How to Exfoliate for Soft, Glowing Skin All Year Long

Even though summer has come and gone, I’m still not quite ready to accept it. I really appreciate the rituals, and even the lack of routines that come along with summer days. Warm weather, lots of sunlight, and longer days are some of my favorites. Another sign of summer is showing a little more skin. Tank tops and sandals are staples during the warmer months, and I love the ritual of giving my skin a little extra attention. But soft, glowing skin doesn’t have to end with summer.

If you want your skin to glow and feel good all year long, there are a few routines you’ll want to implement consistently and now is a great time to start. Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate! And I mean exfoliate from your head to your toes. It’s not complicated, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Just a few simple steps throughout the week can leave your skin feeling so good that you’ll find yourself constantly touching it. Here are a few of my tried-and-true products that keep my 50-year-old skin feeling soft and smooth.

I’ve been exfoliating my face for years. I used to think exfoliating involved some type of scrub and was something you only did occasionally. When I learned about AHAs and BHAs and how they work, I realized there were gentler ways to exfoliate my face regularly.

For years, I’ve used the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. I use it following my toner during my morning and evening skincare routines. It has become my go-to, and I think a product like this is worth considering if you want to help keep your skin surface smooth and ready for the rest of your skincare routine.

Recently, I started exfoliating my lips regularly. I’ve always been aware of keeping my lips moisturized, but I never really thought about exfoliating them. Then I found the simple yet indulgent Fresh Sugar Lip Polish, and now it’s part of my evening routine a couple of times a week. You only need a little, so this small jar will last a while.

After applying the lip polish, I gently massage it into my lips and wipe it away with a damp cloth. Then I follow up with a nice lip mask, and my lips are very happy. I’ve tried lip masks from both Laneige and Sephora. The Sephora brand is the one I reach for most evenings, and at around eight dollars, I find it to be a more affordable alternative to the $25 option.

Lastly, a gentle body scrub will take care of the rest of your body. I use the Native Body Scrub once a week while I’m in the shower. It’s gentle and goes onto my skin effortlessly. Once I rinse, I follow up with a moisturizing body wash. Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash is my favorite. After my shower, I lotion my body while it’s still damp, using either my homemade magnesium butter or the Vaseline Radiant & Palmer’s body oil combination I’ve mentioned before.

Another way to exfoliate your body is with a gentle body lotion. AmLactin Daily Nourish is lightweight and contains lactic acid to help soften and smooth the skin. I prefer to use it on my body in the evenings a couple of nights a week. I have to say, I’m very pleased with the way my skin feels on a daily basis.

These are simple steps that won’t break the bank, and they’re routines you can continue all year long.  It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. A few simple products and a little consistency can help you exfoliate for soft, glowing skin and also maintain the soft, smooth skin you love and will appreciate long after summertime is over.

Do you exfoliate regularly?