Best Way to Exfoliate Stubborn Flakiness

[totallyamanduh]

Hey gals and guys! I have dry flaky skin. My skin has come a long way though. I found a skincare routine that works and has improved my skin tremendously. However, I still suffer with some flakiness especially in between my brows. I have tried different exfoliators and different methods of exfoliating. But they are all either too gentle and don't exfoliate or too harsh and irritate and make my skin drier/flakier. I would really appreciate any tips, suggestions or product recommendations. Thanks 🙂

[lwalker0816]

For the longest time, I thought my flakiness was due to the wrong skincare products.  Just on a whim, I tried out a new foundation and surprise!  the flakiness resolved itself!  Just thought I would pass along the idea! :^)

[roselam]

When I need to manually exfoliate flakiness, I just use Sugar. Yup, sugar. I'll spread cleanser on my skin first than put sugar on top and rub around. Wet hands when you want it less abrasive since sugar will slowly dissolve. Cheap and you can do it days in a row with no problem.

[Mrsperera]

try amore Pacific you can get an introductory set Make Shure it has the enzime powder and spray I feel in love with that product I have the same problem

[tynlee]

Highly recommend Koh Gen Do Gommage Spa Gel for exfoliating. My worst dry/flaking skin is in the same exact area, and this stuff works wonders.

[t550]

Have you added in a facial oil just for that area by chance. I love Josie Maran's 100% Argan Oil, or the Tarte Maracuja Oil.  Tarte has a 0.5 oz/ 15ml for $16.00 or the Josie Maran's same size and price point in regular and Light 100% Argan Oil. Third option would be to go into the store and give them a try and see which you prefer on your skin more.   

[ilykasie]

Kate Somerville exfolikate! Only leave it on for 2 mins, evens out skin and tones after one use. Love it!

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totallyamanduh wrote:
Hey gals and guys! I have dry flaky skin. My skin has come a long way though. I found a skincare routine that works and has improved my skin tremendously. However, I still suffer with some flakiness especially in between my brows. I have tried different exfoliators and different methods of exfoliating. But they are all either too gentle and don't exfoliate or too harsh and irritate and make my skin drier/flakier. I would really appreciate any tips, suggestions or product recommendations. Thanks 🙂

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[XeniaWasHere]

Also, I should've mentioned this in my other reply, but make sure you go get tested (if you haven't already done so) to see if you're dehydrated or dry (or perhaps both). 

I don't know your body of knowledge in skin, so I'll leave this here:

-dry skin = lack of oil

-dehydrated skin = lack of water

both can feel or seem similar, and manifest in similar skin concerns and bothers. I don't know if Sephora has any tools for determining this, but some Body Shop locations (where I get mine tested from time to time) have tests for both oil and hydration levels. If you have access to one, go to a dermatologist that offers this diagnosing.

[XeniaWasHere]

acids, acids, acids. lol

This is a long read, so TL:DR— use an acidic (chemical) exfoliator and hydrate. Never use a physical face scrub.

if you've ever read a reputable blog or influencer/youtube content creator, they will recommend an acid for all but the most (ie. extremely) sensitive skins. I would stay away from physical scrubs bc that could irritate skin and actually cause more flakiness, especially near your eye area. I work in skincare and cringe every time a client says they'd like to incorporate a face scrub, or ask for the strongest scrub we carry. Those "rip" up your epidermis (the top layer), for lack of a better way to describe it, and anything that tries to grow back will inevitably be flaky. Think of the top of your skin as a thin membrane, and even though a physical scrub may make the flakes go away right after you rinse, that membrane is now sloughed away, leaving no protective layer of skin cells that were about to shed anyways. As they grow back, they'll be patchy and make flakes worse.

Go with a weekly mask with an AHA (ex glycolic or lactic acid), they're usually labelled with adjectives like "resurfacing", "peel", etc. Or, if you prefer something that will stay on your skin longer and therefore be able to do more, use an acid in the form of a serum/concentrate. Serums are designed to penetrate to the top of the base layer of skin, AKA deeper work! Every other skincare brand will carry an acid these days...some better formulated than others, so do your research and figure out what you need/don't need. My faves are the Drunk Elephant Framboos (although pricey, i'll admit), Pixi night glow serum, and anything from Deciem (parent company, Deciem, has 3 main brands too. The Ordinary is the cheapest, so Sephora doesn't carry it, nor do they carry the full range from the other 2 brands. Check out Deciem's site. The pricier, the more complex the formula. Cheaper will mean fewer anti-irritants, each formula will only tackle a single issue, etc.). If you are dry dry (skin lacks oils), I'd steer you towards a lactic acid (ex. Good Genes) instead of glycolic. Glycolic is stronger, but it also tends to try out some people, whereas lactic is almost moisturizing.

I'd also hydrate (restore water, not necessarily oils, unless you're also dry) with a lightweight hydrating serum like the new Clinique Moisture Surge concentrate or Drunk Elephant B Hydra (a lot of other brands are making hydration serums, from drugstore to indie and high-end). For a lot of people, flakiness comes from a lack of water retained in skin cells.

If you're looking to learn more, I'd recommend watching Stephanie Nicole's educational skincare videos on Youtube or reading Caroline Hirons' skincare blog.

[realbeautybyliv]

A good exfoliater for me when my skin is dry and flaky is the fresh sugar face polish (which is in Sephora) or if you're willing to splurge, the Chanel gel exfoliant is gentle yet still affective. And since it's expensive I'm sure you can ask for a free sample of it at a Chanel counter

[emilyd0ll]

A washcloth and cleanser works wonders