Human skin is made up of three layers. The innermost layer is called the hypodermis, made mostly of connective tissue and fat. The middle layer is the dermis, containing hair follicles and sweat glands. The outermost layer is the epidermis. This layer acts as a waterproof barrier between the body and the elements. Our skin tone is created by the epidermis.
Removal of dead skin cells and preventing infection from entering the body are two critical functions the skin does. Every 27 to 30 days, the outer layer of skin regenerates itself, replacing dead skin cells with new ones. When the small pores of the skin are blocked by oils, dead skin cells, or bacteria, pimples appear in the form of blackheads or whiteheads. Or, if genetically predisposed, acne cysts appear that may require medical intervention that involves taking acne medication and exposure to heat lamps that burn off the dead skin cells.
As we get older, the 30 day cycle of skin regeneration gradually increases, so the epidermis regenerates less frequently. Skin tone can change and there may be new outbreaks of acne later in life. Some people continue to have acne outbreaks to their middle age, while others may experience clogged pores and dead skin cells causing acne well into their 30s.
Skin exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin from the epidermis. It works by unclogging pores and clearing oils away from hair follicles. The process of exfoliating removes duller looking skin and gives it a deeper, healthier looking skin tone and a healthy glow.
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Benefits of Exfoliation
Here’s how skin benefits from exfoliating the skin.
It removes dead skin cells and oils
Allowing the skin to regenerate on its own every month or so (even longer as we age), makes the skin appear duller and unappealing-looking. The dead skin remains on the face and serves to block out our natural complexion.
By exfoliating skin, you are actually removing these dead skin cells and clearing away oils from the entrance of hair follicles, allowing your skin to breathe and look healthier.
Exfoliating goes deep
Scrubbing away oil, dirt and grease, exfoliating goes deep into the pores and cleans them through to the second skin layer. The process revitalizes the skin, allowing it to clean itself and regenerate more effectively.
Exfoliating removes ingrown hairs
Epidermal scrubs clean deeper into the skin than just soap and water. When you exfoliate, you uproot ingrown hairs, that is, hair that grows in an inward direction or hair that grows sideways in the hair follicle. Removing ingrown hair clears the hair follicles, allowing hair to once again grow out onto the face.
Men grow hair on the face, and this aspect of exfoliating is most important to them. Exfoliation keeps the hair follicles clean to help you grow a thicker beard. Even if you don’t grow facial hair, your face can look healthier if you exfoliate.
Exfoliate before shaving
Men’s skin is more thickly packed with skin cells than women’s skin. Men’s faces can appear a lot duller over time when washed only with soap and water, so exfoliating scrubs are very beneficial to a man’s appearance. The scrubs whisk away oil and dirt, remove sebum and leaves the face with a healthy glow.
Scrubbing away oil and dirt is great just before shaving, because more of the hair to be cut down will be exposed by exfoliating, giving you a better, more even shave. Most of us tend to leave nubs of ingrown hair no matter what kind of razor we use.
This is why it’s so hard to have a smooth, even shave. Hair is embedded in the follicles because they have grown in a different direction. Women who touch a man’s face take note of the scratchiness of his often, even when we think we’ve shaved all the hairs off the face. By doing an exfoliating scrub before we shave, we’re more likely to get the face feeling smoother and cleaner.
Exfoliate before Moisturizing
Moisturizers work by penetrating the outermost layer of the skin and going deep to make the skin less dry and more elastic. It produces a healthy glow and gives the skin a clean, attractive appearance.
But using moisturizer alone without first deep cleaning the skin is artificial. The skin is still full of clogged pores and gritty from only being washed with soap and water. Exfoliating removes the dead skin cells and exposes ingrown hair.
Exfoliating opens the pores, allowing the moisturizer to penetrate all over your face evenly. The absorption of moisturizer is more even because all the inform hairs have been cleared away from deep scrubbing.
