I Swapped Out Physical Exfoliators for Chemical & I'm Never Going Back!

It is no secret that the best way to get rid of built-up dead skin cells is by exfoliating. Exfoliation is essential for healthier, smoother, and younger-looking skin. No matter how well we think we've cleansed, there is usually still dirt, oil, and old makeup on our faces. This can obviously cause acne, blemishes, and clogged pores which are things we are all trying to avoid. Keep reading to learn the difference between physical and chemical exfoliators as well as my experience with the two.

xo, Aliyah

There are two different ways to exfoliate, physical and chemical. For years, physical exfoliants have been the preferred option for many (including myself) because they felt that the rough ingredients in the product (grains, nuts, sugar, etc) will quickly and effectively remove dead skin. Newer skin will be revealed after you wash off the product and you will instantly see a difference in texture and radiance. Recently, I've found that my sensitive skin doesn't exactly love the roughness of this type of exfoliant. I noticed that my dark spots were becoming more visible and although my skin was smoother it seemed to appear more damaged. In fact, physical exfoliants can leave micro-cuts in the skin if done too frequently and too harshly. It's easy for us to get carried away with physical exfoliants because the more we do it, the more dead skin we get rid of right? Wrong. When we over-exfoliate with physicals it can weaken the skin's barrier causing redness, extreme irritation, patches, and other issues nobody wants to deal with.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub

On the other hand, chemical exfoliators use acids to exfoliate. Some of the most common acids are salicylic, glycolic, lactic, and malic. Many people shy away from chemical exfoliators because let's face it, chemical is a scary word especially concerning skincare. Many of these include fruit enzymes and acids like those named above to gently loosen and buff away dead skin cells removing impurities and gradually brightening the skin. I've noticed that chemical exfoliators leave me with a glow that lasts for days and with physicals my dry and sensitive skin looks dull and even tired the morning after. One thing to be aware of with chemical exfoliants is that they are more likely to cause chemical reactions than physical ones. This is because your skin may not react well to one or any of the acids in the product.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Peel is my exfoliator of choice. It has worked wonders for my skin!

Which one should you choose? It really does depend on your skin type. I personally get better results with chemical exfoliants than physicals. If you have oily or insensitive skin physical exfoliators may work great for you! If your skin is dry and sensitive like mine I highly recommend leaning towards chemical exfoliators. Regardless of which one you choose, it is important to note that you never want to overdo it. Both options can be dangerous and cause damage to the skin if you aren't careful. With physical exfoliants, I recommend exfoliating no more than 3 times a week. With chemical exfoliants, every other day. All in all, it is important and necessary to exfoliate, please do so safely. Your skin will always show you signs of when it's unhappy.