You probably know all of the 10 000 ways you can take care of the skin on your face – but what about your body? If your current routine stops at body wash and lotion, here’s what you need to know.

There are no two ways about it, if you want your body to look its best, you need to exfoliate once or twice a week. Without exfoliation, cell renewal slows down, causing skin to become rough, dry, and flaky.

Your skin naturally sheds dead skin cells throughout a 30-day cycle; however, a build-up of these cells can occur due to your skin type, your age, and even the climate you’re in. Therefore it’s a great idea to exfoliate your body to get your glow back.

Just as exfoliating is one of the best things you can do for your face, it delivers similar benefits for your body. It gives your skin tone and texture, and a generous boost of je ne sais quois, leaving you with brighter, smoother, and more even skin. And as a bonus: exfoliation gives your other skincare products a leg up towards working way, way better. Clearing away that layer of gunk allows body products to do their magic.

There are two broad categories of exfoliants. Chemical and mechanical. Chemical exfoliants uses certain acids to dissolve dead skin layers and mechanical exfoliators include a brush, loofah, or a sponge to rub all over the skin to remove dead skin cells. A scrub contains sugar, salt, or other rough particles used to make dry, flaky skin smooth and silky.

So, should you just grab a handful of scrub and go to town? For the love of epidermis, No!

Keep these points in mind for safe exfoliation:

• If you’re trying a new product, give it a little patch test first. Wait for a day to be sure you don’t have a reaction.
• Don’t exfoliate if you have open wounds, after laser treatments, or when you are sunburnt.
• Wet your skin and apply the product with small circular motions for no longer than 30 seconds in one area.
• Don’t forget to moisturize afterwards to smooth the surface and maintain the barrier. Luscious body oils, butter, creams and lotions will be more effective after exfoliation to lock in moisture while flooding the skin with high performance ingredients.

Exfoliating at home is quick and easy. From DIY sugar scrubs to special products, there are plenty of options to choose from. But be mindful, signs of over exfoliation can include redness, skin feeling tight or uncomfortable, rashes, or dry and flaky patches. If you experience any discomfort, reduce usage straight away. The goal is glowing skin, not grumpy skin!

Top tip: Exfoliating your body before heading out into the sun (applying sunscreen after exfoliation of course) will result in a deeper long-lasting tan. And a gentle scrub before body hair removal could help to prevent ingrown hairs.

For most people, body exfoliation once or twice a week is more than enough to get your glow on. Worth it, right?

Source: greatest.com, clarinsnewzealand.co.nz, procoal.co.uk, dove.com, sundaebody.co.uk, goop.com