Think back to your earliest skincare experiences. When did your quest with attaining a smoother, clearer, and even-toned complexion begin? I’ve been exfoliating my skin ever since high school, but I didn’t understand how to safely use exfoliants until well into adulthood.
In my teens, I would wake up with a new zit and rush to buff it away with a scoop of St. Ives Apricot Scrub. (I can still smell its nutty, oatmeal-like scent if I close my eyes.) Despite cleansing religiously twice a day since the 6th grade, I was convinced that a pimple meant my skin was dirty so vigorously scrubbing my skin like it was a crusty saucepan made sense. Unsurprisingly, the zits remained, albeit a bit more raw and tender. The rest of my face looked dry, tight, and red. The crazy part is that I repeated this routine for years! Maybe you can relate?
Now I know better. My approach to exfoliation is more grown-up—measured and thoughtful since the skin changes that come with perimenopause call for more strategy.
Save extreme exfoliation for your old china cabinet! A gentle and non-abrasive approach is the best way to polish dry, rough skin.
How Perimenopause Steals Your Glow
One of many amazing things about your skin is how it self-replenishes, shedding dead cells and replacing them with new ones. Over the course of a month or two, fresh cells are generated in the basal layer and work their way up to the outermost layer of the epidermis called stratum corneum. This outer barrier is critical to maintain healthy moisture levels and protect your body from unwanted organisms and other environmental aggressors.
Once you hit 50, the skin cell turnover cycle slows down. Dramatically. Sluggish turnover and the dead skin pileup is a big reason for rough and uneven texture. Visually, skin becomes dull and lackluster because dry skin doesn’t reflect light the same way as smooth skin. Throw in other perimenopause concerns—declining collagen, moisture loss, stress, and a weaker skin barrier—and your overall complexion can look tired or worn. At this point in midlife, our skin can use a little encouragement in maintaining radiance.
As you know, the beauty industry offers countless products and professional treatments devoted to optimizing skin’s renewal process to get the most luminous complexion possible—often to the point of obsession, unfortunately. The cultural expectation that women need to show up with utterly smooth, wrinkle-free, almost translucent skin throughout their life is cruel and unfair when you stop to think about how the body works in midlife. Obviously, we don’t need to give in to this obsession or chase down a beauty ideal that is basically impossible to achieve. But it is helpful to understand how your skin is changing in midlife and empower yourself with information and tools to care for it in the way that makes sense for you.
My Personal Exfoliation Routine
I used to only exfoliate whenever I was breaking out with acne, which is probably the worst time to be exfoliating. Now I understand it to be a preventative measure to keep my skin looking refreshed and radiant. The good news is that, depending on what kind of exfoliant you are using, this important skincare step can safely be done daily. These days my exfoliation routine is much kinder to my skin and also more effective. By using a combination of products and tools, I’m able to gently exfoliate on a daily basis.
Each morning, my skincare routine starts with saturating a textured cotton round with water or an essence and lightly swabbing my face and neck. I have found that cleansing in the morning is unnecessary, so this step prepares my skin for the application of serums, moisturizers and sunscreen. The cotton round has just enough texture to be more effective than a cotton ball without creating too much friction.
In the evening, after cleansing, I apply a serum with lactic acid or PHAs, another type of gentle chemical exfoliant, and again a moisturizer followed by a face oil. A couple of times a week, I’ll also use a physical exfoliant such as jojoba beads added to my face oil or enjoy a dry brushing session using a mini dry brush for my face. Mornings are reserved for dermaplaning (also once a week) which I do first thing in the morning with a light hand.
Face brushing isn’t a daily activity for me; it’s another opportunity to relax and savor the art of slow beauty. Be careful not to massage too hard.
Physical Exfoliation vs. Chemical Exfoliation
When it comes to exfoliation, I’ve learned a few important lessons while developing my skin care line and treating my own perimenopausal skin.
