exfoliate

/ɛksˈfoʊlieɪt/
verb
  1. To remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, typically by scrubbing or using a chemical product.
    • You should exfoliate your face gently to avoid irritation.
    • The dermatologist recommended that she exfoliate once a week with a mild scrub.
    • He exfoliates his hands after working in the garden to keep them soft.
  2. To shed or come off in flakes or scales, like skin or bark.
    • After a sunburn, the skin begins to exfoliate naturally.
    • Some trees exfoliate their bark in thin layers during the summer.
    • The old paint started to exfoliate from the wooden fence.
Antonyms