10 Tips on How to Exfoliate for Men (and Women)

I’ll be honest. I’ve heard the importance of exfoliating hundreds of times in the past, but I wasn’t entirely sure on how to exfoliate for men.  Exfoliating is crucial, but even after scouring through dozens of different sources and spending hours reading and dissecting, I’ve found that not everyone agrees on how to exfoliate for men (and women).

How to exfoliate for men is confusing, and I know I’m not the only one.

Morning vs. night, once weekly vs. daily, scrubs vs. chemical, and what exactly are “peels”?  This guide on how to exfoliate for men is meant to clarify things for you based on the overall consensus between sources, with heavier weight placed on recommendations by the American Academy of Dermatology.

First, what is exfoliating?  Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the outermost layer of the skin.  Exfoliating will leave the skin looking brighter, more even, and will raise the effectiveness of topical skin treatments like moisturizers, cleansers or acne treatments.  Exfoliation helps with skin rejuvenation, increased collagen production, increased elasticity, and makes the skin look and feel “fresh”.

But, exfoliating is very easy to overdo.

Before proceeding, let’s clarify skin types, since it’s an important factor in determining the best methods of how to exfoliate for men.

• Sensitive skin-tends to burn or sting after product use
• Normal skin-both clear and non-sensitive
• Dry skin-itchy, rough, or flaky
• Oily skin-characteristically greasy or shiny
• Combination skin-oily in some areas and dry in others

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My goal is that these tips will help alleviate confusion on the topic of how to exfoliate for men, since it’s essential for healthy, vibrant skin, but is just not that clear (no pun intended).

1. What is the difference between mechanical (physical) and chemical exfoliation?

There are two types of exfoliation, mechanical (physical) and chemical.

Mechanical exfoliation uses a tool (such as a brush, sponge, or cloth), or a scrub with beads or granules to physically remove dead skin cells, like using a high grit sandpaper to remove roughness on a piece of wood.

Chemical exfoliation uses chemicals to gently dissolve dead skin cells.  Chemical exfoliation can range from very gentle to very aggressive and can sometimes be called “peels”.  The two most common chemicals used are alpha and beta hydroxy acids.

Alpha hydroxy acids may be labeled “AHA”, but there are certain types of AHAs, such as glycolic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, or tartaric acid.

You may be familiar with beta hydroxy acid as “BHA” or the more common term, salicylic acid, which is commonly used to treat acne, in addition to exfoliating.

2. Speaking of “peels”, what exactly are they?

Peels are basically a generic term for a form of chemical exfoliators, and the name “peel” can be a little deceiving.

In college, I knew someone who got a “peel”, and it looked like they had taken a potato peeler to their face, leaving large pieces of skin hanging uncomfortably in limbo on their cheeks and forehead.  I had never seen that before, and honestly, it made “peels” seem terrifying.

Up until very recently, I learned that not all peels are that aggressive.  In fact, peels range from very superficial, superficial, moderate to deep, where the increase in depth can correlate to stronger acid solutions placed on the skin for longer periods of time.

Very superficial peels will generally contain lower percentages of alpha hydroxy acids or beta hydroxy acids and may leave the skin with a slight tingle but won’t require any downtime.  It certainly won’t make the skin peel, like shavings from a block of parmesan.  Rather, it will “peel” the skin on a more molecular level within the skin’s epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, although a wide variety of acid concentrations exist over-the-counter, only buy from reputable companies.  In addition, it is recommended that purchased OTC chemical products should have lower levels of acid concentrations- no higher than 2 percent salicylic acid or 10 percent glycolic acid.  These lower level acid concentrations will work on the molecular level.

Higher concentrations are available but do your research before purchasing and using.

3. What are some options for physical/mechanical exfoliators?

There are basically two types of physical exfoliators.  There are scrubs that contain some sort of gritty particulate, or a tool, like a brush or sponge.

What you ultimately decide is up to you, but I wanted to outline some of the options available.

Tools:

From least to most abrasive, these are all great options depending on your skin type.

