Exfoliating Tips for Acne-Prone Skin

by Claudia Christin on Mar 03, 2023

We have been asked multiple times on whether if exfoliation is good for acne prone skin. The answer is: it depends but in general there are a lot of benefit that exfoliation can bring to the plate, when done correctly! We are going to share some of our top tips on how to exfoliate your skin when it is on its breaking out!

1. Don’t Overdo It!

In general, exfoliating is recommended to be done 2-3 times in a week. This applies to any occasion including when you’re breaking out. Doing it more often will only bring more harm to your skin and damage its barrier even more.

2. Use Gentle Chemical Exfoliator

When your skin is breaking out, it means that they are not on its prime stage, anything that can possibly trigger inflammation can worsen the look of your acne.

Try to choose an exfoliators that are gentle enough to remove dead skin cells, but at the same time won’t trigger more inflammatory reaction on your skin.

Here are different types of exfoliators that you can look for:

AHA: water soluble acids. Works on the surface of your skin. Improves skin texture, elasticity and density
BHA: oil soluble acids. Works on the surface of your skin and penetrate deeper. It helps remove sebum, improve skin texture and unclog pores
PHA: water soluble acids. Doesn’t penetrate as deep as the other two due to its larger molecules. Works like AHA

3. For Sensitive Skin:

Don’t Mix Your Exfoliating Products With Any Active Ingredients

If you’re exfoliating you might want to avoid using any other thing that can possibly cause more irritation. Thing such as scrub or stronger actives: retinol, vitamin C would be better to be put on different day of your routine. Combining them altogether in one skincare routine might exacerbate your acne!

You may also want to try the contact exfoliating method by using a cleanser that can actively remove dead skin cells with its hydroxy acid ingredients in it.

4. Avoid Rubbing Too Harsh

Some people like to use a cotton pad while applying their exfoliators. Avoid rubbing them too hard especially on a heavily inflamed area. Just wipe them gently a few times, and if you want to, you may even spot-mask the area with cotton pads soaked with the exfoliators just for a few second. This avoids friction and reduce chances for us to create an open wound on your active pimple.