Tips for exfoliating please

[pure]

First off, I am a guy.

I heard somewhere that a teaspoon or 2 of sugar makes for a great exfoliant for guys, so I just gave it a go. At first, it was like rubbing sand paper on my face. Not pleasant.

Then something weird happenned.

I started to like it.

When I washed the sugar off my face and started using my regular soap, my face was as soft as a baby's ass. Holy crap. I want to do this everyday.

So gimme tips please.

How often should I exfoliate? it feels so good I'm tempted to do it daily but is that too often? When's the best time, morning or night? Is sugar seriously a viable way to go or can anybody recommend something better for me? Is there a recommended length of time I should be doing it, or is it just whatever feels good?

[masonite]

Other exfoliants you might have in your kitchen include cornmeal and baking soda.

Be really careful, and don't rub hard!

[Lsura]

I exfoliate regularly - I've found that it helps a LOT with the damn cystic acne, really.

I use the St. Ives medicated (it has salicylic acid) apricot scrub. When I first started, I used just the regular, beause if I was going to have problems with the exfoliating I didn't want to add the medication to it as well.

I use it every day to every other day - if my face seems sensitive on a given day, I'll skip it. And I do it in the shower in the morning - whether that's the best time or not, I don't know, but it works for me. And the not scrubbing too hard thing is good advice. Scrubbing too hard hurts!

[skeptic_ev]

Tip for guys: go easy on the bearded part of your face, especially if you shave every day. The razor blades pretty much take care of the top layers of skin.

Baking soda in a good, gentle cleanser (like Cetaphil) is about the most gentle exfoliant.

[MeanJoe]

I recommend checking out the Anthony (http://www.anthony.com/shop/bin/index.php) product line. I've been using it for about two months now. Their exfoliants are excellent, as are the rest of their products.

MeanJoe

[MeanJoe]

Oh, and you should only exfoliate 2 times a week. Add a clay-based mask 1 time a week. Use a quality cleaner, toner, and moisturiser daily.

MeanJoe

[chickengrrl]

Freeman products makes great inexpensive body scrubs and facial scrubs.

Definitely don't exfoliate more than a couple times a week because you'll strip away too much of your skin's natural oils, which can make it flaky or, ironically, case breakouts as your skin tries to compensate for the lack of oil.

Try using an exfoliant once every couple of weeks on your whole body--you'll feel all glowy after you shower. (It's nice if you have a friend to rub it on you:D

[Kalhoun]

I wash with those scrubby gloves (for lack of a better word). I use them every day. They're also good for getting eye make-up off.

[Annie-Xmas]

Anything with a rough texture will work. Oatmeal, cornmeal, baking soda, sugar, brown sugar, and salt are all good. Crushed up nuts, seeds and pumice also work. So will a barely damp loofah sponge. Or even dry sand.

[medstar]

Sugar crystals are very good, because the crystals won't scratch your skin, but I do recommend a teaspoon of baking soda in Cetaphil as being especially gentle and effective. Don't scrub your face as though you're beating out a fire. Imagine polishing your face and use a light touch. Don't forget to rinse thoroughly and apply a good moisturizer. I don't like crushed shells or pits because the individual bits have jagged edges and can abrade your sensitive face. You should pay attention to your skin and adjust frequency of use. The exfoliation should be great for your beard because there won't be as much of a chance of you getting ingrown beard hairs. Good luck.

[j666]

The St. Ives with the salicyclic acid is the ONLY thing I've found that really prevents zits