Wellness and self care are on the rise. Skincare specifically has quickly become a form of self soothing and preservation, according to The Cut. There are even influencers who are dedicated to educating the masses about the importance of skin care, as well as divulging their own techniques. We are obsessively washing our faces, applying masks, and getting chemical peels, in an attempt to care for ourselves, and also bring order to our lives.
One popular method of skin cleansing is sugar scrubs, gritty mixtures meant to exfoliate, but the question of their safety often pops up. So, are scrubs good for your skin or not?
The definitive answer is no. Nayamka Roberts-Smith (@LaBeautyologist), took to Twitter to speak on this. In a separate tweet, she also revealed that sugar and salt are “jagged” and often damage the skin. Additionally, skin care expert Paula Begoun shared with The Cut, “When you scrub skin with abrasive scrubs, they put micro-tears into skin. They make your skin more vulnerable to environmental damage, pollution, and sun damage.” So, it doesn’t matter how attached you are your walnut shell scrub routine, it’s time to let it go.
Since we’ve established that sugar scrubs are cancelled, now what?
Well, let’s start off by being clear about the fact that exfoliation isn’t the problem. In fact, you should be exfoliating your face a few (but no more than three) times a week. Chemical peels are just the better alternative. Scrubs irritate your skin, while peels soothe, hydrate, and treat the skin. Also, peels can be used on your whole body!
You can also invest in hyaluronic acid or salicylic acid, depending on your skin’s needs. Hyaluronic acid is good for keeping the skin hydrated, while salicylic acid dries up zits. There are also products that include these acids, in case you’re uncomfortable using them as they are.
So, in the immortal words of TLC, no scrubs!
Photo credit: Getty Images/Anna Efetova