The three skin types
Our skin can be one of three types, or a combination of two types.
Dry skin
Dry skin is actually the result of the buildup of dead skin cells on the epidermis. Men will want their skin moist and healthier, so it’s important to have a cleansing scrub a few times per week.
Normal skin
Normal skin will show signs of oil building, especially on the nose and forehead. Exfoliating will give the skin an even, clean looking tone so one area isn’t oilier than another.
Oily skin
This type of skin is oily in appearance, not only on the nose and forehead, but also on the cheeks. Exfoliating oily skin is important to remove dead skin cells and to clear out clogged skin pores.
All three skin types can be thoroughly cleaned by using a paraben free, organically based exfoliating scrub, such as Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub.
How To Exfoliate Men’s Skin the Right Way
How often men should exfoliate depends on their skin type. It’s important to stick to a regular schedule. Normally, men with oily skin should exfoliate more often than those with normal or dry skin.
Determine the Frequency of Exfoliating That Works Best For You
Exfoliating dry skin can make it even drier if done too often. The best way to find out is to start slowly and build up to your individual “skin threshold.”
It’s best to start once or twice a week and see how it impacts your particular skin’s sensitivity. If you feel after exfoliating once a week that you can handle more, then move up to twice a week, then three times a week. Three to four times a week is the upper threshold and you should never exfoliate more than that.
Avoid Chemical Preservatives
Paraben is a widely used preservative found in a lot of personal care products and some drugs. Their main purpose of paraben is to extend the shelf life of a cosmetic product. Parabens are preservatives that have a lot of bad side-effects. For example, parabens can fool the body by mimicking estrogen, a female hormone. Hence the body produces too much of this hormone and can cause rapid cell division which leads to cancer.
Today, traces of parabens are not only found throughout the human body. Paraben has also been found in the cells of aquatic mammalian life forms. As we rinse, the parabens go down the drain to the sewage system and out to the oceans, where they then enter the bodies of marine mammals. We don’t know yet how badly it will impact marine mammals, but we do know the danger it poses to us.
Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub is one of those products you can buy that is paraben free and is made up of only organic ingredients. Exfoliating with this product means you won’t be introducing any synthetic chemicals into your body. It’s also certified as being vegan friendly because it contains no animal products.
Use a Moisturizer After Exfoliating
After a deep exfoliating scrub, the dermal layer beneath the exfoliated outer layer will be brought to the surface. Exfoliating opens your pores, so you will need to protect them with a moisturizer.
Make sure, especially when you begin exfoliating that you apply moisturizer right away to protect your open pores. Avoid shaving on days you exfoliate in the beginning, until your skin becomes used to the exfoliating process.
Exfoliation of dead skin cells is intended for guys who are 30 years of age or older. This is because the cycle of your body’s natural removal of dead skin cells has slowed down.
I recommend using Kiehl’s Facial Fuel. It’s my absolute favorite go-to daily moisturizer.
Choosing The Right Method For Your Face
There are different ways to exfoliate. Here we are reminded of the three different skin types. A person with drier skin should be careful when exfoliating, because exfoliating too much will cause reddish, burning skin. A person with oily skin can exfoliate with a cleanser much longer because there are more dead skin cells to remove.
It is best to test the skin by degrees. Leaving on an exfoliating product longer to see how your skin feels is one way. The best way to proceed, though, is to apply exfoliating gel for a short period of time, rinsing off and using a moisturizer, and increasing the length of time you exfoliate by degrees until you’ve found the longest time you can rub in the product before your skin begins burning.
All exfoliating products will feel somewhat abrasive to the skin. This is natural because you cannot cleanse the pores properly without there being a certain amount of friction. Some exfoliating products are too abrasive, so be careful using them.
The product I’ve mentioned here, Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub, provides only the necessary abrasion needed to cleanse the pores thoroughly. The product uses micro beading to give your face a soft, penetrating scrubbing experience that is not too harsh, yet it penetrates the pores and cleans them thoroughly.
