What Step is Exfoliation in Skincare Routines?
Smooth texture, brighter tone, and better skincare absorption all start with proper exfoliation. But what step is exfoliation in skincare routines? We get asked this question all the time. Customers want to know when to incorporate our world-renowned enzyme peels.
Exfoliation comes after cleansing and before toners, serums, and moisturizers. The reason being, you need to remove surface dirt and oil with cleansing so that exfoliating ingredients can actually remove the dead skin cells that are blocking other skincare products from penetrating.
As for frequency, you should exfoliate no more than 1-3 times per week. That’s plenty for most people, because the skin needs time to recover between each exfoliation day. Overdoing it is only going to cause more harm than good.
We’ll break down how to place exfoliation correctly in your routine, how often to use it, and how to adjust based on your skin’s response. We’ll also show how to exfoliate gently using our formulas here at Naturopathica.
Whether it’s our Manuka Honey Body Exfoliator, a Pumpkin Enzyme Peel, or a Sweet Cherry Enzyme Peel, every formula is brought to life with a balance of modern skincare science and ancient botanical wisdom. Shop now and see what keeps customers coming back for more!
“Feels great, smells great. Leave my face feeling wonderful. I have bought this product twice now.” - Elena
“Smells and feels great, effectively smoothing the texture my skin! I alternate with using the Pear & Fig Peel which is also very nice!” - Cynthia
“I have been using the cherry enzyme peel for years and continue to love it. It smells great, feels luxurious to use, and makes my skin feel completely refreshed. It has been one of my go-to products to help maintain clear and soft skin.” - Molly
What is Exfoliation?
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that sit on the surface and eventually end up clogging pores, preventing new skin cells from coming up to the surface. This translates to rough texture, dull tone, and uneven skincare product absorption. You’re basically creating a fresh slate on your skin every time you exfoliate.
Benefits of Exfoliation
Whether you have dry or oily skin, exfoliation is an essential step in your routine. Does exfoliation help with acne? Yep. But that’s just one of its many benefits:
- Removes dead surface cells to fight flaking and smooth out skin texture
- Improves skin smoothness, so makeup and sunscreen apply evenly
- Helps unclog pores, limiting buildup that can trap oil and debris
- Brightens overall tone, since dead cells scatter light and negatively impact clarity
- Supports healthy cell turnover, keeping the surface healthy over time
- Improves product performance, so serums and moisturizers can contact living skin
But not all forms of exfoliation are made equal. How you go about exfoliating your skin matters more than most people realize.
Types of Exfoliants
Not all exfoliants work the same way, and choosing the right type matters just as much as how often you use it. Each option removes dead skin differently and has its own level of control/irritation risk.
Physical Exfoliants (Scrubs & Polishes)
These use particles like sugar, salt, seeds, or beads to manually rub dead skin off the surface. They can smooth skin fast, but results depend heavily on pressure and technique. Too much force or uneven particles can cause micro-tears, redness, and lingering sensitivity.
We get asked all the time, is physical exfoliation bad for face? It can be. These formulas have to be carefully handled. They’re usually a poor fit for dry, sensitive, or compromised skin.
Chemical Exfoliants (AHAs & BHAs)
These use acids like glycolic, lactic, or salicylic acid to loosen the bonds between dead skin cells. AHAs work primarily on the surface, while BHAs travel into pores.
These exfoliants can work well and tend to be gentler than their physical counterparts, but timing and spacing are just as important. Overuse can cause stinging, peeling, or barrier disruption, especially when you’re layering in other active ingredients.
You can learn more about physical vs chemical exfoliation in our blog, but there’s a third type worth mentioning, and our preferred approach to exfoliation: enzyme peels.
Enzyme Peels
These use fruit-derived enzymes like pumpkin, papaya, pear, or pineapple to digest dead skin proteins only. They don’t rely on friction or deep acid penetration. The enzymes stop working once dead cells are broken down, which limits over-exfoliation.
This makes enzyme peels easier to use consistently and easier to pair with treatments like retinol. They smooth texture, minimize dullness, and clear buildup without leaving skin feeling raw or stripped. No matter the approach you take, what step is exfoliation in skincare routines?
What Step is Exfoliation in Skincare Routines?
Timing is everything with exfoliation. It should come after cleansing and before any leave-on products. This is where understanding the difference between cleansing vs exfoliating is important, because a lot of people think they essentially do the same thing. That’s not true.
Cleansing removes just the surface dirt, oil, and sunscreen lingering on your skin. It won’t work deep enough to extract that layer of dead skin cells, though. So you can use a cleanser to clear away the bulk of debris, then get the tough buildup with exfoliation.
