Scrub scrub baby

I don't know about you, but I'm obsessed with exfoliating! I have very oily, acne prone skin, and exfoliating is a lifesaver. Whether you have oily, dry or combination skin, it is really beneficial to exfoliate. Exfoliating helps improve your skin texture and tone, reveals healthier & smoother skin, and improves the ability for your beauty products to do their job.

There are 3 main types of exfoliators:

1. Scrubs which contain grainy particles to physically remove dead skin cells
2. Chemicals which contain alpha-hydroxy acids dissolve the dead skin cells
3. Enzymes that often come from pineapple and papaya also dissolve the dead cells, but tend to be the gentler solution for sensitive skin

Depending on your skin and the product you choose, you should exfoliate at least once a week and sometimes up to 3 times. Here are a few general guidelines. Always start with clean skin, avoid scrubbing too hard or tugging your skin and always finish your exfoliation with a moisturizer.

Over the years, I've tried several products and find that the chemical exfoliators are too harsh and enzymes are too gentle. However I find that scrubs are the perfect fit for my skin. It's so satisfying to scrub away dead skin cells and be left with really smooth skin.

As I age, I want to make sure I take care of my skin and that my skin is prepped for the various creams and treatments that I invest in. I have tried many products over the years, I'd like to tell you about just a few.

Arcona's Cranberry Gommage ($44 for 3.4oz) is one of my all-time favorites and was the winner of Allure magazine's 2011 'Best of Beauty' award for Best Natural Exfoliant. It smells amazing. It doesn't smell like cranberry, it kind of smells like artificial grape candy in the best possible way. When you use it, you can feel it decongesting your pores. It is supposed to even minimize pores with cranberry and raspberry enzymes, and I noticed smaller pores myself.

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion ($120 for 3.5oz) is a lot more expensive than the Gommage, but another one of my favorites and smells more lemony clean. The thing I like best about it is that your skin feels so fresh afterwards.

For those on a tight budget, don't fret! For many years I used St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($2.99 for 6oz) and really enjoyed it. This is also a great option because you can easily find it at any drug store. However, I have to say that after going with the higher end exfoliators, I would not go back.









For an newbie at exfoliation, it can definitely seem like a splurge and hard to justify spending the money for, but I assure you that they are worth every penny!  You might not realize it until you try them, but you only need a pea sized amount and only use an exfoliator a couple times a week so usually even a small bottle will last you a very long time (for me, it's about a year)!

So whether you want to invest in the most economical option or go for the splurge, I think you will definitely be glad you are taking care of your skin and taking a few minutes to relax and pamper yourself.