exfoliant
noun
ex·fo·liant
| \ (ˌ)eks-ˈfō-lē-ənt
, -ˈfōl-yənt
\
, -ˈfōl-yənt
\
Definition of exfoliant
: a mechanical or chemical agent (such as an abrasive skin wash or salicylic acid) that is applied to the skin to remove dead cells from the surface
Examples of exfoliant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unfortunately, unleashing chaos on people’s lives in Gilead and in Canada is practically an exfoliant for the Waterfords. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "The Handmaid's Tale Season 3, Episode 7 Recap: A Criminal Record," 5 July 2019 While fans were mostly eager to try out the makeup mogul’s new line, Kylie received some backlash over the use of walnut powder in her Walnut Face Scrub, which is a controversial exfoliant that many believe is too abrasive on the skin. — Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE.com, "From Selfies to Shapewear: A Comprehensive Guide to All of the Kardashian-Jenner Siblings' Business Ventures," 28 June 2019 Bae encourages daily gentle exfoliation with a cleanser containing physical or chemical exfoliants or any topical product with alpha hydroxy acids. — Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, "How To Get Rid of Laugh Lines With Five Expert-Approved Tips," 25 June 2019 It’s hard to find an exfoliant that’s not even somewhat irritating, but these sponges are honestly gentle. — Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "How to Use a Konjac Sponge for Your Best Skin Ever," 22 Oct. 2018 There are also a range chemical exfoliants in regards to strength so can be tailored to specific skin types. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "How to Get Glowing Skin," 25 June 2018 This means no abrasive loofahs, cloths, scrubs or chemical exfoliants. — Dr. Leslie Baumann, miamiherald, "How to choose a skin cleanser," 18 June 2018 However, the show is not solely about how-to's for at-home exfoliants or dressing for one's body type. — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, "Can Netflix’s ‘Queer Eye’ reboot save America? Probably not, but it’s great TV," 19 Mar. 2018 Once the oil rubbing or salt scrubbing part was over, Ms. Ajikrishna instructed me to wash my face and body in an outdoor shower with green mung bean powder, an herbal exfoliant used to cleanse the skin without removing the oil’s benefits. — Caren Osten Gerszberg, New York Times, "At a Yoga Retreat in India: Beach Walks, Body Treatments and Healing," 16 Feb. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exfoliant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for exfoliant
exfoliant
noun
ex·fo·liant
| \ (ˌ)eks-ˈfō-lē-ənt
, -ˈfōl-yənt
\
, -ˈfōl-yənt
\
Medical Definition of exfoliant
: a mechanical or chemical agent (as an abrasive skin wash or salicylic acid) that is applied to the skin to remove dead cells from the surface
— called also exfoliator