Exfoliating Guide for Beginners AFTER You Complete Basic Skincares (feat. Some by Me 30 Days Miracle Toner)

Actually, this is the continuation of the last article of For Beginners: Basic Skincares that You Truly Need; ONLY 3 Products!. If you haven’t read it, I recommend you check that one first.

If you have met your desired basic skincare routine, it’s time to step up your skincare game. It’s the next step after Cleansing, Moisturizing, and Protecting: EXFOLIATING!

WHAT IS EXFOLIATION?

In the exfoliating step, you basically get rid of unwanted dead skin cells on top of your skin. Dead skin cells make your face look dull. Basically, you need to eliminate it in order to obtain clean and bright skin. These unwanted layers cannot be removed by a merely face wash, so you need something stronger to scrape them off. 

A strong base or skin barrier is necessary before doing this step. That is why completing basic skincare is recommended before exfoliating your face. Or else your unprotected skin can be damaged or irritated by the strong ingredients. 

Example of basic skincares

PHYSICAL EXFOLIATION VS CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION

There are two types of exfoliation, namely physical and chemical exfoliation, which will be described below.

    1. PHYSICAL EXFOLIATION

This method uses manual removal of dead skin cells, usually using products in form of scrubs. Scrubs are a type of skincare that is in form of grain-like that can be used to remove them. However, this material might be too harsh for most facial skins, so I don’t recommend this. Applying it on the body is still acceptable, though.

Physical Exfoliator: Shinzu'i Myori Body Scrub

    2. CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION

On the other hand, chemical exfoliation relies on substances that break down unwanted dead cells, making them easier to remove or wipe off. Skincares which belong to this type include active ingredients such as AHA, BHA, PHA, retinol, etc.

Some by Me AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner

This type of exfoliator tends to be gentler on the skin than the previous one. Still, there are many types of strong chemical exfoliators out there as well, so you have to be very carefully observing the ingredients. 

This type of exfoliating is what I will recommend to you. Today, I will introduce you to a product that is suitable for beginners who want to exfoliate their skin without damaging it too much.

Some by Me 30 Days Miracle Toner

Some by Me is a Korean skincare brand. As displayed on the packaging, this product contains 2% of AHA/BHA/PHA. This is what you seek if you are a beginner, a low percentage of active ingredients. If you are a first-timer, I recommend you find products with active ingredients at 3% or low.

Active ingredients in the product

PRICE

The price is range from Rp. 120.000-170.000 for 150ml. I purchased it from Shopee. In my opinion, the price is pretty fair and affordable compared to similar products on the market.

HOW TO USE

Since this is a toner, you need to apply it before moisturizer. On clean skin, take an appropriate amount of product on facial cotton, then spread it evenly onto your face and neck. Since applying any kind of exfoliator will make your skin more sensitive, I recommend you apply it at nighttime, away from sunlight. After applying it, top it off with your usual moisturizer.

Put it on cotton before applying it onto the face

For starters, you can use the product once a week.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

For additional information, I have an oily-combination skin type. Before using this product, I was using a physical exfoliator on my skin, and I admit that it was too harsh for me. My skin began to purge and broke out. I stopped and never use another physical exfoliator ever since.

Due to that bitter experience, I decide to use a chemical exfoliator instead. I’m a beginner at this as well. I chose this product because of its low percentage of active ingredients. Additionally, I hear many great reviews from fellow skincare users. In fact, this is my first chemical exfoliator. I’ve been using half of the bottle.

Since using the product religiously, I feel differences in my skin texture and brightness. It gives me smoother and brighter skin, and I’m satisfied with the result. I apologize I cannot give you before-after pictures since it’s been a long time since I’ve been regularly using the product. However, I can tell you that my skin looks and feels better than before. 

Hence, I really recommend you to try on this product, especially if you have a similar skin type to me. May healthy skins be with us. Ciao!