Hint: you’re doing it wrong!
BS-FREE BEAUTY THAT WORKS FOR YOU
You know that gritty exfoliator you’ve been using since secondary school?The one you scrub on your face until it feels tingly and slightly raw? Yeah, there’s a really good chance it’s destroying your skin. The truth is, even though exfoliators are 100% necessary, the wrong ones can do more damage than good. Harsh kinds can create micro-tears in your skin, weakening its protective barrier and rolling out a red carpet for bacteria, causing breakouts.
So, permission to bin your old go-to is granted. The exfoliator you should be using is made with chemicals, but not scary ones. I’m talking about gentle acids that dissolve the sticky substance that binds pore-clogging dead skin cells together, leaving you with Zendaya-like glowy skin. Basically, goals on goals on goals.
A little more about these chemicals
There are two main typesofskin-smoothing acids: alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). It’s pretty easy to figure out which is right for your skin. AHAs (like mandelic, glycolic, tartaric and lactic acids) exfoliate while also hydrating, making them ideal for sensitive,dry or redness-prone skin. BHAs (the most popular one is salicylic acid) dissolve dead skin cells on the surface of your face and also deep-clean your pores, breaking down any oil lodged inside. (Translation: they’re great for preventing spots and treating blackheads and whiteheads.) But keep in mind that even gentle chemical exfoliants can irritate or dry out your skin if they’re used too often or in too-high concentrations. So always start out slow and low (use 1% salicylic acid for one month to make sure you
