Exfoliators: What Works Best?

Exfoliating your skin is very important. It keeps your skin looking young and refreshed by removing your oldest dead skin cells. Plus, after exfoliating, your skin will more easily soak up your cleanser, cleaning out those icky pores! There are so many products when it comes to exfoliators, so I have personally tested a few for you, and here are my findings:

Let's start with these two. We  have St. Ives and Hill Country Essentials, both apricot scrubs. The winner? St. Ives! St. Ives might cost a little more, but it is well worth it! I bought the Hill Country Essentials apricot scrub at H.E.B. and I was not impressed. It is more creamy than "scrubby," giving you more work to do, as I had to scrub twice as long with this one than I did with St. Ives. The grains are much finer in St. Ives, saving you a lot of work. Also, I have tried another generic brand of apricot scrub, Equate, and it too did not compare with St. Ives. Sometimes, the original is the best!

Okay. Now we're moving up the line to the slightly more expensive face scrubs. The one on the left is made by a company called Melaleuca, a "green" company that has some truly amazing products! However, this is not one of them. It is the first product I ever ordered from Melaleuca that I was disappointed with. It doesn't even work as well as the generic apricot scrubs. In fact, I wouldn't even call this a scrub. It is more of a gel with little beads in it that do not exfoliate your skin very well. If you are into being completely green, and are therefore willing to sacrifice your time scrubbing extra long, then this might just be the product for you. (Which I understand! Green companies are awesome and deserve support!) Now, this next product is made by Origins. It is called "Never a Dull Moment," and it is a skin-brightening face polisher. It isn't as grainy and fine as St. Ives, but it sure does polish your face! It not only smells great, but it leaves your skin feeling silky smooth and moisturized. It will also last you months! A little bit goes a long way, so I don't mind paying a little extra for this product. Some people say that St. Ives is a bit harsh on the skin, If you are one of these people with skin too sensitive for apricot scrub, you'll really enjoy Origins "Never a Dull Moment," because it is gentle, yet effective. Plus, they don't test it on animals. They actually test their products on volunteer panels. Pretty cool. :)

Ahhhh. The king of all exfoliators. The Timewise Microdermabrasion by Mary Kay. This is the one exfoliator that I simply cannot live without! It is the most gentle exfoliator I have ever used, and it makes my skin look and feel younger. Simply apply a small dab onto warm moist skin and rub in tiny circles with your fingers all over your face. Two to three minutes is usually plenty. I know that sounds like a long time to scrub your face, but this is not an everyday scrub. If you simply follow the directions, and use a few times a week, you WILL see results. If I could only choose one exfoliator, this one would be it without a doubt!

Did you know cornmeal is great for your skin? Well it is! Not only does it cost about 2 dollars for a huge tub of it at the grocery store, but it will last you FOREVER! I use this on my face about once a month. Simply mix with a little warm water and apply to your face. Then, rub in tiny circles, moving in upward motions. (Avoid downward motions. Gravity is already working its course. Pulling on your skin everyday will only speed up those wrinkles!) Cornmeal is not only a great way to prevent breakouts, but it is also a good exfoliant for your body. I lather this stuff all over my legs and arms and scrub away, and there is just nothing like it! My husband has no idea the reason I'm so silky smooth is because of the same product he fries with his okra! This product is environmentally friendly AND it actually works! Try it out and let me know what you think!