exfoliant
Exfoliant (noun) means a product or ingredient that loosens and removes dead cells from the surface of the skin, either by physical rubbing with fine particles or by chemical action that dissolves the bonds holding those cells together. Example: “The scrub was too gritty, so she switched to a gentler exfoliant.”
How to Use Exfoliant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that takes dead skin off the surface.
Standard in cosmetics and dermatology; the verb is exfoliate and the process is exfoliation.
The word family runs exfoliate (verb), exfoliation (process), exfoliant (the thing that does it).
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The scrub was too gritty, so she switched to a gentler _____.
Etymology
From Latin exfoliare, to strip of leaves, from ex- meaning off and folium meaning leaf.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for exfoliant
See all rhymes for exfoliant →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a physical and a chemical exfoliant?
A physical exfoliant contains particles, brushes or cloths that dislodge dead cells by friction. A chemical exfoliant uses acids or enzymes to break the bonds between those cells so they shed. Both target the same surface layer by different routes.
Is exfoliant the same as exfoliator?
In practice the two words are used for the same thing. Exfoliant is more often the ingredient or substance, and exfoliator more often the finished product or the device, but the distinction is not firm.
What are AHAs and BHAs?
They are the two main groups of chemical exfoliating acids. AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acid, of which glycolic and lactic acid are examples, and BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid, of which salicylic acid is the familiar one.