How often should you exfoliate your body?

Want to know the secret to silky-smooth and radiant-looking skin? The good news is, it’s surprisingly simple – regular exfoliation. Exfoliating, for the uninitiated, removes dead cells from our skin’s outer layers, improving both its appearance and feel. Goodbye dry and dull-looking skin! But how often we exfoliate is key, since too much exfoliation can result in redness, peeling or irritation, and too little means we won’t enjoy any of the benefits. Here’s what you need to know.

Start gently

When it comes to body exfoliation, most people tend to stick to physical exfoliants – products or tools that scrub the skin, usually with textured or grainy particles – versus chemical exfoliants, since they’re usually more affordable. Plus, it’s easier to control the amount of pressure you use than the amount of chemical exfoliant used (useful for exfoliation rookies or those with sensitive skin).

If you’re new to exfoliation, it’s worth starting with a gentle everyday product like our Dove Body Love Radiance Renew Body Cleanser, which lightly exfoliates skin while leaving it feeling hydrated and nourished. The serum-infused formula includes ingredients we know and love from facial skincare. Our formula, with Vitamin C, is especially great for dull-looking skin or skin that feels dry. Dove Radiance Renew with 10X Moisture Boost Complex blend promises to hydrate even the thirstiest skin types. Just trade it for your regular shower gel and enjoy daily exfoliation that delivers brighter, smoother skin.

Another option is our Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash with Sea Minerals – it works miracles when it comes to reviving tired-looking skin and is light enough to use daily. Just apply a pump to wet hands and massage into skin as part of your regular shower routine. The exfoliating sea minerals are so gentle you will barely notice skin being lightly buffed, but you’ll definitely feel that post-shower glow and visibly smoother, healthier-looking skin.

Build up to scrubs and polishes

Products that contain grainy particles or beads, like our Exfoliating Body Polish, are best to use three to four times a week – but it’s a good idea to build up to using them. Signs of over exfoliation can include redness, skin feeling tight or uncomfortable, rashes and dry or flaky patches. Be mindful of how your skin feels and looks – if you experience any signs of discomfort, reduce usage straight away.

Generally, if you have non-sensitive skin, you adapt well to regular exfoliation. Avoid exfoliation altogether if you have sunburn, any skin irritation – like a rash – or if you’ve recently used any kind of chemical exfoliation or peel.

As well as choosing products that effectively scrub away dead skin cells, it’s important to find formulas that care for and thoroughly moisturize skin, too. Together with that satisfying ‘scrub’ feel, our Dove Exfoliating Body Polish nourishes skin as it exfoliates and is available in a choice of ‘gentle’, ‘moderate’ or ‘deep’ options, allowing you to tailor the exfoliation process to suit your skin. It’s especially useful when self-tanning too, since the formula helps gently buff away any residue tan and prepares skin for a fresh, smooth application.

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