The key difference between cleanser and exfoliator is that cleansers remove dirt and bacteria, whereas exfoliators remove dead skin cells.
Both cleaners and exfoliators are necessary for healthy skin. A cleanser purifies the skin by removing sebum, bacteria, dust, and other impurities, while an exfoliator removes the dead skin on the surface of the skin, revealing younger-looking skin.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Cleanser
3. What is an Exfoliator
4. Cleanser vs Exfoliator in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Cleanser vs Exfoliator
What is a Cleanser?
The cleanser is a skincare product that is used to remove oil, dirt, makeup, and other pollutants on the skin. This helps to keep the pores clean and prevents acne. It is important to cleanse the skin using a cleanser twice a day, in the morning and at night, to get rid of oil, dirt, sebum, and bacteria. This is a must since these impurities are not water-soluble, so water is not enough to wash them away. There are different types of cleansers, such as foam cleansers, gel cleansers, cream cleansers, balm cleansers, and powder cleansers.
Benefits of Cleansing
Cleansing provides smooth and healthy skin, helps to absorb the skincare products, stimulates blood circulation, fights signs of aging, and gives a younger-looking skin. It also makes the skin hydrated, giving it a soft look with a natural glow.
How to Use a Cleaner
- First, wet your face.
- Then put a small amount of cleanser on the palm and apply it to the face gently in circular motions, including the eye area.
- Rinse the face with cool or lukewarm water.
- Pat dry the face and continue the usual skincare routine.
What is an Exfoliator?
Exfoliator is the chemical or granular substance used to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. This word is derived from the Latin exfoliare. This is considered a treatment that improves youthful appearance and beauty by preventing dry, flaky skin and clogged pores.
Before exfoliating, it’s necessary to understand your skin type (sensitive, oily, dry, normal, combination, acne-prone)and select the right exfoliator so that irritation won’t occur. Those who have oily skin can exfoliate more often, but those with normal or dry skin should limit exfoliating to once or twice a week.
Types of Exfoliators
- Chemical exfoliators – using enzymes and acid-based products (alpha hydroxyl acids or beta hydroxy acids) which dissolve protein bonds that are there between dead skin cells. This helps in the removal of dead skin cells.
- Physical exfoliators – using a granular scrub that polishes or scrapes the dead skin cells on the skin
- Mechanical exfoliators – using a machine or device to remove dead skin cells. Microdermabrasion or laser treatments can be taken as examples.
There are also facial exfoliators made of small particles that are suitable for the delicate skin on the face and body exfoliators that are made of thicker and larger exfoliating granules suiting the thicker skin on the body.
Pros and Cons of Exfoliation
Exfoliation prevents acne, prevents clogged pores, evens skin tone, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It can also help in the absorption of skincare products, stimulate collagen synthesis, boost circulation, and increase cell turnover. However, exfoliation also has some disadvantages. It can cause dryness and irritation in the skin and costs you a lot of money. Exfoliators can sometimes also be harmful to the environment and aquatic life.
How to Use Exfoliators
- First, wash the face gently with a mild cleanser.
- Do not dry.
- Apply the exfoliator to the face for about 30 seconds in a circular upward movement, avoiding the eye area.
- Then rinse the face with cool or lukewarm water.
- Pat dry and continue the usual skincare routine.
What is the Difference Between Cleanser and Exfoliator?
The key difference between cleanser and exfoliator is that cleansers help to remove dirt, bacteria, makeup, and other pollutants on the skin, while exfoliators help to remove dead skin cells. Cleaners should be used daily, usually twice a day, while exfoliators are not for daily use. They should be used once or twice a week.
The following table summarizes the difference between cleanser and exfoliator.
Summary – Cleanser vs Exfoliator
A cleanser is a skincare product that removes oil, dirt, makeup, and other pollutants on the skin. It purifies and gives a healthy, younger-looking skin. A cleanser is smooth textured and can be used twice a day. It is recommended for daily usage. An exfoliator, on the other hand, is a chemical or granular substance used to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. This removes flaky skin, clogged pores, and acne, provides an even skin tone and boosts blood circulation. It contains exfoliating granules and should be used only once or twice a week. This is the summary of the difference between cleanser and exfoliator.
Reference:
1. “Cleanser.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 May 2022.
2. “Benefits-of-Exfoliating.” Kate Somerville.
Image Courtesy:
1. “The Ordinary” By Daniel Foster (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Treatment, close-up, massage, wellness, face, spa center, woman, skin, relaxation, touch” (CC0) via Pixino