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Exfoliating can be one of the most satisfying steps in a skincare regime, but for that reason, you have to make sure you don’t overdo it! Here are my top picks of the Best Exfoliators for 2023 and how best to use them.
Why should you exfoliate?
Gentle and effective exfoliating will ensure that your skin is decongested and free fromdebris, and will allow all of your other skincare products to absorbs more fully.
You can use physical (scrubby bits) or chemical (acids) exfoliants and also a mix of the two together. These days, most people favour acid exfoliators and in case you’re not really sure why you would use this kind of treatment, here’s a little recap on the benefits of using acids in your regime.
Alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) are all about exfoliating the top layer of the skin to reveal a brighter, more even-toned complexion. Beta hydroxyl acids (BHAs) also exfoliate the skin but work on a deeper level to also help clear pore congestion.
I love acid exfoliation but it’s really easy to get addicted to the instant results which can encourage you to overdo it! I think it’s best to keep it to once or twice per week.
Best Exfoliators 2023 for Dry & Sensitive Skin
You have to be more careful when it comes to exfoliating if you have dry or sensitive skin. It is probably best to avoid anything too ‘scrubby’ and stick to gentle acid and enzyme formulations.
Medik8 Press & Glow
This is one of my favourite exfoliators and in fact one of my favourite Medik8 products. This is a brand I really love.
This gentle exfoliating liquid uses PHAs (polyhydroxy acids), the gentlest type of acid. The formula is just swiped over clean skin with a cotton pad and it works to remove dead skin cells and gently refine the texture. It is a hydrating formula with Aloe to hydrate and Acai Extract to prevent inflammation.
It works really well with another of my favourite Medik8 products, Crystal Retinal which is a super effective yet gentle retinoid. Read my full Medik8 review here.
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Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
This was my first ever purchase from Dermalogica many moons ago. It has truly stood the test of time and remains an innovative and effective, yet gentle exfoliant that can be used daily. As I said earlier though, once or twice a week should be enough.
It’s a powder that you mix with water to use, and it contains Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes along with a Phytic Acid from Rice Bran, White Tea and Licorice. These combine to smooth and brighten the skin while soothing ingredients ensure that everything stays calm.
You can buy it at:
Kiehl’s Daily Refining Milk Peel Toner
I love this toner so much! It is genuinely one of my favourite launches from Kiehl’s ever. I am big on Kiehl’s so that is really saying something!
This is such a satisfying product that delivers instant results. If you are working towards ‘glass skin’, you need to check this out. It is all about a super gentle hit of exfoliation, with a major hit of hydration, and it literally makes you glow.
The peel uses a dual-phase formula of Lipo-Hydroxy Acid (a derivative of Salicylic acid) plus Almond Milk and 23% Emollients. You shake it up and together they work to unclogs pores and lift dead skin cells off the surface of the skin, while leaving a gorgeously glowing moisturised finish. This has been a major hit with readers and has worked really well in combination with the Kiehl’s Cannabis Oil for those with spot prone skin.
You can buy it at:
Vichy Double Glow Peel Face Mask
I don’t feel like enough people know about Vichy’s range of mineral face masks, and this exfoliating one is my favourite.
It has a lovely watery gel texture and is infused with Volcanic Rock particles to remove dead skin cells and AHAs to gently exfoliate the skin for a double pronged approach.
It is lovely and gentle, yet it leaves the skin soft, smooth and very glowy. The AHAs loosen debris while the Volcanic Rock sweeps it all away.
You can buy it at:
REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic
The focus of this treatment tonic is Lactic Acid as opposed to glycolic and salicylic, which means even the most sensitive of skin’s can use this for resurfacing and brightening.
The tonic works to move your skin to the optimum pH level that you skin need to be at to naturally exfoliate and promote clear, healthy glowing skin.
It feels gentle to use and gives a good glow.
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Best Exfoliators 2023 for Combination & Oily Skin
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive
This is somewhat of an icon when it comes to exfoliating, and Kate says this is the next best thing to a facial in her clinic!
It offers both a physical and chemical exfoliation. Physical exfoliation lifts dead skin cells, and the chemical exfoliation gently dissolves dead skin. The formula clears pores and improves skin texture with a combination of AHA Lactic Acid and BHA Salicylic Acid plus Papaya, Pumpkin, Pineapple Enzymes.
