Physical Exfoliators
When I first started exfoliating, I made the fatal mistake in believing that more abrasive scrubs equated to smoother skin. I know...I cringe inside just thinking about my exfoliation back then. After continuing to learn about the right way to exfoliate, I wanted to share some of my best techniques and physical exfoliators I’ve found!
You can use two types of exfoliators: chemical and physical. While AHAs and BHAs give some pretty good results, sometimes using physical exfoliants is better for sensitive skin, and they eliminate the worry that your products will cancel each other out. Over the years, I’ve tested so many scrubs and exfoliators. The most important thing to note when using and choosing exfoliators is that scrubbing harder isn’t better. The beads in most products create micro tears in our skin. Although we can’t see them, these little tears weaken our skin barrier and make it easier to develop problems like sensitivity, redness, and dry skin. Not what we want!
I’ve picked some products today that are all gentle yet effective. The Good Molecules pineapple powder, Tatcha rice polish, and Holifrog sunapee wash all are similar in function. Each one is a powder that mixes with water to create a soft sudsy foam. The particles are very fine and work to gently remove dead skin while delivering all the benefits of their ingredients.
The Tatcha Rice Polish - $65 for 2.1 oz - was the first product of its kind that I tried. I loved the background of this product - geisha in Japan use a similar product to gently cleanse their skin morning and night. That’s how they maintain their porcelain like skin! It’s super soft on the skin, but you can still feel it making your skin squeaky clean. There’s no fragrance for this one. The only small downside is the price tag!
The Good Molecules Pineapple Powder* - $16 for 2.1 oz - is definitely the most affordable option out of the bunch here. Good Molecules is one of my favorite brands that does clean skincare really well at amazing prices too. You get the same amount of product for a ¼ of the Tatcha price! It’s almost identical in texture and I really wouldn’t know the difference if I didn’t have them side by side. This one doesn’t have a scent either. I like to think of this one as the Tatcha one but wallet friendly. One may even say an on point dupe!
The last one I want to introduce is the Holifrog Sunapee Wash* - $44 for 2.5 oz. I also really love this brand even though their product prices are on the higher side (not quite Tatcha level so not to worry!) . The consistency of this one when mixed with water is ever so slightly chunkier than the other two. It’s very slight but something that initially stood out to me when I was looking for differences. It has a more earthy smell, but nothing overpowering or annoying.
An alternative to these exfoliating powders would be an exfoliating gel. My top pick for this category has to be the Holifrog Popp-E Scrubby Wash* - $40 for 3.4 oz. This wash features bamboo stem powder and poppy seeds. I like that this wash has exfoliating properties and also oils that nourish and moisturize the skin. No one wants their face feeling like sandpaper after exfoliating, do they. After exfoliating gently, this wash emulsifies into a nice milky wash that comes off really easily. The scent is again slightly earthy, very similar to oatmeal. Something to be mindful of however, is that the powder in this one is a little rougher than the powder products.
shop the post
All in all, I find all three of the powder products equally good! Because I personally don’t see a big difference in how the beneficial ingredients affect my skin, I would invest in the Good Molecules one if I had to pick one. A general rule I like to follow for any exfoliant, whether it’s on the face or body, is to exfoliate so that my fingers aren’t making contact with my skin, but just apply enough pressure to move the product around. This ensures that I’m being as gentle as possible and don’t have to worry so much about micro tearing. I hope you learned a few new tips and tricks, and if you have any questions, I’m always free to chat on IG!
*gifted but opinions my own
