Exfoliate 101

I'm almost ashamed to say that I only recently started to exfoliate on a daily basis and I'm 28...yes I know!!!!  I do alot of research on beauty and health products...its actually a weakness of mine lately, but I can tell you that I have learned alot and am very happy to share.  Not only does exfoliating remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, cleanse skin , and reduce future lines and wrinkles, but it also helps invigorate your circulatory system.  Why you ask??  Well, if you exfoliate properly (rubbing in circular motion), it stimulates blood and lymph flow.  So yes, exfoliating is important and here are another few little tidbits that I have learned from my research:

- exfoliate on an already cleansed body and face
- exfoliate before shaving because the extra dry skin may clog up the razor
- exfoliate 2-3 times a week depending on your skin type
- exfoliate lips by either using your facial exfoliate or by making your own ( sugar and water mixed together is great) and using a soft bristle toothbrush to remove dead skin
- always moisturize after exfoliating because exfoliating can actually dry out your skin if you don't follow with moisturizer

I tend to try alot of different products, so its always hard for me to say what my favorites are, but here are my 2 favorites right now, which I am loving (see below):

The first one on the left is Brazil Nut from The Body Shop.  They have a delicious variety of body scrubs and you would probably find it hard to pick just one because they all smell amazing and edible (but don't eat them) :p!  The one on the right is a classic, St. Ives Apricot Scrub.  This product has won many beauty awards for its great facial exfoliating qualities.  It also smells amazing and soooo refreshing!  It can be found in any walmart, drug store, etc.  These are my current favs, but there are lots of products on the market, so let me know if you try these or what your favorite exfoliates are...would love to hear :D

Hope everyone is having a Fab weekend!

Lots of Love, Crystal