A good dose of Aloe Vera, Honey and Vitamin E work to soothe and soften skin while Vitamin A and C help to neutralise free radicals and defend against environmental aggressors.
It’s a super quick treatment, it only needs two minutes, and after I use it, all my products sink in beautifully.
It is available at:
Murad Daily Clarifying Peel
This is one of Murad’s newer launches and I really like it. It’s a bi-phase formula that you shake to activate.
The peel is designed to be used daily, but if you’re sensitive it’s best to ease in gently and build up.
In spite of the fact that this contains a blend of BHA, AHA and retinoid, it actually feels really gentle on the skin. It is hydrating rather than stripping, is fabulous on any areas of congestion, and has a nice tightening effect on the pores.
Read Murad Daily Clarifying Peel Review.
You can buy it at:
Caudalie Deep Cleansing Exfoliator
This uses 97% ingredients of natural origin and is designed to cleanse the skin, remove dead skin cells, brighten the complexion and prepare the skin to maximise the benefits of serums and moisturisers.
This one is particularly suited to combination and oily skin types, and has been formulated to purify and refine skin texture without stripping moisture. It is quite scrubby but still gentle.
Menthol and grapefruit make is fresh and revitalising and it uses exfoliating micro-grains, derived from corn, to deeply cleanse away impurities and clean out pores. Also, there’s hydrating grape pulp to condition the skin.
You can buy it at:
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
This is an iconic exfoliator, and great if you want to tackle imperfections such as blemishes, acne or clogged pores.
It uses salicylic acid and green tea to treat blackheads, whiteheads, and enlarged pores by regulating oil production. It will refine skin texture and leave it looking and feeling more smooth and less congested.
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Best Exfoliators 2023 for Normal Skin
Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial
This exfoliating mask is such an excellent multi-tasker because it smooths and resurfaces whilst delivering a massive brightening shot via gold stabilised Vitamin C.
It’s a clever product as it changes from orange to white when it has been effectively massaged into the skin. You then leave it on for 10 or so minutes before removing.
I like to rinse it away in my morning shower and as you do this, you can feel how silky it makes the skin. It also gives a brilliant antioxidant boost so will set you up for the day.
You can buy it at:
Read the full Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial Review.
Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads
I love to use these pads when I want a quick fix to ensure my makeup goes on smoothly. They are one of my top favourite Elemis products.
They use Elemis’ Tri-Enzyme Technology to gently work on dark spots, pores and uneven skin texture. The formula uses Lactic Acid and Probiotic Ferment Complex to boost cell renewal, and Elemis say they can be used twice daily. I’d only ever use them once daily or less to avoid over-exfoliation, however.
You can buy them at:
NUDESTIX Nudeskin 5% Citrus Fruit & Glycolic Glow Toner
Nudestix launched their first ever skincare collection in 2020, and this is the most active product in the range, and also my favourite.
It is designed to brighten and tone, and also promote anti-ageing action. If you love your skin to reflect light and really shine (in a good way), this is the one!
It contains a blend of Glycolic and Citrus Fruit Acids to clarify and brighten, while Hyaluronic Acid plumps and smooths. It’s another one that delivers instant results and I love it before a hydrating mist and serum for ultra glow.
You can buy it at:
Decree Weekly Decree
This is a once a week exfoliation treatment that will whip your skin into shape without leaving it stripped or over stimulated. It is a two step system.
The first step is the Airbrushing Acid which is a clarifying gel mask of resurfacing acids plus fruit enzymes which intensely exfoliates. The second step is a Replenishing Paste which is a mask designed to be applied directly after the acid peel to soak the skin in repairing active ingredients.
The acid peel element is pretty intense and it’s incredibly effective at dissolving dead skin cells and excess oil. The Replenishing Paste offers up a true point of difference. This is where many other deep exfoliating products fall down. Intense exfoliation, whilst getting rid of unwanted dead skin cells, can also disrupt the fatty acids and ceramides the skin needs.
The Replenishing Paste mask puts everything back into the skin that it needs after exfoliation to maintain the all important skin barrier.
