Keeping your skin soft and smooth will create a healthy glowing complexion. Who doesn’t want that. As our skin ages our cellular turnover on the surface of our skin slows down and the older skin cells build up leaving our skin looking dull and rough. Where as a younger skin has a much higher production of skin cells, and they tend to build up on the surface causing unwanted problematic pimples and pustules. The build up of these cells also prevents penetration of products into the deeper levels of our skin. The dead skin cells on the surface form a barrier that inhibits absorption of serums and creams to heal, hydrate and nourish our skin the way they are designed to.
It is so important to shed the dry dead skin cells from the surface of your skin with exfoliating 2 to 3 times a week. Ok, I know that is probably not going to happen, but how about once a week! It will make a huge difference in the health and appearance of your skin. You will have a healthy glow to your face, and the deeper layers of your skin will be able to get the nourishment and moisture they need to rejuvenate for a healthier glowing face.
Exfoliating also helps to soften fine lines on the skin. The dead skin cells can build up in the fine lines causing the lines to look more pronounced than they really are. By eliminating dead skin cells the fine lines will soften , especially around the eyes and mouth. The moisturizing ingredients from your products will then be able to penetrate the skin and plump up those areas to minimize the lines, giving a smoother look the the face.
As well as better hydration to the skin, exfoliating allows nutrients to be delivered much more effectively to the deeper levels of the skin. Once the layer of dead skin cells is removed nutrients from your skin care proctucts can now penetrate to the second and third layers of the skin. It is in those layers that rejuvenation can happen with the proper ingredients. Cellular repair and renewal can be stimulated, and strengthening of the collagen and elastin fibres will lead to a healthier and revitalized skin.
There are several different ways to exfoliate the skin ranging from cosmetic, done by a dermatologist, to laser or needling, to easy homecare done in 8 minutes. I will focus this article on the 2 main easier home-care regimes.
I’ll start with manual exfoliation. Manual exfoliating is done with a cream or liquid based product that contains tiny granules. You put some of the product in your hand, maybe add a bit of water to it if the face is not already well moistened, then rub lightly on the face and neck. It is important to rub gently so as not to irritate the skin, possibly scratching the surface which could lead to infection, or breaking the tiny blood vessels on the cheeks called capillaries. Once capillaries are broken they do not heal and will create a redness to the skin on the cheeks.
The small granules will lift off the dead skin cells and smooth out the surface of the skin. The gentle rubbing will stimulate blood flow to the surface of the skin. This slight stimulation of the blood flow brings nutrients for healing and rejuvenating. An application of a granular exfoliate can be done 2 to 3 times a week and takes only a couple of minutes. I don’t recommend any longer so as not to cause inflammation. This application is quick and easy to fit into your skincare schedule on a weekly basis.
My next suggestion is home care chemical peels or acid based exfoliants. These are incredibly effective and easy to use. The words chemical and acid may seem intimidating, but not to worry, the ingredients that are used in these products are safe for your skin and are sourced from various fruits and plants. You may have heard of a popular exfoliant called Salicylic acid, this ingredient is sourced from Willow Bark. Other excellent ingredients are bromelain, sourced from pineapples, and lactic acid is sourced from fermented foods and soured milk. The ancient Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra used to bathe in milk for soft, smooth skin.
These acid exfoliants contain enzymes that break down and dissolve the dead skin cells. They are safe and easy to use. Over the counter products have a low dosage of the enzymatic ingredients so they can be used on all skin types, even sensitive skin and they can be used several times a week. Some can be used everyday. I highly recommend using enzymatic exfoliants. They are powerful tools to keep your skin healthy, soft, and smooth.
The enzymatic exfoliants are fantastic for anti-aging. They reduce the amount of dry and dead skin cells that can cause the face to become dull and drab looking, hence giving a healthy glow. Once the surface of the skin is cleared of the old cells other anti aging products, such as serums and masks, can better penetrate into the deeper levels of the skin for healing. They also smooth the skin allowing for make up to look fresh and even, not caked on and splotchy.
An acne and/or oily skin can also have excellent benefits from acid based exfoliants, especially Salicylic Acid. These enzymes are able to penetrate the oils on the surface of the skin to breakdown the dead skin cells that clog the pores that create pimples and blackheads. Salicylic acid also goes deeper into the skin to help reduce the acne, it is an anti inflammatory so helps to decrease redness and swelling around the pimples and pustules. Definitely recommend this for healing and calming acne prone skin.
I hope this overview helps you with your skincare maintenance. I know that there can be a lot of information, and products, out there and it can become overwhelming and even confusing. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
I do offer intensified exfoliating treatments to help increase cellular regeneration, and help with any colour pigmentations that may have occurred. These are included in the facial sessions that are listed on my website. If you are interested in receiving a facial please reach out to me and we can chat about which facial would be best for you!
