator on the face can help to prevent acne and breakouts.

As you scrub away the dead skin cells, you give your pores a chance to breathe. They are less likely to become clogged with oil and dirt, which are the route causes of spots and acne.

It's not only the skin on your face that exfoliating can improve.

Why should you exfoliate your body too? For the same reasons you exfoliate your face, you can prevent spots on the back, chest, arms, backs of the legs, and buttocks if you slough off the dead skin cells and dirt from deep in the pores.

Spots and acne on the body develop for the same reason as they do on the face; dead skin and excess oil clogging the pores. Exfoliating can help you reduce the number of outbreaks on the body too.

4. Reduces Pore Size

Exfoliating can even help to minimize the size of your pores. If the pores are clogged with dirt, they become stretched over time. When the pores are clean, they can reduce back to their natural size.

5. Exfoliating Improves Lymphatic Drainage

One of the lesser-known facts about exfoliation is the way it can help banish cellulite.

Lymph nodes are part of the immune system; substances travel through the lymphatic fluid to help keep your body healthy. If lymph nodes aren't draining properly, they can enhance the appearance of cellulite.

One of the many benefits of exfoliating legs is that it can help improve lymphatic drainage. This increases the blood flow to the area and can help with removing the toxins from your system.

The oxygen-rich blood feeding your skin cells can make the skin look plump and rejuvenated after exfoliation. Try using a body brush when you apply your exfoliator and exfoliate in gentle, circular motions for the best results.

Exfoliators with coffee are also great for reducing puffiness in the skin and for reducing the appearance of cellulite. Caffeine can help to improve circulation, and your skin may even absorb some of the antioxidants in the coffee scrub.

6. Can Help With Anti-Aging

As we get older, our body's ability to produce collagen starts to slow down.

The good news is that exfoliation can help to rejuvenate the skin and make it look younger and plumper. It also helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This is because exfoliating can boost the skin's production of collagen.

Why should you exfoliate your face for anti-aging? For plumper, supple skin, and a youthful glow.

7. It Improves Your Skincare Routine

Another wonder of exfoliation: it helps your other skincare products work better.

After exfoliation, your moisturizer and serum can better penetrate your skin. Unclogged pores and smoother skin are much better at absorbing skincare products.

If you add regular exfoliation into your skincare routine, all the nourishing ingredients in those products can get to work better. This will help to improve the overall appearance of your skin. 

8. Evens Out Your Skin Tone

Do you often find you have dry patches or flakey skin? An uneven skin tone can be annoying. When you have a build-up of dead skin cells, it can also lead to dry patches and pigmentation.

Getting rid of this build-up with exfoliation will help improve the tone and texture of your skin.

After exfoliation, the surface of your skin will be smoother, so your makeup will also glide on much better. No more patchy parts where your foundation sticks more in one place than another.

9. Improves Your Tan

The same way exfoliating your face helps your make-up look better, exfoliating your body can improve your tan.

Why is it important to exfoliate your body before tanning? So your tan doesn't end up blotchy or patchy. If you're fake tanning, it won't stick to dry or dead patches of skin if you exfoliate first.

If you are tanning in the sun, the tan will last longer if you exfoliate first. If you remove dead skin cells first, you will be tanning the new layer of skin.

10. Makes Your Skin More Radiant

Who doesn't want beautiful, glowing, radiant, youthful skin? Adding an exfoliation product to your regular skincare routine will help you achieve the skin you always dreamt of.

You may have tried numerous skincare products, but without exfoliating the dead skin cells away, none of them will work to their full potential.

How Often Should You Exfoliate?

It's important to remember not to over-exfoliate. Once or twice a week is enough for you to reap the numerous benefits exfoliating provides.

The amount you exfoliate also depends on the product you are using. If you are using a gentle exfoliating facial cleanser, you can use it daily.

For more intense, thicker exfoliators or scrubs for the body are better only twice to three times a week. If you over-exfoliate, you can end up stripping your skin of its natural oils and interfering too much with the cell regeneration process.

How Do You Exfoliate?

The best way to exfoliate your skin is in the shower. Gently apply the exfoliator to your face and body in circular motions. Then rinse off.

After you exfoliate, apply some hydration oil or moisturizer to the skin.

You may want to use a body brush or a facial brush to help with the application of your exfoliator. Just remember to be super gentle and not scrub too hard.

Can I Over Exfoliate?

Yes. If you exfoliate your skin too often, you may make it red, itchy, and dry. If you exfoliate too often, your skin may start to look shiny and become very sensitive.

You may feel like you want to achieve the post-exfoliation glow every day. But don't be tempted to over-exfoliate your skin, or the opposite will happen!

What Type of Exfoliator Should I Use?

The type of exfoliation product you choose will be individual to you and your skin type. Find out what kind of skin you have and buy a product that caters specifically to your skin type.

Many body scrubs are too harsh for use on the more delicate skin on your face, so use a different product for your face.

If you have sensitive skin or acne, you may need a more gentle exfoliator. If you aren't sure, you can always seek advice from a dermatologist.

Ready to Start Exfoliating?

The benefits your skin will reap from exfoliating are endless. If you want more supple, soft, glowing, youthful skin on your face and body, then add exfoliation into your skincare routine!

Just remember not to overdo it and find products that are suitable for your skin type. Get started with exfoliation using a gentle product like this one which has skin-loving ingredients like aloe.