There's a certain Sex and the City episode where Samantha Jones ends up with a crazy red face from a chemical peel gone wrong. Jones's end result is enough to make anyone never want to go anywhere near skin-resurfacing treatments or products, but in reality they can be your remedy for seasonal roughness and dryness.
If you're a victim of dehydrated post-winter skin with flaky rough patches, a smoothing chemical or physical exfoliant can help even out skin texture, in addition to refining pores and fine lines. But, unlike Jones's experience, just because a product is effective, doesn't mean that it can't be gentle, too.
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Soothing antioxidants and nourishing ingredients round out the formulas of our six favorite smoothing products so that you can get on with the rest of your day once you've used them—no black veil required.
From resurfacing peels to exfoliating powders, we've found six products that'll help you start off spring with smoother skin.
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Tatcha Classic Rice Enzyme Powder
This creamy, water-activated enzyme exfoliant cleans and tones skin to improve surface texture. If you find most physical exfoliants irritating, this powder will likely be the exception: It's spiked with crushed-pearl extract to minimize redness and sensitivity.
Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion
Sure, microdermabrasion might be a foolproof way to improve texture and tone, but regular in-office facials can get expensive. This tiny Kiehl's tube is an affordable alternative. Apply it three times a week to minimize dark spots, fine lines, and pores.
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
Dead skin cells can leave skin dull and pores clogged. Sunday Riley's lactic acid-powered cult-favorite treatment exfoliates and de-clogs pores for a firmer, more radiant complexion.
Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay
Instead of multi-masking, use this one from Origins, which deep cleans and refines skin in a single step. The rose clay-based mask is enriched with glow-boosting Canadian willowherb and polishing jojoba beads.
Olehenriksen Transforming Walnut Scrub
Walnuts aren't just a solid afternoon snack, the nut is also an effective exfoliator. In OLEHENRIKSEN's scrub, walnut powder lifts and loosens dead skin cells and impurities.
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial
At-home peels have a bad rap for causing post-facial redness and breakouts. Although Drunk Elephant's Babyfacial is packed with a whopping 25-percent AHAs and two-percent BHAs to refine skin texture, gentle antioxidants like matcha green tea and apple extract help prevent a splotchy aftermath.