You get it gorgeously dewy, smooth, sheeny skin that’s plumped up and juicy.
You can buy it at:
Best All Round Luxury Exfoliators 2023
Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial
This a professional quality exfoliating mask that contains a powferful 25% AHA/2% BHA blend with glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric, and salicylic acids. It also includes chickpea flour, pumpkin ferment plus a soothing antioxidant blend of matcha tea, milk thistle, and apple, which are antioxidant and also gently exfoliating.
There’s also Cactus Extract to calm, Virgin Marula Oil to nourish, Niacinamide (vitamin B3) to work on lines, tone and texture, improve signs of ageing (fine lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness) and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer (low weight HA alternative) for enhanced hydration. Plus loads more!
You can buy it at:
Cle de Peau Skin Refining Clay Scrub
This is a fabulous all-rounder because it contains a beautiful clay blend to gently decongest the skin, along with very gentle physical exfoliants to polish.
It’s mineral-rich and is infused with natural kaolin clay sourced from the Appalachian Mountains in the United States. This works to detoxify the skin, without drying it out. There is also sebum-absorbing powder and antioxidant-rich rose apple leaf extract to balance and protect.
It’s amazing for a deep clean and a really smooth feel, plus it contains Cle de Peau’s Skin-Empowering Illuminator derived from golden silk essence, theanine and Japanese pearl which helps provide environmental protection and delivers radiance.
You can buy it at:
Charlotte Tilbury Super Radiance Resurfacing Facial
Charlotte calls this her 2-in-1 miracle facial in a tube.
If you’re a fan of resurfacing treatments, you will most likely love this. It contains AHAs, BHAs and PHAs plus a blend of soothing and hydrating ingredients, including Polyglutamic Acid which four times as hydrating as Hylaluronic Acid.
It is cool as it is applied and feels soothing and hydrating on the skin. There is a mild tingle at first that I find quickly subsides. You leave it on for 20 minutes and then remove with a cloth.
It leaves my skin gleaming and really helps my next products sink in beautifully.
You can buy it at:
Read Charlotte Tilbury Super Radiance Resurfacing Facial Review.
Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Resurfacing Overnight Peel
This is a leave-on overnight peel which delivers Retinol and Glycolic deep into top layers of skin to help accelerate skin cell turnover and boost skin clarity while you sleep.
It is balanced with Ceramides to minimise irritation while it works on reducing dark spots, brightening the skin and improving the look of lines and wrinkles.
I like to use this at night, and the follow up the next morning with the Kate Somerville Exfolikate for ultra glassy skin. Once a week with that power duo will keep skin in check.
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Best All Round Budget Exfoliators 2023
Sali Hughes Revolution Placid 5-Acid Daily Exfoliant
In 2022, Sali Hughes launched her own skincare brand with Revolution Skincare. There are a range of super affordable and effective products and this liquid exfoliant is an excellent example.
This formula uses salicylic, glycolic, lactic and malic acid to retexturise and clear the skin, while tranexamic acid works on darks spots to even out skin tone. There’s also Hyaluronic Acid to boost hydration and it leaves skin perfectly refreshed for smooth makeup application.
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The Ordinary 30% AHA 2% BHA Peeling Solution
This is an absolutely excellent peel at an excellent price!
The Ordinary’s AHA BHA mask is a 10 minute treatment that dissolves debris and dead skin, while hydrating and providing an antioxidant boost. All for about £6!!
It has all the acids you need to keep your skin in shape – Glycolic, Lactic, Tartaric, Citric Acids, Salicylic Acid – and leaves my skin smooth and glassy. It’s fab.
Read The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution Review.
You can buy it at:
Beauty Pie Fruitizyme Five Minute Facial
This is a 5-minute peel formula, design to lift away dead skin cells with a mix of Glycolic Acids, Pomegranate Enzymes and Salicylic Acid. It uses double action exfoliation with super soft Quartz and Bamboo scrub grains that whisk away debris for smooth glowy skin.
It also includes antioxidant Stem Cells from Raspberries for environmental protection.
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Read my guide to How Beauty Pie works and what else to buy.
I have this list is helpful to you! If you’re looking for a new cleanser, make sure you check out Best Cleansers for 2023, and let me know if you have any questions!
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