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What is Exfoliating Soap?
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Exfoliating soap is a skin care product that is used to clean the skin and also remove dead skin cells. There are two basic kinds of this soap. One kind is used for the face and is usually made with a finer, gentler exfoliant. The other is used on the body and may be made with a rougher, larger-grained exfoliant. The most intense type of this soap is the kind that is intended specifically for use on the feet as this type contains an exfoliant that is supposed to help slough away the dead skin cells that make up callouses.
There are a number of kinds of materials that can be added to soap to give it an exfoliating quality. In some kinds of exfoliating soap, loofah fibers are mixed in to the formula. Other natural products that are used as exfoliants in this kind of soap are seaweed, crushed apricot pits, and oatmeal. Sometimes synthetic beads or fibers are used as an exfoliant.
The face is not the only part of the body that can benefit from exfoliation. Skin all over the body can benefit from exfoliation to reveal new, refreshed skin. Exfoliation on certain parts of the body, such as the back and shoulders, can help to reduce body acne. For those who happen to be very flexible, exfoliating soap can just be rubbed over these areas and then rinsed clean in the shower. For those who are not so flexible, the soap can be rubbed onto the head of a scrubber with a handle and then rubbed over the back and shoulders.
There are many uses for exfoliating soap. Some women find that regularly using it on their legs can help to reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs that result from shaving. It can also help to slough dead skin cells off of rough hands. It can also help to remove dirt that is deep in the skin and under the fingernails. For this reason, exfoliating soap is regularly used by mechanics and gardeners.
After using exfoliating soap, it is a good idea to moisturize the skin. Although the skin may be healthy and glowing after having the dead skin cells sloughed away, it needs to be kept healthy and fresh with moisturizer or body oil. It is best to apply the moisturizer when the skin is still warm from being washes as it will absorb the hydration well in this state.
Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for BeautyAnswered, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
Learn more...
Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for BeautyAnswered, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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![Crushed apricot pits are used in some exfoliating soaps.]()
By: Malyshchyts ViktarCrushed apricot pits are used in some exfoliating soaps. -
![An exfoliating soap might help prevent ingrown hairs after shaving.]()
By: F.C.G.An exfoliating soap might help prevent ingrown hairs after shaving. -
![Some women have found that regular use of exfoliating soap helps to reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs.]()
By: NobiliorSome women have found that regular use of exfoliating soap helps to reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs. -
![Exfoliating soap will contain scrubbing additives.]()
By: Hayati KayhanExfoliating soap will contain scrubbing additives. -
![People with dry skin should choose an exfoliating face soap that also hydrates the skin.]()
By: CandyBox ImagesPeople with dry skin should choose an exfoliating face soap that also hydrates the skin. -
![Exfoliating soaps may help clear the pores.]()
By: LsantilliExfoliating soaps may help clear the pores.
Discussion Comments
@feruze-- The point of an exfoliating soap is to remove the dead skin and you need the right ingredient that can do that. I understand what you are saying, but everyone's skin is different.
You probably have thin and irritable skin and oatmeal is best for you. But some people have thicker skin and oatmeal won't work for them because it won't pull off the dead skin. People with thicker skin will need soaps with coffee grounds or papaya seeds for it to actually work.
There is no one size fits all. Each person needs to consider their skin type and then find the ingredient that would work for them. I guess it's a little bit of try and fail until you find the right exfoliating soap. If after using the soap your skin looks clean, even and bright, you probably have the right one.
I don't think that treating the skin on our face harshly is right. It needs to be cleaned properly but if you overdo it, then it will become dehydrated and more problematic.
Oatmeal face soap is my favorite because it exfoliates and also moisturizes my skin. Even though I have very sensitive skin, I still have to exfoliate it because it is also oily and I get a lot of clogged pores.
Usually I can only exfoliate my face once every two weeks and then I smother it in face lotion so that it doesn't dry out. Ever since I found oatmeal soap, I can use it more often and since oatmeal is moisturizing, my skin is not irritated.
I can't imagine using an exfoliating soap with harsher ingredients and I don't think it's necessary either, unless of course you have a specific health issue.
The exfoliating soap I use actually has pumice stone pieces in it. This exfoliating soap would be too harsh for regular people, but it works fine for me because I have keratosis pilaris. The more common name for this is "goose bumps."
It's a condition where your skin appears to have goose bumps because the skin produces too much protein which blocks the hair follicles. The only way to treat this is to exfoliate the skin really well because basically, my skin cannot do it on it's own.
If I use regular soap for my body, the bumps get worse and my arms unfortunately look like a plucked chicken. When I use an exfoliating soap, the hair follicles are exfoliated and they can breath and detox themselves.
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