How to exfoliate darker skin

Best Way to Exfoliate Darker Skin

Posted by Sandra Scott on

Gently exfoliating your face is one of the best things you can do for black skin.

Exfoliation 'unglues' the dry, dead skin cells that can make your face look ashy, clog your pores and cause ingrown hairs and razor bumps. 

A good exfoliator brightens your skin, makes your face feel smooth … and evens out your skin tone.

It also accelerates cell renewal, reducing dark spots and stimulating your skin’s natural repair mechanism.

But…

Darker skin is prone to hyperpigmentation, so special care is needed when choosing how to exfoliate your face!

Read on for the best way to reveal bright, smooth, even skin - with a luminous, rich glow.…

 

Handsome black man exfoliating face at white sink with chrome taps

 

Exfoliation: The basics

Because it gets rid of the old dead skin cells, exfoliating is the one step in your skincare routine that will get your complexion glowing! 

It makes your skin feel smooth and leaves it looking brighter, clearer and younger.

Gently exfoliating your skin regularly means:

  • your skin tone looks more even and glowing
  • there’s less chance of ingrown hairs when you shave
  • your pores appear smaller
  • acne scars and dark spots are diminished
  • and your moisturizer absorbs easily, keeping your skin well hydrated and healthy

It also increases blood circulation to your face, bringing nutrients to the skin’s surface. Making your skin look healthy and vibrant.

But revealing this rich, glowing complexion should NEVER involve a harsh facial scrub!

Abrasive scrub exfoliators damage your skin barrier - leading to redness, inflammation and hyperpigmentation.

But don’t worry. There are gentler options out there which exfoliate fantastically on darker skin tones – and exfoliate in a much more uniform way.

But first, let’s look at how exfoliation can benefit darker skin.

 

Why exfoliation is so good for black skin 

These are some of the most common challenges your melanin-rich skin can face. And this is how exfoliation can help you combat them:

 

  • Ingrown hairs and razor bumps 

Ingrown hairs occur when the hair follicle becomes clogged with dead skin cells, causing the hair to curl back and grow into the skin.
Whilst anyone can get them, black men tend to have stronger, curlier hair which is more likely to curl back on itself, making you more prone to ingrown hairs and razor bumps.

How exfoliation helps:
You can avoid ingrown hairs altogether by gently exfoliate regularly to keep your skin free from the dead skin cells that block the hair follicles which cause ingrowns.
And exfoliating helps lift the hair away from the skin, leaving you with much smoother skin - and a much closer shave.

 

  • Hyperpigmentation

When the skin’s surface is damaged in any way melanin is released. Of course, the more melanin in your skin the more likely it is that hyperpigmentation can occur.
The damage can come from a variety of things including acne, ingrown hairs and sun damage.
How exfoliation helps:
Gently exfoliating your skin regularly will accelerate cell renewal, helping to speed up the fading process.
It also stimulates your skin’s natural repair mechanism, smoothing out your skin texture and diminishing the appearance of hyperpigmentation.

 

Why are harsh exfoliating scrubs bad for black skin?

Actually harsh facial scrubs are bad for all skin types.

But because of the risk of hyperpigmentation, they are especially bad for black skin.

Darker skin can develop patchy pigmentation when it is irritated or damaged.

And abrasive scrub exfoliators damage your skin barrier - leading to redness and inflammation, along with hyperpigmentation, especially if you have black or darker-toned skin. 

So the answer is to use a gentle chemical exfoliant instead of a physical scrub.

 

Black Man using Otis Exfoliating Daily Face Wash

 

ACTION PLAN: Exfoliate with a gentle chemical exfoliant 

Natural chemical exfoliants work in a much more uniform way than a harsh scrub – leaving your skin looking smooth and glowing (not red and angry!).

They gently ‘unglue’ and dissolve the dead skin cells – rather than rubbing them away like a scrub does.

And the chemical exfoliants alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are also powerful antioxidants – which stimulate your skin’s natural collagen production and repair any environmental damage to your skin.

That’s why we advocate gently exfoliating every day using our Daily Face Wash which contains the mild alpha-hydroxy acid, Lactic Acid

It’s also formulated with hydrating Glycerin and soothing Aloe Vera to protect your skin’s delicate balance of moisture so there’s no tight, dry feeling.

In fact, it does a really thorough job of getting rid of dead skin cells - but without causing irritation or dryness. And it’s so gentle that you can use it every day.

So for a healthy, glowing complexion…

 

Best Exfoliating Face Wash for Black Skin

 

DAILY FACE WASH
$31.00

 

Daily Face Wash cleans, exfoliates and re-energizes your skin in one daily step. 

RELATED READING

 

FAQ’s

Is exfoliating good for black skin?

Yes.

Exfoliation 'unglues' the dry, dead skin cells that can make your face look ashy, clog your pores and cause ingrown hairs and razor bumps. 

A good exfoliator brightens your skin, makes your face feel smooth … and evens out your skin tone.

It also accelerates cell renewal, reducing dark spots and stimulating your skin’s natural repair mechanism.

 

How often should you exfoliate black skin?

If you use a gentle exfoliating face wash that includes an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) then it is safe to exfoliate every day.

  

Is an exfoliating scrub good for darker skin?

No.

An abrasive scrub is too harsh for facial skin, damaging the surface and causing your skin to become dry and irritated.

It also leads to hyperpigmentation in darker skin.

 

Why is a chemical exfoliant the best exfoliator for black skin? 

Natural chemical exfoliants work in a more uniform way – leaving your skin looking smooth and glowing (not red and angry!).

They gently ‘unglue’ and dissolve the dead skin cells - without damaging your skin. So there’s no risk of hyperpigmentation.

 

The Takeaway

Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells that can make your face look ashy, clog your pores and cause ingrown hairs and razor bumps. 

But because darker skin is prone to hyperpigmentation, you should NEVER be tempted to use a harsh facial scrub!

Instead opt for:

 Natural chemical exfoliants. These gently ‘unglue’ and dissolve away the bonds that hold dead skin cells to the surface.

Our Daily Face Wash contains Lactic Acid, a natural chemical exfoliant.

Gently exfoliating your skin regularly with Daily Face Wash means:

  • your skin tone looks more even and glowing
  • there’s less chance of ingrown hairs when you shave
  • your pores appear smaller
  • acne scars and dark spots are diminished
  • and your moisturizer absorbs easily, keeping your skin well hydrated and healthy

It leaves your face feeling smooth and looking brighter, clearer and younger.

It’s the first step in our high-performance skin care routine for men.

 

SHOP THE ROUTINE.
All you need to stay looking handsome. 

 

PRESTIGE SKINCARE FOR MEN.
MADE IN FRANCE. 

FRENCH FLAG - BLEU, BLANC, ROUGE

 

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