Best facial exfoliator under £22 from Boots?

[OMGitsnotgood]

For many years, I used Liz Earle cleanse and polish so never used a separate exfoliator. I've been using different cleansers for a while that I was given as gifts. Prompted by another thread, I realise I haven't been exfoliating which might explain why my skin looks a little dull.

I have £22 Boots points, but don't necessarily want to spend that much. . I'm a firm believer that expensive doesn't always equal better when it comes to skin care. So I'm interested in any recommendations for facial exfoliators available from Boots under £22.

Thank you

I love the st Ives apricot scrub! It's cheap and does the job very well for me

Don't use this! It's awful and leaves micro tears on your skin. It's hardly fit to be a foot scrub.

You're better using a chemical exfoliant. AHA, BHA, that type of thing.

OP do you have any skin concerns aside from slightly dull skin?

2 posts in and conflicting recommendations ha ha.

@itwasnevermine my main other skin problem is open pores on my nose and chin.

Nivea Rose Care 3 in 1 is nice. Very gentle and effective as a morning cleanser two or three times a week.

I don't exfoliate anymore as I use Tret and I just don't need it but I used to use the Ren AHA or the Paula's choice BHA is popular. These are better than physical scrubs which tear the skin.

I use the no7 exfoliator. But don't pay full price - there's always an offer

The exfoliating part of Liz Earle C&P isn't the cleanser it's the cloth.

You could use it with any cream cleanser

I have a botanics one which is really good. Can't remember the price though as I think I got it as a gift.

I like boots no 7 micro dermabrasion facial exfoliator. Just use it once a week and really brightens my skin. I follow with future renew damage shield.

I like Superfacialist ones

I recently had a pricey consultation with an aesthetician and she told me to cut down the acids (I was using Paula’s choice daily) and just do a weekly acid mask to exfoliate, alongside a gentle daily cleanser. She recommended pricey brands but I think a simple cleanser like Cetaphil combined with an acid mask from The Ordinary or Inky List would do the same job for your budget. The Ordinary does a glycolic one and a lactic acid one I think.

second the advice to avoid the St Ives scrub - I love it too but it’s doing long term damage.

I did actually wonder about that

So you want a salicylic acid, they sound scary because of acid in the name but they're not!

Pretty much every brand has them. The inkey list and the ordinary are cheaper skincare brands who sell them.

Step up slowly, once or twice a week, make sure you're using an SPF every day as well, at least SPF 50.

For brightening skin using a vitamin c can be very useful as well

https://www.boots.com/the-ordinary-lactic-acid-ha-30ml-10286188?srsltid=AfmBOooUn-pBQdRJLe3dajnfqsavvNZJxNhDfD6EBH7UQb-0bwnW33S5

this is good - milder than AHAs etc.

The Liz Earle exfoliator is only £15 I think and very fine which feels nice. Recently I've been using nip & fab can't remember the name but that was only around £10 on Amazon, and again is a very fine one.

I like the L'Oréal exfoliator, I can remember what it's called but it's in the turquoise/green bottle, I think unless it's in offer it might be over budget. I also like The Ordinary aha peel (bright red) which is around £10.

I like chemical exfoliators over physical, I use either of the above about twice a week which suits my skin. I can imagine someone with more sensitive skin needing to do it less frequently or leave the masks on for less time.

What about a cleansing brush with a facial wash?

Physical exfoliants are a lot worse for your skin than chemical

Michelle Wong can't find any reliable sources for the "physical exfoliation bad, chemical exfoliation good" theory, so if you prefer physical, use one but be gentle.
https://labmuffin.com/how-to-exfoliate-1-all-about-physical-exfoliants/

I like No7 in the orange tube

https://www.boots.com/no7-radiance-daily-energising-exfoliating-cleanser-100ml-10286359

Bigger Boots stock The Ordinary range

you want the niacinimide plus zinc for your pores and the AHA plus BHA chemical peel. It’s bright red. Leave for 8 minutes the first time you use it.

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator 75ml - Boots

This in Boots £18 so well within your budget .
It has jojoba beads so not scratchy

I dont exfoliate but two i saw recommended in Woman last week were.
Q+A Apple AHA Exfoliating Gel £9 Boots
Bubble Deep Dive AHA + PHA Exfoliating Mask £16 Boots.

I just use a face cloth - cotton or muslin , and whatever foaming cleanser I have

I stopped with the liz Earle a few years back when it didnt work/feel the same, started to feel like it was leaving a film, now I use whatever is on offer from Superdrug

Not £22 but I have always like the Clarins exfoliating wash with orange as a gentle, traditional exfoliator.

But actually, for dull skin, I'm a BIG believer in Vitamin C and a lot of vitamin C serums also have a slight exfoliating aspect to them. The Ordinary one (not the silicon one) is a good choice on the cheaper side (and is usually available at the Ordinary concessions in the bigger boots or online). The Inkey List vitamin C serum is a good entry level vitamin C serum and is also available at bigger Boots.

I see there's also a No 7 Vitamin C exfoliator which could be a good start (not a serum - as an exfoliator, but with Vitamin C)? For serums, I've also heard good things about the Olay serums and I see they have a vitamin C one so I'd be inclined to try that?