Your skin is like a clean slate at this point, ready to take in whatever you apply to it without anything blocking the pores. This is when you’d apply toner, serums, and moisturizers. Applying these products prior to application would be wasteful because they wouldn’t be able to get into the skin deep enough. They’d just sit on top of dead skin cells.
It’s worth noting that exfoliation is not a daily “core” step, either. It’s a treatment step used on specific days with intention. We always suggest simplifying the rest of your routine on exfoliation days. Hydrating serums and moisturizers that support your skin barrier are best afterward. Save strong actives for a different day.
How Often Should You Exfoliate Your Skin?
Frequency matters more than strength when it comes to exfoliation. Most skin types do best exfoliating one to three times per week, depending on the exfoliant used and how skin responds.
Those with dry or sensitive skin will find that once a week is plenty, especially with our powerful enzyme peels here at Naturopathica. Normal or combination skin can tolerate two to three times a week, while oily or congestion-prone skin can benefit from up to three times a week.
Be clear: more exfoliation is not going to speed up or boost results. It just leads to tightness, redness, and uneven texture. Signs you’re exfoliating too much include stinging when applying moisturizer, persistent dryness, or increased sensitivity.
We suggest spacing exfoliation days apart. If you were going to do it twice a week, you could do Mondays and Thursdays. Thrice a week routines are usually on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Always listen to your skin and adjust if it tells you you’re overdoing it.
How to Exfoliate Your Skin: Step-by-Step Guide
We have a great lineup of enzyme-based exfoliants here at Naturopathica if you’re ready to upgrade your skincare routine. Everything is carefully crafted through a blend of ancient botanical wisdom and modern skincare science.
Our Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel works best for dry, dull, or uneven skin thanks to Lactic Acid and antioxidant-rich fruit enzymes. The Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel is better for thicker skin, congestion, or oil buildup as it clears pores more aggressively.
Either way, here are some tips on how to use a Naturopathica enzyme peel:
- Cleanse first: Start with clean, dry skin so the enzymes can work their magic.
- Apply the peel: Use a nickel-sized amount for the face or a quarter-sized amount for the face, neck, and décolleté. Spread in a thin, even layer. Avoid the eye area.
- Process time: Leave on for 3-5 minutes. Tingling is normal; burning is not.
- Remove completely: Use a soft, damp cloth, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
- Post-peel care: Follow with hydrating or treatment products tailored to your skin goals.
Using our enzyme peels before a shower or with a home steamer boosts enzyme activity. Warmth and moisture help activate fruit enzymes and amplify the smoothing and brightening effects of lactic acid.
Follow up with a Vitamin C15 wrinkly remedy serum for uneven tone, a Pricky Pear & Salicylic Acid Tonic for congestion, or our White Tea Antioxidant Mask for post-exfoliation moisturization.
Make sure to limit sun exposure and wear sunscreen for one week after exfoliating to protect newly revealed skin. Follow this routine for a few weeks and you’ll be amazed at the difference you see in your skin!
Final Words on When to Exfoliate Face
In closing, what step is exfoliation in skincare? After cleansing, prior to other steps in your routine. Knowing when to exfoliate face is key to harnessing all the benefits of our enzyme peels. It gives them the best opportunity to remove dead skin cells, setting the stage for the rest of your skincare ritual.
We hope you feel confident in incorporating exfoliation into your regimen now. All that’s left to do is pick the right products for your skin’s needs. Shop the selection, take our skincare quiz, or get in touch with our customer care team for one-on-one support today!
Frequently asked questions
What are all 7 steps in a skincare routine?
A typical routine follows this order: cleanse, exfoliate (on treatment days), tone, serum, eye care, moisturize, and sunscreen in the morning.
When should you exfoliate in your routine?
We get asked all the time, what step is exfoliation in skincare? It comes immediately after cleansing and before toner, serums, or moisturizer. Simple as that!
At what stage do you exfoliate the face?
Exfoliate on clean skin, once makeup, sunscreen, oil, and debris have been removed. Knowing when to exfoliate face is key to making sure you reap all the benefits it has to offer.
Do you exfoliate before or after serum?
Always exfoliate before serum so active ingredients contact living skin instead of dead surface cells. Otherwise, you’re just wasting products.
What are the best exfoliating ingredients?
Fruit enzymes, lactic acid, and salicylic acid. They exfoliate well with a lower risk of agitation compared to harsh scrubbing or aggressive acids.