Written by Menswear Style in Beauty on the 23rd October 2014

You've seen your significant other spending plenty of time in front of the mirror exfoliating her skin. You may have heard of the word exfoliation before, but you are not sure of what it does and what good can come out of it. If you have had these questions swirling in your head before, they are about to be answered. 

A generation ago, men would not care about exfoliating unless it is medically recommended. For men, facial care meant soap, shaving cream, razor and water. However with the type of stress and pollution men face nowadays, the facial care ritual is becoming necessary. That necessity is further solidified by the fact that men have considerably thicker skin than women, figuratively and literally. But what exactly is exfoliating?

'The purpose of exfoliating is to remove dead facial skin cells with the use of exfoliators or facial scrubs'

Exfoliating regularly can give anyone a healthier and a fresher looking skin. Moreover, the process softens and tones the skin, clears pores to keep the skin clean and cuts down the odds of acne breakouts. Finally, exfoliating can give you smoother shaves as it aides in exposing hair follicles. 

What are the Benefits of Exfoliating Regularly? 

Some men think that exfoliating is a one and done process. If they do not get the results that they are looking for, they will not waste precious time that could be spent on gaming, sports or drinking for rituals that they have never seen their father or any of their friends do. Nevertheless, if your father did not hit the gym to stay in shape, that does not mean you also have to lift everyday objects to grow muscles. These benefits will get you to consider exfoliating your face: 

1. Cleans the Skin - the primary purpose of rubbing a facial scrub on your face is to unclog pores and get rid of dirt and grime. If you do not want to do it for yourself, at least do it for your girl. Nobody wants to kiss a face with filth inside every pore.

2. Rejuvenates the Skin - your skin will reflect the stress of hours and hours of paperwork and office politics. Life must be wearing you down but don’t let anyone see that. Exfoliate to improve facial skin blood circulation so you can keep that youthful glow. 

3. Prevents Spots and Blemishes - blemishes and the likes are not signs of manhood. It only shows that you don’t take care of yourself. Exfoliating helps remove oil that has been trapped inside pores, allowing you to wake up every morning with a spot-free face. 

4. Helps in Shaving - if shaving is one of your favorite past time activities, you will love it more if you exfoliate before you shave. Aside from giving you unclogged pores, it exposes hair follicles and aides in clearing ingrown hair. You will definitely notice the smoother shave. 

How Should you Exfoliate? 

We understand that you’d rather not ask your girlfriend about it so here’s a general guide how to eliminate dead skin cells: 

1. Generously soak your face with warm water. 

2. Apply facial scrub like you are using an ordinary facial wash. 

3. Use your fingertips and gently massage the exfoliator on your face in a circular motion. It’s your call if you want to do it clockwise or counterclockwise. 

4. Rinse for a smoother complexion. 

After following the steps above, look at the mirror. You’re probably looking at a different person.

*Close up, Side view, Wet man images via Shutterstock

a man's guide to the Benefits of Exfoliating and why exactly men should exfoliate. We also cover how to eliminate dead skin cells and how regularly guys should exfoliate.