Face exfoliators are a skincare hero: formulated to address multiple skin concerns at once – from dryness to congestion. Sure, in the past, face exfoliators had fairly harsh and scratchy formulas – but thankfully that's no longer the case. Today's face exfoliators are much kinder-to-skin; we'd recommend having one by your side all year round to help deep-clean your complexion and unclog your pores.
Think about it: heat, sweat and pollution can have a significant effect on our skin. That's where facial exfoliators come in – as a modern skincare staple, they can help you polish your way to brighter, fresher, beautiful skin. All you need to do is to find the right match for all your skin needs.
Whether you have sensitive, oily, congested or dry skin, there’s an exfoliator out there suited to your concerns. Luckily, we've gone through all the best options on the market and cherry-picked a list of recommendations. We've also consulted with clinical aesthetician, who shared some advice on all the things you might want to consider before you take the plunge. Just bear in mind that you should still be careful not to overdo it. Time to scroll down and enjoy.
Best face exfoliators at a glance – our top picks:
Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Medik8 Press & Clear
Meet the experts:
- Pamela Marshall, clinical aesthetician and co-founder of Mortar & Milk
How can a face exfoliator help?
Healthy skin naturally sheds dead cells to make way for the fresh ones beneath. However, age or stress can slow this process down, creating a dull layer of build-up over our skin. That's where your exfoliator comes in, manually shifting those cells to restore your glowy complexion. “Exfoliation promotes cell turnover, allowing old dead keratinocytes [that's skin cells] to shed, which enables new healthy skin to come toward the surface," explains Pamela Marshall, clinical aesthetician and co-founder of Mortar & Milk. When incorporated into your skincare regime, exfoliating will help to keep skin as "smooth, bright and healthy-looking as possible,” she adds.
Exfoliating can also help encourage your natural collagen production to help you achieve brighter skin while also reducing dullness and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Of course, we only have one face, so it's important to be gentle with it. Finding your exfoliating sweet-spot can involve a little trial-and-error to work out the concentration, format and frequency that suits your skin.
Which face exfoliator is right for you?
There are two types of exfoliator to choose from: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliators like scrubs, flannels and cleansing brushes involve manually buffing the skin, with salt, grains, bristles or fibres. Chemical (or liquid) exfoliators include products that contain acids such as glycolic and salicylic, or fruit enzymes such as pumpkin and pineapple. These are then usually applied to a cotton pad and swept over skin. They work in a similar way to a nail polish remover or body scrub, breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together in order to lift them away. The difference, is they're much, much gentler and more diluted. Think of a couple of drops of lemon juice in a glass of water – it's acidic, but it's much more mild.
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