Elevate your grooming routine: The art of exfoliating for men

Reading time: 5 mins

Ready to be used after exfoliating beards, the OneBlade shaver sits on a towel next to a sink.

You’ve probably heard that exfoliation helps you get clearer, healthier skin. If you’re not already an accomplished exfoliator, though, how do you get started? Here’s our guide to how to exfoliate facial hair.

Do men need to exfoliate?

Exfoliation is just a fancy word for cleaning the dead cells and ingrained dirt from your skin. While dead cells probably don’t bother you most of the time, and you might not mind having a little bit of everyday dirt on your skin, there’s one clear reason it’s worth learning how to exfoliate: men face the risk of ingrown hairs in sensitive areas. If you’ve had those already, you’ll know how uncomfortable they can be.

Exfoliation can help release or prevent those ingrown hairs,¹ helping to fend off itchiness and leaving you with clearer skin. It’ll also reduce your risk of razor burn and remove excess sebum, helping to prevent those uncomfortable shaving bumps. We think it’s worth doing.

If the itch is still there once you’ve mastered how to exfoliate a beard, take a look at our tricks to prevent shaving irritation.

How to exfoliate your beard

When it comes to learning how to exfoliate, men face a particular problem: a lot of the articles about exfoliation out there don’t talk about facial hair. We’re here to help when you’re exfoliating a beard.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to exfoliate. Beard shaving will never be the same again!

Don’t overdo it. A couple of times a week is fine. Your skin might start complaining if you exfoliate too often, and anyway, you’ve got other things to do!
You’ll need a face scrub or other exfoliator before you get started. Check the usage guidance on the label, in case there are specific instructions to keep in mind.
Do your exfoliation before you grab your razor. Exfoliating before shaving can give you a smoother shaving experience, as it’ll help get rid of the dead skin that might otherwise clog up the blades.
Wet your face with warm water before you exfoliate.
Rub the exfoliator into your wet skin, thoroughly but not roughly. You might want to know ‘how to exfoliate your beard’, but it’s technically your skin you’re exfoliating. Beard hairs don’t need a coating of exfoliator, so aim for the skin beneath.
Rinse your face thoroughly and pat it dry with a towel.
The exfoliation is done, so it’s time to tackle your facial hair. A shaver like the Philips OneBlade Pro, with the dual-protection system of a glide coating and rounded tips to protect sensitive skin, can help give you a more comfortable post-exfoliation shave.

There you have it: the art of exfoliation for men.

Of course, your face isn’t the only thing you can exfoliate. If you’re looking to scrub away ingrained dirt, ingrowing hairs or dead skin anywhere else on your body, follow the steps above, but make sure your exfoliator is suitable for other areas of the body, first.

If you’re often exfoliating your whole body, it’s worth investing in a separate body scrub, but it’s fine to use your face scrub for occasional spot cleans elsewhere.

Other skincare tips for men

Exfoliation is a great start, but what if you’re interested in other ways to look after your skin? Here’s a little more skincare advice:

Protect your skin from the sun’s radiation. UV rays make your skin age faster, and, more importantly, sunburn increases the risk of skin cancer. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and avoid spending much time under direct sunlight, especially in the middle of the day.²
If you’re not already in the habit, give your face a quick wash a couple of times a day, in the morning and evening. Hand soap can leave your face a little too dry, so it’s better to use a cleanser that’s designed for use on the face.
Using a moisturiser after you’ve washed can help keep you looking your best by preventing dry, scaly or cracked skin. Some moisturisers include sun protection, so you can double up on your skincare by applying an SPF 30 moisturiser in the morning.

See more below ↓

Troubleshooting exfoliation for men

Facing exfoliation issues? Here’s some guidance on how to tackle them.

A little short-lived redness straight after exfoliation is nothing to worry about. If your skin is seriously red and uncomfortable after exfoliation, though, there are a few possibilities.

If you’ve been exfoliating frequently for a while and you haven’t had trouble before, you might have been over-exfoliating. Try pausing your exfoliation routine and see if your skin recovers. When you start up again, keep to a relaxed schedule of once a week.

If the problem started up the second you started exfoliating, though, your skin might be reacting to the scrub you're using. Test out different products, with a small amount on a discreet patch of skin, and see if something else works better for you. If you try to test everything at once, it'll be hard to tell which scrubs are causing problems, so apply each product one at a time, with a few days between them. If you become worried about any rashes or redness, don't hesitate to contact your healthcare provider.

Of course, it’s also possible that exfoliation isn’t the culprit, especially if you’ve already cut back without success. If you’re facing regular redness after shaving, take a look at our guide to avoiding razor rash...

¹ Ingrown hairs, NHS

² Sunscreen and sun safety, NHS