Exfoliation: Why and How

Cleansing to remove dirt and oil is important, but it is not enough. All skin types can benefit from regular exfoliation. Not only will your skin look better, it will feel smoother and be healthier as well. Your skin cells are constantly being replaced from the inside. The skin you see on the outside is actually made up of dead cells. In order to remove these old, dead layers of skin, you must exfoliate.

The benefits of exfoliation extend beyond just removing dead skin cells to reveal the glowing radiant skin below.

Benefits of exfoliation include:

Reduce Breakouts – Acne prone skin benefits from exfoliation because it removes the skin that would otherwise stick to oil and clog pores. Exfoliation removes the dead skin thereby reduces breakouts.

Clear Pores – The deep cleaning clears dirt and toxins from pores helping to reduce blackheads and minimize the appearance of large pores.

Look Younger – As skin ages, it’s natural exfoliation process diminishes, leaving skin drier and less elastic. Helping the process along keeps skin looking fresh and radiant while reducing the appearance of fine wrinkles.

Moisturize – Dry skin often feels rough as the dead skin builds up. Exfoliating smoothes the roughness and allows your skin to better absorb moisture. Skin without a layer of dead cells and impurities can more easily absorb the products you apply to it, such as moisturizer and anti aging serums.

Remember, exfoliating is not just for your face! You should exfoliate all of your skin, giving special attention to areas that are naturally drier, like your knees, elbows, and feet.

Now that you understand why you should exfoliate, let’s talk about how you should do it. There are two basic types of exfoliation products available. Manual exfoliants physically scrub away the dead skin. This can be either in the form of a scrub with small particles designed for this purpose or a brush, glove, or even a washcloth that buffs away the dead surface cells. Sugar scrubs, for example, are one popular method for exfoliating the whole body. Chemical exfoliation sounds intimidating, but it’s not. Chemical exfoliation simply means that a chemical in the product breaks the bond holding the dead skin cells to each other allowing them to be easily wiped away. Many different types of chemical exfoliation exist, such as fruit enzymes, alpha and beta hydroxy acids, and retinol, which is another name for vitamin A. Although both methods are safe, be aware that some products are stronger than others. You may have to experiment with a few different products and/or consult with your esthetician to find one that works best for your skin.