Exfoliate your skin?

Strictly speaking, most exfoliators seem to be the same. I find that the microdermabrasion ones work a little better. You could try a mild salt scrub, but with a little less of the scrubbing and don’t do it in the morning. Make sure you use a good moisturiser after, something like that Garnier anti-shine stuff (the Jojoba oil is the key anti-shine ingredient, so if you want to spend a little more you could buy some richer oil based moisturisers).

Also, make sure you use a good facial mask every now and then, something natural and clay based. Although you can get warming masks, I hear that something in them isn’t particularly good on your skin – so just use plenty of warm water, pat dry and apply the mask and follow the instructions.

So in summary: Pat your face with a hot wash cloth at night until wet, very gently scrub with a microdermabrasion exfoliator, rinse and pat dry. Apply a small amount anti-shine moisturiser. Wash with warm water in the morning, and re-apply a little more of the anti-shine moisturiser. You should notice a difference after a week.

This is coming from a guy, so my routine is probably a bit more loose than something a girl would want and I have no idea which moisturisers affect makeup etc. Give it a try and see what works for you.

Edit: My ex-girlfriend thought that the Boots microdermabrasion kit worked well. She didn’t use the moisturiser, just the exfoliator.

@ richardhenry – i am impressed by your routine. you do more than i do!

@PnL: I’m such a girl, I actually am.

st Ives apricot scrub

Got the face down. What about the whole body?

Huge bucket of salt scrub, the stuff that’s like quarter pebble sized and comes in apricot oil. It’s amazing.

If you guys have The Body Shop over there, they sell it. (You’re from the US, right?)

Yes, I am in the Bay Area.

If you can get hold of some, it has my recommendation. Also, the Boots Botanics shower gel – the one with Butcher’s Bloom in it – smells amazing and doesn’t dry you out.

“I use a deep pore-cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water-activated gel cleanser, then a honey-almond body scrub, and on the face an exfoliating gel scrub. Then I apply an herb mint facial masque which I leave on for ten minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an after-shave lotion with little or no alcohol because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye
balm, followed by a final moisturizing “protective” lotion…”-Patrick Bateman

babygalll – if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?

i would recommend http://www.makeuptalk.com. it is a forum where people review all kinds of skin care products and give sensible advice. the best thing about that site is it has TONS of active members. I am a member, and though not active, I go there every now and then before I buy a new product to see what others thought of it.

The thread I found most useful is one where members first mention their skin type and then go on to say what cleansers, moisturizers, mask and exfoliators (etc) they have been successful with. If I knew your skin type, I would paste which one is the favorite. But you should check it out.

Daily – The Biore Daily Cleansing Cloth. It’s really easy and works great at getting off makeup as well as giving a light exfoliation. It’s also easy on sensitive skin.

Every 6 months – treat yourself to a medi-spa microdermabrasion. They really make a huge difference.

Body – are there any authentic Korean spas near you? The mitts they use for body exfoliation are cheap and work amazingly well with any soap you have. I personally swear by these:
http://www.olympusspa.net/Lynnwood/item/Lynnwoodscrubtowel.aspx

Rough Sea salt is a good and cheap way to exfoliate your skin. It will remove all your dead cells, which is what you want.
Other than that,I love the ones from bed,bath& beyond because they smell awesome.
They are very good too.

I use St Ives also – it’s never made me peel.

I use BufPuf sponges… Gentle for my face and the big body size for everywhere else, and I use them with cleansers that have exfoliating proprties, like salycylic acid.

Remember that when you exfoliate, your skin is more sensitive to sun damage, so the use of sunscreen is vital to keeping your skin smooth, young, and healthy.

I used to sell Mary Kay and love their Microderm Kit. I still have a consultant I buy from. 2 times a week at night, followed by moisturizer. It even made my freckles fade. Just be sure to be gentle with it if you try it.

St Yves scrubs are the best!

Dermalogica skin prep scrub is a good product to make skin smooth and bright.

You can make use of home remedies like lemons and oranges for your skin. You may also visit Clear Clinic or check out http://www.nyccosmeticdermatology.com/cellulaze.htm for exciting pieces of information.

I got a sample of “Dr. Brandt’s Microdermabrasion Cleanser” and it’s a great polisher. It has very fine particles – hence the ‘micro’ name – so it doesn’t feel as coarse or scrubby, but the skin is baby smooth afterwards. It is pricey, though; so I’ve ordered less expensive products that are supposed to be similar.