Is the winter season drying your skin out? Do you feel rough & scaly? Is your skin dull & lack that dewy fresh look? Have you tried every moisturizer, body butter, facial hydrator out there, but still have that dry, rough texture? If you answered yes to any one of these questions, you are probably skipping an important step in your skin care regimen…EXFOLIATION! The skin is constantly generating new skin cells at the lower layer (the dermis) and sending them to the surface (the epidermis). As the cells rise to the surface they gradually die and pile up unevenly on the skin’s surface, giving it a dry, rough, dull appearance. Exfoliation is beneficial because it removes those cells that are clinging on, revealing the fresher, younger skin cells below. It’s good to exfoliate your face and your body at least 2 to 3 times weekly.
When it comes to exfoliation, there are two different types, Mechanical Exfoliation and Chemical exfoliation. Mechanical exfoliation is done by physically rubbing an abrasive product on your skin. Examples of mechanical exfoliation on the body include salt glows (An exfoliating scrub using coarse salt, essential oils and water followed by a shower and the application of body lotion.), a body scrub that might use sugar or coffee grounds, or skin brushing (Dry brushing involves using a body brush to gently rub over the skin before bathing to remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation.)
On the face, scrubs are the most popular. Scrubs usually have abrasives like jojoba beads, almonds, or apricot kernels. A more aggressive mechanical exfoliation is microdermabrasion (diamond tip or with crystals). Be careful when choosing an exfoliant for your skin; you can cause micro-tears if you use something to aggressive for your skin type. It is always a good idea to get a recommendation from your esthetician.
Chemical Exfoliation is usually done with peels. They can be gentle or aggressive, depending on the peel used and you’re your skin can handle. There are different types of peels, the most heard of ones are enzyme peels (gentle antioxidant peel employs natural acids and nutrients, including vitamins A, E, and beta carotene, to soften the skin, eliminate impurities, and remove dead skin cells), & alpha hydroxy acid peels (AHAs- citric acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, & tartaric acid)
Once you start exfoliating your skin regularly, you will notice how soft the texture is; how even your tone will be, and fine lines will be minimized. For those of you that wear makeup, the application will go on much more smoothly. Be extra careful if you have delicate, sensitive, or aging skin, you do not want to over do the exfoliation. Also, never use body scrubs on the face & never wax if you have had any exfoliation done.