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Exfoliants can be chemical or physical. Chemical exfoliants rely on acids (think ferulic, glycolic, lactic, PHA, AHA, azelaic, carbolic, malic) or enzymes (like pumpkin or papaya) to dissolve and loosen the bonds between dead skin. (Vitamin A derivatives like retinol and retinoids are also considered chemical exfoliants because they trigger cell turnover.) Physical exfoliants are a mechanical method utilizing tools or particles to lift and scrub dead skin away. Chemical exfoliation may sound harsh or scary but many can be gentler than physical exfoliants depending on the concentration of the product. Some chemical exfoliants even offer skin benefits like brightening and hydration in addition to exfoliation.
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When it comes to physical exfoliation, size matters! The size and shape of a physical exfoliant is important to understand. Perimenopausal skin is more delicate so it can’t handle rough scrubs like fruit shells or seeds with irregular edges which can create microtears. I prefer gentle jojoba beads which have a smooth, even surface and offer more of a polishing.
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With physical exfoliation, the level of pressure is in your hands, literally. If you are gentle and use a light touch, then you will have gentle results. This is especially important when using tools like textured cotton rounds, dermaplaning razors, and dry brushes. Press or rub too hard, and you can damage your skin barrier.
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Exfoliation doesn’t have to be an either or situation. I think a combination of both is best for women in perimenopause because chemical exfoliants do the work quietly behind the scenes, while physical ones can give an extra boost when your skin needs a little more attention.
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Always hydrate your skin afterwards. Remember, exfoliation removes some of your protective barrier, so it’s important to add back some moisture to protect newly revealed, fresh skin. If you exfoliate in the morning, you must wear sunscreen (not like you aren’t already!). At night, face oil is perfect to reinforce and protect your skin from moisture loss while you sleep.
Tools of the trade: My favorite physical exfoliants.
How Often Should You Exfoliate?
Everyone’s skin is different, so finding the perfect type and amount of exfoliation may take some trial and error. Start once or twice a week and slowly build up to what you can tolerate without experiencing redness, flaking or sensitivity. Here’s what works best for my dry, sensitive skin: Physical exfoliants such as scrubs or dermaplaning can be used one to two times a week while chemicals can be used daily. Exfoliating cotton rounds can also be used daily. The goal here is to go “low and slow”—let the products and the tools do the work over time instead of overdoing it and damaging your skin.
DIY Jojoba Scrub
I use a homemade scrub weekly to give my skin a gorgeous glow.
Combine ⅛ tsp jojoba beads mixed with 8-10 drops of your favorite face oil. Rub gently over face and neck, rinse with warm water and pat face dry.
Your Body Skin Needs Sloughing Too!
Exfoliation doesn’t stop at your face. Not only is the skin on your face drying out during perimenopause, the same is true for the skin on your body. And now that we’ve entered sundress and swimsuit season, we’re showing more skin than ever so it’s worth paying more attention.
The skin on your body is thicker than your face so it can often handle a more aggressive scrub. Experiment and see what works best for your skin. For my body, I have found that I can safely use grittier scrubs made from coffee beans, sugar, or salt—they feel like a spa treatment and leave my skin incredibly smooth and soft. I also love dry brushing as a full body skin treatment. Remember to finish with a gorgeous body oil or lightweight lotion.
When NOT to Exfoliate
Regular, gentle exfoliation can be a wonderful thing, however too much of it or ignoring the condition of your skin can exacerbate it. If your skin is compromised, inflamed, or sensitized, you should pause exfoliation (or proceed with extreme caution.) For example, you don’t want to cause further disruption to angry acne breakouts or sunburned skin. Always check with a dermatologist when in doubt.
Glow On
Your skin undergoes many changes during perimenopause including dehydration, compromised barrier function, thinning and dullness. The good news: Exfoliation, when done correctly, can actually improve skin dryness and radiance. Knowing what tools and when to use them can make all the difference in your skin. Ease a little exfoliation into your skincare routine and let me know how it goes!
No movement snack this week as I’ve just returned from a long weekend in New York with my daughter to celebrate her 18th birthday and high school graduation; her first trip to NY. In addition to walking all over the city and eating amazing food, no trip to New York is complete for me without a trip to Bergdorf Goodman and Blue Mercury to see what new skincare products and makeup I cannot live without. We also had a chance to view Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion at the Met which I highly recommend. We swooned over the dresses and loved seeing the changing fashion styles from hundreds of years ago through today. Overall it was a special trip that I will always cherish.
