Beginners Guide to: Exfoliation
there are two types of EXFOLIATIONS: physical & Chemical.
why we need to exfoliate: very similar to snakes, humans shed their dead skin after a certain period of time. unlike snakes, we are not able to remove the layer of dead skin evenly and efficiently without the help of exfoliation. so we use various types of exfolates to remove these layers of dead skin from our face (and bodies).
the process of our skin shedding is called desquamation. when you are young aNd healthy, desquamation is occuring at a rapid rate because your skin cells are active af. as you age, your cells become fed up and tired of the wear and tear so they slow down a bit. they take a little longer to shed. so in theory, younger skin requires more exfoliation than older skin.
in your 20s, you may have a cycle of 28 days and in your 40s it may take 35 days. this all varies based on how you take care of your skin. a 40 year old may have short turnover cycle if they have a solid skin care routine, good diet and wear their sunscreen rain or shine.
chemical exfoliation is the use of a chemical enzyme or acid to remove dead skin cells.it is one of the keys to keeping your desquamation cycle short and healthy. i prefer this method as it is more efficient when it comes to removing dead skin cells and treating conerns by coating the skin. chemical exfoliation can help treat a number of conerns such as texture, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and dry skin.
enzymes are a great place to begin as they dissolve dead skin cells and help to treat most concerns. they are gentle and typically featured in the form of a mask (like the ara by essence natural enzyme mask). other chemical exfoliates such as mandelic acid, lactic acid and glycolic acid are common ingredients as well.
physical exfoliation features the use of manual tools or scrubs to remove dead skin cells. these tools can consiss of exfoliating gloves and brushes. while this method can be great for body care, it can often be too abrasive for the face.
browse my favorite exfoliating products for face and body using the list below!