Least Abrasive:       Washcloth/microfiber cloth

      Konjac Sponge

      Face brush

  Most abrasive:      Microdermabrasion

Note: There is something called “dermaplaning”, which is essentially using a special razor blade to scrape off dead skin cells and fine hairs.  It is generally completed with an aesthetician.  There are some at-home options, but I cannot recommend any, as they are too new to the market.

Scrubs:

I am sure you are familiar with gritty scrubs, especially the apricot ones you may have used in the past.

Some scrubs also used to contain small plastic beads (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, or nylon), but extensive research showed that the beads were wreaking havoc on our ecosystem.  As a result, President Obama signed a bill in 2015, banning the use of microbeads by companies.

Due to the microbead ban, companies moved toward other alternatives, such as jojoba beads, which are biodegradable and effective for gentle exfoliating.

There are also a few DIY home options for creating a scrub using one of the following:

Salt

Sugar

Baking Soda

Oatmeal (ground in a coffee grinder)

There is some debate as to whether salt, sugar or baking soda is too harsh/abrasive for the face, but oatmeal can be a gentler alternative.  Salt may be a little drying, and there is debate on whether baking soda is beneficial due to its increased ph level (9).  If you are going to attempt this option, try sugar first, and use salt or baking soda with caution.  Just remember that sugar may be too abrasive as well.

Application Tip: If you are going to give this a try, the easiest thing to do is put a teaspoon of the scrub into your non-dominant palm, then put some of your facial cleanser on top of the scrub.  Turn the shower on with your dominant hand, hop in and get your face wet.  Turn away from the water and mix the cleanser and scrub together with both hands.  Apply to face.  See tips 5 & 6 for exfoliating techniques.

If there is one consensus among the more academic sources I reviewed, it is to avoid fruit and nut scrubs, which can contain ground shells, seeds or kernels.  The particle edges can be too sharp for the face, causing micro-tears.

4. Morning or Night?

Some sources say the best time to exfoliate is in the morning, in order to slough off the dead skin cells that accrue overnight.

However, a majority of sources indicate that the best time to exfoliate is at night before bed.  This is mainly due to the sensitivity of skin after exfoliating, which makes skin more susceptible to sun damage during the day.  Additionally, the skin repairs itself while sleeping.   If any superficial damage occurred from exfoliating, the skin will benefit from the sleeping recovery period.

5. How often to exfoliate?

How often to exfoliate will depend on skin type.  Exfoliating daily with physical scrubs or tools may be a bit too much and won’t allow the skin to heal or create a protective barrier.  As a result, dryness, breakouts, redness, or excessive oil production can occur.

On average, it is recommended to use mechanical/physical exfoliators two to three times per week.  Those with sensitive or dry skin should stick to the lower end (no more than two times per week).  Those with thick or oily skin can get away with exfoliating more often (three, sometimes more per week).

6. How long to exfoliate?

Less is more when it comes to exfoliating.  Pressing hard on the skin with physical forms of exfoliation will not only increase the chances of micro-tears but can also lead to the same problems listed above (dryness, breakouts, redness, etc.).  Excess pressure can effectively burn the skin or lead to red, broken blood vessels on the skin’s surface.

Same goes for excessive exfoliation for a long period of time.

Always follow the directions on the packaging, but on average, try to stick with exfoliating for 30 seconds on the face.  Try dividing your face in half, dedicating 15 seconds to each side.

Small, circular motions with light pressure are best, and it is important to rinse with lukewarm, not excessively hot water.

7. Darker complexion?  Be careful.

If you have a darker complexion, be careful with some of the harsher physical options like scrubs or microdermabrasion.  Also, be careful with stronger chemical options.  If you already get dark spots after burns, bug bites or acne breakouts, more aggressive forms of exfoliating can cause further dark spots on the face.

With darker complexions, it is best to stick to less harsh methods of exfoliating, such as microfiber cloths and sponges, or lower concentrations of chemical exfoliates.

8. Always follow up with a good moisturizer

It is essential to follow up exfoliating with a quality moisturizer.  Since exfoliating strips the skin of its outermost protective layer, dryness can result.  Moisturizer helps lock in moisture, helping to keep skin healthy and hydrated.

