I swear if I even look at glycolic acid my face inflames. My skin has always been on the sensitive side but it was never an issue until the chemical exfoliant trend came about a few years ago. Using a skin tonic to instantly get glowing skin? It almost sounded too good to be true, and for me it was. I would over-exfoliate with harsh chemical exfoliants and wake up to red raw cheeks.

I know now that I was damaging my skin barrier and making everything worse. After trialling many products, I concluded that exfoliating wasn’t for me, only to then realise that I was simply doing it all wrong. Sensitive skin needs its own set of instructions when it comes to exfoliation, which is exactly why I asked the experts for a definitive guide on how to exfoliate, even if you have sensitive skin. A glowing complexion is for everyone, after all.

What are the benefits of exfoliating your skin?

We’ve all seen the videos of people waking up with glowing, dewy skin overnight but let us break down how exactly exfoliation unleashes glass-like skin.

“Exfoliation can offer several benefits for the skin, particularly in terms of improving skin texture, tone and radiance,” says Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist at Self London. “By removing dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, exfoliation helps to promote cellular turnover, which can lead to a smoother and more even complexion.”

This also comes with added benefits, especially if you’re prone to a spot or two. “For those with clogged pores or acne-prone skin, exfoliation can reduce the likelihood of breakouts by preventing dead cells from trapping oil and bacteria within the pores,” says Dr Mahto. 

The one catch? Don’t overdo it – something I’ve been guilty of in the past. “Over-exfoliation can irritate, so one should always exfoliate with caution, especially if they have sensitive or reactive skin,” says Dr Mahto. 

How to exfoliate if you have sensitive skin

Scrubs used to be all the rage when it came to smoothing rough skin but this always did more harm than good for me, so what is the best formulation for sensitive skin? Dr Mahto recommends chemical exfoliants as the best product for the job as they work by dissolving dead skin cells with little physical friction.

When it comes to chemical exfoliants, the most popular are AHAs (such as your glycolic acid) and BHAs, which include the likes of salicylic acid, but Dr Mahto says these aren’t the ideal match for sensitive skin. “Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs), such as gluconolactone and lactobionic acid, are often a better choice for sensitive or reactive skin types,” she says. The good news is that PHAs work similarly to AHAs but “their larger molecular size means they penetrate the skin more slowly, reducing the potential for irritation”. If PHAs aren’t the route you want to go down, lactic acid is another option. Technically, it’s an AHA but far milder, making it more tolerable.

Her general advice is to opt for products formulated with sensitive skin in mind, which don’t include abrasives or high concentrations of exfoliating acids. This means no physical scrubs, people. 

How often should you exfoliate when you have sensitive skin?

Many products claim they can be used every day, but if you’ve got sensitive skin, less is always more. “Sensitive skin often has a compromised barrier function, meaning that it is more prone to irritation, redness and discomfort,” says Mahto. This means scrapping the rule book and taking a more custom approach.

“Exfoliating once every one to two weeks is generally sufficient. Sensitive skin types are more prone to barrier disruption and inflammation, so a cautious approach is best,” she says.