Men’s Guide to Properly Exfoliate the Face
Modern dermatology has advanced a great deal in the past 20 years or so. In the past, exfoliating meant using an abrasive sponge to effectively clean out pores. Applying an abrasive sponge is still a good option to use every so often when you’re exfoliating, especially for men, since we have coarser and thicker skin than women.
People with excessively oily skin may benefit by applying exfoliating scrub to the face with one of these abrasive sponges. They can be found easily in the personal care products section of any of the well-known pharmacies throughout the country. But remember to apply exfoliating scrub with the sponge about once every two weeks if you have skin that is oily or if you tend to have a lot of clogged pores or ingrown hairs.
Generally, the best way to exfoliate is by first washing your face with your normal soap or face cleanser. Next, take about a quarter sized amount of exfoliating scrub in your hand and rub it gently into the face in a circular motion.
Stay away from the drier, and thinner areas of facial skin, located around the eyes and the lips. If you use Jack Black Face Buff, you can feel how the bamboo powder in the product brushes mildly abrasive against your skin, cleaning out the pores.
It is not necessary to rub vigorously with the Jack Black Face Buff product, since the bamboo powder does all the work for you. Rub the product in for about 30 seconds when you start, then up to a full minute once your skin gets used to the cleansing action.
Exfoliating products should be used at the beginning about once or twice a week. After a few weeks, you can increase your use to up to four times a week. It is not necessary to use an exfoliating scrub more than four times a week. Overuse, even on oily skin, can cause facial micro tearing, and this will result in even more clogged pores.
After you’ve applied the exfoliating scrub, let it remain on your face for about two minutes when you start out, increasing it to about two and a half minutes after your skin is accustomed to the scrub.
The longer you keep the scrub on your face after you’ve applied it, the less frequently you need to use it every week. This is a way to save on use of the product as well as getting the most out of it. Leaving it on allows it to sink deeply into the pores to get the best cleaning possible.
Next, rinse off the exfoliating scrub and try your face gently with a towel. DO NOT pull the towel down or up your face, as you would when you dry your body. Instead, pat dry the face gently with the towel until it is dry.
Next apply moisturizer to the face, making sure to cover all the areas that came into contact with the exfoliating scrub. You don’t need a lot of moisturizer, just enough to lightly coat the surface of the skin.
You will feel your skin tighter than it was before you exfoliated. Your skin is now at its cleanest. If you are just beginning to use an exfoliating product, wait a full week before applying it again. Remember to never dry your face vigorously between applications. In fact, you should always pat your face dry gently. Too strong towel drying pulls at the skin cells and will allow more dirt to get into the pores of your face. Always be gentle with your facial skin.
The Benefits of Using an Exfoliating Scrub
Other methods of exfoliating skin include using a brush, an abrasive cloth or an abrasive sponge to remove dead skin cells. If done gently, this method can effectively remove dirt and ingrown facial hairs, but there is always the danger of making the skin burn or become raw. For men, this makes it harder to shave without pain.
Exfoliating scrubs like Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub are made specifically for men. The bamboo powder provides the right amount of abrasiveness for a man’s face, while also remaining gentle enough so that you can shave after exfoliating.
Men using Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub can shave after exfoliating after about two weeks following the introduction of the product. First, exfoliate and then apply moisturizer, and shave on the days when you do not exfoliate.
After a week, or two weeks, depending on how your face responds to the exfoliating process, you can first exfoliate, then shave and finally apply moisturizer. This three step process will become the norm.
Over time, keep the exfoliant on your face for about two minutes before rinsing. Then, pat dry your face. Next, shave and then apply the moisturizer,
Once you begin to exfoliate the skin, you will always want to, because you will start to notice how clean your skin feels. You will also see how clean your face is, free of dead skin, and your face will look healthier because your pores will be clean.
You can use exfoliating products up to three times per week.