9. Don’t use body scrubs on face

Skin on the face is thinner and more sensitive than other areas of the body, like elbows or legs.  Scrubs designed to exfoliate thicker areas of skin are too harsh for the face and can cause redness, micro-tears, and some of the other negative effects discussed in #5.

10. Know your skin type

Knowing your skin type and matching it with the proper degree of mechanical or chemical harshness is crucial to effective exfoliating.

For those with dry or sensitive skin, stick with less abrasive mechanical/physical options such as sponges, washcloths, gentle face brushes, or lower concentrations of acids within chemical exfoliates.  Again, exfoliating less often (2x per week) will be most beneficial.

For those with oily, thick skin, more abrasive options are available, such as microdermabrasion, stiffer face brushes (made for exfoliating), and scrubs, in addition to higher concentrations of AHA or BHA.  Sticking to exfoliating 3 times per week (possibly more if needed) will be best.

For those with normal or combination skin, you will benefit from a regimen between oily and sensitive skin.  Try scrubs, brushes, or sponges at least 2-3 times per week and/or chemical exfoliators and adjust accordingly.

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Our recommendations on exfoliating for men:

This is by no means the end all, be all plan on exfoliating for men.  Again, exfoliating is very personal to your skin type, what you feel comfortable doing and what works.

But, I feel it is necessary to show what has been successful, in addition to well-researched, recommended products.

The Plan

1. Wash your face daily with a quality cleanser containing BHA (salicylic acid).

Give it a shot-some sources recommend only using a cleanser once a day, say at night while in the shower.  When you wake up in the morning, just cleanse your face with water.  The thought process is to keep the good oils on your face without stripping them away twice a day.

Our Choice: CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser $9.87

2. Exfoliate every other day (or less depending on your skin type) using a face brush or using the cleanser + sugar method (remember sugar can be harsh!).  Another alternative is to use a quality face wash with exfoliating particles (see below).

Our Choice: Waterproof Facial Cleansing Brush $24.99

3. Moisturize after cleansing and exfoliating

Our Choice: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizer $15.99

Don’t feel like using a brush or sugar and prefer having two separate cleansers, one chemical and one physical, instead?

Our choice physical cleanser/exfoliator: Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub $30.00

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Microdermabrasion and what it’s all about:

For those that don’t know, microdermabrasion is a non-invasive, highly effective exfoliator that uses crystals or a diamond tipped wand to buff, scrape and suck away dead skin cells.

Microdermabrasion can decrease fine lines, reduce the appearance of age spots, lighten acne scars, help to even skin pigmentation, and unclog pores.

It is amazing.

I know this, because my wife saved our credit card points and got an in-home microdermabrasion kit from Amazon for “free”.  I’ve used it for a while now, and it is the ultimate exfoliating tool.

The price is a little steep, and I believe there are certainly better ways to spend the money, but if you have an extra $150 laying around (or credit card points) and would like to experience the pinnacle of at home exfoliation, give it a shot.

Our Choice: Microderm GLO Diamond Microdermabrasion System $149.95

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This article on how to exfoliate for men (and women) is long, but I hope it clears up any confusion you have regarding exfoliating.  On the surface, exfoliating seems like a fairly easy topic, but how to do it properly definitely confused me.  I know for a fact it also confuses other guys out there.

Before I put in the time researching and writing this article on how to exfoliate for men, I knew I was exfoliating incorrectly.  Mainly, I was exfoliating too long, too frequently and too hard, causing redness, irritation and excess breakouts.

I have personally employed the proper techniques in this article on how to exfoliate for men and have seen a tremendous difference in my skin.  My hope is that this will help you as well.

Thanks for reading!

-Chris

Enjoy reading about how to exfoliate for men?  Check out our Complete Guide to Men’s Hair Products to find out your hair type and what hair product goes best with it.

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And thanks to all my sources for help on how to exfoliate for men.  Without your assistance, I’d be doing it all wrong.

• American Academy of Dermatology
• She Knows
• Trip Savvy
• Dermstore
• Positive Health Wellness
• Cosmopolitan
• Huffington Post
• Style Caster
• Women’s Health Mag
• Byrdie
• Allure
• Cleveland Clinic
• Dermal Institute
• Lab Muffin
• Dermatology Alliance