How I Exfoliate My Sensitive Skin

Last year I wrote a post as Kylie Skin was launching her walnut scrub, talking about exfoliating my skin and how I steered clear of physical exfoliation. Since then I have been trying out new products, new ingredients and learning more about exfoliation in general so I thought it was time to write a little about some products that have been working for me. Disclaimer - just because they work for me doesn’t mean they will for you.

The Two Types Of Exfoliation

If you’re a skincare pro you can skip this section, you probably know all about it, but if not… read on. Essentially there are two different types of exfoliation - manual (or physical) and chemical.

Manual uses physical products, like sugar for example, to physically buff away that dead cells from the surface of your skin. This had always been a little harsh for me (but I have found a miracle product, keep reading) so I have always looked more at chemical exfoliators.

Chemical always sounds a little scary but it’s actually a gentler way to remove those pesky dead cells from your skin. Chemical exfoliation targets deeper into the skin than manual with either AHAs (alpha hydroxy acid) or BHAs (beta hydroxy acid). In a nutshell, AHAs are water soluble acids made from fruits and usually target the top layer, BHAs are oil-soluble so get deeper into the skin and remove excess sebum.

Finding A Physical Exfoliator For Sensitive Skin

So, this time last year I wouldn’t use a physical exfoliator on my skin. They were too harsh and I would be left red raw. This was slightly annoying as I love a good scrub - it makes you feel like you’re properly getting rid of those dead skin cells. But everything was just too much for me.

But… then came the Paula’s Choice The UnScrub. This has changed the game for me. Actually pitched as a cleanser, it uses dissolvable JoJoba beads that are incredible gentle to do the scrubbing. Paula is not a fan of physical scrubs because many use harsh ingredients that are just too coarse for the skin. That’s why I started using this one… because of that ethos.

What’s great about this product is not only does it make your skin feel super soft and shiny after use, like you’d want from an exfoliator, it actually feels gentle and calming AS you’re using it. Rather than slightly grimacing as I am scrubbing my face, it actually feels super soft. It polishes my skin completely and yet doesn’t leave behind the red raw feeling I would get before.

So if you want that super clean feeling you get from a scrub without the irritation I would definitely recommend the UnScrub for sensitive skin.

The Right Chemical Exfoliator For Sensitive Skin

My skin is quite dry, which typically means I should use an AHA. However for sensitive skin, BHAs are known to be better. They have an anti inflammatory effect and can help to reduce redness, which is something I suffer with.

I decided to give the very popular Paulas Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant a try. I always worry at first that everything will be too strong for my skin so I started off small and not often and built up over time.

This is now one of my favourite exfoliators for my sensitive skin. I find it very gentle and yet very effective for keeping blackheads at bay and giving me a glow in the morning. I really love how this makes my skin feel and the lasting effects of keeping it dirt-free.

Many people who suffer with acne, oily skin, blackheads and large pores seem to rave about this but actually I am surprised more people with sensitive skin don’t use it. It is absolutely the exfoliator of choice for me now. Well, when I am not using the UnScrub that is!