Every 25 to 30 days, our skin sheds old, dead cells and replaces it with new, fresh ones. This skin cell turnover process starts at a fast pace when we are young, but slows down as we grow older. Skin cells in babies and kids are replaced in as little as 3 to 5 days, which is why they always have ‘baby-soft’, fresh skin. By the time we are in our 20s and 30s, the turnover cycle slows to 3 to 5 weeks and only gets longer and longer as we age. By the age of 50 or 60, the cycle can take up to 2 to 3 months, which is why aged skin is often loose and wrinkled.
The decrease in collagen and elastin production in the body leads to slowed cellular turnover, which in turn leads to signs of aging like dullness, wrinkles, and loss of firmness.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get Rid of Dead Skin on Face
Luckily, you don’t have to wait for the natural turnover period to encourage new skin cell growth. There are ways to speed up the process and promote quicker cellular turnover by getting rid of the old, dead skin. If you’re wondering how to get rid of dead skin on your face, exfoliation is key.
Exfoliation is the process of removing the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin by using either natural skin care products or beauty tools or both instead of waiting for it to shed naturally.
Sometimes, these dead skin cells don’t shed fully or they get trapped in your pores along with dirt and bacteria, potentially causing skin problems like acne or blackheads. Exfoliation also helps keep your skin free of these skin issues.
Step 1 – Cleanse
The first step in how to get rid of dead skin on your face is giving your face a good cleanse to get rid of any makeup, dirt, and oil. Double cleansing is often recommended, especially if you’ve been wearing makeup.
Step 2 – Steam
Next, steam your face for around 5 minutes. Contrary to common beliefs, your pores don’t open from facial steaming, but steaming your face does help loosen the old skin cells, making them easier to shed during exfoliation.
The heat from a facial steam also helps loosen the sebum in your pores, which is also cleansed while exfoliating. Sebum is the oily, kind of waxy substance the body produces on the skin.
Step 3 – Exfoliate
The 3rd and key step to get rid of dead skin on face is exfoliation.
There are 2 main types of exfoliation to get rid of dead skin on face:
- Physical exfoliation
- Chemical exfoliation
Physical Exfoliation to Get Rid of Dead Skin on Face
Physical exfoliation is done by using manual exfoliation tools and exfoliation skin care products such as exfoliating scrubs, dermarollers, and dry brushes.
Best Skin Care Products for Physical Exfoliation
The Mario Badescu Almond and Honey Face Scrub is a great option for a natural and cruelty-free physical exfoliation skincare product to use to get rid of dead skin on face.
This gentle scrub uses finely ground almonds to exfoliate, along with cornmeal, oatmeal, and kaolin. These ingredients combined create a non-abrasive face scrub that will remove any dead skin and impurities from your face, while the honey and sweet almond oil soothe and hydrate your skin and give it a healthy glow.
Use this 2 to 3 times a week by massaging the scrub gently onto wet skin in circular motions and then rinsing with lukewarm water.
With regular use, the Mario Badescu Almond and Honey Face Scrub can help to reduce the occurrence of blackheads, clear up skin congestion, and get rid of dead skin of face.
The natural ingredients make it a suitable option for those with sensitive skin.
The Ahava Facial Mud Exfoliator uses Dead Sea mud and tiny granules to polish your skin, get rid of dead skin of face, and promote cell renewal.
The salt and magnesium in Dead Sea mud can improve your skin barrier and elasticity, making it a great choice as an exfoliator. This gentle gentle face scrub also contains lactic acid, which is a great chemical exfoliator.
Aside from its exfoliating properties, this face scrub also contains osmoter, which contributes to the skin’s moisture levels, and vitamin E, which protects the skin against free radicals.
If your skin is oily or acne-prone, this premium beauty skin scrub is for you. The Murad Skin Smoothing Polish is clinically proven to clear away pore-clogging dead skin cells and all of Murad Skincare is cruelty-free.
This skin smoothing facial exfoliator is formulated without the use of Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates, Animal-derived ingredients, Mineral oil, Formaldehyde, Oxybenzone, or Petrolatum/petroleum.
Its key natural ingredients include jojoba beads, witch hazel, cinnamon extract, and starflower extract.
The biodegradable micro-polishing jojoba beads clear pores clogged with dead skin and excess oil, while the witch hazel and cinnamon extract maintain oil production and tighten your pores.
Starflower extract is a great moisturizer. You could use this in place of your regular cleanser 2 to 3 times a week and follow with your normal skincare routine.
Avoid using too often as it could lead to irritation.
Chemical Exfoliation to Get Rid of Dead Skin on Face
Chemical exfoliation is a process used to get rid of dead skin on face by using chemicals such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), and retinoids.
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids, or AHAs, are plant-derived acids that remove dead skin cells and reveal new, fresh skin cells. They are used to treat hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, or uneven skin tone.
The most popular AHAs are glycolic acid, lactic acid, and mandelic acid, with glycolic acid being the strongest and mandelic acid being relatively mild.
Beta-Hydroxy Acids, or BHAs, are oil-soluble acids that unclog pores by clearing excess sebum, grime, and bacteria. They are great for those with oily skin.
BHAs are used to target skin concerns like acne and enlarged pores. Salicylic acid is the most popular BHA.
Retinoids are a form of Vitamin A used to treat aging skin as well as acne by fighting off free radicals and increasing collagen production.
It’s usually recommended only for people in their late 20s or older. If you’re under the age of 25, AHAs and BHAs are the treatment of choice for you to get rid of dead skin on your face.
Best Skin Care Products for Chemical Exfoliation
The Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner uses glycolic acid that improves skin texture, making your skin smoother.
Glycolic acid is a very effective chemical exfoliator and is packed with anti aging ingredients to help to accelerate new skin cell generation for healthy, younger-looking skin.
This product is best suited for those with combination to dry skin. It also contains grapefruit to rejuvenate dull skin and aloe vera to rebalance and soothe your skin.
The Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner can be used daily after cleansing as the second step in your routine.
Dampen a cotton pad with the glycolic acid toner and sweep it across your face, avoiding the eye area. There’s no need to rinse, and you can follow up with your face serum and moisturizer.
The Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizing Toner is a powerful face toner is a no-rinse chemical exfoliator formulated to quickly cleanse the face and get rid of dead skin cells while leaving your skin visibly radiant.
Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizing Toner is best suited for those with oily skin as it contains salicylic acid.
Formulated with DMAE and a copper complex that work together to firm, increase elasticity, hydrate, and energize your skin, this toner shrinks pores and gets rid of excess sebum, keeping your skin oil-free.
Gently smooth over a cleansed face with a cotton pad to get rid of dead skin on the face, minimize the look of large pores, reduce redness and dark spots, and purify your skin.
Tips for Getting rid of Dead Skin of Face With Exfoliators
- Avoid exfoliators that contain large or harsh substances as they could cause micro-tears in your skin. Stay away from any product that uses large beads, baking soda, coarse salt, or sugar.
- Exfoliation increases your skin’s sensitivity to the sun which could lead to further dark sunspots or sunburn. Always wear good sunscreen while going outside, whether it is sunny or not.
Opt for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of at least 30. - Check out this helpful video from eHow on how to get rid of dead skin on face!
Last update on 2023-09-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
