Apricot and Walnut Scrubs Are Demonized on the Web—However Are They Actually That Dangerous?
When you got here of age through the period of Bonne Bell Lip Smackers, there’s a good chance that bodily scrubs had been your introduction to exfoliation—and also you used them so much. Between the tough texture and yummy odor, it felt such as you had been doing all of your pores and skin a favor, scrubbing away no matter pores and skin points you had again then (hiya, zits) to disclose higher, brighter pores and skin beneath.
However our magnificence routines have come a good distance, and now we’re effectively conscious {that a} harsh, abrasive scrub definitely isn’t doing breakouts any favors, to say the least. However are apricot and walnut scrubs really good for anybody’s pores and skin? We tapped two dermatologists, Dr. Dendy Engelman and Dr. Orit Markowitz, to search out whether or not or not apricot and walnut scrubs are literally unhealthy for you.
Meet the Professional
· Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, is a board-certified beauty dermatologist primarily based in New York Metropolis. She is a member of the Byrdie Magnificence & Wellness Evaluation Board.
· Dr. Orit Markowitz, MD, is a New York Metropolis-based board-certified dermatologist, pores and skin most cancers specialist, and the founding father of OptiSkin.
What Are Apricot and Walnut Scrubs?
“Walnut and apricot scrubs comprise tiny fragments of walnut shells or apricot pits that perform as a bodily exfoliant,” Engelman explains. “Once you rub the scrub in your face, the items of shell or pit scrape off useless pores and skin cells. Sadly, they will additionally create micro-injuries in your pores and skin, because the fragments are sometimes too giant and abrasive for the pores and skin of the face.”
There are two sorts of exfoliants: bodily and chemical. Although they’ve the identical purpose, they work in numerous methods. Bodily exfoliants use one thing bodily, such because the bristles of a brush, particles in a sugar scrub, or within the case of apricot and walnut scrubs, apricot kernels and crushed walnut shells. In the meantime, chemical exfoliants use acids—akin to lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, and/or salicylic acid—to take away useless pores and skin cells. “The pondering behind bodily exfoliation is utilizing these textured, grainy particles to manually exfoliate the pores and skin floor,” Markowitz says. “What you might be finally doing is stripping away the floor layer of your pores and skin and are left with pores and skin that seems and feels smoother virtually immediately.”
Nonetheless, whereas bodily exfoliants are usually extra reasonably priced, faster, and simpler to make use of (as you merely rub the scrub in your pores and skin and rinse it off), they will trigger irritation and small tears within the pores and skin, and probably even result in an infection. Apricot and walnut scrubs may also weaken the pores and skin barrier, leaving your complexion pink and irritated.
Are Apricot and Walnut Scrubs Protected?
“Walnut and apricot scrubs have a status for harming pores and skin quite than serving to it,” Engelman says. “I like to recommend that my sufferers keep away from bodily scrubs like this, because the exfoliating particles (the shells and pits) are too abrasive for pores and skin and may really trigger small accidents, or micro-tears, in addition to irritation and an infection.”
In truth, Markowitz doesn’t even recommend utilizing bodily exfoliators moderately. “I do not advocate exfoliating with scrubs as they really do extra injury to your pores and skin,” she explains. “There’s a false impression that if you use exfoliating scrubs you might be combatting dry, flaking pores and skin as a result of the rapid end result from exfoliating is pores and skin that’s smoother. Nonetheless, this easy impact is simply short-term and you might be really damaging your pores and skin much more with extra exfoliation over time. That is why I do not advocate over-exfoliating and like to put an emphasis on moisturizing.”
Nonetheless, for those who completely insist on utilizing a bodily scrub, Engelman recommends not utilizing it greater than as soon as per week and rubbing gently in an effort to keep away from inflicting irritation and harm. “If you need to use a bodily exfoliant or scrub, search for merchandise which have tremendous high quality exfoliating beads or particles (not shell or pit fragments), that are much less prone to tear and irritate the pores and skin,” she says.
Walnut and apricot scrubs, together with all different bodily exfoliators, are dangerous to all pores and skin varieties, however particularly so for delicate and dry pores and skin varieties. “These with delicate pores and skin or inflammatory pores and skin situations like eczema or rosacea ought to completely keep away from utilizing bodily exfoliants, particularly walnut and apricot scrubs, as these can irritate and hurt the pores and skin and worsen present situations,” Engelman says.
What Is the Greatest Option to Exfoliate Pores and skin?
“I actually advocate chemical exfoliants for individuals who wish to resurface their pores and skin, promote cell turnover, and get rid of zits,” Engelman says. “When used appropriately, chemical peels are way more efficient and fewer dangerous for delicate facial pores and skin.” Each Engelman and Markowitz agree that chemical exfoliants are by far the popular technique.
“Chemical exfoliants are acids that work to take away useless pores and skin cells, and there are a number of totally different sorts,” Markowitz says. “The 2 most typical chemical exfoliants are AHAs and BHAs. AHAs are water-soluble acids generally comprised of sugary fruits, and so they assist peel away the floor of your pores and skin. I notably like AHAs for exfoliants as many AHAs like glycolic and lactic acid are additionally thought of humectants. Humectants are important in protecting your pores and skin moisturized, due to this fact I discover these merchandise to be the perfect to your pores and skin, notably your face. BHAs are oil-soluble and work below the pores and skin’s floor, lifting away useless pores and skin cells. A standard instance can be salicylic acid.”
But it surely’s necessary to notice that even chemical exfoliants do include a small threat. “Whereas I wish to advocate these since they don’t put sufferers liable to tearing their pores and skin, they do take slightly extra effort and time,” Engelman cautions. “If not used correctly, or for these with delicate pores and skin, the acids could also be too harsh and trigger irritation.” Her go-to is Glo Pores and skin Magnificence’s Hydra-Vivid AHA Glow Peel ($85), a chemical exfoliant equipment that comes with every thing it’s essential to do a professional-quality peel at house. Tremendous straightforward to make use of, it incorporates lactic and ferulic acids in addition to antioxidants to brighten pores and skin, cut back indicators of growing older, and restore injury from exterior aggressors.
For shiny and acne-prone pores and skin, and for these with zits scars, she recommends Differin’s Resurfacing Scar Gel ($23), an over-the-counter product that promotes cell turnover, revitalizes the pores and skin, and reduces the visibility of zits scars. “Exfoliating, normally, is nice for these with oily pores and skin and zits, as it will possibly assist loosen buildup in pores and promote cell turnover,” Engelman says.
The Closing Takeaway
Finally, it’s finest to avoid apricot and walnut scrubs. “My suggestion can be to not use apricot, walnut, or every other form of bodily scrub to exfoliate your pores and skin,” Markowitz says. “There’s a false impression that as a result of your pores and skin feels easy instantly after use that these merchandise are serving to, nonetheless, this isn’t the case. In the long run, you might be damaging your pores and skin by continually scrubbing on the floor layer and never offering your pores and skin with what it really wants, which is moisture. If you wish to exfoliate, I like to recommend a chemical exfoliator moderately.”
The Greatest Chemical Exfoliators, In keeping with Byrdie Editors
